Santa to the Rescue

By Christmas eve of eighty-six
we were used to Dad’s yule-tide tricks.
With rockets and nets, so went the plan,
Dad figured to snag the kindly ol’ man.

We knew the garage must have some role
in keeping Santa from the North Pole.
And so it did—but wait, what’s this?
It seems something is a little amiss.

What is that out there, it isn’t a sleigh.
Oh, no! A helicopter got in the way.
And not just any, this Christmas Eve night,
this had to be a military flight.

Quick as a wink, the yard is ablaze,
with lights and shouting and Dad in a daze.
Suddenly more lights appeared in the sky.
What were they saying? CIA? FBI?

We started wondering if they would set bail.
If not Dad would spend Christmas in jail.
And then on the scene, so lively and quick,
who comes to the rescue but good ol’ Saint Nick.

What a sight was he, so jolly and round,
and everyone laughed as he jumped to the ground.
“Now I want you to know,” Santa said with a smile.
“Dad and I've known one another quite a while.”

“It’s a long story, and it goes way back.
In fact, the whole tale is right here in my pack.”
He handed Dad a box, wrapped with ribbon and bow,
Saying, “Sorry I’m late, got caught in the snow.”

Nothing was said as Santa jumped to his sleigh,
and called to his team to be on their way.
We were all staring and in total awe.
No doubt disbelieving what we just saw.


Finally, the General asked, “Is this some trick?”
And Dad said, “No, that was really Saint Nick.”
The General thought, then asked with a grin,
“So why did you let him get away then?”

“Well,” Dad told him, “what else could I do?”
My rockets and nets are were what brought down you.”
The General nodded, then said with a wink,
“Dad, let me tell you just what I think.”

“We heard you were trying to catch the ol’ guy,
and that was the reason this fight came by.
We thought we’d see just how things went,
once you’d caught the jolly ol’ gent.”

“But now I would venture to change what I thought,
and suggest that Santa shall not be caught.
I’d bet catching Saint Nick is only a ploy.
It’s really the chase that you both enjoy.”

Dad just smiled and said, “You never can tell.
I’m beginning to know the ol’ guy pretty well.
One of these days, ol’ Saint Nick he may slip.
Then I’ll be making that Christmas Eve trip.