WINTER... Back to school (Part 20a)

It was snowing when I got up on New Year's day. I didn't think much about it until my father got up. One of his hobbies was the weather. After checking some of his equipment he got out his high power, battery operated portable radio. It was only used to tune into a station that focused on the weather. (Remember, this was 1956 and there was no weather channel.) I didn't pay much attention as I was focused on eating and waiting to see Elle's bedroom shade go up. When it did, I was headed for her house. But, before that happened, my father called me into the dining room where he was listening to the radio. He indicated that I should listen to it as well.

Living on the water, like we did, there are two storm related terms that strike up a modicum of fear... hurricane and N'oreaster. I definitely heard the word N'oreaster being used. A N'oreaster is pretty much a hurricane that happens in the Winter or Spring of the year. The sum and substance of what I was hearing was that a N'oreaster was being predicted for our area to arrive the next day and it included heavy snow. The snow we were getting was only a precursor to it. Classes were scheduled to resume for both Elle and I on Wednesday and, as freshmen, we were required to be there. We both had car rides arranged and were planning on leaving Tuesday. But, the threat of heavy snow concerned my father. He didn't really want me to chance waiting until Tuesday and then find out that I was snowed in.

Unknown to me at the time, pretty much the same scene was unfolding at Elle's house. Her father was a fisherman and had spent his whole life on and about the water. He didn't have the sophisticated equipment that my father had but he had a "sense" about the weather. He, too, was concerned. In Elle's case the original plan had been for her to take the early train in to Nancy's house on Tuesday morning. They would then leave from there to go back to school, via car, with the guy who'd driven them home. After seeing her bedroom shade up, I headed for her house. She was on the phone talking to Nancy when I walked in. I heard her say that she would be on the afternoon train. That upset me. It was close to noon and the train was at 3 pm. That didn't leave much time for us to be together at all. What had been worked out was that Elle would spend the night at Nancy's and they would then take the early train back to college. That way they would be pretty much assured that the impending storm wouldn't interfere with their return.

We spent the hour or so that we did have discussing our plans once back at school. There was just a little over two weeks of classes before final exams started. With Elle already nervous about the upcoming exams, we decided that I'd wait to visit her until they were over. It was mostly her idea but I didn't fight it. I never really got to get physically close to her and even our "good bye" was tepid, what with her parents standing by. All I could think of was what a change in just 12 or so hours.

When I got back home my father had just gotten off the phone from talking to the railroad. Even though it would be a long, cumbersome trip, it was possible for me to take the train to the nearest city to my college. From there, hopefully, I'd take a bus. My brother also had to get back to his boarding school and the plan was for the two of us to go to my grandparents house and spend the night. It was mandated that we see them before we left. Also, if the snow picked up over the night we'd still be close enough to walk to the train station from their house. We'd then take the early train to the city and go on from there. I didn't have much input but there was one good thing to come from it. Since there was no way to get the bus schedule and to be sure when I'd be able to get back to school, my father gave me extra money in case I had to get a hotel and also for food.

As it turned out the storm was a "doozy". Elle's and my parent's were snowed in for three days. We (Elle, my brother and I) made it back in time. I got lucky and there was one late bus. That left me with some unexpected cash that I knew I'd be able to put to good use. Since I'd had a LOT of time waiting for trains (and the bus) I had a good time reliving my time with Elle. It did make me somewhat wistful though, as I calculated that it'd be over three weeks until I saw her again.

To be continued...