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“You’ll still be busy, yeah?” He asked.
“Sure, my calendar’s been staying pretty full. Plus, I’ve been sort of considering the idea of volunteering on the town’s Christmas Planning Committee.”
“I’m sorry, the what?” Chris nearly spit out his mimosa.
“Did you honestly think this town didn’t have an entire committee dedicated to planning and executing all of the festivities leading up to and during the holiday season? Geez, watch a movie, would you?”
“Gosh, I love this town…” Chris gazed into space.
“Do not go up to the pancake station right now,” Tracy barreled back into her seat and dropped two plates onto the table. “There is a chocolate-chip calamity happening that you want no part of. Deviled egg?” She held out a third plate that seemed to appear out of thin air. “No? Okay, more for me. So, Maye, what will you do with all your free time when he leaves?”
“Well,” Maye twirled her glass dramatically. “I was thinking of asking you about the Christmas Planning Committee…”
Tracy placed a hand over her heart. “Maye Daniels, you just made my heart grow three sizes. You are on the precipice of reaching level four holiday jollymint.”
While the three were waiting for their check, Maye noticed their server preoccupied by something on one of the TVs. More patrons began gathering to watch, so they made their way over as well. On the TV screen above the bar was a camera shot from a news helicopter that was focused on a section of dense forest. The bartender turned up the volume.
“For those just joining us,” the TV news anchor said, “I am Reynoldo Javier Bachman and we are following a breaking story out of Martinsburg, West Virginia, where a hiker from Maine has climbed a tree and is awaiting rescue. Our local affiliate has their Eye in the Sky hovering above the area where the hiker is held up right now.”
The shaky camera zoomed in to a figure swaying near the top of a tall pine tree in a densely wooded forest.
“Is that…?” Maye moved closer to the TV. She squinted at the logo on the back of the sky-blue poncho. “Randall?”
“There’s no way…” Tracy said.
“We have eyewitness accounts,” Reynoldo continued, “who have said they encountered the man during his hike along the Appalachian Trail. Witnesses recalled that his family business had recently shut down and he had broken up with his longtime girlfriend, and was inspired to make the trek along the trail after watching a hiking documentary. We sure are hoping for the best for this young man.”
“I mean…” Tracy scrunched her face bashfully. “It could be anyone…”
“Wait a second…” Chris was putting the pieces together. “Is that the Randall? Randy Randall?”
“As we can all see,” Reynoldo said, “the rescue helicopter has arrived and has lowered their hoist to the stranded survivalist. He is now climbing into the basket and will presumably be pulled up and checked out by the medical team aboard. Well, it looks like this hiker will have quite a tall tale to tell, folks. That’s all for now. I’m Reynoldo Javier Bachman, and thank you for joining us for this special news report.”
Chris placed a hand on Maye’s shoulder. “Are you okay? That must be weird for you.”
“Yeah, I think so,” she said. “It’s definitely a dramatic way to get an update about your ex. I haven’t heard from him at all, and wondered from time-to-time if he was okay, and I guess now we know. I think I’m just surprised more than anything.”
“Me too,” Tracy added. “I had no idea Randall could climb a tree.”
Part Four:
Santa Senior
- 33 -
Christmas
Planning Committee
At the end of her first week without Chris in town, or a movie marathon to plan, or a batch of shows to record, Maye was ready for some excitement. Word had somehow gotten back to Todd that she was interested in joining the Christmas Planning Committee, so she had accepted an invite to a volunteer kickoff meeting, which always happened the week before Halloween.
Maye arrived at the Town Hall twenty minutes early and opened the door for Melvin as he arrived at the same time. He returned the favor and held the conference room door open for her, and the two had their pick of seats.
“So, Melvin,” Maye said as she nabbed a spot at the far end of the table. “How does this meeting typically go? This is my first time attending.”
“Well,” Melvin said, grabbing a handful of candies from the middle of the table, “either the Mayor or Todd will try to add a bunch of new activities to the schedule and expect that it won’t increase the workload for the volunteers. I will push back, get a mouthful for doing that, we’ll table a bunch of items and adjourn before anything too serious gets accomplished.”
The conference room door whisked open and Todd filed in followed by the rest of the committee. Maye did a double-take when Tracy walked in behind everyone.
