The Heat of the Moment

It was chilly in the country
So we had to use the heat
To warm up our little weekend place,
Our Pocono retreat.

Electric heat’s expensive
So we only turn it on
When we’re in the house, but it stays off
Most often when we’re gone.

In wintertime, we set it low
Just so the pipes don’t freeze
Even though our bill increases
By a number of degrees.

Now, we’ve had the house for many years
And follow some routines
But at times it seems that aging
Or distraction intervenes.

So today, the first time ever,
Spoiling many lucky streaks,
We forgot to turn the heat off
And we won’t be back for weeks.

With some luck, we’ll reach a neighbor
Or a friend of ours who’ll take
Time to fix the situation
Or we’ll pay for our mistake.