by Grandpa Bobby, December, 2015
(WITH A VIDEO YOUTUBE VERSION READ BY THE AUTHOR ON THE FINAL PAGE.)
T’was the week before Christmas
and all through the town
there was such great planning
for the holiday coming ’round.
As the children dreamed
of the joys soon to come
the cell phones started ringing
and many plans came undone.
Dad’s boss called and said,
“Sorry my man, but you’re off to Nepal
the economy’s not good
we must stay on the ball.”
Then Mom’s went off too
with that ring tone like Star Wars
and before we knew it because of their jobs
they were gone to the airport in both their cars.
He to Nepal and she to St. Paul
He to arrange finance and she to repair
Dad knew all about money and currency while
Mom was a whiz at hardware and software care.
The children all worried
but Grandpa knew best
He had a great secret
he kept close to his chest.
With Dad in Nepal and Mom in St. Paul
Grandpa cooked waffles, eggs and sausages
drove kids to school, church, sports and all
and when they sneezed he gave lozenges.
As the children studied math and the alphabet
Grandpa dialed his phone
To the bosses in their offices
Asking when the parents could come home.
He told them that Santa had called
and his list wasn’t complete.
These busy parents had tried but
with their work couldn’t compete.
By the time they got home
the shelves and stores would be bare.
The ones who had made time
would have quickly shopped with care.
Princess Leah dolls and Han Solo guys
were no where to be found.
The Black Friday shoppers
had run them to ground.
Light sabers in tubes and storm troopers by dozens,
millennium falcons and even death stars,
were all bought pre-assembled
but for ones in pieces in boxes and jars
When it came to the kids of this Mom and Dad,
they weren’t worried about Christmas toys and such;
with St. Paul keeping Mommy and Dad in Nepal
they just wanted them home, little else mattered much.
For this week had taught them
that even with toys under the tree,
without Mom and Dad home
no Christmas would it be.
Then Grandpa winked at this story well told.
He knew what he had said to Mom and Dad’s bosses
he had reminded them of their own childhood losses.
As holiday kids with their dads off at wars for various causes.
So Grandpa conooddled and conspired
with the former lonely bosses and then (pause)
they arranged matching flights
for these chickadees’ rooster and hen.
Dad from Nepal and Mom from St. Paul
would both land in Denver at nearly the same gate,
with a two hour layover to catch a flight home,
and this is what was so great
They didn’t know that lonely Grandpa
while off to his war so missed his soul mate
had arranged all this craziness
for their accidental dinner date.
When he knew the time was just right
for he had scheduled each jet to appear
he called them each and acted surprised
at this miraculous reunion of his sweet dears.
A few hours later with the kids in the car
they drove to the airport in Grandpa’s VW bug,
and with tears of relief and shouts of joy
greeted Mommy and Daddy with kisses and hugs
The suitcases they threw
on the rack over the bug
and all crammed inside
each warm and snug.
For inside the suitcases were thoughts of home
though they had been on opposite sides of the world.
There was a blue drum from Nepal bought by Dad
and from Mom a brown bear made in St. Paul
For bosses and grandpas and moms and dads all knew in their hearts
it wouldn’t be a holiday Christmas for long
Despite food on a table and presents galore
without family together joined in a song
About the baby and his parents in this two thousand year story
with a lamb in a barn and a bright star above all
guiding good wise men from distant places
to a manger in Bethlehem, so far from Nepal and St. Paul
Merry Christmas to you my dear ones!
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT ON AUDIO GO TO:
A Guy Named Bob 