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Jock was putting up the bar’s Christmas decorations, listening to Christmas songs on the radio. Silver Bells came on the radio as he was hanging some tinsel, and someone walked in.
‘Sorry, we’re not open right now,’ he said. ‘Come back later.’
‘Is that any way to speak to an old friend?’
Jock recognised the voice and turned around. ‘Indiana Jones,’ he greeted. ‘Didn’t expect to see you here.’
‘I was in Central Florida, so I though I’d come by and see you for Christmas.’
‘It’s December 5th.’
Indy ignored Jock and looked around. ‘Looking very festive, Jock.’
Jock nodded. ‘Yeah, I was hoping you’d say that,’ he said. ‘Though I haven’t put up the tree yet.’
Indy shrugged. ‘Need any help with that?’
‘Don’t you have somewhere to be, digging up some relic?’ Jock asked.
‘You’ve got some relics yourself,’ Indy pointed to the Chachapoyan fertility idol he and Jock had set off to retrieve, then lost to Belloq, and retrieved again.
‘But I’m a pilot, not an archaeologist,’ said Jock.
‘I can take a day off,’ said Indy. ‘We could go to Disneyland.’
‘Disneyland’s in California, Indy. We’re in Florida.’
‘You said it yourself, you’re a pilot.’ Indy shrugged.
Jock smiled at his old friend. ‘Just help me put up the tree.’ He took out a box of Christmas decorations and dumped it at Indy’s feet.
Indy bent down to open the box. ‘Is that a “no” on Disneyland?’
‘Not a no. Not a yes.’
Jock left the bar and Indy began to root through the heaps and heaps of tinsel and lametta for the ornaments. Jock returned carrying an aluminium Christmas tree.
Indy looked at the thing, affronted. ‘You’re putting that up?’
‘What’s wrong with it?’ asked Jock.
‘It’s ugly, Jock,’ said Indy. ‘You can’t put up an aluminium Christmas tree.’
‘I got it for the bar last year,’ said Jock.
‘Why can’t it be green?’
‘Because it’s silver.’
Indy groaned. He knew he wasn’t going to win this argument. ‘And the tinsel? The lametta?’
‘For decorating the bar.’
Indy nodded. ‘Right. Don’t you think you’ve maybe gone a bit overboard?’
‘No,’ Jock said jovially. ‘This is the fifties. We could all be disinterested at any moment from the Soviets and their atomic bombs. Just… live a little. Because if you don’t, one day you’ll find your life has been lived without you.’
Indy looked at the tree. Then again at his friend. Jock didn’t have a degree or a doctorate like he did, but he could still be pretty profound when he wanted to be.
‘Yeah. You’re right.’
‘I know I am,’ said Jock. ‘Now, do me a favour and just put the ornaments on the tree. I don’t care what branch you put them on, just whatever feels right -‘
‘I have a question,’ said Indy. ‘Do you know how much lead is in all that tinsel? Don’t you care about lead poisoning?’
Jock shrugged. ‘It’s like I said - you just got to live a little.’