Blizzard of '54, page 2
At this point, I am tempted to post the remainder in a few days, but since you all know that we survived, I guess I'll finish today.-Cheri
When we decided it was morning, Bill tried to open the window. Each time he cranked down the window a little he had to push the snow back with his hands. It was like being in a snow cave, but finally we could see daylight in one small area as he broke through the surface of the snow. Bill was able to crawl through the window and with the help of the little shovel and a lot of arm waving and foot stomping he was able to get out of the ditch onto the road.
Looking at the plowed road told him what had gone by us at dawn. Bill came back to the car and said, "We're all getting out of here. Come on, you first!"
I protested, "But I thought that you were going to walk and get help!"
Bill explained, "When I got out and looked back at the car I changed my mind. We're all going, so come on out here." He grabbed my arms and pulled me out of the window. Then he reached back in and took baby Cheri, blankets and all, and handed her to me. I was standing in snow almost to my knees, even though he had partly cleared a path for me. After he reached back in and pulled Billy into his arms he told me to get started walking. "Go on up to the road. It isn't so deep there."
It was ankle deep at the road thanks to the plow, so it was easier walking. We were pretty certain there was a house not too far away, but it still meant a walk of nearly a mile. Once we turned the bend, we could see lights. Better yet, smoke was coming from the chimney. The wind was blowing and the bitter cold drew us toward the fire and the warmth.
As we trudged toward the house, snow was blown across my face so hard and fast that it felt frozen, it was taking my breath away. I lowered my face into the baby's blanket to try to use my breath to help warm Cheri, as well was warming my face. By the time we reached the entry to the yard, I was staggering. Six weeks before I had surgery when Cheri was born, and the doctor had just released me the day before out trip to return to normal activity. I don't think he would consider any of this normal!
"I can't go on! You go ahead, Bill and someone can come back for me and the baby."
"NO, if you stop we all stop. Do you want us all to die right here so near the house?"
I thought of him and the children and said, "NO!"
"I'll break the path for you, Sal. Just try to step in my footprints."
"Okay," I replied, "But don't take too big of steps." Because of the snow and wind, it was impossible to see drifts clearly. Bill would start and have to back up and go around, but finally we made it to the porch. The door flew open and out came a man and woman.
"I'm OK, but help my wife, she is having problems."
The woman took the baby from my arms, and the man put his arm around my waist, pulling me up onto the porch and into the house. I don't think I could have made it on my own. He sat me down on a picnic style bench in front of a plank table covered with oil cloth; everything about the place was neat and clean. A cup of coffee was place in my hands even before my coat was off.
They said the had seen us wading through and the drifts in the yard and couldn't believe their eyes.
"Where did you come from?" they asked.
"Up the road a little ways," Bill replied.
"We're having biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Can I make you some?" she asked. "Have some more hot coffee to warm you up!"
How good that coffee tasted; and I don't even like coffee! That is the only time it has ever tasted good to me, and the biscuits and gravy were delicious.
I could tell by looking around that the family was very poor, but they were very willing to share what they had. They had a small scraggly tree cut from the land and decorated with popcorn and paper chains. Their children had some homemade toys and new pajamas for Christmas presents.
After Bill warmed up a while, the men took the tractor and went back to see about the car. You could see nothing but a snowbank where we had slid into the ditch, you would not even guess it was there. We realized how lucky we were to get out and find help and were very thankful. They pulled the car into the yard and put about five gallons of gas in it, and we loaded up and drove the two and a half remaining miles to my sister's house.
"We thought you weren't coming when you didn't make it last night," my brother-in-law Virlyn said.
When we told them where we were last night, they were shocked.
"I would have come after, had I known," Said Virlyn.
The next day we went to the store and bought toys for the children of the family that took us in from the storm. They would not take any money for their help, so it was out way of thanking them for their kindness. The spirit of Christmas was alive and well on that Christmas Day.
I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did.- Cheri
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