The Winter of Yesteryear – (day 6)
December 19, 2010
Filed under 12 days 2010, day 6 - six geese a laying, laura eno
Tags: #12days2010, 12 days 2010, day 6, laura eno, six geese a laying
by
Laura Eno
The trouble started with the Christmas music. There I was, trying on swimsuits in Dumfrey’s Department Store and minding my own business, when The Twelve Days of Christmas blared out of their sound system. By the time the song got to six geese a-laying, my jaw hurt from grinding my teeth together.
It was only July, for pete’s sake. Couldn’t a person enjoy the dog days of summer before thinking of snow and holly wreaths?
I’ll admit my better judgment deserted me at that moment, but my actions had nothing to do with what had just occurred outside that dressing room.
As I stomped out to complain about the music, the clerk took one look at me and screamed. It seems I’d forgotten to dress first but really, I’m nothing to get flustered about.
She picked up the receiver and cranked the wall phone, telling someone named Mildred to send the police. I scurried back to the dressing room before it dawned on me how out of place that phone was.
The police dragged me through the snow, loading me into what they called a paddy wagon. July seemed to be missing, along with my sanity.
The calendar hanging over the police desk informed me it was no longer July 2010 but rather December 1935. I must have fainted because I woke up in a jail cell with the town drunk singing Jingle Bells.
Realizing that my temporary mental aberration could be put to good use, I demanded to see a lawyer. He signed me out with an injunction not to leave town.
Of course, the first thing I did was hitch a ride out of there. I don’t know what temporal disturbance hit that little town, but it’s become quite a tourist attraction.
Most people think the 1930’s décor is all an act, but I know differently. I live in New York now, safely ensconced in 2010. Whenever I hear Christmas music though, I shudder and run the other way.
©2010 Laura Eno
12 Days 2010! 
forget jingle bells, “let’s do the timewarp again!” 😀
Nice story!
Those darn temporal disruptions. Can’t a person shop in peace?
Mamma said. “Never leave the big city” – and she was right!
“…but really, I’m nothing to get flustered about…” – Fun!
Thanks for the laugh, Laura.
Well done.
That’s why I really don’t try things on in stores. What with the people on other side of mirror looking to make sure buyer is not stealing…
Perfectly written, Laura!
Merry Christmas.
I shall be VERY careful next time I get cross about Christmas songs in July!
I *KNEW* that song was trouble! Seriously, who gives gifts like that? *shudder*
Nice one!
LOL can’t wait to visit… sans the Christmas music!
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Wow, great micro fic! I love it that the temporal diversion became a tourist attraction.
CD
Ha! A little bubble of aberrant time can be murder on one’s shopping plans.
Thanks, everybody! I’ve been out sick…missed my own story!
I’ve always known shopping creates problems. I just didn’t know it could turn out like this! Great story!
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
If you were prepared for it, a trip to Christmas 1935 would be a lot of fun. But finding out by being dragged to jail for indecent exposure wouldn’t be the way to do it! Good story!
Love your sense of humor … amazing how Christmas gets earlier every year. But I won’t take hearing carols really early quite the same way again.
It occurs to me that the people in 1935 might have a little culture shock of their own at being dumped into 2010.