I know. I know. People tell me I’m an optimist. A bit too cheery, perhaps. Zipp. Doo. Dah. Okay. Fine. But events in our neighborhood (Portland and Cleveland avenues east of the library) deserve some Scroll time this week, especially considering the bad press our student-neighbors have gotten this semester.
It was a snowy, cold winter eve last Sunday. The weather outside was frightful. The fire in our fireplace was absolutely delightful. But as if we had no place to go, we bundled up and stumbled out the front door as a family to do our neighborhood obligation: stringing lights, an effort to brighten the smiles of those passing by.
Hovering over the boxes of tangled goods, my husband suddenly looked confused: “What’s that?” He was referring not to the mess of white and red lights – which looked much like a plate of spaghetti – but to the robust sounds of holiday tunes from somewhere near by.
“It’s the college students down the way,” I exclaimed (with a zippity tone, of course). “They’re frolicking in the snow!”
And indeed they were, to the backdrop of familiar tunes pumped out of their window (sing along!): “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow . . .,” “Rockin’ around the Christmas tree . . .” and “Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh-eh …”
On our end of the block, as we plugged and strung and twisted and climbed, we delighted in the sounds of both the music and the students’ laughter, distracted only by the whining of our own children. They were “freezing” and had “numb fingers” and repeatedly requested “hot chocolate” and “are we done yet?” The sheer glee of our college student neighbors, however, filled us with glee. Ah, going out to play in the snow. It just gets all the more sweeter as we get older, doesn’t it?
As I strolled to campus the next morning, daylight revealed the students weren’t just frolicking. They were busy constructing the first-of-the-season neighborhood snow sculpture: a sort of 21st century snow-being, aptly equipped with some of life’s essential conveniences: cable TV, a cooling device (global climate change, you know) and a reading lamp (final exams are just around the corner, of course).
We, kids and adults alike, have been seen smiling brightly as we caught a glimpse of Mr./Ms. Snowperson on Portland this week. Great work, neighbors.
Now, get back to studying. Final exams are very near, indeed.
