What is it with snow?
What is it with snow?
And cars?
We were heading north
On a sharp, freezing
But sunny day
From Edinburgh to Inverness
The Renault R5 was humming along
Confident
Alive to the sun
The road though Cairngorms National Park looked more interesting
We had left early
We had the time
Off the main drag
Onto Military Road
Through the valleys
Narrowing as we went
Snow powdering the ground from the night falls
Towards the Spittal of Glenshee
Coming cover a rise
The mountain rose before us
The map didn’t say anything about mountains!
A single snow-covered road
Perfectly straight
UP!
Through the snow
Like an abstract painting
Oddly
The road was lined with 15 to 20 cars on the lefthand side of the road
Coloured dots
Going no where
We drove down into the valley
slowed
Stopped
Talked
What is going on?
The hill road is too slippery!
No one has been able to get up!
We looked at one another
Fuck that for a game of ludo!
We drove back up the hill
we had just come down
To get a good run up
For the task ahead
we turned around
Stopped
Gunning the car
Foot all the way down
Released the hand break
Wheels spinning until traction
Then away we flew
Down the hill
As fast as we could go
Repeatedly beeping the horns, waving
As we shot past
Burring the standing and cheering
gathered multitudes
sounds dissipating into the engine roar
Was there something they know that we don’t??
Have they tried this before??
Loosing speed
Rapidly changing down
Fishtailing all over the road
the tyres
Biting through the snow
breaking through the ice
Down to the bitumen
The smell of burning rubber
Clouds of trailing black smoke
thank god it’s a hire car
As we fishtailed ourselves to the very top
Exalted
We jumped out
Flinging the doors open
Waving frantically to the crowd below
Who cheered, whistled, hooted in salute
In tribute
That one stint of rally driving certainly paid off?
We confidently slide into the car
What a buzz!
As we drove into the plateau at the top of the range
The adrenalin oozing away
As the snow deepened
It just kept getting deeper
It was higher than the top of the car
We drove into this predetermined groove
Snaking through the top of the world
Not another car on the road
Shit!
Nobody has been up here in a while!
Only fresh snow!
Sliding
ricocheting between the snow drifts
not saying anything
me looking at the fuel gauge
doing the maths
The conversation slowed
Halted
As it silently dawned on both of us
can we make it??
No water or food!
Gripping the wheel
Fixated on the road ahead
then
Like a vision
In silhouette
Then in detail
A huge
Figure
On a hill
Rose out of the horizon
Exchanging quizzical looks
This sculpture of a man
Seated in a lounge chair
was turning and looking over his shoulder
To the mountain behind him
Laughing
Taking the appropriate photos
Laughter, echoing, breaking the leaden silence
Animated conversation
Gushing forth
in shear nervous relief
There was someone else up here
Somewhere?
What is it about snow?
And cars?
Standing outside Newark Airport in New York
Under the canopy
Snow failing
Having just arrived
Survived the gauntlet of US customs
Early in the morning
Only to hear
We were the last flight in
New York was closed
In or out
Nothing was moving
No transport into the city
The airport hotels were booked out
Sitting on our suitcases
As I phoned the hotel
Advising them that we were stranded
As I was speaking
A big black dude shuffled up to me
You want to get into New York tonight?
Shit ya!
He nodded
Picked up the bags
walking away
we double time following our bags
Out into the darkness
Powdered
Thudding through the increasingly thick snow
Apprehension setting in
Looks exchanging
Faltering speech
I will just charge you what it normally costs
I have to get home anyway!
Normally it only takes half an hour
If we stay off the main roads
Avoid the police
Take it slow
I can get you there!
Great!
In no way relieved
He walked ahead
Wiped the thick layer of snow off the stretch white limo
Yes!
a stretch white limo!
in the snow!
Running the car to get the heat going
Scraping the ice of the front and rear windscreens
As we bundled into the back seat of the limo
Like two kids on an outing
We crawled out of the carpark
At walking pace
Into
who knows where?
With
Who knows who?
We obviously started with the weather
I will not say
To break the ice???
As the conversation unravelled
I folded down the dicky seat
Sliding open the glass panel
to hear one another better
The laughter flowed
As the situation dawned on us both
He was a character
We relaxed into it
it’s bloody freezing!
I’ve got something for that
He handed through the window
a stainless steel flask full of Bourbon
passing it around
fuelling the pace of the conversation
not the car
the cavity of the limo
took on a convivial, surreal atmosphere
a glowing ember
in a canvas of white
a rolling
white capsule
left
then right
then again
and again
the car
seemingly walking
at a snails pace
through snow drifts
through tunnels of fairy tale lights
it was Christmas!
Welcome to New York!
The driver
Chuck
Yes Chuck!
of all names
Chuck was a hoot
To this day I cannot remember what we talked about
Music, politics, New York
Everything
laughing our way into New York
For the two whole hours
God only knows where we went?
Arriving very early in the morning
Over Newark Bay and the upper harbour
Into the heart of New York
No cars moving except us
A dampened silence
The streets a meter deep in snow
white cocooned cars
sculpting each street
the occasional yellow flash
a mound of a buried yellow cab
a monument to former times
This was New York at Christmas!
we literally
tumbled out onto the sidewalk
bourbon does not affect you?
I paid him double what he asked
Gave him a big hug
It was like losing a friend
Thanking him
Perhaps
too zealously
Forcing the door open into the blazing light of the deserted hotel lobby
Past the blinking Christmas tree
to the desk
the shrill sound of the bell
shattering the after glow
Of the best welcome into New York
not to mention the Bourbon
What a Christmas!
Only in America!
But what is it with snow?
And cars?