Snow Day

Workdays are better than weekends. Most days I get up and get busy right away. Morning ablutions, quiet time, care for the pets, then off to work. The drive, thankfully, is short; if it were longer, I’d have more time to think, and thinking is bad. I arrive in ten minutes or so, practically run into the building, and then get ready for first period. I don’t really have much of a break until fourth period, nearly six hours after I arrive at school, and the intensity of teaching high school students keeps the reality of what has happened, while not forgotten, at least at bay for most of the day.

Today school was closed because of weather. I’m not really sure why, as the weather wasn’t all that bad, but this is the South, where a little rain can close schools. It would be a "snow day" if we'd had any snow. We didn't but school was just as closed as if we had. So I slept in for a little bit. In a normal world, it would’ve been a miniature celebration, a snuggle-fest with my dog and cats in the quilts. But I’m not living in a normal world right now, and all I wanted to do was jump out of bed and busy myself with my daily routine. With school closed, my second choice was to bury myself under the covers so I could forget all the things I needed to do, that I had put off or not had time to do because I was working. Like call the veterinarian about Mom’s pets’ records. And clean the framed pictures of Mom’s dad and mom I’d brought home with me. And call the company about sending back some unopened items Mom had bought, pay the pastors who had done the funeral and interment services, fill out the life insurance claim form, and call about Mom’s headstone.

But of course, I didn’t let myself stay in bed very long. It would’ve been pointless; I wouldn’t have slept. I got out of bed and did all those horrible little things. I would’ve much rather been at work all day.