"happy new year !!" said the neighbour to joseph, peeking over the hedge.
joseph wasn't what you'd call a party animal.
he had gone to bed at 8 o'clock on new years eve, just like any other day.
on that cold quiet morning he'd nearly forgotten about 2012, therefore he didn't respond immediatly.
it was only after a few seconds that he wished his neighbour a happy 2012 with a cold little smile.
he took out his post and walked back past his neighbour to his front door.
"see you then !" the neighbour said.
when the only response he got was a indifferent "hm hm" his jolly smile faded from his face and was replaced by a smirk.
he turned away from the hedge, after joseph had slammed his front door, looking around the street with the deserted front gardens. the sky started to brigthen in the east as the cold januari wind whooshed through the deserted borough.
joseph poured the steaming hot water into a bright yellow mug and dunked his twinings breakfast teabag in it while observing the few new year cards he'd got. after have thrown them in the paper bin he took a sip of the tea. unaware that is was still a solid 100 degrees hot he burnt his mouth and yelled hoarsely.
when he'd drunk his tea and ate his marmelade toasts, joseph went into his front garden again.
he walked along the hedge and wondered if this year would bring a few more inches to it so he would't have to be looking into that stupid neighbours face every morning.
he put his hands in the pockets of his khaki trousers and shivered in the cold breeze.
looking down at his feet he saw one little red flower that had apparently come way too early even if the winter had been so mild.
he pulled it out of the gras and walked back inside. before he got through the door though he glimpsed a big red globe at the end of his street, emerging out of the pink wooly clouds.
this time his smile was genuine.
