Christine and the Prettiest, Ugliest Christmas Sweater

"I guess I'm just not understanding the whole 'why'. Do you know what I mean?" Christine and Bessie sat looking bewildered in the first booth.

The club was vacant except for six patrons that were left over from the early afternoon escapade that resulted in a late night bar crawl.

Christine, constantly stirring the White Russian that sat in front of her now for a little more than an hour, looked serious when she asked the other woman with her head resting in her arms. "Can you think of one reason they call them pretty and ugly at the same time? Isn't that an oxy...an oxy...?"

"Moron. An oxymoron," Bessie responded holding her head and groaning as if she's tired of the subject matter. Bessie turned and asked Christine, "Why should it even matter woman?"

Christine stood up dramatically with her arms out stretched, sending the White Russian flying across the dance floor until it smashed against the mirrored walls said, "Because mine is the prettiest, ugliest Christmas sweater I have ever seen!"

Christine did a little bow. Bessie just groaned again and the four gentleman that were exchanging their opinions on college football leagues broke out into applauds and cat whistles. She thanked the guys and humored them with a sexy little spin that almost sent her sprawling. The club lights picked up the glitter from her Christmas sweater that sent shimmers along the walls.

When she settled and stood still I had to look twice. Christine, in all her glory, stood before me in the prettiest, ugliest Christmas sweater I have ever seen in my life. The green sweater displayed a Christmas scene straight from any classic story I have ever read. Santa Claus in his big, red sleigh loaded down with a dozen or so of the most elaborately wrapped packages of all different sizes. Reindeer, in mid flight, in the deepest chocolate brown, complete with antlers and jingle bells. And the infamous shiny red nose on the snout of the reindeer leading the bunch. The snow, heavy in spots, was glittery white, making the whole scene complete and almost pristine. The detail, even from across the bar, was perfect. It definitely was the prettiest, ugliest Christmas sweater I have ever seen!

Reluctantly, I look at the mess that needed attending on the dance floor and glance back at my watch. It's almost midnight, I close in two hours.

He gathered the necessary tools he needed to sweep up the broken glass and dry the mirrors properly.

The jukebox turned on, as if on que, and I stood face to face with the dazzling Christine. She stopped me midway to my cleaning task and took the items out of my hands one by one, while explaining to me that she made the mess she will clean up the mess. I just smiled going with the flow until I realized that she emptied my arms solely for the purpose of taking me by the hand and leading me to the center of the dance floor. She gently draped herself in my arms and innocently looked up at me and asked me to please dance with her.

And I did just that; I twirled her, dipped her and when she came close and the Christmas sweater pressed up against me, visions of Christmas past popped in my head. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down at the magic that was that sweater. I smiled awkwardly. Christine just smiled back.

I'm not sure if she knew what magic the sweater possessed. I pulled her gently towards me, but this time not without looking towards the guys at the end of the bar. They were waving me on to go ahead, a green light you could say to dancing with Christine. And I must say I was so curious if the visions would return. So I proceeded and pulled her gently close to me. Another Christmas song played on the jukebox.

And the magic returned, we sailed across the dance floor. I saw myself when I was just a child eagerly awaiting the gifts that my father passed around that were from Santa Claus. I saw myself as a teen buying my first girlfriend a necklace. I saw myself curled up sleeping on the couch hoping to catch Santa Claus delivering my gifts. I saw myself dancing with my mother at a community dinner dance. That Christmas sweater was magic for sure.

The music stopped and so did our dance. I thanked Christine and she did a curtsy I will never forget.

I cleaned up the mess that seemed so minor now and checked my watch. Closing time, the last two hours went by so quickly. I turned to look around the bar and it was empty. Christine and her crew and her Christmas sweater must have left. I was so deep in thought I didn't even hear them leave. Definitely a Christmas crew I will never forget.

Whistling, I turned the open sign to closed and locked the door behind me. This year's bar crawl wasn't too bad at all. Good memories conjured up from that mid night crew. I will always be grateful for the walk down memory lane, grateful to Christine and the Prettiest, Ugliest Christmas Sweater.