REMARKS: CHILDHOOD, ADULT PERCEPTIONS OF SNOW DIFFER

How we perceive snow days certainly changes from childhood to adulthood.

From a joyous time of freedom and adventure, to a stressful time of uncertainty and concern, it makes quite a turn. Yet, if we're honest, many of us still have just a smidgen of that little kid excitement left.

Actually, I think if I had a four-wheel drive vehicle, I'd probably still enjoy the snow. Once one is home, provisioned and snug, the snow resumes its Norman Rockwell beauty. For those of us out in vehicles not designed for travel in inclement weather, though, the trips to and fro are anything BUT picturesque.

I don't have a clear recollection of my first snow, although I do remember building a snowman (greatly aided by my dad and older brother) when I was 4 or 5. I also remember school being called off early several times as a kid.

We only had one close call on the bus, winding up with one wheel in a snowy ditch. There were about a dozen kids left on the bus and the driver had us all pile into the back rear corner for added traction. I noted at the time that an older female cousin of mine seemed to enjoy the piling on. I believe she was the only girl on the bus at the time.

One of my fondest memories involves the only truly White Christmas I can recall. It was in 1975, when I was a skinny seventh-grader. We lived about a quarter of a mile from my grandma's house, where most of the holiday gatherings were held. I'm certain the St. Louis relatives canceled their trip. We didn't have to cancel, though. I'll always remember Mom and I hiking through what must have been foot-deep snow, carrying a few presents each, to Grandma's house.

I got some neat old baseball guides that year, as well as a new typewriter and a booklet to learn to type in 24 easy settings. As readers will no doubt point out, I did manage to skip a few of the later sessions! That was, though, my beginning at the keyboard and within a year and a half I had written my first novel.

I also have fond memories of trips home for Christmas amid the snow. While we seldom had a White Christmas in the Lead Belt, we always seemed to have a White Finals Week at Central Methodist and in points in between! These trips home always went through the outskirts of St. Louis, which was an experience in the snow. Of course my transmission going out in Festus (south of St. Louis) as a blizzard was about to hit my junior year in college is something I'll never forget either!

I also remember January 1977. At North County we wound up having two complete school days in January, if my memory serves correctly. At that time our first semester extended into January. Our finals were postponed numerous times and I believe finally canceled. This was the time in which that aforementioned novel really got off the ground!

Today, with snow, sleet, etc., falling and sundown nearing, I have taken an early exodus from the office and barely made it back to hearth and home. Of course today we have most of the conveniences of the office at home. I can write a column about goofing off in the snow from the warmth of my den, so I don't feel guilty about goofing off in the snow and the warmth of my den during a work day.

Tomorrow I'll have to battle the roads and find a way to get back to work again. With the Signal's schedule, there are potential snow days and no-way snow days. Thursday and Friday they would probably send a dog sled to get me if I didn't come in. So some of the Christmasy snow magic of childhood is gone. Concerns of vehicle performance, safety, liability and health will crop up to give the adult interpretation of snow preeminence. For this evening, though, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.