Hey, are you worrying about your inability to give Christmas gifts? Who wouldn't be?

As everyone knows, the world economy is doing the old school dance called 'get flat'. If you're like me, then your salary is also taking stiff and serious daggering from inflation and good old comfort-and-joy doing the 'nuh linga'.

NORMAL

I passed through Half-way Tree Monday night - three days before Christmas - and the place so normal it was almost eerie. Usually, at this time of the year people would be running up and down like crazy, and the streets would have a feeling of chaos like when mongoose run through fowl coop or shot fire inna dance. Not this year, star; Santa is broke and the reindeer sled bruck-dung!

But there's a precious gift that we can always afford to give and we don't have to buy. It name gratitude. If you can't remember when last you let off some and even if you share it regularly, this is a good time to give it again. Yeah man, pause, close your eyes, and take a deep breath then exhale. And give thanks that you can do that.

Give thanks for everything, even botheration. Give thanks for the giving of thanks. Give thanks to and for family and friends. Give thanks for enemies too. Give thanks for trials and tribulations, especially because they provide great opportunities for the gift of goodwill and the beauty of the human spirit to shine through. Mek I tell yu something. I booked and paid for a ticket to travel from Toronto to Kingston last Friday in business class, with two pieces of luggage. I ended up travelling from Toronto to Montego in economy class the following day, and guess what? Mi luggage never made the trip!

GET DARK

I had ample reason to get dark and ignorant and gwaan bad, and I was tempted to. But thanks to the kindness of some wonderful Jamaicans, I'm still smiling and having more reasons to give thanks.

I'm giving thanks to Leroy Blake from Bethel Town, Westmoreland. Leroy is a member of the baggage line crew at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. His shift was ending when my flight arrived, but instead of catching his transport home, he spent time guiding me to a bend-down plaza where I could buy some emergency clothing and supplies. And knowing that my well-known face would attract sudden price increases, he advised me to stay quiet while he bartered, bargained and got me the best prices. And he never asked for 'a ting' in return!

The real hero of the MoBay experience for me though, is one Camille Mairs-Ingram an acting customer service supervisor for Air Jamaica. I still got my luggage late, but what made the crucial and positive difference for me was that although she couldn't undo the damage of the inconvenience caused, she made it clear that she genuinely cared.

Camille was the epitome of professionalism and honest down-to-earth hospitality. She kept in contact, gave regular updates and guided me through two frustrating days with calm, care and optimism.

ANOTHER ANGEL

And when the drama shifted to Kingston, another angel in the form of customer service rep Pia Baker took over my problem and steered me smoothly to a happy resolution. Yeah man, so I'm giving thanks this Christmas. If you can't give thanks too, tickets make great gifts.

And I would personally recommend that you give somebody a ticket to the enduring gift of laughter. Buy a ticket to the Christmas Comedy Cook-up happening at Backyaad on Boxing Day and come laugh with me and some friends of mine.

Thank you for reading this. Have a berry Christmas and an ackee New Year!

box-mi-back@hotmail.com