Breaking Brittle

Winter in Minnesota brings snow, lots of it. There's so much more than just snow though, there is soft flaky snow that feels like the heavens sprinkled icing sugar to give us a sweet taste of what lies underneath. Then comes the heavier sticky snow that you can form into small balls and playfully throw at your girlfriend, as she looks at you with those teasing horror-filled cute eyes. Those couple of feet of snow that you frolic around in like a little child.

Then comes a sunny and warm day melting the snow and making a mess of the beautiful landscape. There's puddles everywhere and you have to be careful that the cars zipping past don't splash those slushy dirty water onto you. It's all warm with blue skies until the night freezes the melted water and the next day you step out of your house. Still in a sleepy mood you carelessly take a step out and slip on the ice. (curses). You lie on your back. (more curses). Your feet are in a weird position and you pray that your laptop has survived the fall, but of course there's no time to open it and check it. So you pick up yourself (more curses) and walk on to your classes.

These were my seven seasons of winter in Minnesota, until now. This is a more enjoyable winter because I've found another playful form of ice. It had always slipped me, until now. Maybe it's this winter where we've had days of lots of snow and then nothing (global warming anyone???). But the ice is so much fun this year around.

I step on the ice and they break so easy. Maybe its the freezing-dry season we're having. But the ice is cracked like large transparent crackers. One step on them and like rippled chips they break into little pieces. I return everyday from college playing with them on my way back. One step here, another here, and see how they break, like car windows, into little pieces.

*She is irritated. She glares at me and commands me to stop. I step on one last one and walk along with her. Controlling my urge to whisk my feet along the others as I pass them. She is satisfied that finally I'm acting like an adult, but secretly only I know the truth.

I'm just saving the rest for another day.

(alt ending)

She is irritated. She glares at me and commands me to stop. I step on one last one and walk along with her. Controlling my urge to whisk my feet along the others as I pass them. She is satisfied that finally I'm acting like an adult, walking with dignity the two of us like a boring couple, just trudging along the snow. Then with an impish smile, she skips to my side and brushes her feet along the little icicles on the snow piles.