By Dan Kervick
SCROOGE: Cratchit! Cratchit, come here!
CRATCHIT: Yes Mr. Scrooge?
SCROOGE: Cratchit, I need you to work until midnight tonight.
CRATCHIT: Tonight, Mr. Scrooge? On Christmas Eve?!
SCROOGE: Yes, indeed, Cratchit. And you must work every day until New Year’s Day. I’m sorry about this, Cratchit, but we have very important public business to attend to.