Snow has truly magical qualities. It is perhaps a small window into what the world around us could, or even should be like. When it snows, people stay home from work and school. They trade in briefcases and text books for sleds and hot chocolate. In place of meetings and study hall they sit down for rented movies and home baked cookies.
Growing up, snow meant one thing before anything else. It meant than any number of us would head over to Cap and Gramps' house to ensure that the big blue van, the ramps, and the sidewalks were all clear of snow in a timely manner. Even a little further back than that, I remember myself, Cap and Gramps all hold up in the "TV room" watching episodes of the Honeymooners on channel 11. For years as a youngster, I was convinced that Ralph Kramden and Gramps were the same person. They both lived in Brooklyn, they both worked for the Transit Authority. I maintain they are also similar in stature and appearance.
Anyway, the three of us would settle into that room with some combination of crackers, peanut butter, jelly and hot tea. Gramps knew many of these episodes by heart and he would recite the punch lines in perfect time with the actors on the screen. In short order, I too would be able to quote all forty episodes or so, line for line. "Captain video", and "can it core a apple?" have got to be my favorites. In fact, "Chef of the future" to this day, causes Kris to fall off the couch in laughter.
So today, while my neighbors around me are a bit puzzled as to why I don't use a snow blower, or why I tell them I enjoy shoveling the snow, the answer seems pretty clear. When I shovel snow, my mind is far from cold, my back is nowhere near hurting.
Instead, with every shovel full of white I move, I'm back home watching the Honeymooners in the TV room with Cap and Gramps.
It just doesn't get much better than that.
Let it freakin snow!! I've got lots more I can think about.
3 comments:
It's good! You have a good memory! I like the one when Ralph is stuck on the pipes on top of the boiler and can't get out!
Yeah!! He had taken the Janitor job, to avoid paying the rent.
He also had the house phone installed in his apartment. Norton kept calling him to fix the water in his apartment. He was sick and tired of taking baths at the gas station.
If I ever get snowed in, I hope it's at your place...That's my kind of survival food!!!!!!
Post a Comment