saved by the carol

dear emily,

hans and the kids have teased me a lot through the years, because i
don't really understand sports.  all i have ever known is music and
literature.  imagine my delight at receiving this clandestine phone
call.

"mom?" one of my sons was on the other line and i could barely hear
him.

"honey, are you ok?" i ask worriedly.

"mom, i don't have much time and may have to hang up on you."

"honey, are you in trouble?"

"how do you finish this line, 'angels we have heard...'?" whispered my son.

" 'on high'...but"

"awesome!  now how about, 'o little town of bethlehem...'?"

" 'how still we see thee lie! ' what is going on?" beginning to get a
little frustrated.

"sweet!  what comes after this? 'angels from the realms of glory'?"

"'wing your flight o'er all the earth'...  do you need me to call the
police?"

"oh no, i gotta hang up!  stay by the phone!"  now i had visions of
kidnappers with my precious baby wrapped up in duct tape.

the phone rang again.

"mom?"

"oh honey, are you hurt?  where are you?"

"no worries, mom.  mr. mccoy was just walking by and i didn't want
him to see me on the phone."

"what????"

"just fill this line in:  'what child is this?...' "

"'who laid to rest on mary's lap is sleeping'  will you please tell me
what is going on?"

"thanks, mom!  you're a life saver!  i told my buddies that no one
knew more Christmas songs than you!"

dial tone...

turns out his physics teacher gave the class a bonus pre-Christmas
test, that i helped them cheat their way through.  a better mom
would have made them 'fess up, but i was just so proud...

...that my superior knowledge of Chrismas carols won the game!

love,
lea