Not another New Year’s Eve
What New Year’s Eve, prior to this last one, stands out in my mind? The year when my youngest daughter — then 12 now 50, so 38 years ago — took my black feather boa and danced with it while my friends and I watched and laughed. She was such a graceful, sexy dancer and she was only 12. For the past maybe 20 years I think I have spent New Year’s Eve alone.
You know Barry Manilow’s song, Another New Year’s Eve? I think he wrote it for me. Here are the words:
Don’t look so sad, it’s not so bad I know. It’s just another night that’s all it is. It’s not the first, it’s not the worst I know. I’ve come through all the rest, I’ll get through this. I’ve made mistakes but I’ve had good friends too. Remember all the nights I spent with them? And all my plans, who says they can’t come true? Tonight’s another chance to start again. It’s just another New Year’s Eve, another night like all the rest. It’s just another New Year’s Eve, I’ll make it the best. It’s just another New Year’s Eve, another Auld Lang Syne but when I’m through this New Year’s Eve, you’ll see, I’ll be just fine.
But this year I had new friends. I invited them to have the New Year’s Eve party at my home because I’ve experienced the fireworks here twice and they are magical. They made me wish I had friends to share them with. But one of the ladies in Loy’s Harem was ill, the other was exhausted, the other was spending it with her family, the other could come maybe after midnight. So I had no choice but to cancel that party. However, Marrielle insisted I join them at Loy’s home, which we refer to as Club Lee.
I was hesitant. It was a family gathering. I would be the outsider. But with some pulling, pushing and shoving I agreed to go, bringing a pot of lentils I had cooked. I knew the maid and driver had taken their days off and I thought there would be no food for everyone. But when I got there, a son, Almon, and the youngest daughter, Jeska, were in the kitchen. Almon was preparing a roast chicken, Jeska was preparing lengua. Soon three more children returned from the beach — Paton and his wife April, and Lala, who prepared prawns while April did lamb chops. Marrielle arrived with her son, Addy, bringing cake from Chay, another member of the harem who was joining us after midnight. Then another daughter, Tachie arrived with her husband Angelo and daughters Eve and Czarrie, who is around two years old, who toddled around dressed like an adorable little princess.
Paton set the table. We had dinner at around 10 p.m. Everyone was drinking, chatting and laughing together. Never once did I feel like an outsider. At midnight I looked out the flat’s window, closer to the sky than mine, and saw fireworks, not too many but enough to wish everyone a Happy New Year.
Chay arrived and the four oldest members — Loy, Chay, Marrielle and I — talked together. At around 2:30 a.m. I was almost falling asleep when Loy offered me coffee. I can make it myself, he said. That woke me up. We sang, talked, laughed. Then Loy said, May I invite you to breakfast? At Pancake House? I said, already tasting waffles and bacon. But at 5 a.m., Chay looked at Loy and nudged me. We’d better go, she said, I think he’s getting sleepy.
I could not believe I got home at 5:30 a.m. But it felt so different from my previous New Year’s Eves. I had seen with my own eyes the love his children gave Loy, how generous they were with their own specialties, how friendly they were to his friends, how open they were with their affection and care for him. I am also a single parent but my children are not like that to me on any holiday or ordinary day. Maybe he did his parenting better than I did.
This New Year’s Eve made me feel young again. I don’t think I remember ever coming home at 5:30 a.m. at any time in my life. Never knew a New Year when I felt like launching a new life, one that forgets everything that happened in my past, all the sorrow, the aloneness. I’m taking a tip from Barry Manilow’s song: Tonight’s another chance to start again.
From now on, my life will be full of warm friendship and hugs. It will be full of wonderful people whom I love and who seem to love me too. I thank God profoundly for sending me these brand-new friends who have reawakened such upbeat feelings in me.
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