Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Snow is Our Enemy

As I wandered the streets of DC today, I am reminded of the monster that stalks all of our region. The constant threat of weather.
In DC we have the memory of a goldfish (Myth-Busters taught me that goldfish do in fact have excellent memories, but for the purposes of this posting lets assume that they forget things every 5 minutes) when it comes to snow. We act like it never happens here and when it does we go immediately into panic mode (insert your own milk, bread and toilet paper joke here).
Is this phenomena of convenience-store-raiding-slow-driving freak out merely a DC experience? No growing up in Baltimore we had the same paniced reaction to any form of percipitation that fell from the skies above. But only in DC we take this experience to near theatrical levels.
I am therefore announcing the First Annual Rorschach Winter Playwriting competition. Write me a five minute play that either attempts to explain the Metro Area's fear of snow or a story that truly embraces the terror that exists within the hearts of natives and carpet baggers alike and I promise you some form of performance. If I get one entry it may be a staged reading in my living room. If I get like 10, I will dedicate an evening to DC Snow Fear.
Do I expect anyone to take up this gauntlet (or mitten)? No! So surprise me and we can all enjoy poking fun at ourselves and especially those people who make all our lives a tortuous winter horror story every time something white hits the pavement.

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