The hours late, should go to bed Near midnight I believe
But memories keep me wide awake This snowy Christmas Eve
Yes, memories of my kids moved on Each has their separate life
And how the holidays have changed Since angels took my wife
The toys, the food, the Christmas cheer My wife would bear the load
‘cause I work most holidays State Trooper on the road
Just sitting in my easy chair So many years retired
I reminisce of times gone by And all that has transpired
Of all the many happenings That seem to come to light
A multitude of them occurred Right on this very night
A drunken woman in a wreck Who Died on Christmas eve
Leaves memories of a tragic case Most people can’t believe
I had to drive to where she lived To tell her next of kin
Found the rundown mobile home She had been living in
The person answering the door I still recall today
A little girl about four years old She said "I'm Sue McKay"
I asked her if her dad was home And felt the longest pause
She said "My daddy ran away" "You must be Santa Claus"
"My mommy said you'd come tonight" "If I just stayed in bed"
"And bring a pretty doll for me" "It's what my mommy said"
I broke the rules that Christmas Eve Did not call child's care
They'd merely put her in a room And that I couldn’t bear
I picked her up and took her home My wife tucked her in bed
And wrapped a pretty doll for her Just like her mommy said
Adopted by a loving home And soon they moved away
I won't forget that Christmas Eve And little Sue McKay
Another bitter Christmas Eve A blizzard to behold
Had left a family in a ditch Just trapped there in the cold
By grace of God I spotted them All cold and gaunt with fright
Drove them to a motel room To safely spend the night
One Christmas Eve a homeless man Shivering and wet
Was trying hard to get a ride I'm sure he'd never get
I picked him up and drove him To a diner on the hill
To warm his bones and left him with a five dollar bill
Strange how when you’re all alone What memories you recall
You think of everything you've done And was it worth it all
I think about my God, my job My children and my wife
Would I do it all the same Could I re-live my life
Then comes a knock upon my door This late who could it be?
A neighbor or has Santa Claus Come to visit me
The figure standing in the cold Gives me a sudden fright
A trooper with that solemn look Dear God, who’s died tonight
I'm flashing back to bygone years How I'd often stood
On someones porch to bring them news And it was never good
Is this how life gets back at me For misery I've induced
Where pain I've caused some other folks Has now come home to roost
But looking in the troopers eyes My mind is in a whirl
I see a pleasant countenance The trooper is a girl
She smiled and reached to shake my hand And silence wasn't broke
Until a tear rolled down her cheek And then she softly spoke
"I'm sure you don't remember me" "But thought I'd stop and say"
"God bless you on this Christmas Eve" "I'm Trooper Sue McKay"