Snow Man with Attitude
Desperately fighting the elements, I ventured out for a long walk around Lake Calhoun Saturday. Amidst all the jogger squads and dog walkers, I peered out over the frost forming on my scarf and saw this little snow man giving everybody that came by the bird. He’s weather beaten and I can tell he has been around for a couple of days. The picture doesn’t capture it well but he’s got the fait remains of what I can only imagine was a wild smirk.

I spent the rest of of my cold walk wondering who had built the snow man and given him his wicked temperament. Was the snow man flipping off me and my fellow walker/joggers? Was he standing there, brave and naked on this frozen morning, laughing at all the bundled up passerby’s? Was he judging our private thoughts as we hurried on through our mornings thinking of all the things we needed to do that day?

The snowman’s purpose was none of those and all of those. Like a fine piece of art, he was standing there wildly for our own interpretation. He was whatever we wanted him to be. For me he was a reason to take a picture on a bitterly cold morning, one that I could hopefully share with my friends over my weblog. He was flipping off this cold weather, this uncomfortable torture, this godforsaken tundra, where a man has to spend half an hour to prepare himself to go outside; If you don’t you will die. He was taking a picture of me in my thermal long underwear, my hat and mittens and down-filled parka as I hustled along the path dodging all the joggers and their dogs. I must have looked pitiful to him. I must have seemed like a fool to be out there.

Truthfully…I wanted to smash that little snowman. Find a rock and pulverize him into the singular snow that created him. Like a little kid I wanted to kick him in his stomach and then break his little arm that was besmirching me and my fellow morning travelers. He was disgusting and wonderful. I chickened out, half afraid that the scene would draw too many people who would point and yell, perhaps tackle me on the open lake and cause a great panic. No, it wasn’t worth it. I would leave the snow man today and all the days to come. Instead I made a vow to visit him daily, for his sake and mine. I would show him courage and raw discipline in my routine and behavior. He would be impressed and soon, perhaps when it got a little warmer, he would take down his foul finger and restrain his mood to something more sunny. I’ll keep you posted.