plus or minus 50

On our way home from the cold northish midwest today, I realized that it was twenty years ago when I decided I would live in the south forevermore.

I had driven up to Indianapolis, from Athens, GA where I was in grad school.  The weather had made driving the already awful trip worse than normal and the forecast only made it worse, as there were warnings to not go outdoors, even to the mailbox.  The wind chill was minus fifty.  I planted myself on the sofa with a warm mug and a book and was obedient to the weatherman.

Several days later, after the presents were opened, I headed in my car back south.  The next day I went downtown to buy my textbooks for the upcoming semester. There were crowds preventing me from entering, so I waited outdoors in line.  Across the street was a bank sign flashing the time and temperature.  It was fifty.

I knew at that moment that I would never live up north again.

Merry Christmas y'all!