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First Nights with Dawn Lewis and Ruth
First Nights with Ruth and her friends
other First Nights with Ruth Mike and David and one or two with Danielle
the number of them all
that there are many enhances my love of Boston
standing on Boylston
the December 31st wind blowing cold
windier and colder than the years before
after the Grand Procession the Food Court at Prudential Center
a different meal for each of us warming up
suddenly the worst of First Night memories
Itchy is gone
he’d been at the ice sculptures at Copley Square
Itchy the four inch Norfin Troll
Itchy the alien with purple hair
oh my gosh he had so much fun
meaning of course I did
Itchy always cheerful and wonderfully surprised
then lost on First Night at Copley Square
he’s so small I was hopeless to find him again 
I couldn’t believe we’d be going home without Itchy
and Dawn found him waiting on a phone booth shelf
but how?