In Memory of Alastair Sims
In A Christmas Carol, Dickens described the holidays as “a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.
Did you ever wonder what Scrooge did after he converted?
Invited God right into his heart and turned it around.
And some fancy ghosts scared him into Christmas.
Indeed, he really knew how to do Christmas well.
Raised Bob Cratchit’s salary yearly. Hot coals and punch all winter.
Uncle Scrooge blessed Tiny Tim by paying for his schooling.
Found a high-level apprenticeship for Peter and attended Martha’s wedding.
Drank tea and befriended dear Mrs. Cratchit.
Located the “marvelous, wonderful” boy and apprenticed him as a butcher.
Gold crowns for Mrs. Dilber, Christmas presents for her kids.
Sent Fred’s Sally to seamstress school. Loaned Fred money to build his business.
Visited Old Joe. Helped him remodel and hire the charlady.
Waltzed every Christmas till he couldn’t, then sat on the couch and clapped.
Ate Christmas dinner with “his sister’s boy” every year, fat turkey and all.
Railed against Poor Workhouses and wretched prison conditions.
Poured money into Ignorance and Want all of his days.
Placed a tombstone above the Fezziwigs:
They danced life the best of all.
Sought out Alice and made peace with her.
Met her every need and were friends to the end.
Why could Old Scrooge, who always got more bread
for everyone from then on, do all of this for humanity?
Because he had money till he died.
May we privileged do as well.
Originally published in October Hill Magazine