“Alright,” says the lone drinker at the bar.
“Alright,” I reply.
As it’s Christmas I stand and chat.
“What a waste of time Christmas is!” he rants.
“Yeah, I’ve been shopping all afternoon.”
“For what? It’s just consumerism,” he says.
“Right.”
“It’s based on fake news anyway,” he continues.
“Huh?”
“Yes, the Annunciation!” he says, laughing at his joke.
I drink up, saying I must get my bus.
Outside, I am one with the tired hordes of shoppers, glad to escape the lone drinker who’s missed the whole point of Christmas.