Snow Melt

Day 16: Snowed In with a Snowplow in my driveway

"How would you pass the time if you were snowed in this winter?"

The cold woke me up. It penetrated my bones and sent shivers throughout my body. I forced myself to get up and place my bare feet on the freezing tile floor. A big mistake and I quickly pulled my feet back into the nice warm bed. I looked down at the floor and realized that for the first time in ten months, I had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed. The rug and my house slippers were on the other side.

Changing position, I got out on the right side of the bed, put on my slippers, my robe and then walked down the hall to the thermostat. I turned the thermostat up until the central heating came on after that, I went into the kitchen with the idea of making coffee. I stood at the kitchen window staring into the backyard. It was snowing and there was at least a foot of snow on the ground already.

Midnight sat on the kitchen counter glaring at me. I guess he thought it was my fault the it was my fault that it snowed and he couldn’t go onto the enclosed patio or into the backyard. I rubbed his head until he purred and then brewed a pot of coffee. Going into the living room, I turned on the morning news and listened in disbelief at the weather report.

“Today is December 21, the first day of winter and we’re receiving the first snow of the year. The snow is now approximately between a foot and two foot deep. It will continue to snow for the rest of the day and perhaps the rest of the week. For those who need food and other supplies brought to them, there are three names, phone numbers and e-mail address on our website and across the bottom of your T.V. screen of people with proper equipment to do this. We suggest you contact them as soon as possible with your needs.”

One the phone numbers belonged to Colby so I called him. He was glad to hear from me and wanted me to help coordinate his supply deliveries. Colby is a wonderful man, but technologically challenged. He took my list and hung up.

A few hours later, he brought everything I order and a few extra things I hadn’t thought about. He parked his snowplow in my driveway and unloaded the supplies. In addition, he brought a generator and an extra cell phone.

“Can I stay in your extra room?” He asked as he put the rest of the meat in the freezer.

“Sure,” I said, “how much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything partner, we’re in this together.”

He handed me a not pad containing the passwords to his e-mail account and blog. I’ve never been able to figure out how, someone as technologically challenged as Colby ever managed to get either, especially since the only computers he ever used was at the library or the community college where he could be assured of assistance when he needed it.

“I hope you don’t mind helping me with my blog, it turns out that the college and the libraries are going to be closed until the snow stops.” Colby smiled sheepishly, “I don’t have a computer at home and I need…”

“You need help with everything, don’t you, Colby?”

“Yes,” he blushed.

“You know I can’t resist a helpless male. Of course, I’ll assist you in whatever I can.”

“Thanks, Sweetie.”

“Don’t call me Sweetie, Colby, people might get the wrong idea. They might think we’re more then just business partners.”

“All right, Cousin,” he said as we walked to the front door. “Anything I forgot, before I take the snowmobile and get the larger snowplow.”

“How about a digital camera, Colby, if I’m going to post to your blog you’re going to have to provide some pictures of the snow,” I smiled as he left the house.

I hadn’t planned on spending the winter helping Colby keep up his blog and build a business. My plans were simple stay warm and write, write, write. However, Colby is an Eagle Scout and always prepared no matter how unlikely the situation or circumstances. After Colby left, I turned the T.V. back on and laughed as I listened to the news update.

“This just in, folks, and we do apologize for not checking this before. Only one of the names we gave you earlier has a business license and is qualified to deliver supplies during this snowstorm. That person is Colby Jones, who just called us with a second phone, which his cousin, whose pen name is Prosperous Snow, is answering.”

At that moment, the phone rang.

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