15 minute Free Write
Seven years ago icicles lent themselves to trees,
closing schools, imploding vehicles, stranding even snow plows. The snow fell once again in May 2013, no
records, but still too late in the season.
Minnesota shore of
Lake Superior, the
patrons of Duluth along the three block radius of her home yelled out to their
neighbors who still needed to make the effort to work. “Hell of a snow! Ain’t it? I know, right?”
Stepping outside, the one foot of snow stuck to her feet. If she had the inclination to stop, the snow surely didn't mind.
But she was on a mission, tied her green scarf tighter on her head, stretching it around in
a knot, so it freed up the center.
Bent down to tie one loose brown lace on her size five leather boots,
and fixed her green puffy jacket, staring at the snow’s reflection as it
pierced her eyes. No time for obstacles, she mumbled, gathering her belongings,
setting them against the oak door, a brown satchel, a paper bag lunch, and some
loose newspaper to cover her floor mats in her car. Walking straight into it, her eyes shuttered
close, except flashing them open only to squint at whatever snow covered her
vehicle. Her car parked halfway down the
block searching for it this time, she hardly knew if going to work would be
worth it, but she reflected for a moment on Ms. Piggle Wiggle, a book she had read from childhood, and a character who stressed the importance of looking at a challenge as a way to compete against one self. The Snow was her obstacle today. Setting her blue stop watch on her wrist for three minutes. She said, "Time it. Three, two, one. Go!" She dashed around the car, throwing heavy piles of snow over her shoulder, passing the frozen water higher and higher on the snow bank. "Hey, watch it!" "Sorry, Mr Periwinkle." She caught his eye, and he smiled at her. "Some one's busy this morning." He exclaimed. Would she allow this non-competitor defeat her best time? Luckily, Periwinkle had his own agenda squirming off in ten long steps that the girl left for him.
She checked her stop watch, twenty seconds, she shoveled faster, making the mistake of using her gloved hand to wipe off the snow. Damn! she stated. 10 seconds left, she galloped four steps before opening her drivers door and landing, thud into the seat. "Made it!" she exclaimed.
