I had just returned from my parents’ house for Christmas with a goggle (is that a word?) of new N64 games but had made plans to visit my friend in Dayton, OH for New Years. The local news was threatening some imminent snowfall to hit the area in the days ahead, but the forecast at that time was still hit-or-miss, so I went anyway.

Well, that threatening snowfall was upon us, but the local Ohio news wasn’t making a big deal about it. Not as much as three hours away where I lived, anyway.

“I dunno, man, if this snow hits I’ll never get home,” I said to my friend.

“Aw, c’mon. They’re saying it’s nothing. Don’t be a wuss,” he said. Or something stupid like that.

But my better judgment got the best of me, so I decided to pack up and leave on the eve of the storm. And sure enough, once I hit Indianapolis the snow started to fall, and I-65 started to get a little slippery, and then I had to reduce my speed, which made me drive a little longer as the weather got worse. I arrived at my apartment late in the evening, snow falling as predicted, and I was safe and sound if not a little weary from the drive.

The next morning I awake to about a foot of snow, with another foot predicted. Sweetness, I thought, I have nowhere to go except stay home and crack open some of those Christmas presents, starting with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time…

The snow over New Years’ weekend feel to over two feet. Everything was closed including my work for two days. My car was snowplowed in, so I wasn’t getting anywhere. And I think I didn’t shower for two days while I played Zelda.

Strangely, I didn’t finish it. I got to “grown-up” Link and kinda got sick of it (I know, blasphemous!). Either that or got sick of me doing my best Jabba the Hutt imitation on the couch and decided to shovel myself out. And you know something? To this day, I’ve never returned to the world of Hyrule.

Why is this a memorable Christmas story? Because it reminds me of my two favorite things I had to give up as a responsible adult: snow days and bachelorhood. And it’s something I’ll always remember everytime the weather forecast predicts a big snowstorm.