You might not realize this, but for a Southerner snow is magic. It’s beautiful, quiet, clean. It’s also terrifying. Two nights ago, I was headed to the airport to pick up G. It was dark early–something I’ve learned is just part of Northern winters. Tangent: After the time change, my colleagues, knowing all of this was new to me, would ask “How are things going?” “The world is cold and dark,” I replied. AND I WAS RIGHT. The world IS cold and dark. Also, the fact that it starts getting darker around 3 pm and the Sun is no where to be found by 4:30 really messes with your eating and sleeping schedules! It’s dark–must be time to eat! I’ve eaten; must be time for bed! I’m still adjusting.
All this aside, it was dark and cold. I was chatting with my father earlier, who warned me that G and I shouldn’t linger in Providence too long. It’d be best for us to make it home quickly–“No need to get caught in that weather,” he warned. But, typical of my independent nature, it was easy for me to think my father was exaggerating. (It is a fundamental of Southern storytelling, after all.) So, after picking G up from his delayed flight, we made our way to eat near the airport. By the time we finally got back into the car after eating, it had begun to snow. MAGIC!
The roads weren’t that bad until we got off the interstate onto a local road that serves as a connecting road between Providence and Hartford. That’s when we realized that snow is magic. DARK magic.
The roads were layered with snow. The mystical creatures called snow plows, that I’d only heard of before that night, had not yet appeared to clear the roads. Thankfully, this kid’s Dad had taught him to use lower gears to slow down in snow and ice. It was a tense hour and a half, slowly plodding along dark roads–hoping you were still on the road, grateful to see head lights coming the opposite direction (and a little scared they might lose control and slam into you). At first the snow, blowing toward the car as we drove along delightfully reminded us of warp speed on Star Trek! But then, it started to make us both a little sick. I don’t know how Capt. Picard stood it!
Finally, the wreaths on the outside of my house came into view and G and I both let out a deep sigh of relief. Home at last. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so glad to park my car in my driveway.
Today, another snow storm is set to drop 4-6 inches all around our pretty little corner of the state. Next time, we’re ready for snow and it’s sorcery–and we’ll watch the show from inside.
