My Christmas Albums

I’m 21 years old, fresh off the first real break up of my life, I’ve just been fired from my longest held job at the time at a car dealership, I’m living with my grandparents, and borrowing gas money from my parents to get around.

That’s the scene.

I needed a job and, on a whim, decided to apply to Borders Bookstore, one of my favorite spots to go and hang out. Yes, I was one of those people who read the manga in the manga section before buying it, but I differed because I actually bought it afterwards.

Anyway, I was hired. Worked the Loss Prevention desk at the front of the store, keeping an eye on the customers, and “provided excellent customer service” to anyone looking shady.

The soundtracks on at the time? There were three. I remember two of them.

So I’m standing at the podium at the front of the store, doodling superheroes and my own original characters on the days’ schedule (which I still have), and these albums played back-to-back:

The Charlie Brown Christmas Album by the Vince Guaraldi trio.

The Twilight Original Motion Picture soundtrack.

Every year, when we play Christmas music, and we choose the Charlie Brown album to play, I always have to follow it up with the Twilight soundtrack. It’s just the way my brain is hardwired: Thinking of those days, trying to survive a heartbreak, sipping free sample holiday drinks from the cafe they brought around to the staff, and wondering what coming for me.