Happy New Year

Happy New Year

“Happy New Year!” Sharon said, coming into the office.

Ted didn’t even look up.

“Ted! The least you could do was say Happy New Year back!” Sharon said.

“What for?” he looked up, “it’s not going to be any better a year than last year. I never understood the Happy New Year thing. Why not say Happy Monday, or Happy July? It would have just as much impact on real life as Happy New Year on January first.”

“Woah! You got up on the wrong side of the bed!”

“I’m just being realistic. My life stinks, changing the year isn’t going to make any difference,”

“Well, that’s true.”

“And furthermore,” Ted started, “What?”

“I said that’s true, changing the year will not change your life.”

“I thought you were Miss Goodie Two-Shoes.”

“Thanks,” Sharon said dryly, then, “You want a good year Ted? Do something. Don’t sit there complaining how crappy everything is, fix it. I’m wishing you a Happy New Year not telling you it’s gonna happen,” off she went.

Ted sat for a while taking in the conversation. She was right of course. It’s not like a Happy New Year was going to be bestowed upon him just because. He’d never thought about it before, but he was kind of a ‘see what happens’ guy. Maybe it was time to make things happen instead! Maybe it was time for him to make his own way, make his own happiness!

The very next year Sharon visited him, again, New Year’s Day. “Happy New Year, Ted,” she said, a bit self-consciously.

“You know," Ted said, “it actually is. I have a better life here than I ever had out there.”

“But” Sharon started, a little shocked.

“No really, I’m really good at this!” Ted smiled out through the prison bars.