The Mawby Christmas Party

The employees at Mawby’s liked Christmas a lot.
But the Grinch that employed the employees — did not!

From his office high over the tasting room floor. 
He could tell they were planning a party galore.
At the winery there would be guests by the score.
With supplies to be Fed-Ex’d right here to his door.

He could picture them all with their glasses and steins. 
They’d eat all his goat cheese. They’d drink all his wines. 
On paté and Toasteds they’d lavishly dine.
And worst of all each would feel perfectly fine.
“They’ll eat and they’ll drink all that’s mine, mine, mine, mine!”

So he made up a plan to relieve and deprive. 
Meeting Fed-Ex each day at the top of the drive. 
He’d take all their goodies before they arrive. 
And without these a party — just couldn’t survive. 

His plan now in place, he thought, thought, thought, thought.
“I must have a scapegoat in case I get caught.”
“There’s certainly someone to blame this all on.” 
And then he remembered — “I’ll blame it on Don.”

When everyone came to the party and feast. 
There was no Cremant. There was no roast beast. 
No Mille, no Talismon, cheeses or hams. 
No gluten-free crackers that Dave gets at Sam’s. 

Then all of the guests turned their eyes to the ceiling, 
As the drywall gave way on which Larry was kneeling. 
His plan run amok — the hole now revealing. 
The party supplies he had long been concealing. 

The partiers gathered in stunned disbelief. 
They’d figured Don Hartwig was surely the thief. 
The tiniest guest hoped it couldn’t be true. 
And everyone listened as Kelsey Lou Who said, 
“He couldn’t have done it. It must be a lie.” 
Then Kelsey Lou Who simply started to cry, 
As she asked of her boss, “Why Larry? Why? Why?”

But the crafty old Grinch merely shrieked with delight. 
As he told all the guests he’d been waiting all night. 
To surprise the whole crowd when the time was just right. 
With the wine and the food he had kept out of sight. 

So the party commenced that was doomed at the start. 
And the Grinch — it was clear — had a huge change of heart. 
Thus the food was arranged in the room to the east. 
As they all settled in for the long-waited feast. 
And with Kelsey Lou Who — Larry carved the roast beast.


Copyright © 2011 by David Mertz