“How could this have happened?” Linda paced back and forth on the short length of the porch and shivered as the cold wind blew snow in her face. Don should have been here 45 minutes ago. They were scheduled to fly out to spend Thanksgiving with friends to celebrate their engagement. “Where are you?” Linda’s mind spun out different scenarios as she tried to keep warm. “Don’t go there. Nothing bad has happened.” She realized there would be no flights out today as an unexpected storm raged across the nation. But they would still be together and a celebration with friends could wait for another time. There was plenty of food and a fire in the fireplace would help make the day special. Reluctantly, Linda returned to the warmth of her house and continued to pace. Fear was dominant in her thoughts.
“Please God, keep him safe.” Linda prayed.
Through the howl of the wind came the sound of a motor as it fought to make headway against the snow that had rapidly accumulated. With a grateful sigh, Linda rushed outside and watched as a police car slowly made it’s way up the street. For a brief moment Linda’s mind refused to function. Why were the police here? Then a sharp pain tore through her body as she tried to breathe in the frigid air.
“Not Don, oh God no, not Don.”
Finally the police car reached the end of her driveway. After he turned off the key to the motor, the officer struggled to open the door. Between the wind and the snow bank it was almost a lost battle. This was one of the worst storms ever to hit this town and there was no end in sight. It was near whiteout conditions. Linda watched the officer fight his way through the piled up snow on her walkway. He looked tired to the bone.
“Good morning, Ma’am, I am Officer Neal and I need to get you to the school gym before we are cut off completely. You don’t want to be stranded out here alone in this storm. The power and phones will be out soon and no vehicle will be able to make it up your grade.”
Confused, Linda tried to make her mind function. Then sagging with relief, she half stated, half asked, “You’re not here then about Don?”
“I’m sorry Ma’am, I don’t know anything about your friend. I am just here to get everyone to a safe place. Would you please gather enough belongings to last several days, and then we can pick up the last couple. Hurry or we will never make it through all this snow.”
“Officer, I appreciate this but I can’t leave without Don. He won’t know where to find me.” Linda was in a near panic. She could not, would not leave without him.
Linda perceived Officer Neal was nearly at the end of his patience. She did not know he had started his rescue mission hours earlier and that this stop and one more would have everyone safe. “I do not need the aggravation of un-cooperative people.” Officer Neal responded angrily. “I intensely disliked being the heavy, but Ma’am, we do not have time for this. Either grab some stuff or you go as you are. It's your choice. We will leave in five minutes regardless. Now move it!”
Since she knew it would be useless to protest further, Linda ran to her bedroom and literally threw some clothes and toiletries into a backpack. There was no time to pay attention to what she grabbed. “Oh Don, please find me - be safe.” Linda repeated this again and again as they made their way slowly back to town. Her neighbors had not been home, and that saved them precious minutes of time. Even so, as the storm continued, the snow was almost too deep to drive through and visibility was near zero. Linda marveled at the ability of Office Neal to get them safely to the gym.
Worried sick about Don, Linda found an empty spot and dropped her backpack on the end of the cot. She had begged Officer Neal to find Don. Wearily, her thoughts on him, she sat down and wrapped her arms around her waist. Finally, as she gave in to total exhaustion, Linda stretched out on the cot and slept fitfully. Her disjointed dreams were filled with Don. She felt his kiss and she hugged him. They were at her home and she had fallen asleep on the sofa.
Someone was shaking her. “Go away” Linda muttered, not ready to wake up. The hand continued to shake her and in her sleep-drugged mind it was Don’s voice she heard. As she fought to open her eyes and clear her thoughts, she hazily knew she was not at home but at the school. The storm still kept everyone a prisoner there. Linda heard Don say, “Wake up sweetheart, I’m here.” Slowly Linda came fully awake and there was Don. He was not part of the dream, but real.
At last, fully awake and filled with joy to find him safe, Linda asked, “How did you find me?”
“Officer Neal asked everyone he saw if they knew where I was,” Don replied. “I have been so frantic to know if you were safe. I couldn’t get to your part of town and everyone was sent here.” They held each other and gave grateful thanks, first to God that they had found each other and second, thanks to Officer Neal for going beyond the call of duty.
This truly was a day for thanksgiving.