“The Thruway Is Closed”
I don’t want to drive in the snow anymore.
About a month ago, I got caught in whiteout conditions and it truly soured me on ever getting caught out there.
On Wednesday I was teaching a class in front of about 50 guys that I’ve known for about 20 years. We have constantly traded barbs. In 2009 I bet one guy, during the summer, that the Yankees would win the World Series.
He lost.
He came to the training in a dress to pay off the bet. I saw him from the front of the room, and laughed for a long time.
So, it’s that kind of group.
And they know that I hate winter driving.
“There’s a no travel ban,” one of them told me at the first break.
He actually had it on his phone.
At lunch, I saw that it was snowing.
“The Thruway is closed from Rochester to Buffalo,” a different guy told me.
I decided to see if the hotel nearby had rooms available in case I needed one.
“It’s not bad here,” Kathy texted.
I checked the weather on my phone. Six to ten inches with hazard warnings.
Another guy came by:
“Have you given any thought to getting us out of here early? It’s bad out there. They’re saying that cars are all over the road. A trailer jack-knifed on 96.”
I was teaching on electrical Safety when I made up my mind:
“I’m staying,” I texted. “I’m not driving in this crap.”
I battled through the rest of class and I did wrap it up a half hour earlier than scheduled.
I cleared the snow off my car.
Started the 8 mile drive to the hotel...
...the road was dry.
...there was no snow falling.
And it dawned on me.
There were no cars off the road..
...no jack-knifed tractor trailers.
My phone chimed.
“Hey, dumbass,” the text read. “How’s the drive? Pretty clear, huh?”
It had been a well-coordinated effort.
I drove the 100 miles home.
“Got ya’!” The guy who’d once wore the dress had written.
“God, you’re gullible!”
I hate them.
About a month ago, I got caught in whiteout conditions and it truly soured me on ever getting caught out there.
On Wednesday I was teaching a class in front of about 50 guys that I’ve known for about 20 years. We have constantly traded barbs. In 2009 I bet one guy, during the summer, that the Yankees would win the World Series.
He lost.
He came to the training in a dress to pay off the bet. I saw him from the front of the room, and laughed for a long time.
So, it’s that kind of group.
And they know that I hate winter driving.
“There’s a no travel ban,” one of them told me at the first break.
He actually had it on his phone.
At lunch, I saw that it was snowing.
“The Thruway is closed from Rochester to Buffalo,” a different guy told me.
I decided to see if the hotel nearby had rooms available in case I needed one.
“It’s not bad here,” Kathy texted.
I checked the weather on my phone. Six to ten inches with hazard warnings.
Another guy came by:
“Have you given any thought to getting us out of here early? It’s bad out there. They’re saying that cars are all over the road. A trailer jack-knifed on 96.”
I was teaching on electrical Safety when I made up my mind:
“I’m staying,” I texted. “I’m not driving in this crap.”
I battled through the rest of class and I did wrap it up a half hour earlier than scheduled.
I cleared the snow off my car.
Started the 8 mile drive to the hotel...
...the road was dry.
...there was no snow falling.
And it dawned on me.
There were no cars off the road..
...no jack-knifed tractor trailers.
My phone chimed.
“Hey, dumbass,” the text read. “How’s the drive? Pretty clear, huh?”
It had been a well-coordinated effort.
I drove the 100 miles home.
“Got ya’!” The guy who’d once wore the dress had written.
“God, you’re gullible!”
I hate them.
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