<\/p>\n
Christmas Eve, 2005<\/p>\n
By Radiance Angelina Petro<\/p>\n
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One December midnight, on the corner of Liberty and Main,<\/p>\n
light snow falling on his shoulders–a man stood wearing full Highland<\/p>\n
dress, near a street lamp, playing Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.<\/p>\n
I remember thinking: \u201cWhat the hell?\u201d I walked a little faster.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He stood, staring somewhere far away, notes swirling notes swirling snow,<\/p>\n
swirling breath, swirling time–expanding time, spiraling time over drones,<\/p>\n
and drones under time, through the night.\u00a0 I listened, snowflakes falling on my eyelashes\u2014<\/p>\n
Amazing Grace swirled over and over, each ending a beginning, a circle<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
in my chest. I listened until I started getting too cold.\u00a0 There were presents<\/p>\n
to put under the tree, stockings to stuff, I had an hour\u2019s drive home.<\/p>\n
I began turning away.\u00a0 How he could stand the cold I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
What I do know is: never before, or since, have I ever been so found.<\/p>\n
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