NEMO AND ITS HEROES

"Birches in the Blizzard", oil,
by Roxanne Steed

3:48 p.m.

Winter storm Nemo is making itself felt now, with four inches on the ground and winds whipping the whitening trees around our house, and this means heroes of all sorts are strapping on their compassion so they can come to the assistance of the stranded and helpless. Police officers are preparing to provide assistance on roads and in homes, and firefighters are readying themselves for rescues at an instant’s notice. Skillful drivers of snowplows are already clearing and sanding the streets, and are surely resigned to a sleepless night as the storm worsens, with perhaps historic amounts of snow. All night, while Delycia and I are cozy and warm in our bed, the storm will be blowing its best stuff, but the officers and the firefighters and the snowplow stars will be out in the wild whiteness, working so the rest of us can stay safe and at peace in our homes.

Tomorrow will be a time for shoveling, and for sending  thanks to those heroes who helped make Nemo perhaps just a magnificent storm instead of a disastrous one.