It was the longest night of the year and once again time for the annual meeting of the months. Everyone was there. The triplets April, May and June were giggling over a fashion magazine on the oversized couch. July was off in the corner causing trouble and slipping firecrackers under the butlers shoes. March was drinking with January out on the patio while September scolded them and tried to keep things in order. November was hungrily eyeing the goodies on the sideboard while February was stuffing sweets in her purse when she thought no one was looking. August was lazing near the fire listening to a boisterous December recount holidays past and October was in his easy chair watching it all.
The meeting of the months always took place in the Great Hall of the Time Mansion. The Great Hall was a place out of time and was thereby deemed neutral ground by all the months. No one could claim favoritism or privilege in the Hall and they all took turns chairing the meeting. Out of the Hall, each of the months had their own set of rooms in the mansion and their own personal staff, which at the beginning of time had presented a problem when unsuspecting visitors had dropped by. They had been met at the door by any variety of beings. There were elves, flying babies, leprechauns, water nymphs, talking jack o lanterns, flower people, stars, elementals, ents, scarecrows, cats and more. How would you feel if the north wind came to the door when you knocked? So, at one of the annual meetings it was decided that a butler needed to be hired, just for the odd unexpected visitor. After all, one didn't want to scare the people too badly, that was October's job.
The hiring process was mercifully short. Thousands answered the add but only one stalwart gentleman actually stayed for the interview process. The rest fled at varying points either at the front door or in the corridors on the way to the interview room. But not Manfred Lilywhite. Manfred was made of sterner stuff and supposed that if his new place of employment had a few oddities, who was he to complain. He had grown up in a rather uneventful life and felt that a few quirks here and there would be a welcome change. Happily there was no shortage of eventful occurrences for Manfred to handle.
There was the time April decided that her pet bunny needed to befriend one of October's bats and soon the mansion was overrun with flying rabbits. Then there was the great Christmas cookie debacle of 783 when one of the elves has turned the entire mansion into a gingerbread house. Thanks to February's sweet tooth, whole sections of the mansion had to be redone or forever sport tooth marks. Yes, the atmosphere was never dull in the Time Mansion. Why, one could walk from room to room and experience vastly different weather patterns and seasons. You could go alpine skiing on the grand staircase or visit the spooky caverns that made up the basement. Some of the bathrooms resembled tropical gardens complete with bathing pools and waterfalls and the kitchens, yes, kitchens plural stocked every sort of gastronomical confection imaginable and the cutlery drawers looked like a cross between an arsenal and a medieval torture chamber.
Which was what made it so much fun to be the host of the annual meeting. October loved to show off the fruits of his months bounty and the tables almost bent under the combined weight. There was pumpkin panettone for December who liked fruitcake, and pumpkin soups and breads for November. There were cupcakes, candies, cider, tortes, tarts and ales. Fruit pies, meat pies, sweet pies and sour pies. There was so much food in fact that scarecrow waiters stood by the Hall doors next to wheelbarrows ready to wheel the months out after the meeting. Truth be told, some method of conveyance was always standing by to wheel the occupants out. Overindulgence was the goal not the exception. When December was in charge it was a sled pulled by gingerbread men, when it was August's turn giant floating sunflowers harnessed to bees carried them all away.
Sensing that things needed to get going, October indicated to Manfred to sound the gong and slowly all the months made their way to the great table. Once seated and properly situated, October opened the big book and called the meeting to order. He banged his pumpkin gavel and asked the secretary (who happened to be September this time) to read the minutes of the last gathering. Once that was done they proceeded to new business. February raised her hand and asked that her official color be changed from pink and red to lavender because it was a much more soothing tone. May took issue with the change and her sisters rallied around her. Not surprisingly the vote ceased to gain ground, but in order to placate her, June did offer to give up her 31st day so that February could celebrate one more day of her month. Everyone agreed that this was an elegant and gracious solution and the motion carried. It would be noted however that in the human world such a change would only be reflected once every four years in order to not cause too much of a commotion.
The next order of business was brought up by September who asked that November make up his mind and finally set an official date as to when Thanksgiving should be held. Traditionally it would occur whenever November felt hungriest and sometimes that meant two or three times in a month. The other months had heard the human population grumbling and decided to make November finally choose. Round and round they went. November lobbied for earlier in the month, but October wouldn't' have it. People were still in a candy coma from Halloween and didn't need another party. December didn't care one way or another and November kept trying to haggle for two more holidays. In the end they decided to hold the official day halfway between the festivities and most everyone was happy.
The only other bit of business was to present Manfred with his annual bonus and then choose the next month to host the meeting. March was unanimously chosen mostly because he was passed out in his chair and couldn't pawn the job off on anyone else. October rapped his pumpkin gavel to close the meeting and everyone began to disperse. They climbed or fell or were carried to their respective wheelbarrows and taken to their rooms. When the last of them had left, Manfred snapped his fingers and the room was once again put to rights. The giant sandy hourglass was turned on its access to count down the days until the next meeting and the candles were blown out. The fire was banked and with a contented sigh Manfred closed the giant oak doors to the Great Hall. Yes, working here was certainly never boring.
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