Due to my frivolous nature I visited New York for the holiday parties. A highlight was dinner with Rachel. I reminded her of countless creative transgressions and she was embarrassed. She had forgotten many salient details of our adventures! Turns out, these days, she’s a big shot with a successful catering business. Money suits her and I tell her as much. Sadly for me she was off for to Palm Beach for Christmas. 

I attended everything and finally the parties ended. The well-heeled went wheels up and away. But I stayed on as I had access to an empty apartment, a massively comfortable loft on Fourteenth Street with TV screens the size of Cadillacs. Christmas Eve, after my final blow out at some posh uptown thing with lobster this and truffle that I returned to the loft and fired up a movie (made by the tycoon, the movie producer and an actor by the name of Alec Baldwin). Really it is a mockumentary, called Seduced and Abandoned. You can find it on HBO, I fell asleep on the fourth viewing. I loved it!

Christmas Day around 2pm and I was sound asleep. But a bell was ringing. I opened my eyes and sniffed at the cold air and immediately burrowed back to sleep. More insistent and urgent bell ringing continued. I tried to hide under the thin blanket but the sound of bells never stopped. Half awake and annoyed as I knew this interruption could not be for me I found a coat and as I surged toward the front door, I was pulling on the coat, and grumbling, and opened the first of three glass doors. A tall man swaddled in winter woolies was standing outside and waving two large brown paper sacks, with handles. Somehow we communicated that the bags in his hands were for me.

This made no sense and I was confounded. Yet sure enough I opened the doors and the man handed over the bags. He made gestures to confirm he did not want money or a signature. Then he was gone. The door slammed back shut, bringing with it a full body shivering of freezing air. 

 Except now I had these two enormous paper bags, with handles. I peered in and saw containers with clear lids of food. I scurried to the kitchen and unpacked. I discovered tubs of everything I love. Boringly, I have complicated food issues and here was everything I can eat. This had to be from someone who knows me very well.

Once I was sated, stuffed like Pooh Bear, I waddled contentedly over and checked my phone. Ten texts from Rachel asking me if I got the goodies! What an excellent Christmas Day feast I had! I am so grateful to have my old friend back. 

Thank you Rachel!

 I sincerely hope for all of us this New Year brings new friends and opportunities and old friends made new once more. Happy New Year!