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Published: February 21st 2009
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Snow in Highgate
on Stephanie's street as I walked to the tube. In the morning, the world is smothered in a thick white blanket. Catherine and I jump up and immediately turn on the news. "This is the worst snowstorm in 13 years," they say. "More snow is expected to fall. We could have 10 inches within 24 hours."
"There's no way we still have school," I say to Catherine. She jumps onto Steph's laptop to check the internet.
I call the school, but there's no answer.
"Almost all the tube lines are down," Catherine reports.
"Yes! Then I
can't go even if it is open!" But then I won't get paid, either.
"Oh wait," she says. "The Northern Line is fine, so you should be good to go."
"Damn. Lemme see if any of my co-workers are going." I send out a massive text to Julie, Megan, Jodi, Robin, and Meera.
Slowly, I get reports. Julie won't be in school anyway; she has to go to court for that special ed kid who is suing the school. Megan can't get to work because of the snow in Stevenage. Meera is trying to check the internet. Jodi and Robin never reply.
I check the school
website, but there's nothing to indicate whether the school is open or closed. I pull out my Sony Walkman MP3 player and switch it to radio mode. I surf blindly through unfamiliar channels, not knowing which one would be most likely to tell me that my school is closed. Why would a London station report on my school anyway? It's an academy, which means it's more independent than a regular state school, and it's all the way up in Bedfordshire, two counties north. I probably won't find out that school is closed until I arrive there.
Meera calls and tells me that she's checking a local radio station website. She lives in Luton, so maybe she'll know. It doesn't say anything about our school.
It's already getting late, so I decide to get dressed for work. I wash my face and put on my suit and get all my things packed to go straight to work from here.
Catherine is still on the computer and making phone calls, trying to figure out if her beauty school is closed. I'm ready to walk out the door when my cell phone beeps.
A text! School is closed, Meera
tells me. Then Megan calls, saying the same thing.
That's all I needed to hear! I'm so happy!
Catherine decides to leave anyway, because she can't figure out if her school is closed. I change into my PJ's and crawl back into bed.....
I wake up at 11. Steph and Dean are up now, too. We watch the news for a while. Apparently, the snow has caused huge chaos in London.
I finally brave the storm and walk to the tube, umbrella-less. The Northern Line is fine, and so is my train up to St. Albans. It takes a little longer to get home than it usually does, but it is such a beautiful journey! I stare out the train window at the white-covered hills, grass, and villages like I've never seen them before.
Like it's all brand new.
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