Twas the night before Christmas and Billy Scrooge didnt know whether to be tickled pink or scared witless. Until just a minute ago, it had been a day of giddy excitement. Hed fired his long-time bean counter and whipping boy, Cratchit, for having the temerity to ask for both a raise and Christmas day off. He remembered the forlorn look in Cratchits eyes and howl of despair when he said, "And furthermore, you have 24 hours to get your sorry butt out of my company house."
"But Mr. Scrooge, where will I go? Where will the kids go? Lucindas going to have another baby."
Oh, it was priceless, thought Scrooge, a hint of a mean smile crossing his dour face.
Hed celebrated by actually tipping the waitress who served him dinner every night at Tapleys. She, of course, thought the dime left on the table had simply fallen out of his pocket, been overlooked. A nightly fixture in the corner booth, he knew everyone there and everyone knew him, though none spoke to the man they referred to sarcastically as Sweet William, and none were spoken to by him. Thats the way he liked it, uh-huh, uh-huh.
But this Marley thing had shaken him. Just before bed, right after hed called Cratchit and reminded him he now had only 18 hours to get out of his house, the ghost of Bob Marley his old business partner not the reggae singer had floated into his room. Scrooge and Marley had been instrumental in building Whistler. Their interests extended beyond the mountains themselves to hotels, condos, T-shirt shops, coffee places, housing and restaurants.
"Heed me," Marley had said. "Repent and be generous to all whom your holdings touch or be damned to wander the earth forever in the afterlife like me, Billy. Its not too late for you."
"Humbug," Scrooge had replied. He loved that word, especially around Christmas. But he was a bit worried about the three spirits Marley had warned would visit him as the hours grew long.
At the stroke of one, Scrooge woke with a start. Something, a mouse maybe, had shinnied up his leg, under the covers. Opening his eyes, he screamed. At the foot of his bed stood an apparition in patched bell-bottoms, stretched shapeless sweater, a beard and Export A toque.
"Who are you?" he cried.
"The Ghost of Whistler Past, dude. Lets go"
Scrooge couldnt believe his eyes. In a flash his bedroom disappeared and he was standing knee deep in a mud puddle in the parking lot of the old Mt. Whistler Lodge. Soft yellow light shone through the windows and loud rock music pulsated from within.
"I know this place," he said. "Its the Freakers Ball."
The spirit led him inside, through the walls. "Oh man," Scrooge said. "Theres George and Rod and old Schultzie and T-shirt Al. Oh wow!" His gaze wandered to the corner where a group with lit up eyes and face-spasmed smiles made merry. "Oh look, its Charlie and Andy and... and me. Oh Spirit, these were such wonderful times. So full of hope and dreams and life lived for the moment."
As quickly as theyd arrived they were gone.
"I want to go back," Scrooge implored. "Why did you take me away? Where are we?"
They were standing hip deep in snow outside a spare wooden shed. Dim light from a lantern illuminated a young couple within. A girl with long brown hair and comely features was packing her few belongings into a backpack.
"Im out of here, Billy. Youre turning into nothing but a greed-head. Thats not my scene and it didnt used to be yours. We could have had a great thing together, but Im not going to play second fiddle to your bank account. Its over."
"Oh you wicked, wicked Spirit," Scrooge cried. "Thats my squat. Thats Karen, the only woman I ever tricked into loving me."
"Thats my Hendrix 8-track, you bitch!" yelled the voice from inside the cabin.
Scrooge awoke in his bed. Sweat pooled in the small of his back and tears streamed down his face. He mourned for what could have been and was about to call Toronto to see if he could track down Karen when a rich chimera, part human, part fat cat, drifted into his room. Dressed in a chi-chi Bogner one-piece the faux Indian model the ghost pointed a finger toward Scrooge and said, "I am the Ghost of Whistler Present. Come."
The house was unfamiliar to Scrooge. Though crowded with furniture, toys and boxes, it was warm and inviting. Home-made Christmas decorations hung everywhere and three excited children played boisterously. In the bedroom, a woman cried as she packed clothes carefully into green garbage bags.
"I dont care what you say, it takes a heartless bastard to fire someone and kick them out of their house on Christmas Eve."
"Thats Cratchits wife," Scrooge said to the Ghost who was carefully buffing his nails.
"Dont be too harsh on him, dear." It was Cratchits voice coming from inside the bathroom. "Maybe he was right, maybe I shouldnt have asked for both a raise and Christmas off. Maybe I should have been more grateful just to have a job and a place to live. After all, this is Whistler."
Just then, Mrs. Cratchits water broke and she went into labour. "Ohmigod! This cant be happening. Its three months early. Call 911."
The scene vanished in a fog and Scrooge was back in his room with the Ghost of Whistler Present. "Whats going to happen?" he implored. "Is she going to be all right?"
"Chill, dude." The Ghost answered. "Like, what do your care? Theyre losers. As long as they get the hell out of your place by tomorrow, eh?"
"No, spirit, its not right. Its...." and it was gone in a puff.
Scrooge was confused. Hed never been concerned about anyone elses welfare and it was an unsettling feeling.
He didnt have long to dwell on it for thundering through his door came a dark, sinister figure, the Ghost of Whistler Future. In a flash, they were standing at the base of the mountain. Well-heeled people in fabulous outfits with high-end equipment were lined up at the gondola.
"Where are the workers?" Scrooge asked.
"Look around, this is your dream come true," said the Ghost.
Tickets were dispensed by machine, validators had been replaced by electronic sensors and synthetic life forms frothed milk for $10 lattes. "But its so devoid of life," Scrooge heard himself saying.
"Wonderful, isnt it?" replied the Ghost. "No one complaining about housing or hours or pay or working conditions, just happy, rich visitors spending money like drunken sailors. Its what you always wanted."
Quickly whisked to the cemetery, a clutch of old geezers were standing around an open grave. "Who died?" Scrooge asked. Walking closer, Sweet William was astounded to see the mourners, all old men, peeing into the open grave. "No need to ask, I guess."
"Oh spirit, Scrooge implored, "What can I do? Is there any way to change this bleak future?"
"I doubt it."
And with that, Scrooge awoke in his own bed on Christmas morning, knowing what the future held in store but still not certain he really wanted to do anything about it.
Merry Christmas.