Yesterday afternoon, before we leave work, our Assistant Principal makes the following announcement:
All after-school activities are canceled. Please check the website before you call or come in to school tomorrow.
I’m excited. Our school system is a safe haven, a place where students can go even when no one else can be with them. They are fed here through a government program, and the building is heated even though home may not be.
It’s very difficult for me to think of a time when the school has ever closed due to accumulated snow.
I finish writing my exam anyway and go to bed, thinking of a day spent at idle pursuits. 16 days off was starting to look like 17. Even without the school closing, it would not be unreasonable for me to call it in when so many students would be doing the same.
The plan starts with waking up kind of late and staring in horror at the snow that has completely covered the streets, my car, and my walk.
Oh dear, I say to my wife, how will I ever make it on time?
Little do I know that she has a plan, too.
This morning at five AM, she wakes up and I curl into a ball. I’m awake, I tell her, don’t worry about me. I’ll look at the snow a little later.
Get up, she says. (It’s a very devious plan)
Later, I say, it’s too early.
Well, at least look at the website, she tells me, maybe there was enough snow to actually close you guys.
I’m up out of bed in an instant, run over to the computer and login.
We’re open.
It’s too cold to go back to bed.
And now I’m at work on lunch writing this blog.