The Step Where I Defend a Kingdom

So, remember when I said it was snowing hard and big, and I felt I was in a movie?

Pittance.

Today, it has been snowing. Today, weather bared it's teeth and growled. Today, I first
experienced Winter.

A hard and fast winter that came at me unexpected. I bundled up as much as I could. I felt a lot like that kid from A Christmas Story, only I never touched my tongue to any pole.

Yet, the day wasn't all bad.

I don't if you know this, but I recently became a babysitter. A manny, if you will (male + nanny = "clever" word). It's amazing; perhaps the best job I could ever have, save for the one I am currently pursuing (hence, the amazing day job). I'm not really going to go into the details of the job, but I will say that today when I picked the kid up from school, he asked if we could go to the park so he could play in the snow with some friends of his.

The park. i.e. Central Park.

"Sure," I said. But inside, all I could think was, "PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEASE CAN WE GO TO THE PARK AND PLAY IN THE SNOW!? PLEASE!!!"

"As long as you get your homework done after," I added, just to be on the safe side.

We went. We trudged through the falling snow, jumped over the disgusting mixture of water, snow, & dirt collecting at every corner, and successfully navigated around every 'death' car (whenever we cross the street, I feel that every car has an insatiable need to run us over). We had snowball-making races on our way to the park, and he showed me his 12-step plan to making the perfect snowball (a secret I shall take to my grave). We bonded.

When we made it to the park, the kid ran as fast as his little legs could carry him to meet his friends. I stood there, with the other nannies. It always feels very weird when I pick him up from school; it's all these older women...and me. All doing the same job; read odd. But here, at the park, there was an assortment, a box of chocolates sampling of nannies. I started a conversation with another guy nanny while the kids chased each other with snowballs. It was leisurely. Cold, but easy.

That's when it happened.

Fwat! I instantly felt stinging cold on my face. I stood there in almost hypothermic shock. The kid had thrown a snowball at me.

You do know, this means war.

Instantly I remembered the knowledge my young master had taught me about snowball making, formed a hefty powerhouse, and slung it back. Direct hit!

"SNOWBALL FIGHT! KIDS VERSUS ADULTS!" one kid shouted. And The Battle of Central Park had begun.

It was just myself and the other guy I had talked to versus three kids. We held our own very well, even forming a fortress next to a pile of snow and a tree. The kids got some good shots in and play a thinking person's snowball fight. Some flipped sides, others flipped only to later betray their new team, having sworn allegiance to the kids long ago. Eventually, when it was time to go, the adults sprung their hands up in surrender only to be pelted with snowballs once more. Apparently, these kids have no idea what 'surrender' means.

We shook hands and parted ways. But, not before we made this:

A giant snowball. We never chucked it, but kept it there for all to remember the battle that had been fought here today.

So, yes, the weather outside was frightful. But the job was so delightful.

The "It's a Wonderful Life" Step

I woke up to snow today.

Not a big deal, right? New York snows all the time. I've been back for a few weeks now, and I've been up to my ears in snow. Not that I hate it; I'm from the bay area. Snow is still a miracle where I come from. Still, I've seen snow in New York.

Not like this, though. Not like this. I went into the kitchen in my apartment to fix some breakfast and stopped. It was snowing. But, again, not a big deal, right? Yes, a big deal, because this snow was different. Bigger. Clumps of snow came falling from the sky. Was the sky falling? Was this normal?

It was like movie snow. You know, that big, cotton-like snow that falls in movies and tv shows, usually just at the right moment for the two lovers to realize how much they love each other and kiss. The kind of snow that doesn't melt when it touches down on a person, the kind that you absolutely know is fake but don't care because it's all too magical given the moment? It was that kind of snow. I kept looking for the movie crew up above me. Wonderfully, though, no luck.

This is the New York I dreamt about.

It's good to be back.