An Unexpected Christmas

He found himself at a loose end – and pondering how he’d ended up alone at a time meant for family

- Derek Reyneke

NEVILLE walked from the bar after an un­ accustomed mid­ morning beer and blinked in the sum­mer sunshine. He stopped to light a cig­arette then leaned against his car, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his shoulders and the taste of tobacco filtering through the residue of barley and hops.

On Christmas Eve he should’ve been working, but an unexpected hiccup had deprived him of the opportunity so he was now like a child unexpectedly let out early.

“I’m sorry, Neville,” the client had in­ formed him. “Just one of those things, I guess, but our year­end inventory run has overshot the schedule, and the machine is needed for at least another 24 hours. As per your contract, I’m liable to pay you in any event so you’ll at least not go hungry.”

Neville was a freelance computer­ support consultant and this holiday period was usually his busiest as hun­ dreds of businesses shut down their machines for the next few weeks. He’d shrugged as he picked up his attaché case and made to leave.

“As you say, Bill, just one of those things. Do you want me to reschedule? I can probably fit you in on about the 28th?”

Neville had left with promises to con­ firm available dates and found himself driving home with no clear idea of what to do for the rest of the day. Passing the bar, he’d turned into the parking lot on a whim.

The slow drink had allowed him to re­ think his schedule and he was now on his way to do his bits of shopping before returning home to cook some type of Christmassy meal for himself.