The First Snowfall

   The First Snowfall

Suzanne Marsh

Gazing out of my window I watched in awe as large snowflakes began to fall to earth. Soon the area would be deep in white blanket. I was vacationing at my weekend cabin, in Franklinville, New York. I had the bare essentials for my weekend, beer, steak, beans, all hearty man food. I had made the steak the night before, now I was beginning to think I should have either brought more food because the snow was falling rapidly. I had no desire to find myself trapped in the cabin for several days, I had to get home, my wife was angry with me for going hunting this weekend. Hunting is primarily a guy thing, she hated so I loved it all the more. I had brought Aggie my Irish Setter, she was lovely with her red hair, feathers on her tail and legs. She was poetry in motion, she could point a pheasant anywhere, any time.

I knew the longer I waited, the more difficult it would be for me to return home tonight. I started to drag things out when I noticed that the snow was already past the Jeep wheels, this was not boding well for me or Aggie. I lugged the sleeping bag and some hunting gear back into the cabin, I wasn’t going anywhere until the snow let up. The joke was on me, I should have listened to the weather forecast the night before, I would have known that here in Franklinville, up in the mountains the first snow fall would close the roads down, not to mention the reality of having to call my wife. My cell phone was working so I decided it would have to be now or never. I dialed her cell phone:

“Hello sweetheart.” Maggie was not exactly receptive.

“What is your excuse this time Mark?”

“Maggie, it is snowing, white out conditions, I can’t come home until they open the roads.”

“Wonderful, what am I supposed to do with your clients that are coming for dinner?”

“Be the wonderful hostess you are and explain I am snowbound.”

“Honestly, Mark, I told you to stay home, there is only a light dusting of snow here.”

“Look Maggie, there is already almost two feet of snow, I am snowed in. I will be

home as soon as I can get out. I was just listening to the news, all access roads are closed

due to the snow. The cabin is on an access road remember?”

I don’t know who more exasperated Maggie was or I. The thought of going home to her just was not my idea of a way to spend a weekend.

The weather forecaster noted that this first snow in the Southern Tier was more than anyone had expected. ‘More snow than expected hmmp, here I am stuck here, Maggie is madder than a hornet at me’ I thought as I peered out the window once again. The wind was now howling, I thought I heard either a wolf or a coyote, then I saw a gray streak, it was a coyote. The coyote began pawing the door of the cabin, I really did not want to be its lunch, I grabbed my shot gun, then shot it into the air. It was not a coyote or wolf, but a big Irish Wolf Hound. I opened the door and let it in, not knowing where it came from or where it belonged. I decided to call him Finn until we could leave here. It became even colder, the wind howled into the night.

Finn was a contradiction in terms, he slept next to me he kept me awake, trying to get into the sleeping bag with me. I unzipped the sleeping bag, opened it up and Finn attempted to fit in, now I could not close the sleeping bag. Things were going from bad to worse for Finn and I. The wood stove needed more wood, I had not chopped any extra, so if I did not at least attempt to keep the fire in the stove going we would be two frozen icicles. The snow continued to fall, I grabbed a flashlight and headed for a small stack of wood near the shed I had put up several years ago. Finn, followed me, he began running around and barking. I tripped and fell over a huge log; no wonder Finn was trying to get my attention.

I am not a dog person but Finn, had just saved me, I had to take him home with me, I wasn’t sure how Maggie would take to this huge dog, but he was no part of the family. With a little help from Finn, I finally got to my feet, he led me back to the cabin. I had an arm full of cord wood in my arm, I still have no idea why I did not lose it all but fortunately for us, I did not. The fire was almost out in the wood stove, so I hustled and began throwing the logs on the smoking embers. The cabin filled with smoke, so I was forced to open two windows, thank heaven the smoke cleared several minutes later. The cord of wood must have still been a bit to green, but at least the fire was going again.

Finn and I settled down in front of the wood stove, seeking warmth from each other. I realized something during those cold hours we sat there, for the first time in my life, I actually had a friend I could count on, he wanted nothing in return except to be warm and have shelter and food. Food, however, was becoming very limited, I quickly too an inventory of what I had left. There was a can of beans, a half of a pheasant, that would have to do. I hoped that the snow would at least let up enough so that Finn and I could make our escape.

Finally, finally on the third day, the snow stopped. I called Maggie to tell her I was on my way home, I neglected to inform her about Finn, okay so I chickened out about informing her. He was my dog and he was going home with me, end of discussion.

I headed out onto the main road, that was bad enough, snow drifts were as high as the high-tension wires. Finn sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, I suppose he was wondering where we were going. I had put the deer I shot, since this was the third day of hunting season, so I took the turns slow.

I pulled into the driveway around seven o’clock, Maggie had been watching out the window. She was right there only a dusting of snow on the ground. Maggie took one look at the car, saw all the snow and the deer. She threw on her jacket and came outside to greet me. She stopped dead in her tracks, there sat Finn. Maggie stammered:

“What is that thing?”

“Now Maggie, calm down, this is Finn, he save my life at the cabin. He is now an official

member of the family.”

“What do you mean this huge whatever saved your life?”

“I tripped over a tree and fell, if Finn had not gotten me up, I would have frozen to death.”

Maggie, shyly put her hand out for Finn to sniff, he gave her a big slobbering kiss on her cheek.

What a difference between her first snowfall and mine, it felt good to be home.