O Christmas Office Party

            The golf course was dark and silent, the cars parked in rows along the club house. Women dress up in high heels and jeweled small purses walked in swinging one hip at a time and then I sighed.
Office Christmas parties are the quintessential stage where everyone makes small talk, most likely will show off the levels of success they achieved at work over the past year or they might get back into office gossip as if we are all back in the offices once again. Those unfinished conversations that only other employees know what is going on could follow. I have sat through many such times, seen good and bad years so I feel very at ease in any case as it could go down. I've discovered  how to truly enjoy a office Christmas party with it's truth in giving, laughing, having fun and simply just seeing everyone for the respect they deserve. I remember my very first Office Christmas Party at the golf course like it was just yesterday......
Tony, my husband, had been with the call center for these big businesses over 6 months when the Christmas Party came about and I took the evening off from my coffee shop job to join him. I had been in and out of his office all the time, even sometimes carrying trays of everyone's coffees but this was different in socializing and maneuvering through the bigger crowd of bosses and supervisors dressed in their holiday best. When it came to groups of people whatever the size I had no fears, I could carry on a conversation or just sit in silence with a nod or smile. On this event I happily found the Christmas Tree in the lobby glowing bright golden and green. I could hear the laughter, the many conversations going on at once and see all the candles at our tables as I circled the huge tall tree I sipped on a glass of red wine while wondering to myself "How did I get here? How did I grow up to be a woman with a jeweled purse and sparkling heart earrings?" My black dress barely touched the floor and my black boots were hidden underneath as it rested off my wide bare shoulders. I curled my hair only to clip it up half way to one side and I glided around the room slowly, I enjoyed the peacefulness of the decorated tree and I watched from a far towards all the noisy strangers I might never see again in all honesty....
I remember the catering company working hard to serve and set up the food at this event as I walked around the tree. I was surprised at first that I felt oddly out of place, I noticed a friend of mine was a cater so I spent a good while catching up and tagging along side her to visit. She had to remind me that it was about time to eat so I should find my table, being served over cloth napkins made me realize that I was not in some fairy tale this was actually my new married life. I ate carefully thinking about how or what to say next, the evening was unfolding at such a fast pace full of sparkling people and inside office jokes with long speeches and even more shots from the fully stocked bar. I was watching these people who acted so mature and successful an hour before the meal turn into college kids with endless booze! Again that golden glowing classy Christmas tree was where I delightfully escape to, I sat drinking my now coffee for dessert time enjoying the tree for most of the later evening. My husband was busy, he had his many friends, those bosses to be with and so I was completely contented to sip over all my thoughts of Christmas thinking to myself "How rich a party this is? I've never seen anything like it! I can't believe I get to enjoy it!"
           The ladies sitting on my husband's lap kept squealing out how much they like him and how funny he was while I chuckled at such silliness thinking also to myself that I hope I never get drunk like that! My friend in the catering company stood behind me with her arms folded in a mad frown "No, No, Debby you get over there and yank those skanks off your man!" I looked back at her in surprise asking thoughtfully "What are skanks?" She snorted and quickly half dragged me towards them I shook my head at all this silliness once again. It was getting late so under the frown of my friend and screams from the ladies who were clearly drunk, I simply tapped the car keys together to get my husband's attention for it was time to go, I didn't say a word to get him out of the center of all their attention. I just walked back to the Christmas tree saying over my shoulder to my watchful friend "It's really no big deal, I think they are all friends and work in the same area or something.....honestly, I've been watching them for awhile and it's all just for fun." My friend looked soften for a moment from her deep frown of frustration, saying very clearly at me "You just don't fit into this world very well now do you? It's all about who has the power and who will win! Debby, YOU have the power over those bitches, as the wife you have the right to go over there and kick some ass!" I smiled back at her saying in a half chuckle "AND I also have the car keys....so my escape would be in a flash!" We laughed and waved as I left feeling confident once again and very happy to have been apart of such a nice place I realized that I wasn't cut out for "acting on stage" like in these office parties, so I decided from that moment on I would be simply me, which meant carrying my own space every where I go......For I always go straight to the decorated tree each and every time!