if Santa Claus came from India

Steve has a friend I have been hearing about since the very first day Steve and I met. His name is Julius and Steve believes him to be everything that is good and right with the world. If Julius is mentioned within Steve's hearing, Steve invariably opines, "Oh, Julius! He's so lovely and so kind and so charming . . . " On and on until Julius has been acknowledged as possessing every desirable trait.

Yesterday Julius came to dinner. In the morning, Steve was expressing his delight that I would finally meet Julius and told me that I was extra specially fortunate, because having Julius to dinner was like having Santa Claus to dinner. He suggested I wear a ball gown as it was a very special occasion with a very honored guest.

I did not wear a gown, but perhaps I should have, because, truly, Julius is Santa Claus. Look what he brought me! (He placed it in my hands and gave Steve something else which I interpret to mean that this box is solely for my pleasure.) Thorntons! I love Thorntons. Every time I visit the high street, I poke my nose in our local Thorntons and watch the old ladies buying Easter chocolates with envy before I remind myself that I may not buy myself Alpini bars and boxes of deliciousness until we win the lottery or discover a vast, unclaimed inheritance.


Oh, Julius!