Snow Balls

Snow Balls

I heard it was gonna snow today. Last night’s evening news said so. They pulled out all these maps and I cheered! I checked my weather app. It confirmed this. I put on my pj’s backwards, did my part. Set my radio up so I could hear as soon as school was called. 

This morning, when the weather forecast confirmed nothing, I called my best friend Allen. Maybe he heard something. 

“Naw. No snow. Better get dressed. See you first period,” I whimpered.

“Darn!” replied Allen. “I didn’t do my math homework. I knew there’d be no school!.

“That’s OK. Homework wasn’t that bad! I’ll let you copy mine before class. Meet you at the lockers!”

The school bus was filled with grumpy kids this morning. We’d all stayed up late, knowing school would be called. Nobody even laughed when Kyle dragged out a picture of this naked lady with big titties. Said it was Carol Dill in ten years from now. 

And nobody rushed towards their homeroom for the final bell, either. I grabbed a seat by the window, looked out for the coming snow. I saw only silvery-grey skies. Could I hope for an early dismissal?

The English quiz went badly. Pluperfect tense, or something. Who cared? I had not bothered to prepare for it the night before. 

I went out into the hall. My girlfriend ignored me! Why? She had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was a mess. Maybe she didn’t expect school to go today, either.

Out of nowhere, a dripping wet paper towel hit me in the back of my neck. “Your days are numbered, Dumb-skull!” Everyone turned at the scream.

I looked all around. Nobody!

Math. Allen winked at me as he passed in his homework paper. I glanced out the window. A snow flurry! A harbinger of fun to come?  Come on snow!

My joy was broken by a spit-wad. Hit me square in the cheek! Again, I saw no culprit. But I could narrow down the suspects—the guy had to be in my math class! Out of the corner of me eye, I saw Allen wipe off his cheek. Aah. A recruit for my army. 

On the board the teacher was drawing some sort of a triangle. Tuned him out! Looked around again. Roger, the guy who always dreamed up diabolic schemes, sat in the back row, three seats over! Look at him?Could he be my adversary? He was twisting up another scrap of paper! Ahah! Yes. That’s him. Caught in the act!

I dashed over to Allen as the period ended.

“Looks like Roger the Dodger has declared war! You in? Know of any other recruits? Let’s hope we can get this battle going as soon as school lets out!”

Allen replied. “Yeah. I am praying for an early dismissal, too. Taking on Roger’d be great. I can ask Alex to join us.”

“Awesome”

Outside the flurries and their flakes all seemed to be finding friends. They were getting bigger and bigger. Wish I could call out, somehow. Get a current weather forecast. They gotta let us go home early. Think of how dangerous it’d be to drive those big school buses on the roads with all those other cars when the snow is really falling.

Art next! What a way to stock up on my ammunition! I grabbed a back corner seat, gestured to Paul, a ready partner for any crime I dream up, as long as fun is involved on his way in class.

“Over here! Come sit here!” I pointed to the chair next to me.

Art class provided new weapon possibilities. And Paul, the master of such options, got to work. Colorful missiles with sticky payloads rolled off our desks.

Paul pulled out a plastic bag he’d stashed somewhere, and loaded our weapons into it. “I can take this over to my locker. Where will we meet? Over by the cafeteria, maybe? Good central location. We can fan out from there. Who’s with us?”

“Dunno? Who do ya” think? You, me, Allen, and a bunch of good guys….… And we’ll be fighting Roger and friends. Go ahead, ask a few of your pals. Ya’ know Roger’s out there recruiting, too!”

“Uh oh, there’s the warning bell, and I still have to get to my locker. See ya’ later.”

By the time Physics began, all the guys were buzzin’. Poor Mr. Graham had to call for quiet about three times. Brian and his friends huddled in a corner, looking at me over and over. Nate grabbed the bathroom pass. Was he going out recruiting?

Mr. Graham had planned a lab, but looking at how antsy we were, he quickly changed his plans. “Hey folk. What if we do a test review today. Pick teams and go at it. You know, midterms are only a couple of weeks away.”

Everyone cheered. 

“Boys against Girls,” Mr. Graham added.

A chorus. “Not fair.” “There are more boys in the class.” “Catherine is the best. Her team will win” “I don’t want that creep on my team.” 

Order returned. The competition heated up. The lead changed sides over and over.

I looked outside. Yes! The snow was falling! The parking lot was now covered in white. Others noticed this, too. 

“Look at that snow.”

“Oh boy!”

“Come on, let’s end the day!”

As Mr. Graham called for order, the intercom buzzed into action.

“Attention all students. Because of inclement weather, the school day will end at the termination of this period. Please prepare to return home. Buses will leave in thirty minutes.

Mr. Graham could not hold us in his room for another minute. The door bulged as we stampeded towards our lockers. Pandemonium erupted.

I pushed my way toward my locker to stow all my belongings. I didn’t want to be bogged down by possessions for the upcoming battle. So many others were doing the same thing.

I headed over to the cafeteria steps. Allen met me by the vending machines. He handed me a few colorful missiles. I looked out the door. Wow! It looked like half the guys in the school were already out there. 

They began to chant, “Catherine, Catherine” I walked toward the door leading out. Cheers erupted. I bowed, then I handed one of those sticky payloads to Allen so he could do the honors of the first pitch thrown.

I placed one foot outside. Whoosh! Plop! I was struck first. I slid down, landed in a heap on the white ground. Everybody laughed!

By the time the fight ended and all of us climbed onto our buses, everyone was soaking wet, pink faces, bright red, cold ear lobes. The bus driver didn’t have a choice to complain on how clean we could keep his bus! He didn’t let out a peep..

Allen slapped me on the back.

“That was cool! So much better than if the whole day had been a snow day. We were all here, ready to go. Go on home. Dry off. See you in a few days. And stay warm!