Avant le premier hiver

At the end of October, Minh was watching the red leaves fall outside the office. It was his first fall in Quebec, and everyone talked to him about winter. His colleague Réjean told him that in December it will be very cold and that the wind will cut his face, but that he will get used to it. Minh asked what would happen with the snow.

Réjean answered that the snow will fall soon and that it will stay until April. He added that Minh will have to shovel the driveway in the morning, and that he will learn to walk on ice without falling. He promised him that one day, he will love it. Minh was not sure he would ever love it. That same evening, he made a list: warm boots, long coat, tuque, mittens, shovel. The next day, he bought everything and told himself that he will be ready.

His colleague Diane gave him more advice: he will wear several layers of clothing, he will drink a lot of water, because the air will be very dry, and he will go outside anyway, otherwise winter will feel too long. Minh noted all of it in his phone. Every day he checked the forecast, which promised snow in two weeks and the first storm at the beginning of December. He waited, a little worried, a little curious.

But winter does not read the forecast. One November morning, Minh opened the curtains and everything was white: the snow had covered the cars, the sidewalks and the trees still full of leaves. Nobody had announced it. He put on his new boots and his tuque. A neighbour was already shovelling and whistling, and shouted a welcome to Quebec at him.

At the office, Réjean was laughing and asked him if the promised day had come. Minh looked out the window: the flakes kept falling over the city. He answered that maybe not today, but that that day will come. That evening, he wrote to his mother that the snow was already falling there, that he will send her photos and that she will not believe it.