Reporter’s Note: I write to President
Obama every day. Even on Christmas
Eve.
Dear Mr. President,
It is a peculiarity of the news business
that I have worked a great many
Christmas Eves and Christmas Days. Not
so much now, but certainly in my
younger days. Actually, I worked the
first ten Christmases of my TV career.
Oddly enough, in a strange way I came
to enjoy it. I liked going around to cover
news events which largely consisted of
happy events; public caroling, big parties
that were somehow newsworthy,
parades, celebrations, church services. It
was nice. At the same time, I enjoyed
the solitude of leaving those events
when I was done, sharing the
camaraderie of the newsroom and all
my colleagues who were in the same
fix, and finally driving home in the
evening amid all the glowing lights,
knowing that people were tired, happy,
and contented…enjoying each other’s
company, and perhaps some leftovers.
In retrospect, I don’t know why it didn’t
make me sad, but it did not. Usually, I
would make my way back to my
apartment, open a few presents, make a
few phone calls, and sometimes take in
a movie. One year it was “Fanny and
Alexander” by Bergman at the Prytania
Theater in New Orleans. That was great.
But sometimes I also managed to slip
away on Christmas Eve when work was
done to drive to my parents’ home so
that I could enjoy Christmas morning
before rushing back to work that day.
One time in particular, I recall finishing
my shift, helping put away my camera
and close up my desk, and then taking
off through the Alabama night to reach
their home. Mile after mile I sped
along, cruising quietly through the little
towns where church services were
already done for the evening and
children were most certainly being
herded off the bed. I passed remote,
rural homes where lights twinkled in
the distance. A friend had sent a mix
tape to me that I was listening to on a
Walkman (yes, this was quite some time
back,) and it was the first time I heard
the Pretenders do “2000 Miles.”
Magnificent. I listened over and over as
I drove on and on, and stars filled the
sky. As Dickens would say “there was
nothing of high mark in this” it was
simply, in every way, a magical
moment…one of the most peaceful I’ve
ever known.
Anyway, it is on my mind amid the
bustle of my final Christmas
preparations, and I hope you are
enjoying such a feeling of peace on this
Christmas Eve.
Regards,
Tom
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