"The Jingle Bell Bum" (Read The Touching True Story...please!) Comment at patriciahanrion.com

"The Jingle Bell Bum" (Read The Touching True Story...please!) Comment at patriciahanrion.com
Still available on Amazon for Nook and Kindle, hard copy booklett to re-print November 2013

Friday, March 1, 2019

Who names their baby Squirrel?

"Hi," we said to the lady at the window. We were buying tickets for our first theater experience in Arizona, I wanted the seats to be good. Especially since about ten years ago I had directed the same production for the "Santa Clarita Light Opera Company."

"So your Pat and Pat, that must be fun."

"Well yeah, it has been for many years. And how fun has your name been?" My husband responded.
No reply, only the stink eye down her nose! I kicked my husband under the counter hopefully out of her vision.

She spoke with a recognizable accent. Her name badge listed her first and last name.

I tried to smile sweetly and she smiled back. (thank goodness)
"I've not been to this theater can you show me where the seats are located."

I expected her to pull out a seating diagram but she grabbed a key from the wall and said, "come on in and see for your self"

We walked from the 100 degrees wafting heat into the cool darkness of an empty theater. I must admit I love an empty theater because in the quiet I can imagine all sorts of productions and ideas begin to flow into my head.

But I stopped myself and looked at the seats in the 4th row on the aisle and nodded that they would be fine.

On the way out she pointed at a lone seat with a wide space beside it, obviously for a wheelchair and companion. "That's where I sit if I can, twenty minutes into the show after I close the box office."

"Where are you from." I asked

"South Jersey."

"Me too."

"What got you to move out to sunny Arizona?"

"We came out for several visits, and my asthma got better, so we moved about ten years ago."

Back in the office we continued girl bonding and discussing Jersey. During a lull in the conversation I  finally asked, "Now about your name."

She quickly responded, "It really is Squirrel. My parents were nutty, ha ha..and have made excuses all my life for this crazy name...but I admit,, It is quite the conversation piece."

She placed our tickets in an envelope, and smiled while handing me the envelope..
"See you on the 27th."

"You sure will Squirrel," my husband chortled.


Walking to the car he began with a string of one liners. that ended with
"Her brothers are chipmunk, raccoon and the lazy one is possum. The grumpy sister is snapping turtle."

Yep, that's my sweet husband!

And I've been thinking if they really meant to name Squirrel, Shirley but misspelt it.  Yea! that's it, at least that's some sort of excuse...I can't imagine little baby Squirrel. And this is from a person who has four  Pat's in the family.



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