Steven
could not remember the last time he was this happy. The entire city
was in a state of virtual lock down. The weathermen and the news
casters all advised against venturing outdoors. They said that being
outside for more than 10 minutes could cause frost bite and
hypothermia in these conditions. School were closed and people were
scared. The homeless of the city were in a state of peril. Steven
was in a state of joy.
Everyone
in the city was being forced to live the life that Steven aspires to
everyday. His ideal state is at home, shades closed and doors
locked, isolated from the outside world. But, life always gets in
the way, He inevitably has to go to work, or Susan wants them to go
to dinner, or he has to go to the doctor due to his foot infection.
Whatever it is, his routine was always cut short. But now that
wasn't really possible. Surprisingly, work told everyone not to come
in. Susan is content to just huddle on the couch in a blanket, and
his infection was well under control. Even the paper boy wasn't a
threat. His parents did not want him riding on a rickety metal frame
in below zero temperature.
So,
Steven was at peace. Nothing to do but sip his brandy and listen to
Led Zeppelin records. They had been saying on the news that this
cold snap might last a week or more. Steven could barely contain his
excitement. This was better than a vacation to some far off, malaria
infested tropical island, or some uninteresting historical site
filled with knuckle dragging tourists. This was a paradise of
Steven's own design, a perfect oasis of control and calm. If nuclear
winter descended down, or global warming struck its final blow and
transformed the city into a frozen wasteland, Steven would smile, tip
his glass, and listen to Misty Mountain Hop again.
