Seven blocks to Garden City Park

Grade school

Terrifying

Long Island winter blizzards

Unforgiving.

Boots, scarf, and ear mufflers

Useless against the hurricane winds.

Walk backwards

Fear that my face

Would freeze.

Tears sprouted

Came within inches

Of turning to icicles.

The foot-high snow

Seeped into my pants

Chilled the bones.

Drowning as my feet

Stepped into the mushy abyss.

Turtle pace doubled

The twenty- minute walk.

Arrival at school,

Defrosting  began

Peeling each layer

Zombie returned to life.

Praying when the return bell

Chimed

Weather would be kinder.