Twas the Night Before Christmas at Maryjane's house,
where his wife and his sister, his son and son's spouse,
sat down to a gumbo son had fixed with great care,
Over rice it steamed and smelled good in the air.
Our bowls were filled and we started right in when the dog outside began a loud din.
we heard heavy footsteps on the porch steps near
and daughter in law said "Santa Claus is here!"
When a knock on the door came loud as thunder
and then it flew open and filled us with wonder.
And what should appear, to our shocking surprise,
but a neighbor from nearby, a disheveled look and glazed over eyes.
From a white shirt front a red glob appeared
from a hole in his gut, looked like he'd been speared.
He said in a moment that he had been shot,
other than that, he said not a lot.
I sprang up from my chair to go to the door
but the rest just kept eating, their gumbo and more.
"Bill shot me" he uttered as we sat him right down
at the yuletide table we'd just gathered 'round.
911 was called in less than a flash,
as we lifted his shirt like a red and white sash.
One hole in the belly and the same in the back,
from the gun's chamber and no more from the stack
where a bullet had entered and gone on out
as he grimaced and moaned but he never did shout.
"Oh it hurts!" is all he would say
as we waited for help that was soon on it's way.
My son's wife was standing in shock,
and she sent my son to fetch,load and lock
my own 20 ga from it's place by the bed
and wondered who was next thru the door, with some dread.
Once sister and son's wife flagged them down
coming from Coldsprings the next nearest town,
The sheriff arrived and then DPS.
20 minutes had passed since the message I'd left.
We'd moved him out front and he lay on a bench
and bled on a blanket and would occasionally wince.
Half hour had passed as the medics arrived
and they took over his care & shined a light in his eyes.
Took his blood pressure and cleaned both wounds
then loaded him up & away they all zoomed.
The Sheriff and trooper were the last to leave
as they went next door to see what was to see.
Before they left, off into the night
they said Merry Christmas to All
and to All a Good Night!
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 02-26-2019).]
