Crunch Time

I’d be the first to tell you I have a lot of faults. I’ve never been able to balance a check book. I have a hard time staying awake past 10:30. I’ve been known to blow off party invitations because I’d rather be reading a book. But of all the things I am, I’ve never been one to procrastinate.

One day a week I work at a card shop. It’s my fun job. I get out of my basement office, talk to real people instead of made up ones, and sell all kinds of cute things. On most days, I really enjoy visiting with the customers. By and large they're always pleasant and fun. But yesterday was different…it was filled with all of the Christmas procrastinators, and what a frantic, wild-eyed bunch they were! People were combing the aisles like bandits in old westerns looking for holiday cards. And help. Oh my gosh--they needed a lot of help.

Those harried customers wondered where all of the pretty wrapping paper was, where the dated ornaments were…where the holiday specials were displayed. They raced in, their sweaters and coats all wet from the rain, darted around the displays, tapped their feet when they had to wait in line and quickly pushed their credit cards my way. My job was to help them as fast as possible, listen to their complaints, and smile. By four o’clock, I was getting pretty tired of being glared at! I was really missing my made up characters, as a matter of fact.

I’m not usually a procrastinator writer. I write steadily…five or ten pages a day, depending on my deadlines. Unfortunately, with my latest deadline, I’ve been pushed into unfamiliar procrastinator writer territory. I’ve found myself glaring at the keyboard, wondering why I hadn’t written more earlier this month. Wishing I could write faster. Wondering how the calendar could have snuck up on me like it did. Suddenly, I feel sorry for procrastinators!

I guess we all have our moments! Happy Holidays to everyone, whether you’re ready or not! Think of me on December 26 at 8:00 a.m. I’ll be helping all those eager early bird shoppers, anxious to get a good deal. Chances are, I’ll probably be wishing they wanted to put off things for another day or two. Or at least until I’ve had another couple of cups of coffee.


Shelley Galloway