It had been snowing off and on for the past week. It was cold, not Wyoming cold, but cold. Snowplows cleared the roads each day revealing the black asphalt, while I cleared the sidewalks revealing the gray concrete, everywhere else was snowflake white. When the sun was shining the roads were wet but not slick, later when the clouds returned and the skies darkened there was no guarantee.
“Can I borrow your car?” he said.
“Sure,” I said.
“Mine’s not reliable,” he said.
“Which one?” I said.
“What?”
“Which car do you want to borrow, the Subaru or the Infiniti?”
“Doesn’t matter,” he said.
My son was being polite.
“Your choice,” I said.
“The Subaru then,” he said. “I’m in charge of the music at the wedding. You’re coming, right?”
“Right,” I said.
“The wedding’s at Log Haven in Millcreek canyon,” he said. “It might snow.”
“The Subaru is a good choice then,” I said. . .
The wedding was lovely. We left after the bride and groom danced, but before they cut the cake.
The road was covered with snow on the trip up the canyon, but it was clear as we started back down. I wasn’t driving fast, no more than 25 or 30 miles per hour. We came around a corner, and I felt the car losing traction, I knew instantly it was black ice, and not just a little. It was like finding yourself on an Olympic sized ice rink when you thought you were in an easy chair just watching the show. (more…)