T'was the night before Christmas...

T'was the night before Christmas and all though the house the only creature that was stirring was one little mouse. The house was locked up tight as a drum, for six months before the sheriff had come. The water was turned off and so was the gas, no power for lights, it was dark when you passed.

This house is empty and located next door, it's been abandoned for months, a real eye-sore. When up on it's roof there arose such a clatter I looked out my window to see what was the matter. And there in the moonlight I could see on the roof that thieves had climbed up to plant there a spoof. Merry X-Mas the sign said that they had erected, with Santa in a bathtub, and he looked quite dejected. Eight tiny reindeer were ahead of his "sleigh", made from bits of the plumbing, duct tape, and hay.

I chocked back a snicker, that would have been bad. "This is awful," I thought and really quite sad. What a terrible ending for such a nice place, the family that lived there had left in disgrace. The dad lost his job and started to drink, mom filed for divorce and they started to sink. The kids were caught up in the terrible mess. Now, they're all long gone and the house in distress.

The house had been ransacked and stripped until bare, even the plumbing was taken, there was nothing left there. It had once been a home, a place of delight. Now it's a shell, empty, a blight. And what of the people who once had lived there? What had hapened to them, did anyone care?

And I thought to myself as the thieves drove away, it could happen to anyone, so be thankful today. Foreclosures are sad things and should not be made light; but pray for the people, not the houses tonight. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.