A Strange Noise

Something odd happened one cold winter night,
While the winds blew in loud and the snowfall was light.
Sitting alone in my old easy chair,
I was not quite awake, and had hardly a care.

There was a loud sound like a crash or a knock
Like a large window pane that was hit with a rock
Well, whatever it was, made me jump to my feet,
And I looked around fearing what I might meet.

It could be a thief here to steal my cash,
Or it could be a dog overturning the trash.
It might be a ghost, hoping that I would flee,
Or it could be a bear that was hungry for me!

So I gathered my wits, told myself to be brave.
My legs wanted to run, I told them to behave.
For whatever it was I would need a calm head,
To search out this thing that had caused me such dread.

I looked by the stove and then searched in the hall,
Nothing lay to the floor, nothing fell off the wall.
Next was the room that I lock when I use,
Nothing was there to alarm or confuse.

I came to the basement, a good place for some crimes,
That place is quite scary in normal times.
So I turned on the light and then down I went,
And made a loud cough to announce my descent.

I saw something there by the washing machine.
Not quite a person, its skin was dull green.
An odd little imp, it sat on a large crate,
And merrily scribbled on a small slate.

It looked up at me, said "Hope you don't mind,
But it's so dark and cold, and I needed to find,
What ninety-six is when by six you divide,
I'd need more fingers to work that math outside."

Then it scampered away, through a window it went,
The glass had a crack, I'd guess by accident.
But that's what it was, though I'm not quite sure how,
I thought everyone owned calculators by now.