Christmas Day Chiaroscuro

Christmas is all about contrasts: the Star of Bethlehem against a black sky; grubby shepherds and glorious angels; the Infinite God becoming a little baby.

I got to see a little of that contrast for myself, on Christmas day, on my own street.

After early Christmas mass, after the iPods, books, CDs, DVDs, PJs, sweaters, boxer shorts, and socks had been given and received with love, my dad and I decided to take the dogs for a Christmas Day walk.

We passed a parked Honda, well-maintained. I saw a woman inside, also well-maintained: nice hair, fur collar. In her left hand was a spoon filled with liquid; in her right hand, a syringe.

I got mad, and borrowed my dad's cell phone to call the police. Get out of my neighborhood! She saw me calling, and drove away.

Then I was sad. Really sad. Try to imagine what her Christmas was like.