Planning for Snow

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I’ve been fussin’ again. No surprise there. I’m realizing that I’m more demanding and temperamental than I would perhaps like to admit.

 

This time, I’ve been fussin’ about the snow. Yep, snow. Blech. On Twitter and in real life, I can be heard…

 

• “I am SO not ready for snow yet.”
• “Seriously? Snow? We just got through Sandy.”
• “Oh, man, I sure hope we don’t lose power again… “
• “That two feet we got last October just killed it for me. I’m done. I have no interest in snow before Christmas.”

 

wah wah wah

 

It’s chilly today. Chilly enough that I pulled out my littlest’s mittens before story hour today. As we set out to leave the library, I was again slipping them over her sweet hands.

 

Another mom did battle with her own willful three-year-old who wanted nothing to do with a jacket. This is just life as moms. We chatted as we went about our business.

 

“Do you know when it’s supposed to start? I thought it was tonight, but now I don’t know,” she said.

 

I straightened a pink knit thumb and responded, “You know, I haven’t even checked, but it must be this afternoon since they’re dismissing school early, right?”

 

She nodded and resumed her wrestling match.

 

I turned and startled a bit at the sight of a man right before me. He had been so quiet, I didn’t hear him approach. He was one of our homeless.

 

“Excuse me, miss?” he asked me quietly, “I heard you mention the snow. Do you perhaps know when they say it’ll start?” He shuffled his feet, looked down. “It just helps me plan… ”

 

And the shallow cries of my earlier worries and gripes rained down upon me, echoing hollow in my ears.

 

Oh, yes, the snow can be an inconvenience for me. It can annoy me. So I stomp my feet and roll blue-green eyes.

 

But this man before me– a man who had far more legitimate reason to complain– he just wanted to be able to plan.

 

I answered him, stammering at first, “Um, you know, I actually don’t know, really. I’m guessing this afternoon…” I straightened up, looked him in the eye, “but you know what? Let’s go found out.” And we found ourselves a computer to access weather.com.

 

The flurries are starting right now.

 

I hope my friend is safe.