By Kelly Fox

‘Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the stores
The business was stirring, even selling new doors;
The 2x4s were lifted into the rack with great care,
In hopes that a new unit would soon be there;
The salesmen were nestled all deep in their plans;
With visions of I joists and their 40’ spans;
And Anthony in his rain gear, and Mike in his cap,
Had just settled down for a quick ginger snap,
When out on the truck there arose such a clatter,
Chan sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the window Dave flew like a flash,
Jentzen had narrowly missed such a mighty crash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen trees,
Gave the luster of trucks all loaded with glee,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But an outside salesmen, and bright new Vermeer,
With Robert as the driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be a trick.
More rapid than customers his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Mike! now, Todd! now, Ron and Denise!
On, Coy! on Cheryl! on, Lynn and Mike Deese!
To the front of the store! to the top of the hall!
Now work away! work away! work away all!”
As Jon loads up before the rooftops can fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, they mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the boom truck full of roofing, and a swamper too-
And then, in a twinkling, Dave heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the elevator the next bundle came with a bound.
Alan was dressed all in camo, from his head to his foot,
And Josh’s clothes were all tarnished with tears and black soot;
A bundle of shakes Jacob had flung on his back,
And Todd looked like a roofer creating a new stack.
Lynnea’s eyes — how they twinkled! Chance’s dimples how merry!
Mike’s cheeks were like roses, Bob’s nose like a cherry!
Josh’s droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on Lonnie’s chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe Paul held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled Chad’s head like a wreath;
Stan had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when Becca laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
Jordan was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw Heidi, in spite of myself;
A wink of Chloe’s eye and a twist of Andrew’s head,
Soon let Stephanie know she had nothing to dread;
Terry spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the rentals; then turned with a jerk,
And laying Cody’s finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney Rod rose;
Kevin sprang to his sleigh, Devin to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard Kelly exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!”