X-mas Virus Infects the Art Center

It was a wild and stormy pre-Xmas afternoon and all through the Art Center, the mice were frothy-mouthed and singing. Reality gulped. Normality stood aghast. Something was afoot in the once-haloed halls, something unspeakable and non-free-beerlike.

Yes, Virginia ... the X-mas Virus is not an urban myth. It drips from the fearful boughs of every livingroom-size pine tree; it crawls through the madness of the December onslaught of Mall Fever; it uncoils in the overloaded stomachs of yuletide eating binges.

It makes people crazy.

It shrouds the pristine innocence of the wonderful folk at the UNB Art Center with antlers and elf hats and garlands and wine. These once innocent wonderful Art Center folk were merrily aligning art events when suddenly they were infected by the X-mas Virus and ...

They were last seen dangling from the rear of a flying sleigh driven by a madman in a red suit.

It spread through the woefully serious wonderful Art Center folk, infecting them with hats and personal ornamentation and unusual behavior.

Those who escaped the guy in the red suit were found in a punch bowl, their bodies swollen with mulled wine, their eyes replaced by blinking lights.

But somehow, they emanated an aura of peace and goodwill toward all people, everywhere, of every kith and kin, blinking eyes or not.