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I guess you might say it was written in the stars . . .
 Once upon a time (actually, early in the winter of 1997) "Frosty" (Jerry) was working nightshift for the State of Alaska DOT. This night was special and when he got home the next morning he sat down at his computer and wrote up his experience in story form. Also being a hobbiest metal worker, he sent the story off to friends on his ArtMetal List. Someone on that list thought the post made for good reading and sent it offlist to other friends . . . you know how these things happen. The next day, he received numerous responses to his story from as far away as New Zealand as well as the far reaches of the United States! One of the responses was from someone named "snowgoose" who had read his post on a Goat List. A Goat List? Yep, he did a double-take when he read that, and being intrigued by the webhandle, "snowgoose", he wrote back. Writing that story started something that was bigger than he ever expected! This is the story Jerry wrote and posted to the world. He titled it, "CELESTIAL DANCE". Subject: Celestial dance
Hey gang: Had a very, very good night at work and thought I'd vent some exuberence on ya'll. :) I spent my first full night on the Rolba, snow blower tonight, doing a blow back. That's where we pull the snow out of the ditches as far out as a road grader will reach, then we blow it farther out so there's room to plow the next snowfall off the roads. Anyway, this is a powerfull machine, it'll move over 1,500 tons of snow an hour, it has lot's of controls and it's kinda tough to keep under control. At least for a newbie on the hill roads. ;) I was having a good time, really enjoying the challenge. Well, I'm pulling into the Park, parking lot to turn around for my second pass down Upper Huffman rd. and there's a lull in the northern lights. The lights have been really dancing all night: sheets, curtains, streamers, loops, etc, not much color but lot's of action. Anyway, they're taking a break as I pull up and I'm groovin on the stars now, it's the first really clear cold night we've had in weeks and the stars are glaring down in colors so hard and sharp, they look fake. Well, I gotta wait anyway, while Rick, the grader operator, get's turned around and starts pulling another windrow for me to blow, so I just park the blower, get out and stare at the sky. I'm standing there, under dressed, star gazing at -15f and something catches my eye, something unusual. I see a fuzzy star. Hmmmm, I say to myself, "self. Why is only that ONE star fuzzy?" There's a really little star right next to it and it's so sharp it'd poke a hole in your eye if you're not careful. Hmmmmm, is there an itsy bitsy puff of cloud covering that one star? I stare at it for a bit and it stays exactly as fuzzy as when I first spotted it but as my eyes adjust the fuzzyness seems to be spreading and mostly in one direction. Hmmmmmm. Kinda . . like . . . a . . . . TAIL! "HEY SELF!!!!!" I shout at myself! "That's . . . a COMET!!!!! That's Hale Bopp!!!!!!" Then . . . . the northern lights start back up, better than before, dancing and weaving, over, under, around and seemingly with, the celestial visitor. All this is going on over mountains, lit by the moon and stars, with Anchorage's lights off to the left and below. It's kinda like Alaska's saying hello and welcome to the neighborhood. As hospitable and friendly as Alaskans are, I'm still hoping any comets just swing by for a brief visit rather than dropping in for a stay. Anyway, I climb back in the blower and send one of those sekret coded messages, so's nobody knows what I'm talking about, over the radio. I says, "Uh, Rick, Bob, Anchorage-37." 37, that's my radio number. Oops, spilled the beans didn't I. Oh well, too late now. Rick answers first, "Ya, go Frosty." And I say, "Uh, I need both you guys back here to take a look at something for me." Bob hops out of the arrow truck, he's parked right behind me and Rick backs the grader into the parking lot and jumps down. I'm standing there looking at the sky, Bob's looking at me and Rick asks me, "what's up Frosty?" I point at the sky and say, "see that bright fuzzy star?" Rick says, "yeah." Bob says, "where?" I say, "about four fingers above that notch in the mountains, to the left of that stand of spruce trees." Bob says, "Yeah, okay, I see it." I say, "that's Hale Bopp." Rick does a double take, "Hail . . . BOB!?" Bob looks at me like I'm messing with him again. Everybody messes with Bob. It's fun. ;) Not this time though. "No," I say, "Hale BOPP, B.O.P.P. It's a comet, the biggest comet in recorded history." Now, there's three of us, under dressed, staring at the sky at -15f, watching the comet, northern lights and stars. Then somebody suggests lunch. Good idea. We all park our rigs facing the celestial dance troupe, shut off all our lights and spend lunch watching the show. The show wasn't over, it lasted till it was too light to see this morning but we had to get back to work. All you had to do though, was look over the mountains to see the lights and comet. Yes my friends, a very, VERY fine night at work. If you look north, you'll see my grin. :) Frosty If it ain't forged |