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pat pat pat
That was the sound of the weird fabric of your touch phone-compatible mittens squishing against the screen while loading up your bank app. Probably would have been worth it to get the fancy, double insulated gloves that wouldn’t have made a sound and have kept your fingers warm if you didn’t feel guilty about spending the extra seven dollars, but you gotta live with your choices. Besides, this wasn’t about the mittens. This was about that.
That being the sidewalk chalkboard sign in front of your favorite cafe, announcing the start of their advent calendar drinks.
“Mystery Drink every day until Christmas! Try our 25 days of flavors! $3.65 every day!”
To you, that was a steal considering that your usual cost more than five. What should you do? Forego the usual for the adventure and risk of a new flavor? Or keep to the warm comfort of the familiar taste of your morning ritual?
What the hell, why shouldn’t you? You needed some adventure in your life.
(Plus, the extra $42 that you’d save from switching drinks would be awfully nice for the month.)
Tomorrow was the first day of December. You savored in the sweet taste of your drink for today, for during the next 25, it would be gone.
—
The First Day
The weather outside was just cold enough to be uncomfortably chilly, but warm enough that the dreary clouds poured a light drizzle on the town. In other words: miserable.
It looked as if people had the same idea as you to take shelter in the cozy cafe while the freezing rain did its nasty business outside. As you attempted to shrug off water droplets from your not-so-waterproof coat, the people in line that you had joined minded their own business while looking equally drenched. At least the distinct smell of brewed coffee and the warm atmosphere— literally warm due to the heaters going full blast— helped to stave off the cold. And by the time you reached the counter, you were sorta kinda dry, so you felt better already! It also helped that you’d be getting that sweet caffeine.
You ordered your drink of the day and took one of the few remaining seats at the bar near the window once your mystery drink was in hand.
The smell of mulled cider wafted from the cup when you opened the drink flap, and peeking inside the tiny opening you could see…well, not much. Whipped cream blocked your view, but that was a good start!
You lifted the cup to your lips and took the first sip—
“Would It Be All Right If I Sat Here?”
That was not the image you had when you heard his deep voice.
Looking up from your cup, you found a skeleton monster with a cartoonish, friendly grin sitting his drink on the table space next to you, decked out in a puffy, light grey coat and a blue cotton bandanna that looked like it did nothing to protect him from the cold.
You smiled back politely and gestured for the bar stool next to you.
“Go ahead!”
“Thank You!” he replied with a hint of relief in his voice. You didn’t blame him. Nowadays most people felt like anything less than a seat and a half away was violating another’s privacy bubble.
Once he settled onto the seat, he glanced over with lit up sockets to your coffee cup and raised his own.
“Ah! Another Mystery Drinker, Yes? I Am Quite Excited About It!”
“Oh, yep! Thought I’d try something new,” you explained. Wait a minute, was this an actual conversation starter, or was he just being polite? “How about you?”
He shrugged his coat off, revealing a fuzzy sky blue sweater that made him look surprisingly bulky for a 5 foot tall skeleton. Once he settled into his seat, he raised his cup in a sort of small toast with a surprisingly disarming smile.
“I Could Say The Same! This Year I’ve Decided To Try Out Different Human Traditions For The Holidays, And I’ve Heard That Advent Calendars Are A Must Try,” he chirped.
As you finally took that long-awaited sip (a chai of sorts? hmm), your curiosity took over enough to ask, “Really? Who told you that?”
“The Very Nice Gentleman Over At The Department Store Next Door!”
His hand shifted up to show you the large bag stuffed with bulky boxes that promised…probably not a good time. From the fancy department store, no less. Oh, this poor fool.
It was at this time that you had to ask yourself: What was the more “spirit of the holidays” thing to do? You cooooouuulld let him find out for himself what the typical disappointments of advent calendars were, or you could spare him the pain and advise him to return them back to whence they came. Mmmmmm…
Oh. Oh no, it was too late. In your moment of deliberation, he had taken off the shrink plastic and opened the door to day number one. A tiny package holding a peppermint candy sat in the depression, which ultimately you would have done too if you were supposed to be the first shiny new present of the month.
You were about to tell him better luck tomorrow when he made a small delighted gasp and lifted the candy from the box.
“A Peppermint! What A Great Gift To Start The Advent!”
He was seriously happy with that? Truly, genuinely happy? He could get a whole bag of them for a dollar down the street—
But you saw the most curious way the lights in his sockets morphed into large, blue stars and your thoughts halted. Before you knew it, you had introduced yourself and stuck out your hand in greeting.
“Where Are My Manners?” he chuckled as he took your hand in a firm and shockingly warm grip, “My Name Is Sans! Sans The Magnificent, Mweh Heh Heh!”
“Well Sans, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”