The Taste of Snow

There was a girl I went to school with when I was in sixth grade, living in Valdez, Alaska. Despite what you may think, it’s not cold there. A huge, warm ocean surrounds you there, snuggling around you like a blanket, and believe me, you feel it. But while the ocean is enough to keep the cold out, it sure doesn’t stop the snow. My first year in Valdez I was surprised, but the second year I waited. Gigantic snowflakes, thick and puffy, almost engorged looking, fall forever in winter in Valdez, Alaska. The flakes always pile up and up and keep going. They never stop. When I lived there, the snow got as high as eight and a half feet. It was so close to getting back to the sky again, but it didn’t quite get there.1

Like I said, the snow lacked cold, but my paranoid mother always made sure my brother and I bundled up. It was just until we got to school and stuffed it all in our lockers. One day, out at recess, without hats, gloves, or coats everyone was running around, trying to bury each other, laughing and throwing snowballs. I was leaning against of the building and since I had no one to play with, was extremely bored. I absentmindedly started stuffing small servings of snow in my mouth. It was fresh and fluffy, newly fallen, and tasted crisp and sweet.2

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and saw someone running up to me out of the corner of my eye. The girl, Tristan, stopped in front of me. I never did like her much. No one did, what with her snotty attitude overshadowing any original charm she happened to possess, so why she had picked me out of the crowd to focus on was a mystery. True, she did enjoy pointing out that I was “rude” and “full of myself” whenever I did or said something she didn’t like, which happened at least once a day, but still, this was unusual. We stared at each other for a minute. Then her eyes watched my hand scoop up more of the soft powder like a panther watches a deer cross a field, and darkened with disapproval.3

“Why are you eating snow?” she asked with her usual haughtiness.4

This question didn’t make sense to me. I blinked in confusion at her for a few seconds, thinking, ‘what? YOU don’t eat it?’ I thought all little kids liked to eat snow while playing in and with it, and even though eleven wasn’t exactly little anymore, it was still young enough. Most people weren’t ready to start growing up quite yet at eleven. Still, I wondered how exactly to explain all this to someone like Tristan.5

“Uh...because I’m bored and it tastes good?” I tried. Tristan raised an eyebrow, and I narrowed my eyes. “Why? Don’t you eat it sometimes?” I wondered why I was even bothering trying to explain myself to her.6

“No I don’t,” she replied. “Snow is acid rain, you know. It can hurt you if you eat it. I got sick once.”7

Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. I’m not the smartest person in the world, but I’m pretty sure I know that snow is frozen water, not acid rain. Who had told Tristan that it was acid rain I didn’t know, but I knew they were wrong. We continued to stare at each other while I raided the closet in my mind for ways to break this to her. 8

“Really? Well...that’s very nice Tristan,” I finally said after going through many scenarios in my head. I decided that screwing with her head by being a smart alek would be the best method to let her know she was wrong and that I didn’t care either way. “I’m touched that you actually care about my health. But for now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to eat my snow in peace. Your friends are waiting for you. Later.” And with that I turned away from her, scooped up some more snow and stuffed it in my mouth. I grinned rather sloppily from the cold water dribbling down my chin, thinking that Tristan looked rather like a beached fish with the way she was staring at me with eyes the size of dinner plates and her jaw resting on the pavement. I laughed inwardly and proudly when she finally went back to her friends. Finally at ease and content, I let my head fall back against the building, letting the sweet taste of the fresh powder engulf my senses and calm my mind.