The Diary
of
Anne Ku

25 December 2000 Monday

Christmas in ?

CHRIS T MAS

IS there a Mr Mas whose first name is Chris? Or it could be a Miss Mas with first name Chris, short for Christy or Christina.

On this day, four years ago, my high school classmate Patty Brightwell disappeared from the face of the earth. The last person to see her was her husband, who said that they had a row and she left the house.

It's a holy day for Christians who celebrate in fervour. The rest of us tag along. I didn't celebrate Christmas last year (1999). I was exhausted after three months of orbiting the earth. The previous year (1998) I was with my mother, my friend Lemondrops and her boyfriend in Charlotte, North Carolina. And 1997? Lemondrops visited me in London where we were invited to a sumptuous duck dinner in Maida Vale.

Christmas 1996 I cooked a meal in Houston for my brother, my colleague and her mother who were on their way to London. I discovered only then that my colleague didn't eat meat. She was too polite.

Every Christmas season in Okinawa was my busy period. I recall playing some twelve church services in one week. I must have drunk five cups of holy wine in one day! I miss that community. I miss being able to take part in the festivities by playing music. It's not the same, just singing Christmas carols with everyone else. Christmas is a time to get together and sing while I sightread and improvise the carols.

Yesterday

Tomorrow

Related diary entries:

the first noel

Christmas and homesickness

her angelic voice

English Christmas Carol Medley