Don't get me wrong, this was a major storm. Major news sources have provided an excess supply of images from this catastrophic event.
Satellite image of the storm from the NYT |
Flights were cancelled as Midwestern airports shut down |
It was so bad, it almost stopped this Chicago hipster from getting some pictures |
The effects of this major winter storm were even more alarming in my neighborhood.
See all of that accumulation! The snow is almost all the way up to the base of my fire pit, which is AT LEAST 6 inches off the ground! |
It was a popular time to be out shoveling. Both of my neighbors across the street were also out going to town with their shovels. One of these neighbors happens to be a single mother. I have no idea why she is single, and have never asked. She was struggling. The other guy, also named Nick, took care of business and went back in the house. When I finished my driveway, the single mom was still working on hers. Nobody had offered her any help. There were kids out in the neighborhood playing in the snow that were of shoveling age, but they offered no support. So I walked over and asked if she wanted some help. 15 minutes later we were done, no big whoop.
The entire time I had assumed her kids were not home. I know school was cancelled, but maybe they were spending the day with their dad. During the course of our conversation (in between sniffing snot and wiping it from our noses), it became clear that her kids were in the house because they did not want to be out shoveling. They were watching TV or playing video games!
I am in no way claiming that I was forced to do a lot of manual labor as a child, nor were my parents hardasses by any means. But I do think that if it came down to sitting in the house and watching TV while my mom shoveled outside by herself, I would "want" to go outside and help. If for nothing else than I would feel guilty. Luckily for all of us my dad took care of 99% of the shoveling and snow removal (and still does).
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