THE CHRISTMAS POEM Now everyone loses their temper especially during the holiday season, Most the

time it happens at the stores and we all know the reason. But last year I had a falling out with old Saint Nick and it wasnt at the mall, Up on the roof is where it all took place and I was lucky to get anything at all. My family is still mad at me because Santa and I had a fight, Let me explain what happened on that cold winters night. Just around one o clock on Christmas morning I heard his sleigh bells ring, Right above my head over the roof they went Jing-a-ling. And just as I stood up to prepare for his arrival I heard an awful thump, Then the plaster from my ceiling fell on my head and gave me a big lump. The TV went fuzzy, then blank and above me came a loud thud, I knew right away what exactly the matter was. I rushed up to the roof and sure enough old Saint Nick was there, He was holding my satellite dish that was broken beyond repair. And if that wasnt bad enough I looked down at the roof, It was all tore up from a double set of heavy reindeer hooves. His big heavy sleigh was sinking its rails into the shingle tracks, Saint Nick looked at me, then at the damage and had the nerve to say, My Bad. My Bad? I looked at him as if he were crazy. My ceilings in my hall! What have you been doing, munching on rum balls? How dare you sir insult me by insinuating that Im drunk, I think some sheet rock fell on you and gave you a slight bump. What the devil is wrong with you? Look what happened here? Look at my roof and my satellite dish, have you been drinking beer? Now wait just a minute, see here sir, you need watch your mouth. Its not my fault that you hit me with your house. Oh, I see, now its my fault that you cant control your ride, You just hit my roof like it was a friggin slip n slide. Well if you put some treading on the roof none of this would have happened. Maybe next time you listen to your wife instead of back talking and yappin! I said, Dont make come down to that end because youre gonna be sorry. He replied, That, sir, is the attitude that as a kid kept you from getting an Atari!

I made a snowball and threw it as I marched angrily toward him, Then Donner or Blitzen, one of them fools kicked me in my shin. I fell down off the roof like a ton of bricks and into a thorny bush. A huge patch of snow followed and covered me like mush. I lay there the wind knocked out of me and staring up at the sky, Santa delivered gifts to the wife and kids, but nothing for this guy. Then he got back in his sleigh and took off dragging my shingles, I got up and wiped myself off and screamed, Ill get you for this Kringle! Saint Nick and the reindeer flew up into the cold night sky, As he circled around and passed over me he grinned and waved bye-bye. Ive got other good boys and girls to see tonight you know, But be sure to get up early tomorrow for the sale at Home Depot! Then he dropped me a gift card that covered all my repairs, But all I could do is fold my arms and angrily stand there. My wife came out to find out what had happened between us two, I told her what I did and she hit me with her shoe. So the next year I wrote Santa an apology and sent it with the kids Christmas list, It came back stamped return to sender so I knew for me no gifts. But on Christmas Eve Saint Nick touched down on the roof real gentle, And we met in the living room and had a moment that was very sentimental. We both said we were sorry for the bad banter that we had. He admitted to me that he lost his temper and he really wasnt mad. I told him I was wrong and asked him to forgive me for the awful accusations, Then we drank some eggnog for this season of celebration. On Christmas Day the family and I opened all our gifts, Of course I got the shoe again because I bought my wife an oven mitt. I learned that getting quick to anger isnt always fine, But forgiveness, even this time of year, is really quite divine. Copyright 2011 Marc L Abbott