The first big snowstorm of the season is hitting the Philadelphia area, and as with the first one of every season, it always reminds me of my childhood, and how I always hoped and prayed for a major snowstorm during the week so that school would be closed. I remember waking up early in the morning, peeking out the window, anticipating a white landscape of the powdery stuff.
If I saw a decent amount of snow, I would immediately turn on KYW-1060 – our local AM station that would report the school closing numbers religiously. I would sit at the kitchen table, slowly eating my Frosted Flakes, listening to every number pass by, hoping, much like a Bingo contestant, that my school number would be called. The numbers would rattle by, getting closer and closer to that magical number 4-5-0. I can still hear Harry Donahue recite these at an amazing clip.
The sheer disappointment of hearing him skip over our school number would make me miserable for the entire day. “How could they not cancel classes today, there has to be at least 4 inches of snow on the ground,” I would quietly whisper to myself. I would take the Superintendent’s decision personally – like he deliberately wanted to ruin our fun. I remember hoping his car would spin off the road – that’ll show him!
But, on those magical days when our number did come up, instead of going back to sleep (like I would do now), I was full of so much elation, excitement, and all other good feelings, that I couldn’t wait to get outside and play in the winter-wonderland. Usually, I was outside by about 7:30 a.m., playing snow hockey with some neighborhood buddies. Then, we would probably either have a snowball fight or build snow forts. But what day would be complete without going sledding? Our hill of choice was always Monument Hill – it was within walking distance, and had a pretty nice slope. Plus, we usually would meet up with other classmates were just as eager to make the most of this special day.
If we had enough people, sometimes we’d get a football game together … provided that somebody actually brought a football with them. I don’t think we ever made it back home before dinner time. We had endless energy, and we were determined to use it all up before darkness could intervene. Then, I would go home, eat dinner, take a warm shower, and hope against hope that our number would be called again tomorrow.
Ah, to be young again.
Writer’s Workshop: Passing The Baton
4 months ago
12 comments:
Even at that age, I used to go back to sleep when 450 was called. Any chance to sleep all morning was one I usually took.
Then I'd go to Monument Hill in the afternoon and go sledding.
Then get some 7-11 hot chocolate on the way home.
Thems were the days.
If we had enough people, sometimes we’d get a football game together … provided that somebody actually brought a football with them. I don’t think we ever made it back home before dinner time. We had endless energy, and we were determined to use it all up before darkness could intervene. Then, I would go home, eat dinner, take a warm shower, and hope against hope that our number would be called again tomorrow.
Sounds like Lockheed!
I remember a 26-inch storm at Penn State. We took coolers outside to make bricks for a snow/ice wall -- covering the entrance to The Apartment Store office.
Also, the first snowstorm at college each year was celebrated with the annual West Halls - Fiji (Phi Gamma Delta) snowball fight. The campus Animal House required its pledges to pull our fire alarms (4+ times every night, all year), and 1600 of us took revenge with the snowfall. One year my friend Derek shook a can of Coke on his way down 3 flights of stairs, then packed it in snow and threw it through a Fiji window. Bastards deserved it and more.
AHHH the "snow" days of our youth! Great post! AHHHH
yeah if it snowed here in PHX and this year it did for about 20 min we would ALL be tele-commuting!
Did you ever have enough snow to do the tunnels and such????
Smokin - Some things never change ...
Reverse - That was when we didn't have any meaningful work ... which was all the time.
Jeff - Was that the storm right before spring break?
Superstar - nah, we never had to dig tunnels or anything like that. Our snow storms are probably like light snow to the real snow belt.
those were the days.....
I lived out in the country growing up.
When school was out for the day, I'd stay in for the early morning hours, and then I'd go explore the woods.
It looks totally different covered in the white stuff...even things you've seen a million times before.
What great memories....
Thanks.
I work for a college. We had a snow day yesterday too. I love my job.
I remember sledding on a big ole hill when snow days hit. There was a drainage ditch at the bottom of the hill that stretched from one side to the other. Kids would aim for the center of the ditch - where there was a small walkway about five feet across to avoid slamming into the ditch. Good times!
Back in the day we would have snowball fights and play war in the woods, pelting each other with icy-cold snowballs of artillery. Usually the crowd I hung out with would end up throwing snowballs at cars passing by the woods....I was usually at the back of the pack, ready to run... chuck, BAM!!, SCREEEETCH!! then we all scatter into the woods. Those guys probably all ended up in jail over the years!
That sounds awesome! Living down here we didn't have the funnage of snow. I feel so deprived!
ELP - I know, ah to be young again!
Nikki - Sometimes the "grown-up" stuff gets in the way of the really important stuff.
Christina - When i worked for Penn State, I always wanted it to snow!
Ink - That sounds like my kind of hill!
BT - Shockingly enough, I never really threw snowballs at cars.
Steph - There are good and bad points to snow. Shoveling it sucks.
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