The snowstorm not many saw coming...


I gotta say, this snowstorm was a doozy. Growing up a Jersey boy (mostly) I've seen my share of blizzards and snowstorms, but I don't remember one of this scale before even Halloween comes. Not only was it a whopper, with over 8-10 inches having been dumped as I write this, but it was almost completely unexpected. Earlier I had heard some rumblings of a little snowfall over the weekend, but certainly not insane amounts with winds and the cold, and terrible, terrible roads.

As I write this right now, a tree lays on its side about 3 feet from the end of my driveway, and numerous phone lines and other trees came down on one of the main streets around here. I had to be out in the storm, by no choice of my own might I add, and I got stuck at least 6 times. The roads were literally impassable at some parts.

The problem with storms like this being so unexpected is that the small town municipalities get caught completely with their pants down. I'm not blaming anyone, because I hadn't heard anyone predicting this, but the storm was going all day and the first plow I saw out on the roads was around 6:30 at night. And even then they were still few and far between.



Getting stuck in the road causes tremendous frustration. My poor steering wheel in my car was at the back end of many of my angry, frustrated fists as I again shifted to reverse, then drive, then low gear, to make almost no progress at all.

However, as corny as this may be, born out of this frustration and helplessness and desperation, is a cool side of the human spirit that we usually only get to see in awful scenarios. The large majority of people don't even bother, but as I was stuck at an intersection trying to turn, the guy behind me on a snowmobile came up to my window and asked if I needed a push. I thanked him greatly and he gave me a push. Nothing. 2 minutes later, 2 other fellows on a snowmobile came, stopped, and without a word to either of us, got beside him and also gave it their all. And, boom, like magic, my car flew out onto the road. With my left hand I lowered my window quick to give them a generous wave and to shout "Thanks so much" as my car slid unsteadily out onto the road.

Later on in the night, I was able to return the favor to another fellow. I saw him struggling on the side of the road, and I pulled my car up in front of him a ways. I jumped out and jogged back to him and asked him if he needed a hand. He said sure, if I didn't mind, and remarked how he lived literally like a quarter of a mile away. Cruel circumstances. I got behind his car, and in front of his car, and went at it for 10 to 15 minutes. The 5th time I had gotten in back of his car to push when he changed to drive, I pushed as hard as I could, giving it my absolute all. And I felt the car and the restrictive snow start to give way. Gritting my teeth, I threw all my weight into it, felt the wheels dislodge, and fell onto my hands as his car got back onto the road. He pulled up, stopped, and I ran up to him. He shook my hand and thanked me, to which I said no problem, and he was on his way.

As I got back in my car, I had a good feeling. As frustrated as I was with my circumstances, the storm, and getting stuck many times throughout the night, there was still something very heartwarming about the connection of a stranger helping another stranger in your community-not for money, or for pride, or for the word to spread, but simply to help out another. To do a good deed. And though the large majority still just drive by as you shift to drive, and to reverse, and to drive, and to reverse, the small percentage that do stop mean more than that apathetic majority anyway. For they're the ones making a change, and not turning a blind eye to someone else's problem. A problem that could be solved with just a little bit of your time, and a little bit of effort. That's what makes the difference.