By Lisa M. Scuderi-Burkimsher
New Year’s Eve was a non-event for Bob. At seventy-eight years old he didn’t have the patience to go to the senior center celebrating with champagne and noise makers. He was content spending the night with his Shi-Tzu Bentley and watching the glittered ball drop in Times Square on the television.
“Come on Bentley, it’s getting close to midnight.”
Bob had his beer in hand, feet up, and Bentley curled on his lap.
The clock struck midnight and the crowd in Times Square hugged and kissed.
“Well, Bentley, happy new year, buddy.”
But for Bob, it would be just another year.
The ending (” . . .it would be just another year.”) felt flat, boring. I had hoped you were going to surprise us with a new decision (after all, it’s New Year’s Eve, a time of resolutions) 78-yr.-old Bob had decided to make. Perhaps taking Bentley with him on a car trip to fulfill a “bucket list” item?
I liked this very much. It is quite poignant. Sometimes that’s the way it is when you’re 78. It’s very sweet.
The sense of ennui is well established throughout the story. I think the last line is not so much flat as a case of tautology to fill in the 101 words. Something like: The big glitter-ball dropped just as it always did. Would have implied the tedium without “telling” it.