White Out

No matter what you call it- snowpolcalypse, snowapalooza, snowmaggedon- it happened. Someone wished really hard in their heart for snow and they got it, 20 inches of it in one night. The governor has declared a state of emergency, and the mayor wants the city to stay home.

On our cul de sac, which never sees a plow or salt truck on a light snow day, most people have still not dug out their cars. There was no point. Almost everything in the city, from churches to libraries, was shut down. Public transportation is limited. Some people still don't even have power or heat.

But as my girlfriend said, the novelty has worn off. Under normal circumstances, we relish a day off, a reason to stay put. But being forced into seclusion by a crusty blanket of snow and a baby-faced mayor? That just seems un-American. Child-like wonder has given way to the reality of getting on with it.

Everyone has a story of how they are getting to work today. Mine's not quite as bad as I imagined, but not as good as I had hoped. Over the weekend, most neighbors have shoveled a path on their pieces of sidewalk, if not down to pavement. I didn't expect buses to be on time- though Penn Avenue is moving, there is still a brown-sugary coating of snow on it. The snow came over the tops of my boots in places. My feet were cold, but I was in good spirits.

Then the 86B passed by our stop as another rider and I stood there with our mouths open in silent protest. We waited 35 minutes for another. As other riders joined us, the sting wore off. On Saturday, one person paid $100 to a man with a truck to drive her from her home in McKeesport to family with heat in the city. I was feeling lucky.

My luck ran out at the Penn Mall Station. The sun was out, but the temperature has dropped since this weekend. Two pairs of wool socks in rubber boots were not enough. Four East Hills buses later, with no sign of any others, I headed for the East Busway. I just missed an EBA. An EBO came ten minutes later. One stop and 4 blocks of walking on unshoveled sidewalks and snow covered roads, and I was at work. More than two hours after I started out.

We are expecting a possible 6 more inches of snow tomorrow. In the face of it, my mind turns to fantasy. I am thinking of being swaddled beneath a ton of furs in a horse- drawn carriage a la Doctor Zhivago or isn't there a scene in The Lion in Winter where Katherine Hepburn arrives at Anjou by boat, effortlessly ferried by a dozen men?

If you know of someone with a horse-drawn carriage or a barge, could you ask them to give me a ring, send me a telegram, send word through their manservant?