Through the snow and ice-covered windows of our office, I watched a car slide around a corner, swerve, and gain control before moving cautiously down the street. The twin beams of its headlights penetrated the swirling snow, like two lighthouses on a foggy night. Two people, probably from a local bar that closed early, used the pole of a street light for support, as they waited for a gust of wind to subside. When it did, they continued their slippery journey up the sidewalk that climbed the hill besides our building. I turned back to my console. The red LED’s of the clock read 11:45 pm. I had a little over an hour before my relief arrived, and I could go home. A blast of wind rattled ice pellets and snow flakes against the window behind me. A plow rumbled by. The wind lifted the snow disturbed by the blade. The flakes spiraled in circles at the back of the plow before being carried off into the frigid night. The flashing lights of the plow disappeared from view. In a few minutes the road was covered with snow again.
It had been snowing since the early afternoon. The weatherman said we’d had twelve inches with another six to fall before morning. I stood in front of the window again. The only movement was the snow. Big flakes flew horizontally passed the street lights. “Hey, Mike!”
I jumped and turned. It was my relief. “You scared me half to death, Richard.”
I started to breath again. “You’re early.”
“I thought you’d want to get out of here. It’s getting nasty out there?”
“Getting? What do you mean getting? Will I be able to find my car?”
“There’s a big white lump in the parking lot. I figure that must be it.” He laughed.
“Not funny!” I gathered my book and lunch bag, stuffed them into my backpack. “Thanks for coming in early, Richard. I was ready to spend the night in the lunchroom.” I looked out the window again. “This is not going to be a fun drive.”
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