The Nightmare Before Xmas

From the pages yet to come...

    "Brrr, it's cold in here." Newt shivered as he set the pitcher down. "Maybe we should be drinking coffee."
    "Too bad there's no fireplace. That's progress for ya." Chimp shook his hair back, then poured himself another cupful. "But hey, if you drink enough beer, you'll stay warm!" He lifted the cup, pausing abruptly as foam overflowed the lip.
    "Look at that," said Chimp with exaggerated gaiety. "It's Santa Claus!"
    "What?" Newt was pulling on his sweater.
    The sun had settled beneath swaths of coral and salmon, and the waning light angling in through the big lakefront windows gave the Leinie's a rich red hue. "He's upside down, see..?" Chimp tilted the cup, inadvertently pouring more foam onto the carpet. "Oops."
    Newt frowned, massaging his forehead, then ran his fingers through his hair.
    "See, that's his beard on top," Chimp continued. He took a big gulp, slurping foam off his upper lip.
    "Let's not trash the lounge." Newt's head had been throbbing all day and he had little interest in the usual Hoofer antics. They had important business to cover before the next BOC meeting.
    The commodore and head of instruction sat alone in the wood-paneled room, the door closed. An early December dusting of snow outside and the decorative lights inside belied the sordid state of things.
    "So we're going to kick him off the BOC then?" Chimp began.
    "That's not what you said in your email." Newt straightened his neck. "Didn't you say that could be discrimination?"
    "Yeah, well, you have to be careful what you say in an email." Chimp paused. "Other people might get ahold of it." For a moment, Chimp felt as if Newt was probing, testing Chimp's loyalty, but he understood the need to confirm they were on the same page before going any further. It was an unspoken reality in Hoofers, as it is in any organization that employs a military structure—the subtle assertion of standing or authority that infects every interaction, except between equals. The two Hoofer leaders turned in unison as a man in a blue snowsuit shuffled past in the hallway and glanced in at them. They watched the man grab a shovel by the door, then head outside.

To be continued...