The holidays are hard for people alone. George felt the pain
deeper than most. After a long marriage ended in his wife’s death due to
illness, George withdrew from the world. In his loneliness he went through the
motions of a normal life as if his wife were still alive. For the holidays he
decorated the house and put up a tree.
As the holidays neared their end a stranger came to town, a
woman with a long flowing cape and a hood. She knew where all the lonely,
hurting people lived. Four worthy men were chosen by the stranger. She
introduced herself to each man and offered a potion guaranteed to bring
happiness and companionship. Each man was told of the one side effect: it
changed their gender to female.
George needed no warning. The pain was overwhelming; he
would do anything to feel again. He knew the only way to end the melancholy was
to change who he was and never look back. George took the cup handed him by the
hooded woman and drank deeply. He could feel the liquid spreading throughout
his body. He drank again until the cup was empty. He could feel his body change
under his clothing.
“When do I feel happiness again?” George asked. “When do I
start feeling anything at all again?” “Don’t worry,” the strange woman said. “You
will feel loved. I have three others to help. I will bring them here so you can
celebrate the holidays right.”
Two hours later the hooded woman returned with three female
friends. George and his three new friends sat for a photo. The hooded woman smiled
as she showed the ladies the picture. George is second from the left. “Now
ladies,” the hooded woman said, “you need to pick a name. Work together in
planning your lives. The potion I gave you will attract people to you. Enjoy.
The happiness you seek is within you. It always was.” The hooded woman turned
and left. George picked the name Roxanne. And the four ladies were never sad or
lonely again.
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