An Even Longer Night



The end of a long day and an even longer night

During which was experienced a terrible fright

For there was quite a commotion around three or so

As the sound of grunts came from the hearth below



Moving briskly in the direction of the awful sounds

An even greater surprise was then to be found 

For hanging down from the chimney hollow ...

Was one black patent leather boot bestowed

 

It had gotten caught on some sharp stone edges

And was just barely attached to the metal flue ledges

But its wearer had completely lost hold of the garment

As his bare-socked foot just dangled higher on cement



Close by was the other boot still covering the second limb

And I knew at once what had happened ... it was him!!!

The man with the funny red suit and the long white beard ...

Had gotten stuck on a gutter pipe jammed up under ... weird!!!



Which I'd put there a few weeks ago to seal off the chimney

As several squirrels had been nesting there ... jimminy!!!

They''d been using the fiberglass insulation as their bed

Covering it with twigs and nuts so they'd be better fed



And then they'd fallen through one after other into hearth

Disturbing me one day when I came down from my bath

(Had a devil of a time getting the blighters out of the house

As they'd led me on a merry chase  all over and about ...)



Finally got them both out the door after one hell of a struggle

Using heavy gloves to protect my hands so they couldn't nibble

And then the fiberglass was jammed well up there with the pipe

Forgetting then ... it might be a problem - when came last night



Well ... let me tell you ... it was quite a riotous scene

To have this big fat man stuck about even with the beams

But try as I may ... try as I might ... could not get him loose right

Finally we both gave up trying ... to get him past the gutter pipe



But I did manage to boost him back up to his sleigh and reindeer

Which he'd parked precariously on the edge of the very top tier

As he cracked his whip and shook the reins to fly on to next place

I caught the bright blush in his cheeks ... and a faint smile on his face



And as the sleigh took off I got a good look at his feet above me

One with a scuffed boot in place, but the other was boot-free ...

And so I rushed back inside to savor the wonderful souvenir

Of quite a little adventure Santa had experienced right here



But when I returned inside and looked at the place in hearth

Where the boot had fallen earlier ... giving me quite a laugh

I heard the sound of a squirrel's chatter as it scurried away ...

Taking with it that long black shiny boot which'd gone astray



- Tristram



(c) Christopher W. Thomas

6:15pm Christmas Day Eve 98