Christmas 1963 #2

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This happened on the Friday before Christmas, December 20, 1963. I continued on my way to the Long Island Rail Road station and boarded the train. 
Only one month since the assassination of President Kennedy and the heart-wrenching events of that week, a somber pall lay over the commuters.  People sat in their seats not interacting, all in their own thoughts. I thought about the man I’d tried to help and the suspicions of the policeman.  A second before the doors closed a tall man wearing jeans and a plaid jacket jumped on the train and grinned at the passengers.

             “Boy that was close. I almost didn’t make it. I’d be in trouble with the wife if I didn’t get home on time. I’m probably in trouble anyway because I’ve been drinking,” he laughed. 

            “Hey, it’s Christmas time. Let’s sing Christmas carols. ” Everyone ignored him. “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .” He pointed at one passenger who turned away.      

“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...” He pointed to another passenger who buried his face into his newspaper. The man made his way down the car trying to get someone to respond to his singing. By the time he got to me, I decided to join him. “A partridge in a pear tree,” I sang. “Yea!” He grinned.

            “On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...”

            “Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree,” I responded. We continued to sing and others around us joined in.

            Little by little, people put their newspapers and cares aside to join the singing. We sang and laughed and talked to each other. People from other cars came into our car to join the fun. As passengers got off the train at their stop, everyone called out “Merry Christmas.” We felt like a big family basking in the glow of the holiday season, thanks to this jovial inebriated working man who had the ability to bring us together. For me, it became the highlight of that Christmas.