The Christmas Lights

by Terry Broxson

On December 1, Chelsea Hardwright called Robert Bowman to discuss his Christmas lights. Chelsea is the manager of the Trees and Creeks Condominium Association. These newly built condominiums are almost one year old and restricted to individuals over fifty-five years of age.

When the new building opened, Mr. Bowman bought his condominium by paying cash. A few months ago, he turned seventy-six. His dues were set for auto-pay. He rarely had visitors.

In short, Mr. Bowman has never had an issue as a condo owner.

On Thanksgiving, Mr. Bowman hung a double strand of icicle lights on his twelve-foot balcony railing on his fourth-floor condo. He placed a timer on the outdoor electrical outlet. The lights turned on at six pm and turn off at eleven-thirty.

"Mr. Bowman, this is Chelsea with the condo homeowners association. I hope you are well today."

"Good morning Chelsea; so far today, I am okay. What can I do for you?"

"It's about your Christmas lights. You do know that anything attached to the outside must be approved in writing by the association."

"I looked at the rules and regulations in the manual I got when I bought this place. I didn't see anything about Christmas lights. Are you saying there is a rule against them?"

"There is no specific rule about Christmas lights, but since they're attached to the railing, you need permission to install them."

"Chelsea, who's complaining?"

"No one has complained yet. But that is hardly the point. You need to go through our process."

"I want to tell you a short story explaining my actions. Will you indulge me?"

"I do have a meeting in a few minutes."

"I will be brief. I was married to a beautiful woman for over forty-five years. When we first married, we didn't have two nickels to rub together without borrowing one. She loved Christmas. She decorated our small apartment on a budget that would make a church mouse blush.

"With luck and hard work on both our parts, we eventually found some financial security. We built a bigger house. At Christmas, she decorated the inside with trees, ornaments, and collectibles resembling an antique mall. I hung Christmas lights outside.

"It was quite the show.

"She died a month before Christmas four years ago. We never had kids. But she had a lot of nieces and nephews who received all of the Christmas stuff. I continued to have outside lights by hiring someone to install them. They were very colorful.

"In this condo, I only have a small balcony. There is only room for a few lights.

"I always turn my Christmas lights on Thanksgiving night. Hopefully, after the Dallas Cowboys win a football game. I turn the lights off and take them down on New Year's Day.

"Chelsea, here's the thing. I don't know how many more Christmases I have left. But I do know this. If I don't hang those Christmas lights and turn them on—she will not know where I am."

Mr. Bowman couldn't see Chelsea. But he knew she shook her head with a smile.

"Mr. Bowman, I hope you have a merry Christmas. Let me know if I can help you."

"Thank you, Chelsea."

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