DeTomaso Mailing List: December 97, Message #205
     



From: 	"Sedon, Doug" <SedonD@ors.od.nih.gov>

Subject: Nascar Xmas

Date: 	Mon, 15 Dec 1997 13:24:08 +0000





Twas the night before Christmas; we were all in the den

With stacks of blank tapes waiting for ESPN

To begin their long-promised NASCAR race binge.

"I should've played Santa", I thought with a twinge

"For the kids, while they're little; Dad did it for me".

When a gawdawful roar drowned out the TV.

I ran to the window and my eyes opened wide

As a black Chevy sleigh with a "3" on its side

Streaked down the driveway and over the lawn

Smoking and sparking, with one fender gone.

It steamed and it rumbled, seemed ready to stall

And six or eight elves came over my wall.

They jacked up the sleigh, the right runner came off,

When the engine fell silent with one last deep cough.

Four dove under the hood; I saw eight tiny feet

While the driver, disgusted, sat low in his seat.

The one elf came 'round to the side and said "S**t!

The oil cooler's busted. What'd you hit?"

The driver said nothing; the elf hurried away.

Then the driver unbuckled and climbed from the sleigh.

He threw down his helmet in the snow with a smack

Then pulled a big bag from out of the back,

Squinted down through his shades at a list that he had.

Then growled up at me, though he didn't sound mad,

"Y'all got three kids here? Dick, Sarah and Kyle?

Them elves'll be busy. We'll be here a while."

I was still kind of shocked, but I opened the door,

and he clumped up the steps and across the hall floor.

The kids gathered round, their mouths open in awe

While he rubbed his mustache and sized up what he saw

Then he pulled out a die-cast and gave it to Kyle

The "44" hot Wheels brought out a big smile.

Dick got a turquoise Ford marked "Hellig-Myers"

and grinned up at the driver and played with the tires.

Then the driver looked down and nodded his head,

And reached in the bag and to Sarah he said,

"All the girls wanted this one" and handed her "5".

Sarah just stared, and I came alive

And said "Thank the man, Sarah"; she looked at the floor

Then said "Terry's OK, but I want '24'".

Though just for a moment his shoulders did sag,

He quickly recovered and reached in his bag

For a rainbow-striped Chevy then leaned down and whis-

pered "The kid ain't all bad". She gave him a kiss.

He turned for the door, then quickly looked back,

And pulled one more die-cast out of his sack.

He gave it to me and did it look great -

A black Thunderbird, with a red "28".

Tears came to my eyes and the numbers got wavy;

I sure like the car, but I wish it said "Davey".

Then an elf stuck his head in the door and said "Go!".

The driver dashed out and ran through the snow.

He buckled back in and pulled in his sack

Then the elves dropped the sleigh down off of the jack.

I leaned out the door, shouting over the din

"Where do you go from here?" He gave me a grin

And called as the sleigh sailed up over the gate

"I'm winning Daytona, then I'm going for eight".