The lamp lighter paused, lighting the street lamp in the front of Lowe’s Bookshop. The man smiled and waved. Replacing the books in the display window, forcing a smile, Matthew returned the greeting. He felt tired far beyond his 60 years. All day long, he had greeted joyous shoppers with a dull heart. A pleasure he didn’t feel. Five days until Christmas. His wife Kathryn, how he missed her, had died right after Christmas last year.
What a beautiful story! One of the best Christmas stories I’ve read.