Zeeshan Suhail

Traditionally, just a few inches would set the city on high alert and business, schools and offices would shut down. Now NYC was doing the same, though only for one day. President Obama went so far as to humorously refer to these blizzards as “Snowmageddon”

Few experiences in my life
will ever rival the one I have just been through. Granted, it was a week long event, but it does not take away from the gravity of the situation we found ourselves in, here in Washington, DC. A blizzard blew into the region, beginning Friday afternoon of the 7th, and continued to dump several inches of snow till Saturday afternoon. But what is remarkable about this blizzard is not the amount of snow it showered on to the city (nearly 24 inches!), but the number of days the city remained paralysed because of it. This blizzard, my friends, is what successive generations will remember most about the winter of 2010.

I have lived in New York City (NYC) for about 16 years, on and off. That is enough for me to claim nativity, I humbly think. When snowstorms hit NYC, they do not result in closures of offices or transit systems. But living in Washington, DC has sensitised me to the fact that serious improvements in infrastructure need to be made for this industrialised country to truly be in the same category as its “sister countries” — the UK, Japan, and others.

Here is a brief timeline of events: I received an e-mail and text message around 4 pm on Thursday afternoon informing us that due to the blizzard scheduled to start Friday afternoon, the office would be closed. Great start to the weekend, right? Wrong. I figured it would be prudent to get to the supermarket early to do some shopping, and lo and behold — the lines at checkout were about as long as the aisles themselves! I have never seen anything like that in all the many storms I have seen in the northeastern US. Moreover, the shelves were quickly being emptied of the usual items one would suspect people to stock up on, like milk, eggs, etc., but even odd items, like toilet paper. And not just a few rolls, but the economy size 24-packs! It is also interesting how adverse situations often bring out the best in humanity. While many people were acting frantic and anxious, the atmosphere was overall quite positive, people were willing to help and there was a general sense of adventure. If only we learned to act like this in all situations, how nice that would be!

I watched from my window as inches upon inches of snow piled up in Rock Creek Park and eventually erased any indication that Rock Creek Parkway once twisted and turned through it. Trees looked shorter as the snow began creeping higher. And then finally, the assault ended; just as quietly as it had begun. The best part about the initial moments just as the snowfall ends, is the silence outside that can never be heard in a city at other times — night or day. I basked in the brief moment of serenity.

By Sunday evening, the sun had shown long enough for the snow and ice to melt into a slushy combination of sleet and water. I had met a friend for tea in the afternoon, consumed a jumbo slice of pizza (about one foot long!) in Adams Morgan and then proceeded to do some last minute groceries, knowing that I did not want to make this trek again, unless I absolutely had to. Monday was spent quietly and peacefully at home, thanks to another text message alerting us to a day off from the office, but then I heard rumours of yet another blizzard making its way to the northeast. Alas, we were dumped with several more inches by Wednesday late night. This time, though, it was not just DC/Maryland/Virginia that was dumped, but further north as well, including the NYC/New Jersey/Connecticut region. Misery loves company!

Many friends in NYC were envious of the many days off we received (I was growing accustomed to the text message alerts!), but secretly also must have thought we were weaklings. Traditionally, just a few inches would set the city on high alert and business, schools and offices would shut down. Now NYC was doing the same, though only for one day. President Obama went so far as to humorously refer to these blizzards as “Snowmageddon”, a play on the word “Armageddon”. In fact, so historic was this event, that a prudent DC-based entrepreneur immediately used his/her graphic design skills to design a t-shirt that read: “I survived Snowmageddon 2010!” The t-shirts are selling for a pricey $ 24 and are all the rage on the internet right now.

When all is said and done, I would have been off from work for a full six days (and by the time this article is published, maybe a week!), cooped up in a small, cosy studio apartment overlooking a winter wonderland, so pristine I wish it not be disturbed. In a few days, though, water-dissolving salt will erase any remnant of this tranquillity and life will be back to normal. The upside is that I will feel productive again, and emerge from hibernation. And of course, I will proudly proclaim, “I survived the Snowmageddon!”

Zeeshan Suhail is a consultant with the World Bank in Washington, DC and Chairperson of the Board of the New York City-based Muslim Consultative Network and a Board Member of the Washington, DC-based Americans for Informed Democracy. He can be reached at zeeshan@aidemocracy.org