A Very Techie Christmas -

BOB’S TECHNICAL TOYS said the sign on the van –

“For Fireworks and Light Shows, Bob Is Your Man”

Inside the van were master controls.

Keyboards and switches on five big consoles.

For weeks he’d been stringing the lights, high and low,

and tonight was the night – the premier of the show.

He’d set them to music (he was really quite proud).

They’d blink, flash, and dance to the joy of the crowd.

A drum roll was called for. A button was pushed.

It sounded like thunder. The people were hushed.

Expectant, their faces were cast to the skies -

Bob anticipated their delighted cries.

Lights sparkled and sputtered,some worked, some did not –

                              and the music was muffled as if locked in a pot.

“Just wait!” cried our hero, as he searched for a glitch

through the wizzles and wattzles in the circuitry switch.

A kid on a skateboard stuck his head in the van.

“Hey, man, need some help?  I’m good with my hands.”

Bob shook his head as he tried all his tricks.

“No one can help me – not even St. Nick!”

The kid grinned and nodded, “I know that old elf.

I fix all his stuff when he can’t, himself.

I’ll show you a secret –it works every time.”

And he pulled from his pocket some silvery twine.

He inserted a strand in a space on the board

and the sky glowed with color.

The crowd gave a roar!

The music was playing, they clapped to the beat,

Lights danced to the rhythm up and down the whole street.

The kid doffed his hat and revealed his true self.

“I’m Harold the Geek – Santa’s Technical Elf.

He’s kept up, you know, with the latest of things -

X-boxes and Wii’s and cell phones’ funny rings.”

He jumped on his board and careened out of sight.

“Enjoy the show, all – I’ll be back Christmas Night.”