by JJ Whitehead

Created on: January 19, 2010

"Ahhh, yet another glorious snowstorm," Joey whispered, hoping to hear the fantastic words heard across the radio declaring a snow day.  He held his breath and pushed away from the window, but here there would be school.  He sighed and slipped on his boots and tromped through the living room.

"What's wrong, honey?" asked his mother, Trudy.  "You seem so sad.  You know you can't always have a snow day every day that it snows."

"Well, at least I could have one every now and again.  If only I could make it snow, then I'd never have to go back to school."

"And what would you do with all this time?  Build snowmen and forts and dig tunnels, I suppose?" his father, Jake, chimed in around a mouthful of Raisin Bran and a gulp of milk.

"Yeah.  What's wrong with that?"  Joey stuck out his chin and set his face in his most ferocious look, but his father just chuckled and put down his spoon next to his bowl.  "What?"

"I think you'd get bored of snow very quickly if it came true."  His answer was steady, but Joey could tell he was trying to hold back further laughter.

"Nope, couldn't happen."

"If you say so," Trudy answered, shooting Jake a look.  "Just get your stuff on and I'll take you to school.  I'll be a nice mom and not make you walk 5 miles uphill both ways through 5 feet of snow."

Joey sighed and loosened up, laughing at the joke his mother had made at their own expense.  He dug his arms through his blue-and-green, checkered coat sleeves and poked them out the other sides, holding a green mitten in each hand.  With his backpack slung willy-nilly over a shoulder, he made his way to the door, waiting for his mom with his hand on the knob.

The car ride to work was boring, like usual.  Classes were boring, like usual.  The ride home on the bus and the trudge back to the house was boring, like usual.

Dad had a surprise for him when he arrived at home, though.  He took him out to the garage and lifted the door, revealing a shining, red snowblower at the front corner.  Squinting his eyes and twisting his lips, he looked up at his dad, but didn't say a word.

"Since you're so fond of the snow, you can play in it while you take care of clearing away the path and the driveway."  His dad's smile was obnoxious as he teased him about the morning's short conversation.  "Then, I'll pay you every time you clear the driveway and sidewalks during those snow days.  Sound like a

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