“Whiteout”
I stood there on the footpath, or I should say sidewalk, as I am in New York now. Staten Island, to be precise. Staying with my cousins Bill and Sonja and their children in a lovely leafy suburb. I was working for the past few months for the Irish Tourist Board on 48th and Fifth Avenue, right in the centre of Manhattan. This was Monday morning early and today was quite important as I was to help give a slide presentation on the beauties of the Irish landscape to a small group of Canadian travel agents who had flown in over the weekend. It had been a very cold winter but today was really extreme. The temperature was below zero but, according to the local radio station, there was a wind chill factor of minus 30 Fahrenheit. Sonja was concerned. She was surprised that I was expected to travel into work in these conditions. But I could not let people down. It was not in my nature and besides, I was an incurable optimist. However, Sonja insisted that I wear a pair of ski leggings and ski long sleeve undershirt under my smart cream blouse and navy trousers. "Just for the journey. You can change in the office Ladies room." So, I had set off down the hill bundled up with warm clothes, winter boots, woolly hat and scarf and extra thick gloves. Looking discreetly at the other commuters waiting for the bus, which would take us across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge into the Wall Street area, I noted they were all well wrapped up against the elements. It was just 8 a.m. I was allowing 40 minutes for the bus journey and then another 40 for the uptown ride to 48th Street on a different bus. I was due in the office at 09.30 and the presentation was to be at 10.30. Plenty of time, I thought. I was used to being punctual as I had been flying with Aer Lingus prior to this exciting offer of a trial year in New York. After all, you can't turn up late for a flight if you are a member of the crew! By now, it had begun to snow again. A steady damp, downward spiral. I felt myself getting damp and cold. I wished I owned one of those big rainproof, fleece lined anoraks. I clearly wasn't prepared for the New York winter. My feet began to feel very cold. I stamped them but they still got colder. Then I noticed my neighbouring commuter stamping up and down for about ten feet or so and turning around back to his place in the queue. Others began to follow suit, including me. It was