"Twas the Night" - For my Pinball Friends

'Twas the night before Christmas

And in the arcade

Stood every Bally and Williams

With no cabinet fade

From the 80s and 90s

Each game was there

There was TOTAN and Monster Bash

And games even more rare

I had only one dollar

And that caused some sadness

So I decide to beat
the Medieval Madness

I dropped in my quarters

I assumed the position

I approached the game

Like a licensed physician

I pushed the start button

And out came the ball

I nailed the skill shot

With no doubt at all

I made all the shots

One after another

I made the left ramp

And then made the other

I racked up the points

No shot was a hassle

Nailed the ramps and the loops

Then I nailed the castle

I couldn't possibly miss

'cause I was so hot

Then I cradled the ball

For one final shot

It was my turn

To beat the High Score to Date

On this Christmas Eve

It was surely my fate

As I lined up the shot

To make history
I heard a loud sound

unfamiliar to me

It was hooves and ho-hoing

On top of the roof

Santa had crash-landed

And I heard the proof

I looked at my game

And imagine my horror

(It was my last dollar

I couldn't be poorer)

But as can be the case

The arcade wasn't well built

The thunderous crash

Caused my last ball to tilt!!

No High Score to Date

I was madder than hell

When Santa came in

I started to yell

He reached in his suit

And pulled out a key

He opened the coin door

And giggle with glee

He pushed on the buttons

And he changed some setting

He murmured how that

Should stop me from fretting

He locked it back up

And before I could ask

He had slipped out the door

Having completed his task

I wanted to know

What he had done
Just how in the world
Had he increased my fun?

Then I heard him call out

As he flew off in his sleigh

Merry Christmas to All

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