Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's Eve: Triumph or Tragedy

       Since New Year's Eve is a significant date we often remember things that occurred on that date. Some of the things could be ordinary and if they happened on any other day they may be forgotten. However, the winners and losers really stick out.

      A New Year's Eve that occurred in 1964 stands out in my mind as the one that goes down in my history. For a young guy New Year's Eve was a time to party. Few of us had steady girlfriends so a date for New Year's Eve was important. I was living in Inuvik at the time and the community population was about 1500 people. There was lots of coming and going. We had a 100 bed hospital so there were lots of nurses. The single guys kept close tabs on new staff who came in. There was lots of socialization. It was good fun. 


     However, on New Year's Eve a date was important. I had met a nurse in November when she arrived to work in the hospital. I tried to phone her a number of times to ask her to the New Year's Eve party, but I was not successful. A colorful Jamaican public health nurse lived in my building. When she found out that my friend and I were in a predicament for New Year's Eve she said , "I'll find somebody for you." She knew who we had been trying to invite. So New Year's Eve came and we appeared at the nurses residence to pick up our blind dates. Sure enough the girl I had tried to contact was there all dressed up for a party! Her best friend was there for my friend. We had a great time.


    After that more dates occurred and lo and behold that young lady became my wife. So we always joke that we met on a blind date.


    So I can look back on that New Year's Eve as a win! As in most relationships there have been ups and downs. On some days we would say that was a tragic night and most days that it was the greatest night ever.
  
     How about your New Year's Eves? Have they all been eventful and memorable? Have some of them been tragic?


    So here's a Happy New Year to all my readers. Have a wonderful 1012!