The Anticipation

Oh, do you remember? The anticipation was almost palpable. Peeking out the window on a school day only to see the most wonderful of sights, snow falling. In this memory you're old enough to know the drill. All get-ready-for-school activity ceases and Plan B: Possible Snow Day goes into full effect.

Which will it be radio or TV? In my house, my sister and I always chose the radio. We'd snuggle together under blankets in her bed and listen. School Closings were read at 10 minute intervals. Oh God they've already started. I hope we didn't miss it. "Walpole, Wrentham..." We're waiting for "Medway". Stay calm only ten more minutes then we'll know. Great they are playing "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers. I love that song. Up on our feet Tara and I dance and jump as we shout out "S-A-T-U-R D-A-Y night! S-A-T-U-R D-A-Y night!" That song is awesome. Now boring news and the guy saying after commercials they'll read the school closings. Here they come. Better pay attention. Stop stealing all the blankets. The guy on the radio calls out "Bellingham, Blackstone-Millville...". You can't read anything into that. Bellingham and Blackstone-Millville cancel all the time. Everyone knows that Medway's superintendent is way tougher than the ones in those towns. "...Franklin, Holliston, Medfield, Millis...". No Medway? Did you hear Medway? Oh crap, Mom was listening in the kitchen. Now she's all "Come on guys you're going to be late. Get moving." "But Mom he may add Medway next time. Can we just listen to one more? Please!" She relents. Yippee!

A little "Do You Believe In Magic" by Shaun Cassidy, some more boring news. Hey, did he just say that "Star Wars" did way more than "Jaws" opening weekend at the box office? I can't believe anything beat that scary shark movie I'm still not old enough to see? Uh oh! School closings have already started. Pay attention. "...Bellingham, Blackstone-Millville..." Hey Tara, wouldn't it be great if we lived in one of those towns? We'd never go to school. "...Franklin, Foxboro, Holliston, Medfield, Milford, Millis..." What? Again no Medway. Ugh! Think positive they did add a few. There was Foxboro and Milford. So maybe our superintendent will start seeing that this is obviously a huge storm and he'd be risking our lives and his job for us to do a little reading and writing. Next time. I just know it.

Mom is getting serious now. You can tell by the voice. It's loud and it is all business. "Get dressed and come out to breakfast now. We're running out of time." Being single-minded we resort to whining. Which is always a last resort and rarely if ever successful. But if we have to dress then school is closed it takes all the fun out of staying in your pjs all day. You could put them back on but it is just not the same. So... "Pleeease. Just one more. Really. Then we'll get dressed we promise. Pleeease!" It's our lucky day, Mom is weak. We strike a compromise. We'll pick out our clothes but not put them on. Check. We'll agree to eat breakfast. OK. We'll listen to two more school closing readings. How about three? No. Fine, two. Then if still no Medway we'll throw our clothes on and run out the door to school. Sounds fair. As I scarf down the scrambled eggs on buttered toast with Bacon Bits, not the real stuff but Dad says not bad for a week day, the radio guy is pouring out millions and millions of town names. Finally just as all hope looks lost we hear the magical word "Medway". One little word and pure ecstasy floods my body. The phone rings as joy spreads across this great land of Medway. "Did you hear it?!" "Yes. I heard it too." "What time do you want to go sledding?" Plans are made and Plan B is deemed a complete and total success.

This morning at 5:22am our phone rang. It was a recording of the superintendent of our town saying all schools are closed due to inclement weather. Welcome to 2009 technology. I let the kids sleep in. They were excited when they finally woke and heard the news: No School. But they have no idea the experience they are missing out on. No idea. Oh, do you remember?