Ocean Park Snowman

     Here in Oysterville, it’s not every day that you wake up to four or five inches of snow.  So, when it was light enough to notice the outside world the other morning, I immediately went into my old teacher (or perhaps second childhood) mode and took a look at the Ocean Beach School District website.  In big red letters it said:
             Thursday 2/24/11
Schools are on time this morning.
     As illogical as it seems, I was actually disappointed.  And then, without missing a beat, I went into my “If I were…” mode.
     “If I were a stay-at-home parent today,” I thought, “I’d keep my kids home for a play day in the snow.”
     “If I were still teaching,” I thought, “I’d take attendance and take the hot lunch count and we’d say the flag salute and then I’d tell my class to get bundled up again.  We’d go outside to the play yard and make snow angels and build snowmen and have snowball fights.  Then we might take a silent walk away from the school grounds and away from the traffic.  We’d listen to the hush of a snowy day and notice all the tracks of little animals along the way…”
     Well, I didn’t do the snow angels or build a snowman or have a snowball fight.  But I did take that quiet walk through the village, listening to the hush and noticing the evidence of all the little critters that had been out and about before me.  When snow only comes once-in-awhile, it’s an event worth enjoying.  Too bad they had to have school that day…
     Yesterday, though, I ventured forth on some errands, even though we still had quite a bit of snow here in town – even on the road.  There weren’t many cars or people out and about; it was still early and it was cold.  But, several snowmen stood by the roadside as I traveled south, cheering me along my way.
     In Nahcotta, the top of Mr. Snowman’s head sprouted dozens of short, straight sticks.  A crewcut!  What a great idea.   On Bay Avenue in Ocean Park, a patriotic snowman, complete with an American flag tucked under one arm, saluted me as I drove by.
     But it was when I turned south and headed out of town that I wanted to clap and cheer.  There, in the Roy Sheldon field just across the street from Ocean Park School, stood the biggest, happiest snowman of all.  I hope that the school kids were the ones who got to make him.  I hope that one or more teachers said “the heck with books and papers and memorizing and testing,” if only for an hour or so.  I hope that’s why that snowman looks so happy!