Go Home Stella. You're Drunk.

     As I look out the window, the sun shining down on the blanket of snow is a beautiful sight to behold. It would be better if this were December, and not March.
     Winter took its sweet time getting here. Now don't get me wrong, I love good snowfall. What strikes me as funny is how quickly we all seemed to forget it was still Winter. Most of the season was really mild, and actually pretty nice. Nice enough to get us all to let our guard down. Then Stella showed up.
     Stella's the relative nobody wants to have visit. You know the one. The kids love her because she's fun and they get to stay home from school when she visits. She drives you crazy because she blows through your life like a tornado and leaves destruction in her wake. Stella's the one who leaves the bread loaf untied, lipstick on your glasses and a cigarette butt on a plate in the sink. You find her clothes all over the place after she leaves, and the dogs look like they've seen something unmentionable. Yeah. Stella's a hoot to have around.
     What cracked me up about her visit was how folks reacted. Schools and activities closed like they normally did, but businesses seemed unable to get on the same page. Working in retail, I was a little surprised we stayed open while Stella was having her first gin and tonic in the living room. Then again, in the 12 years I've been at the mall, I've seen it close only once or twice. Malls and movie theaters will be the only buildings standing after the apocalypse.
     While Stella was passed out in between rounds of drunken karaoke, the plows ran and cleared the streets. Apparently, it was clear enough for folks to travel and make their way back to their homes after the weekend. We get a lot of customers from Canada, and they didn't seem to think the storm was that bad. Trekking through 24 inches of snow to get a new shirt must be routine in the Great White North. Here it just seems a little silly. It's all good though. That silliness keeps me employed. It helps to live within walking distance of the mall. Yep, we'll be open. Come on in, Stella. Have a drink.