Ski Trip (1)

今天又回到宾州的滑雪场，天气异常冷，鹅毛大雪飘了一上午。冬天还是一望无际。想起六年前我学滑雪，当时还写了好长一段文字，准备老了时拿出来读。今天无意想起，怎么也找不到了，结果在一个好朋友那儿找到了。有的朋友，他们永远是你生命的一部分。

Noah learned to ski at 8 and tried to talk me into it. He said, ‘Mom, you should have come with us. You missed out on so much fun. It is cool.’ I smiled and said, ‘I’m sure it is. But it’s too much fun for mommy. I’m too old.’ ‘No, mom. Those grandpas, they came down the hills and passed us, zoom, zoom, never slowed down.’

By the end of the 2nd week, I finally bended and decided to start my ski career at 40.

Finally, our car climbed over the mountain, and in front of our eyes, were 20-30 white snow paths spread one next to another over the mountain slopes. Blue Mountain was a ski resort with artificial snow.

Classes start on the hour. So after putting on all the heavy gears, I tried to move on the ski school slope which turned out to be getting nowhere. Maria fell and her foot came out of the boot. I said, ‘Stay where you are. Let me help you.’ And about a year later, I finally got next to her. I tried to pick her up which looked more like we were wrestling. 

All the skiers on this bunny hill slope were new comers. Most of them had the nicest shy and polite smiles but would just knock you over without any hesitation. I later realized that it was because nobody had any control of where and how fast he or she was going.

I saw 3 guys with ski goggles on by a blue flag with calm smiles and arms behind their backs. They must be the instructors. I told Maria to follow me toward the flag. My eager and determined expression to get over where they were must have convinced them that I belong to the class. So they called out, ‘Are you coming to class?’ ‘Yes,’ I said, ‘if I can ever get there.’ although we were only 10 feet away. One guy came over and stepped on the snap on the back of my ski and said, ‘You know you don’t have to walk on skis and you can go way faster without them.’ I got my feet off the skis and boy, I could move again. ‘Why didn’t you tell me 20 minutes ago?’ I complained. They all laughed and said, ‘We really enjoyed watching you waddle.’ 'I am glad I was of any entertainment value.' I laughed with them.

They divided us 5 people into adult group and kid group. I assumed it’s because adults were definitely more mature and advanced in understanding and controlling our body. I soon realized that it’s because kids learn way faster than adults. They have no fear while it is hard for adults to forget the certain ways we walk and stand on dry land which could be a hold back or big no-no on snow.

After all the basic moves and glides, the instructor took us on the “magic carpet” which is a moving belt that would take us up the little slope. You could barely call it a “slope” but it certainly did feel to me like the top of the world. The instructor told me, the best of the 3 students, to follow him. He started gliding and said, ‘Follow me and turn right.’ I tried to follow him but somehow was gliding towards the “right” on my left. He yelled, ‘Hello, the other right.’ I said, ‘I know. I know.’ Before I could turn anywhere, I heard somebody coming from behind screaming, ‘Ooooooh, watch out.’ Then bang, a guy slammed down on the ground right in front of me. He had an apologetic smile on his face and explained, ‘I was just trying not to run into you.’ Oh, thanks.

The second time I got on the “magic carpet”, I saw Maria cruising and hopping on the skis on the slope. She was obviously having fun. I looked up and saw the winding and steep slopes down the mountain. That's something to look forward to.

A woman close by yelled out ‘One more time’ and I looked up. There on the “magic carpet” stood the guy who tried really hard not to knock me down from behind. He was making a very “Hollywood” pose pointing one pole to the front in the sky and the other low in the back spreading the legs in a big step. And on his face, was the most exaggerated smile that said“Look at me!”. His girlfriend was snapping pictures of him. With the colorful ski suits and fancy gears, it made a good picture. I bet they’ll edit some Alps mountain scenes behind him before they show the pictures to their friends.