America Through My Eyes – DODGE RIDGE – 4 (Final Part)

America Through My Eyes

DODGE RIDGE -4

Telugu Original : Dr K.Geeta 

English Translation: V.Vijaya Kumar

          The adventurous journey that we started on a snow-covered car on that stormy morning, ended in the snowy evening with unforgettable moments of boundless joy and fun.

          The wearisomeness suddenly engulfed us when we reached the hotel in the evening which was absent while wandering outside. We all had a hot bath and were refreshed. As the restaurant was just a few steps down, without stepping in the snow, we ordered hot soup and relished it warmly.

          The next day we would vacate the hotel and proceed to home. From there it is hardly a 3-4 hour drive to our home. So we decided to spend the day with the kids. The kids brought skateboards from home.

          I reminded Satya that “Pine Lake” is still there in their schedule.
“Can you see the lake in this snow?” Varu shrugged looking at me doubtfully. Satya remarked, “Don’t you know about your Mom? We will not be allowed to go home without going to that lake” The lake board was less than 2 miles away from the Hotel. We headed to the road that passed through Pine Resort crossing the park “Lake Coast.” But there was no lake. The road was covered with snow, so we turned back. With the previous day’s experience, we carefully reversed the car so as not to go off the road and get stuck in the snow. After the car parked in the lot, I got down and looked around. I understood that the lake was frozen. There was no difference between its coast and the lake. The lake looked fabulous like a white plate in the middle reflecting the rows of pine trees along the banks in the bright sunlight. The kids got out of the car and while Satya was assigned the task of equipping the kids with pants, boots, coats etc, I sat on a rock on the shores. The sight was rather exquisite with its boundless beauty. I wished strongly to spread my wings like a bird scrambled over the aerial branches of the pine trees laden with snow to fly into the sky spiraling over the pond.

          While I was in my world, children ran into the snow as soon as they got out of the car. I stayed there until they passed me twenty feet away and called me. It was a small park on the shore. We could not make out that there were stairs and tables. When we could stand not sinking into the snow, we considered it as a step, and when we cleared the snow to sit on it, it was known that it’s a table.

          Within two minutes, Satya dashed out into the frozen lake. Children ran behind him. I shouted aloud to warn them not to go beyond the limits. I had no choice but to go after them and call them who had already gone far away from my call. There was no cell phone signal either.

          The foot was stuck in knee-deep snow at every step.

          “We watched a million documentaries about frozen lakes, where the ice breaks and lets the person fall into the water. Don’t you know that?” I shouted. But it seemed that it was not audible to Satya.

          I understood that my words were audible to him. He shouted back “Don’t worry! The real lake is still far away from where we were!” He pointed somewhere away at the bright thin layer of ice.

          He left Siri with me and stormed out again with Varu. I was scared to move to any other side so I planted myself right there in the snow waiting for their return.
Those who went ahead were seen climbing up to the high rock on the way. There seemed to be a turn, so they vanished from my sight, I was scared again.

          Siri, who could not be controlled, ran into the rain and soaked her gloves and socks. I took off my gloves and put on the kid. There was no other pair of socks. I repented, “Oh my God, why should I have opted for this troublesome icy lake visit?” I felt frustrated.

          After a while, I regained my spirits and consoled myself, “If I deserved the end in the pond, how could I escape my fate?” I began to play with the child enjoying the warmth of the sunshine, forgetting the surroundings.

          Satya seemed to understand the situation, So he proposed, “It doesn’t seem safe here, let’s leave,” he said.

          When we hurried back, we almost ran, not caring about the semi-frozen snow.

          We enjoyed the falling snow from the aerial branches after reaching the park on the shore. Kids went into the rainy snow and soaked. We joined the children outside with covers on their heads.

          In a half-hour journey, we joined a group of enthusiasts playing near a snow hill.

          We pulled down the car on the roadside and walked across a hillstream to join them on the other side.

          Until then we were all in snow uniforms, so we were in hygienic dresses and plunged immediately. I’d the fear of heights. However, they convinced me to sit on a skateboard and pushed me down. The next minute the board moved,I jumped to the side in fear. Thank God, I escaped from scratching my elbows and knees by wearing layered clothes.

          Siri is like me. So we both played in the snow for an hour. Varu is very brave. She loves adventure.

          Satya and Varu climbed the hill and slid down two to three turns. Since the snow was melting there then, the unseen rocks might have hit them hard. Both of them had gotten scratched when they returned.

          We stopped playing snow games and started ice cricket using the ice ball, and a skateboard as a bat. The norms were put by ourselves. If the snow falls on the heads of those who hit it, they are out. It was a very funny game and when I played it, I was always out at the very beginning of the game. However, I refused my defeat and took another chance, but of course, the result was the same again.

          After getting into the car, Varu searched her pocket and screamed, “Oh God, my phone!”

          We both ran back again. Her iPhone had a cover that shines with a blue peacock-shaped sticker. In case it gets stuck in lumps of snow, it’s gone! I am a bit strategic at certain troubled times, so I stopped Varu who was running frantically. I guided her to remember those places where she spent time and follow the tracks carefully.

          I myself started searching from where we were sitting and ended up where we took the photos. After taking two more steps, I found something half-buried in the snow with a glow. If it was too late, someone might have crushed it and buried it. Looking at the phone, Varu ran to me crying and hugged me.

          The last day of the journey ended happily.

*****

(to be continued)