Boxing Day Sales

I have’nt experienced Christmas outside the Dili environs since 2004 and I can’t even recall ever venturing out for Boxing Day* sales in the western world since Moses was sailing amongst the bullrushes.  So why did I do it this time ?

It was embarrassing.  I bumped into people, tripped over imaginary and other tiny objects.  I had lost all ability to negotiate crowds without retiring to the roadside gutter.  I excused myself in department stores and knocked stuff off shelves.  I had lost the devil required to negotiate the sales, the urge to buy something (or anything) as long as it was on special.  And the one thing I bought, failed to work when I got it home.  I even wore jeans that I had not worn in 3 years.  The crutch hang down near my knees … and the belt didn’t have enough holes.  Too much Dili good living had stripped off enough “condition” to reduce me to a waif-like state (compared to when I first arrived). I dared not venture out in my Dili shorts, t-shirt and sandals for fear of terrifying the well-dressed locals.

I felt defeated.  Would I have felt the same if I had negotiated the hordes (buying blue jeans) in Colmera.  I don’t know.  Did I really need to buy anything anyway ?  Seems I am not the man to buy the world out of economic hard times … nor to be used as a role model for the fashion industry.

And a tip for fellow bloggers, this time of year is murder for blog spam.  The rate of inane, machine generated drivel comments has gone up 50 fold over the last 2 weeks.

* For the uninitiated, Boxing Day is the day after Christmas Day renowned for huge cut-price sales, Test matches at the MCG and the odd horse race.  All may involve drink to some degree.