Another Reminder

ANOTHER REMINDER

You're reading this on your computer;

You had enough money to spend.

But some, these days, are penniless,

Their tether is at an end.

The Banks have all recovered;

They breathe a sigh of relief.

But many people are suffering still,

The 'Crunch' was hardly brief.

This man may just be fooling,

Playing games of 'Let's Pretend'.

On the other hand, his money

May have come to an end.

When you're buying expensive presents

And your turkey's big and fat,

Give a thought to this gentleman

In his brave little Santa hat.

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GIFTS

Do you recall a time when gifts were little things and cheap?

How Santa travelled light and saw you lying there asleep?

How a stocking was a stocking and it didn't weigh a tonne

And an orange in the toe was quite a prize that would be won?

How you woke up very early and sat up in your bed

With a thousand dreams of avarice circling in your head?

And how, in morning darkness, you felt that awkward bulge,

Which, in the coming daylight, something magic would divulge?

It might be a tiny dolly in a little knitted dress!

Oh that would bring the ultimate in childish happiness!

It might be a book of stories, just a tiny little book!

You couldn't wait for daylight! You just had to have a look!

You scrabbled round in darkness; the shape was hard, not soft,

Then guiltily you felt inside and held your gift aloft.

By feeling and by squinting you made your present out!

Why! Santa had excelled himself this year without a doubt!

It was a game of 'Tiddlywinks!' to play on Christmas Day!

You could practise in the morning! Mollee, too, could play!

Then you silently replaced the gift exactly as before,

And pretended to be fast asleep! Maybe you tried a snore!

A boxed game and an orange! Christmas promised bliss!

Do little children of today ever experience this?

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P.S.

We drove to the Central Coast yesterday to the funeral of an old friend, George. He was the husband of my colleague and friend, Toni, and we had known him for many years. He was a very genial man, quiet but always with a friendly smile. For the last five years his life had been blighted by Alzheimers Disease and he gradually shrank, both mentally and physically, but the smile persisted.

These were the grounds of the Crematorium. You must imagine a deafening sound of cicadas when you view this! As is the case with many funerals, the Wake was a delightful party that George would have enjoyed. I met so many old friends! Mostly teachers from twenty years ago and we enjoyed our recollections. So it was a bitter/sweet day.

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