March 10: Melting time
So you're out walking. Maybe
you're walking to school or maybe you're walking home from school or
maybe it's the weekend and you're walking to your friends' house. You
got your sunglasses on because the sun is bouncing off the snow big time
and you got your parka on because for the past couple weeks, it has
been cold. And not just any cold - I'm talking prairie winter cold. You
call the time temperature hotline and the robot lady says it's
"extremely cold out" and the high is minus 37 degrees. That's the high,
man. That's the high.
And that's what you've been walking in since Christmas vacation ended. So cold your eyelids freeze and your bottom lip splits and as soon as you get home from school you jump in the hot shower and banish the cold away. You're not going back out there until tomorrow. No way. You're going to grab yourself a warm cup of Ovaltine and then you're going to watch Inspector Gadget and Video Hits and then it will be time for supper.
But January is done. February is done and aren't you happy to see that go? Everyone loves July 1 but you hate it too because you know the summer is going to zip by. But March 1? Nothing to hate about that. March 1 says the worst of the winter is over. You may see a few more snowfalls, maybe even another blizzard, but you know it's not going to stick around. Jack Frost's on his way to the airport and he's got a ticket to the other side of the world.
-
So you're out walking. Got your sunglasses. Got your toque and your warm winter gloves. Got your yellow Sony Walkman - the sport model you got for Christmas - and you're listening to the mix tape you spent the afternoon of Boxing Day making in your room. Got some Alice Cooper on there. Some Aerosmith. Some Prince. Some Zeppelin. Some Motley Crue. Quiet Riot. You have some Tears for Fears on there too but you're not too fussy on announcing that to the world. Not just yet.
You leave the house and you turn right and you're maybe halfway up to 14th Street when you realize something.
You're hot.
It's way too hot in that parka.
Let's try taking it off.
Now isn't that the nicest feeling in the world? You don't even need that parka. That sweater you're wearing above your T-shirt will do just fine. Gonna run back home and ditch the jacket? Didn't think so. Too lazy or do you know your mom will insist you take it for later? Doesn't matter. Tie the sleeves around your waist and now you look like you're wearing a kilt.
A little bit farther and the gloves and toque have to come off too. Run your hands through your hair, get rid of that wool itch. Yeah that sun feels nice, don't it? This is one happy day. And you know what you just realized? You don't need the jacket and you don't need the toque and gloves, but you also don't need the walkman. There will be time for rock and roll but that time is not now.
Take those headphones off and listen.
Do you hear it? Water. Snow melting and the water running into the sewers. This is rare - a beautiful urban sound that rivals anything from the forest. Put that walkman away. Music is good in its proper place but you don't need it now. The spring queen is giving you a private concert. This is melting time.
Yeah, so just you stop your walking. Lean against a lamp post or a fence or the little brick wall your neighbours have lining their yard about three houses down. Just stop and listen.
It's just water. And it will go on for hours.
It is the sound of winter saying goodbye.
It is the sound of life.
You don't have to be old to appreciate it. You don't even have to be a grownup. You can be a kid and just stand there and breathe in that chinook air. The video games can wait. Your friend can wait. Most things can wait.
Had enough? I haven't. I could stay here all day.
I am not hot. I am not cold. I am perfect. I am alive and I am happy and I am free and this year is going to last forever and ever and ever. Everything is new and the old has passed away and your enemies will be your friends if you just believe that they will.
Ain't no better time to be alive than melting time.
And that's what you've been walking in since Christmas vacation ended. So cold your eyelids freeze and your bottom lip splits and as soon as you get home from school you jump in the hot shower and banish the cold away. You're not going back out there until tomorrow. No way. You're going to grab yourself a warm cup of Ovaltine and then you're going to watch Inspector Gadget and Video Hits and then it will be time for supper.
But January is done. February is done and aren't you happy to see that go? Everyone loves July 1 but you hate it too because you know the summer is going to zip by. But March 1? Nothing to hate about that. March 1 says the worst of the winter is over. You may see a few more snowfalls, maybe even another blizzard, but you know it's not going to stick around. Jack Frost's on his way to the airport and he's got a ticket to the other side of the world.
-
So you're out walking. Got your sunglasses. Got your toque and your warm winter gloves. Got your yellow Sony Walkman - the sport model you got for Christmas - and you're listening to the mix tape you spent the afternoon of Boxing Day making in your room. Got some Alice Cooper on there. Some Aerosmith. Some Prince. Some Zeppelin. Some Motley Crue. Quiet Riot. You have some Tears for Fears on there too but you're not too fussy on announcing that to the world. Not just yet.
You leave the house and you turn right and you're maybe halfway up to 14th Street when you realize something.
You're hot.
It's way too hot in that parka.
Let's try taking it off.
Now isn't that the nicest feeling in the world? You don't even need that parka. That sweater you're wearing above your T-shirt will do just fine. Gonna run back home and ditch the jacket? Didn't think so. Too lazy or do you know your mom will insist you take it for later? Doesn't matter. Tie the sleeves around your waist and now you look like you're wearing a kilt.
A little bit farther and the gloves and toque have to come off too. Run your hands through your hair, get rid of that wool itch. Yeah that sun feels nice, don't it? This is one happy day. And you know what you just realized? You don't need the jacket and you don't need the toque and gloves, but you also don't need the walkman. There will be time for rock and roll but that time is not now.
Take those headphones off and listen.
Do you hear it? Water. Snow melting and the water running into the sewers. This is rare - a beautiful urban sound that rivals anything from the forest. Put that walkman away. Music is good in its proper place but you don't need it now. The spring queen is giving you a private concert. This is melting time.
Yeah, so just you stop your walking. Lean against a lamp post or a fence or the little brick wall your neighbours have lining their yard about three houses down. Just stop and listen.
It's just water. And it will go on for hours.
It is the sound of winter saying goodbye.
It is the sound of life.
You don't have to be old to appreciate it. You don't even have to be a grownup. You can be a kid and just stand there and breathe in that chinook air. The video games can wait. Your friend can wait. Most things can wait.
Had enough? I haven't. I could stay here all day.
I am not hot. I am not cold. I am perfect. I am alive and I am happy and I am free and this year is going to last forever and ever and ever. Everything is new and the old has passed away and your enemies will be your friends if you just believe that they will.
Ain't no better time to be alive than melting time.
Comments
Post a Comment