[Perry] An Ode to Shovelling Snow

Okay, so I lied.

There totally isn’t going to be any odes being sung here today. But I will say that it is snowing a hell of a lot here in the Toronto area the past week or so and it shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.

But that’s alright.

You see, I want to admit to you guys that I love shoveling the driveway clear of snow.

I mean, yeah, it can totally be a pain in the ass at times. There’s nothing contradictory about admitting that, though. Family members can be huge pains in asses, but we still love em, right?

It’s the same way with this.

Thing is…I get a sense of community when it comes to clearing the driveway.

I don’t talk much with my neighbors. Don’t go over to chat them up or throw presents at them during the holidays (save for the old chinese couple who live next door) so by and large, though I live pretty close to neighbours all around me, we rarely interact save for a wave hello now and again.

But when it’s winter?

The synchronicity amuses me.

See, when the snow finally lets up a bit after a heavy fall, or when I feel like it’s about time I get out there to clear what’s there to make the morning shoveling easier on the back, other people tend to be out there too.

We have the same thoughts. If the snowfall stops, it’s time to clear what’s there before it has time to settle. Or if there’s a break in the snowfall with more to come, it’s generally time to clear it out so that you don’t make your job harder later on.

But when I have that thought? So does everyone else.

So when I get out there and start shoveling, I can hear the echoing scratching and scraping of other shovels on other driveways. I can look up and down the street and always see a handful of people doing the same thing.

There’s a weird sense of community when no one’s talking, but everyone’s doing the same activity, you know? You can see it pretty clearly here and there too.

There are moments when I’d stand up straight to stretch my aching back and meet the eyes of someone across the street or next to me who’s doing the same thing. There’s a brief little nod, maybe a roll of the eyes and we get back to work.

It’s nice. It’s a pleasant form of interaction for me, a guy who has a few introverted and antisocial tendencies.

Every now and then, I’ll think about…like, grabbing a bunch of disposable cups and an electric kettle. I could use an extension cord and set up a little hot chocolate/coffee station at the end of my driveway and offer free hot drinks as respite to my fellow, neighborly shovellers.

A couple things prevent anything like this from happening.

One, I honestly don’t think anyone would actually walk up to my little drink dispensing station, and then I’ll look like a lonely idiot, sitting there at a table with a sign offering free hot drinks and nobody availing themselves of my hospitality.

Two, I doubt people would be comfortable taking free hot drinks from a grown ass man. Maybe if I was still 7 years old, gap-toothed and goofy, I could get away with randomly strolling up to strange neighbors and offering them a free drink and look all cute…but now? Now I’d look a little creepy, I think.

“Would you like a hot drink?” *Evil grin*.

So…that’s just not happening.

Still, when I look out into the lovely fluffy flakes of snow falling, I think about doing something like that.

I have that at least…the thought of that.

And it makes me warm.

 

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