the wheel turns

Over the past weekend, I was pretty much snowed in.  My car isn’t great in snow and I decided that I would just stay home.  But not always inside – there was snow to be shoveled. I share a driveway with my neighbor and he was out with the snow blower.  So, I grabbed my shovel and went out to clear the steps of my house and his – as well as the walkways in the front and back. When I saw him head down the sidewalk and do the driveways of the houses on either side of our houses, I went along and cleared their steps and paths as well.  Then I put down salt for all four houses.

My neighbor really appreciated the help and I think our other neighbors did too.  We repeated this a couple more times over the weekend to try and manage the snow – and I did an additional round with the shovel to clear the “lake effect” snow.

It… was a lot of work.

Though the roads were mostly unplowed on my route to work today, I managed to find a path that was mostly downhill – and where it was uphill, I was able to get a “running start”.

Then after work, I decided to hit the pool and work off some stress.  Except, the traffic leaving campus and right around campus was terrible.  Gridlock, in some places. Every route I tried was nearly impassable. Then I remembered a street just past the mcdonald’s on Market street that would take me over to Carroll – and from there, it would be a direct shot over to the Rec Center.

Except, that street hadn’t been plowed.   At. All.

I was already committed when I realized my folly.  I got about a quarter way down the street and then slid to a stop.  I tried backing up, going forward, gearing down, I got out and pushed from the front and the back.  Nothing.

I was about ready to call for roadside assistance though my insurance and settle in for a long wait when a sensible 4-wheel drive vehicle pulled up behind me.  A guy got out, said he lived just down the street, and that he would go get a shovel. He was back in a few minutes and helped shovel the snow around my car. We tried pushing and clearing several times and at one point I asked if I could just borrow his shovel since I didn’t want to keep him.

He wouldn’t hear it and we kept working on it.  Finally, a little progress and I tried to drive forward again while he pushed.  Another guy came up and pushed too and I finally got enough momentum to get off the street and into the cleared parking lot of a drugstore.  I parked, then hurried back down the street to his house. I jogged up and said he was a lifesaver for helping me out. I shook his hand in thanks and he gave me his name.

“I’m Anthony,” he said as he pulled his hand back.  I started, then smiled even wider.

“So am I,” I said and his smile widened too.

Suddenly brothers, I offered a fist-bump that he returned and I thanked him again as I headed back to my car.

I skipped the swim entirely and just headed home with a longer, but safer route..   

Jim offered to drive tonight to get dinner and while I waiting for him and his all-wheel drive car, I noted my neighbor across the street was shoveling her drive.  I went and got my shovel to help her out – saying my ride was on the way, but that I’d do what I could. We worked for a bit until Jim got there and I tossed my shovel in a snowbank at my house.

When we got back, she was still working on the drive.  So, I said goodbye to Jim, got my shovel again, and went back over.  She and I worked for a while to clear the rest of the snow and when we were done she said she was going to buy me a cape since I kept coming to her rescue.  

I was a little out of breath when I went inside, but glad that I was able to help.

So, I’m a little skeptical of karma.  

But, if it’s real, that wheel was turning today.

And I’m keeping my shovel handy.