Late Winter's Journey

Walking with a hunch in my back, and a forced pace, I covered the lower portion of my face in the collar of my parka. I repeatedly pulled my wool L.L. Bean hat further down over my ears and tried to make up my mind whether to keep my hands in my sleeves, or shove them in my pockets. My knuckles get cold when they are slightly exposed in my sleeves, but my wrists get chaffed from the zipper on my jacket pockets.

Rather expectedly, I managed to forget my mittens in the cubicle after yet another long, frustrating day of unrealistic demands and new obstacles.

Forging ahead, I noticed a man in front of me who couldn't handle the nightly procession in the March Arctic freeze. Suddenly he broke into a sprint shortly after leaving the vicinity of Oak Grove station. It caught me off guard and I briefly looked behind me half expecting some one or some thing threatening to be bearing down on me. On this evening the only threat to be experienced was the elements, and the delusions of despair that a stubborn winter can bring.

At the time of this trek I listened to my mp3 player, but in my memory all I can hear is the rustling of my jacket and the crisp late winter wind. It's three quarters of a mile to comfort, and I sighed realizing the journey would be especially long tonight. The hum of a distant car is accompanied by a glimmer on the power lines above. The sound of my steps create an internal battle, one side of me was encouraged by the pace, the other side anxious over the distance that remained.

I continuously struggle to convince myself that I don't have much further to go. I look for distractions... the music... no, food.. food! What will I have for supper? Take-out? No its approaching 10 and I've written off the neighborhood late-night Chinese place because they tried to kill me a couple of times. Campbells chicken noodle soup or microwave lasagna... I was thinking Stouffers was looking like a favorite at this point, despite the sentimental value of soup on a cold night.

My distraction succeeded better than I anticipated. I tripped and stumbled as I hastily dragged my feet over the curbs and frost stressed asphalt. Somehow I didn't fall down, but staggered like I was intoxicated, and then I carried on.

My face burned and my eyes welled with tears that threatened to create a temporary epoxy connecting my eye lashes. My nose ran profusely, and I could almost feel the icy moisture crystallize on my skin, however I had already lost most feeling in my lips and cheeks. I reached for the shreds of a previously used Kleenex shoved in a pocket. In vain I tried to mop up the slow but steady annoyance which nagged me every step of the way. Half way paying attention, my peripheral vision caught the new condo construction project on my left as I neared the end of my irritation on Pleasant St.

Lincoln Terrace at last!

I turned into the unkempt frozen walkway and the ice spoke to me under my sneakers. I disregarded its complaints and tugged on the door of my building, exhausted and relieved that a long day was over.

Anyone catch the new Southpark episode? It was a fine entry to the new season. If you watch the show, without seeing Stan's revelation at the end... you probably won't get the message. Where was Vannah White on Wheel of Fortune? Was she there? I didn't notice.