January 2005                                                The Megaphone                                                        Page 2

Where, Oh Where Did The Company Go?

by Ron Runyan

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Where, Oh where, did the company go? Oh where, oh where did they go?? We sure could have used them this morning!!

For several days Sandy and I have been entertaining company from out-of-state and out-of-town who arrived for her mother’s funeral. Then last night (Wednesday, December 22) the dreaded snowstorm that had been predicted since last Sunday finally arrived. For 3 days the weather service and news programs were alerting us in Indiana about snow. Even a little "water-mark icon" appeared on the corner of the TV screen during the broadcasts. 

Sandy’s brother, Dan Brunson, his wife Sandy, and his son Darin and his fiancé had planned on leaving Tuesday afternoon. The snowstorm was supposed to be underway by then, but they saw nary a flake. Dan's brother, Rick, got them to the airport OK, and we thought maybe the weatherman might have missed his forecast. I went to choir practice at church last night for the last rehearsal for the Christmas Eve service. When I left at 8:30 p.m., there wasn’t even any snow dust falling. 

I went to bed and didn’t hear a thing, but not Sandy. She is so nervous about any type of storm. The Blizzard of '77 & '78 has really left its mark on her. Those STORMS OF THE CENTURY immobilized Elwood and surrounding communities for several days. Any time Sandy hears of an approaching storm, she buys a load of groceries, gets all-apprehensive, and it reminds me of our daughter Stacey’s old dog, Darcy. A rainstorm and thunder would make that poor dog so timid and afraid that her whole body would just shake like a leaf! So, Sandy must have been up and down last night from the bed like a "YO-YO." She said the wind had the snow swirling outside as she looked out the windows like we where in a tornado. I just slept.

The weatherman missed his mark all right . . . instead of a band between 3-6 inches for our area, it was more like a foot! (I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more than that though). This morning, I sure could have used some help! Our company left too early!! I waded out to the garage through snow that was above my knees!! The snow blower started right up (I put in fresh gas and hit the electric starter a few days ago to give it a preliminary warm-up. I cleaned off the concrete between our house and the garage with it. I cleaned off my neighbors concrete apron and parking area in front of his garage. I BLEW the snow out of the driveway. I cleaned off the sidewalk in front of our house and both neighbor’s on each side of us. I blew off the driveway on 2 other neighbors, beside us and across the street.

Sandy did her part too. She shoveled and swept off our porch and the walkway up to it. Plus she did the same to both other neighbors while I was working on their driveways. I removed a drift about 10 feet wide and up to my waist on the back part of our driveway that was about 15 yards long and blew it to the back alley. I had to have moved several TONS of snow this morning! 

I’m so proud of that snow blower!! When I was through, I brushed it down like it was a pet pony. It had gone through drifts that were nearly a foot over its shroud cover. I went through 2 tanks of gas! Thank goodness, it has 5 forward gears and a reverse. I couldn’t have lugged it around through all the snow that was blown away. I was really tired by now. I had been blowing snow for over 3½ hours! I’m done, I quit! I let it set in the sun to dry off in front of the garage and went into the house. I looked like a walking snowman. The snow spray had caked all over my outerwear. I was double layered. The inside layer was soaked with sweat!

Sandy met me at the door, and (using that force-able voice tone) made me take nearly everything off in the laundry room and put my gear in the washer right away. And, she had chili and a sandwich read for me to eat (in my skivvies). I was so thirsty though. I drank 3 LARGE glasses of water and the chili wasn’t all that spicy!! After a shower, I needed another large glass of water. 

I put on some "sweats" and a jacket and went outside to clean up the blower again! My muscles were now aching and I thought . . . Where, Oh where did the company go? Oh where, Oh where did they go?? 

Ron Runyan

Class of 1961

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