Waking up to snow was, and always will be, the best part of growing up. Why was it such a big deal? Well, growing up in Roswell New Mexico meant it didn't happen very often. Second, it usually meant that we didn't need much to bring the town to its knees and for school to be cancelled.
I was spoiled when it came to snow. This is something that my daughter will not enjoy as Denver is much more familiar to the fluffy white powder. See, unless Denver gets over 24 inches, they don't even notice. Golf courses still book tee times. And cute girls still wear cutoff jeans with a parka. And thus today, with nearly 10 inches on the sidewalks and streets, Denver Public Schools were still running like nothing happened. Not so, when I was young.
I don't remember the specific dates but usually the snow fell in a few inches. We'd quickly turn on KBIM Channel 10. The big story would be the 2 or 3 inches of snow that hit the ground and it was always followed by "schools will be closed today." This statement was normally followed by a quick arm tuck followed by a exclamation of "yes!" I would run back to my room and throw Pitfall into the Coleco Gemini(side story: yes, I had a Coleco Gemini. I like every other 10 year old wanted an Atari 2600. Yet the dang thing was too expensive. But Santa (or Santa's proxy) brought me a Coleco Gemini. Basically a Atari 2600 clone. It took Atari cartridges and other than a different controller design it played no different. What can you do, right?)
As I was playing my game and trying to get Pitfall Harry over the crocodiles, my mother still was preparing to go to work. Although schools closed, the business world did not. She would leave and I would ask if I could go outside later. She would agree but only on the promise I would "bundle up."
Snow days were the coolest.
One that I do remember more than others when the area was blanketed by at least 6 inches. Thinking it was early 80s, 1983 or 1984. My mother had gone off to Chewnings to work and not only was it a "snow day" but with so much snow, the next day was looking to be a "snow day" too! I bundled up as I promised and first tried riding my bike over to CB's house. That didn't work out to well as even BMX tires wont cut through snow pack. His house was about four or five blocks away. I ditched the bike and set out on foot. The journey included but not limited to: sidewalks, streets, an open field and alleys. As I started across the field, I began to reenact the classic scene from Empire Strikes Back. I struggled through the snow drifts. Fell to the ground. Crawling and lifting my head, "Ben? Ben!?" Luke, you will go to the Dagobah system and learn from the Jedi Master who instructed me. I laugh at the memory wondering if anyone was watching this 12 year old kid falling in the snow and thinking I was really in trouble.
It took about an hour to trek through the white stuff. Once at CB's house, we prepared his front yard for the ultimate snow ball fight. We built trenches, snow walls and cache of snowballs. Hours of preparation and the battle lasted exactly 3 minutes 47 seconds. (obviously we didn't time it but it was very quick) Covered in snow. Our jeans and clothes soaked with icy water. We raced inside to warm up by the crackling fire. Once dried out and warmed, I would head home.
In the days prior to cell phones, I called my mother before I left, when I arrived at CB's, when I left CB's and when I arrived back home. Each time I called to inform my mother I was safe and leaving, she would say, be careful out there, "It's as slick as snot." She said this when it snowed regardless if I was walking, riding a bike or catching a ride from someone's parents. And she continues to say it even today as I load my daughter in the car to get her to school. "Be careful, it's slick as snot out there!"