Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Snow ~ Heavy snow or mud?

The wind wasn't the only issue. It was the wet snow that stuck to the windshield in great, sticky, clumps requiring stopping every ten miles, getting out and slapping the wipers in a futile attempt to clear them enough to wipe.

"Flakes as big as Rhode Island, and only out here. It's like someone flipped a switch at Ten Mile. It's total Pig slop!"

The brood was hunkered into the back seats of the Ford Econoline. Each had enough space to be comfortable, as if cozied in private staterooms. The girls were sleeping and Lance was busy conjuring characters for his ongoing saga.

"Pull over and I'll clear the beggers. See if we can get a fresh start."

"Nah, we just did that fifteen minutes ago."

"Well, yes, but you're down to three square inches of visibility."

"I'm fine. As long as that guy ahead of me with one tail-light stays on the right side of the highway."

Warm snow. It was a coastal regularity measuring in double digit dumps. Add a little wind and the drifts calculated in feet.

The road ahead was two narrow trenches. The single red lens was mesmerizing. The sensation, that if you let your eyes drift, you'd suddenly know oblivion. Or the guy's rear end!

Tess knew better. If the lit dot disappeared, they'd shift into hyper vision and feel calmer, feel the direction that was home. The van could probably take them without any one at the wheel, it was so familiar with the route.

Dray ejected the tape of flashbacks and fresh tracks, barely audible above the working engine plowing through the white cement. Better to focus.

Dinner in town with friends had been a joy. The sizable stock-up on groceries and four jerry jugs of fresh water rounded out the effort of getting to town.
They left the gathering early. Snow had begun to come down with that certain intensity.

He was right. It started light and sparkly, perfectly individual stars catching light and adding that special mid-winter touch to the streets and holiday decorations.

Ten miles later and falling from an endlessly unfathomable source, the quantity of white was the Pacific Ocean in the sky and their small craft was heading away from shore.

~

1 comment:

  1. Perfect.. I remember.....sounds like our little blizzard last month. i like the following the Tail light home. dizzying... it feels like there could be more to this trip home? (it's a long ways) My thoughts are with you today, it's sunny here.

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