Twelve Trees of Christmas Page #7

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spend a lot of time

growing up here, doesn't mean

I don't care about the neighborhood.

Yeah, but it does mean

you don't know much about it.

No, that's not true.

Oh, come on!

I've never seen you in the library

until we announced the contest.

As a matter of fact,

other than the lobby

in this building, I

don't think I've seen

you anywhere in this neighborhood.

Not a restaurant, or in a store...

I've never seen you at the park.

Ok, but you do know that

I work very long hours.

I think the only reason you

signed up for this contest

is it's what your

grandfather would've done.

I think when you get a vision,

you don't let anyone stand in your way.

I'm fascinated.

Why don't you tell me more about myself?

The library was your grandfather's

greatest achievement.

I think deep down you

probably resent it,

because deep down you

don't think you'll ever

be able to achieve

anything that beautiful.

Your grandfather pushed

you to do big things,

but I don't think you think

you'll be able to do it.

You seem to have me all figured out.

I'm sorry, I...

No, no...

That was way out of line...

It's great.

I shouldn't have said that.

No, no, it's okay.

It's good to get these

things out in the open.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your shelves.

Thank you. They're perfect.

Look, I'm really sorry

that things are...

the way they are.

It's inevitable.

Given the circumstances.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Okay...

On the count of 3...

One, two...

Three!

Wow!

You're brilliant.

Wow!

I'm sorry...

I just got carried away by the tree...

No!

No, no, nothing to apologize for,

believe me.

Remember how you were talking about,

you know, meeting

friends at the library?

Well, maybe you're right.

I mean, I met you there.

That's right.

And I think of you as a friend.

Just a friend?

I'm sorry.

I'm not very good at this.

No, it's fine.

It's my mistake.

Why do I always do this?

I feel so stupid.

I have to go.

No, please! Wait!

It's okay.

I get it.

No! You don't.

Look, electronics and

computers, I understand.

Okay?

I can build an apache h-base,

open-source database, built on top

of an HDFS in one hour.

Okay, I can switch out

your magnetic hard drive

with a solid state

system with RAM drive SSS

faster than you can change

your pantyhose, but...

I don't know how to talk to you.

You are talking to me.

I don't even know what happened.

Everything suddenly

changed, just like that.

Well, you can't expect things

to be normal between you.

You're at opposite

ends of a battlefield.

But we were doing all right.

I mean, everything was actually... nice.

He's nice.

Considering he wants to

tear down this building.

I know, but still.

You're not smitten, are you?

No.

Because you sound smitten.

I don't even know what

it means to be smitten.

It means you had a

nice evening with a man

who might destroy

everything you treasure,

and even though you parted on bad terms,

you are still getting wistful

when you think about him!

You are, aren't you?

Not smitten.

It's written all over your face.

You know it's impossible, don't you?

Of course.

One of you has to lose, Cheri.

If the library stays open,

he will never talk to you again.

And if he wins?

Believe me, you will despise him

when you see this

building being demolished.

You're right.

I mean, of course.

You're right, but, um, I don't even want

to see him again so...

It's fine.

Well, that's smart of you.

Stay focused on saving the library.

The heart can complicate things.

Totally focused.

I mean, Tony and I

may be friendly, but...

I love this library.

I'm looking for a specialty item.

It's the 24th at five o'clock.

I think it would make

a wonderful photo-op,

or video-op,

or news-op...

Whatever you call them.

Terrific.

Okay, we will see you then.

Channel 8 is going to cover the contest.

Fantastic!

Three days from now and the whole city

will see what we do here.

Well, I only need one person to see.

Don't hold your breath.

At least I got Mrs. Shaughnessy

to judge the contest.

Yes, but let's not

forget, Tony Shaughnessy

is the jerk who is the

source of this problem.

He's not a jerk, he just...

needs to see how wrong

he is about this place.

And hopefully, Christmas

eve will help with that.

It's going to take a miracle.

That's what I'm hoping for.

I have desk duty.

We'll chat later, okay?

I was just about to call you!

I'm afraid there's been a problem.

What?

My son has sold all the crystal

and the antique ornaments.

A woman came in and

just bought everything.

How is that possible?

She is a very well-known designer.

But to buy that much crystal,

I've never seen such a thing.

And the antique ornaments on top of it.

It makes no sense.

Well, is there any

way you could stall her

until after the contest?

Oh, she's taken all of it already.

What's her name?

Maybe I could speak with her.

Cordelia.

With no last name?

That's right.

She never gave us a last name.

I know her.

Thank you, Mrs. O'Hannelin.

We tried.

But...

What are you going to

do about your tree, dear?

Tony, it's Cheri!

What is this? A raid?

Who's decorating your tree?

Why?

Is there some rule that says

I have to decorate my own tree?

I told you I leave

things to professionals.

Who's the professional tree decorator?

Cordelia.

The woman who did my

apartment, remember?

Wow.

You really will do

anything to win, won't you?

What's wrong with that?

You really don't have any idea?

No. Enlighten me.

You had her spy on me, steal my idea

and everything I've worked for.

Spy on you?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I wrote a cheque

and asked her to design me a tree.

With that one signature you and Cordelia

killed all my hopes and dreams.

You don't care about

anyone but yourself, do you?

I knew this was going to be a battle,

but I thought at least

you'd have the decency

to fight fair.

Fight fair?

What do you call

recruiting my grandmother

to judge your stupid contest?

You call that fighting fair?

Her name's on the building, too.

Cheri, this is over.

No. It's not.

I invited the press on Christmas eve.

The people want and need this library,

and I'm going to prove it to you.

I'm going to expose you as

the scrooge that you are.

Excuse me?

You are nothing like your grandfather.

He built things.

You just destroy them.

Okay.

You know, you can chain

yourself to the door

if it makes you feel better,

but I'm still tearing it down.

I've worked too long

and hard on this deal

to let some librarian stop

me from creating my legacy.

So, why don't you get your

calling somewhere else?

It's not going to be on my future.

When you're wrong, you are really wrong.

SLAM!

No, I totally understand.

We can just play it by ear.

Okay, bye.

What is it?

That was the Channel 8 news producer.

They're gonna try to make it, but...

We're competing for coverage

with a major snowstorm

that's coming our way.

That's terrible.

I guess.

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