“Do I believe in December?” she said. “And how, praytell, does one believe in a month?”

“Well, I believe in December, so, of course, I had to ask you if you did too. Reaching out, you know?”

“And what do you believe in December, then?”

“It’s like this, you spend the whole year working, aye? And, come December, it’s the Holidays. One whole week of intense party party party, and a month or two of building up to it. About midway through November you can feel the anticipation in the air. The weather changes, the air positively tingles.”

“And that’s something to believe in?”

“Nah, that’s just the atmosphere, the milieu!” I gave her a big smile, she rolled her eyes, and gestured me to continue.

“You’re female, right. You understand about cycles…”

“I hate my period, thank you very much.”

“So much for females being more ’in tune with the natural order…’ But anyways, it’s a cycle, yah? Like the Tarot Wheel of Fortune; Change. And like how Death in the Tarot signifies Transformation, the dying of one year and the rebirth of the new.”

“A new year doesn’t mean a better one.”

“Yeah, but at least it gives you something to hope for, doesn’t it? That maybe next year wouldn’t be as bad, or it could be far better than this.”

“But you said it’s a cycle.”

“And next year, we do it again.”

“And that’s what you believe in December?”

“Or maybe I just enjoy the decadence all around.”