T
‘ was the night before Holiday Break, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; Last emails were sent to our clients with care, In hopes all office time zones soon would be there.
Our Engineers and Scientists were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of spillways danced in their heads; And Christine in her Coach scarf, and I with a nightcap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I called my whole team to see what was the matter. I called the PM and client in a flash, Then tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow surely would make agencies wonder about the objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a foundational client, and eight tiny engineers,
With a little accountant, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be his payment schtick.... More rapid than modelers his employees they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; “Now, Francis! now, Kaplan! now, Pelton and Penstock! On, Flora! on Fauna! on, Fishway and Ridge-Rock! Fix the top of the dam! Fix the top of the wall! Now write those reports! Right now! One and all!” As alewives that before the spring runs fly, When they meet with an obstacle, enter a lift to the sky, So up to the house-top the TEAM they flew, Supporting a crane full of hardhats, and their CEO too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The assessment and questioning of each budget proof. As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, Down the chimney their CEO came with a bound.
He was dressed in a suit, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of contracts he held in a stack, And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they scorned! his dimples how scary! He smelled of Manhattans, on his nose, is that a cherry?! His droll little mouth was drawn down like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow. The stump of a pencil he held tight in his teeth, And thinned hair encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook, when he bellowed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right angry old timer, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of being wiser; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And looked at my emails; then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; He sprang to his crane, to his team gave a text, And away they all flew to the client who is next. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, I THOUGHT YOU OVER CHARGED US, BUT YOU WERE ACTULLY RIGHT