Before the winter break my room mate, Anthony, left a note in my cereal box:

Pete, We were supposed to go driving today… It has been snowing since 2:30 AM. Tho
ugh beautiful, even I would not drive today.

By the way it’s about 7:15 AM.

I spent my night in the kitchen watching the snowfall. I feel at peace here, alone with the ovens on and their doors open for heat. It’s so toasty. The sun is rising… cannot see it though… the sky is turning a pretty pink. It was beautiful transition, though… the snow I mean. At first… it didn’t stick… just covered the limp green in a hypothermic frost…man… I would hate to be the grass… then, the green turned to white. It was slow at first … but it caught on very quickly… then the roads… cars… buildings, until everything was white… Is White. Perfection.

The best part… footprints. Watching people walk to campus… leaving harsh black imperfections in the snow… only to see them covered with the forgiving and patient white snow. It’s as if… the endothermic reaction that occurred upon compression failed to blush the reputation of winters; a soft handed realization to an unyielding life. I hope to someday share such a transition with you.

All is white except the ground under the post… orange form the light above. One can sense the jealousy that quivers between the filament to filament; time-and-a-half pay to disrupt the process.

“Just stop trying. You’re embarrassing yourself… stop! PLEASE!”

But, boy… is it pretty. Street lamps turn off…one… by one…by one.

Lights, camera…action! Friday has begun.

I want you to take one thing home with you this holiday.

Can you do that? A piece of knowledge if you will.

You’re an inspiration and it’s an honor to know you. Just promise me one thing…

Promise me… you’ll never let the snow cover you up.

With more love than this world can count on,

Anthony Petrella.

P.S: You know they say that the people who stay friends forever meet in college?

You and me kiddo.