THE RECURRING WHALE
by V. Walker

	"Happy Holidays!" said the man.
	"Merry Christmas!" said the woman.  It was a recurring theme 
this Christmas Eve.
	Outside their neighbors in the apartment complex began turning 
on their Christmas window lights.  It was a typical Southern 
Christmas: khaki shorts and a T-shirt.
	"My turn," said the woman.  She ran to the massive tree, a 
beautiful six-foot Douglas fir, and unhooked the wooden whale 
ornament.  Stepping back a few feet, she surveyed the tree, and then 
placed the ornament on a nearby branch.
	"Happy Holidays!" said the woman.  The man didn't respond.
	"Happy Holidays!"   The words had a certain edge to them.
	"Honey, how many branches does that make?  And how many more 
to go?"
	The woman looked at him disapprovingly, as if berating a 
child.  	Dear, you know my family's rule. 'An ornament on every 
branch.'  It's just tough this first year."  She paused.  "Happy 
Holidays!  Your turn."  She sat down.
	"Merry Christmas," he mumbled, moving toward the tree, walking
slowly but with the knowledge that next year, they would have more than 
one ornament. He was sure of it.