’Twas the week before Christmas, and at Gerken HQ,
Something was stirring about which few people knew.

The planners all nestled behind conference room doors,
The bosses seemed anxious; some were pacing the floors.

And I, in my office, feeling three weeks behind,
Had just settled down for an afternoon grind.

All at once, from the lobby, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to learn what was the matter.

Away to the hallway, I flew like a flash,
Bumped into the intern and went down with a crash.

With a knot on the head, the new-fallen me,
Gave a lustre of awkwardness and brought coworkers glee.

When what in reception to my eyes did appear,
But a man dressed in red seeking our best engineers.

With a bundle of site drawings pulled from his case,
The caller wore deadline all over his face.

His cheeks were all flushed; a right frazzled old gent,
I knew in a moment, we’d better get Brent.

More rapid than eagles, the CEO came,
He welcomed our guest, and he called him by name!

As if on the mind, my ears played a trick,
I swore that our leader called the fellow St. Nick.

With a wink of his eye and a nod of his head,
Brent gave us to know we had nothing to dread.

Our visitor, we learned, was not grim or defiant,
This troubled old elf was our secret new client.

Santa’s workshop, it turns out, had a sleigh-landing strip,
Needing urgent repaving before his Christmas Eve trip.

He sought a smooth surface on which reindeer could prance,
And he’d heard about Gerken’s rock-solid performance.

He knew all our workers to be lively and quick,
Who, when met with an obstacle, in overdrive kicked.

We spoke not a word and, without one single smirk,
Completed the planning and scheduled the work.

He sprang a big smile, to our team gave a whistle,
Then suggested his visit should remain “unofficial.”

Now laying his finger aside of his nose,
Santa gave us a nod and called us all “pros.”

Then I heard him exclaim, ere he walked out the door,
“Happy Christmas to Gerken; may you continue to soar!”