Snow Day

Snow rarely falls in Austin, and accumulates even less frequently. The weathermen had all been talking about the possibility of it with increasing giddiness. They were like schoolboys anticipating getting to second base on prom night. What they got was a home run.

I got up to pee a little before five this morning, and pulled up the local news online before I went back to bed only to find that I could stay up: it had snowed and everything to speak of was shut down or not opening. Including my office.

I peeked out behind the patio curtains and blinds, and everything was covered. When I turned on the TV, I saw freeways and flyovers coated with snow except for the small amount that traffic had compacted into ice.

Lucy wanted to go out, but it turns out my youngest cat is afraid of snow. She’s never seen it before. She ran outside the second I opened the door, ran to the edge of the snow, smelled it and came bolting back inside.

I would call her a fraidy cat, but I didn’t venture out until everything started melting.

I was diagnosed with early arthritis and cartilage tears the day before, so I wasn't taking any chances on getting out with the obligatory cane. (Ironically, the symptoms are mostly in my knee. I can't explain that, but the orthopedist wasn't that surprised.) And I didn't want to slip on an ice patch and complicate things.

And I certainly didn't want to dodge all the stupid drivers who don't know how to drive on that stuff. I grew up doing that and learned early on that testosterone should not be a part of driving, whether on snow and ice or on dry pavement.

These days, I have to worry about people on cell phones on the snow and ice.

I ain't getting younger, but I would like to get older.