Snow Globes and Magic Eight-Balls
Atlanta, GA
February 8, 2020
Wisps of steam waft above fresh coffee and from hot oatmeal. Flames consume logs and warm the room. Out the window, a steady snowfall fills the air and shrouds the ground. At my feet, a black lab coils on the rug, basking in the glow of the fire, snug in the comfort of his protective pelt.
An open book rests on my lap. Reading glasses perch at the end of my nose, in acquiescence to age, and in rising victory over fading vanity. As I stare above the frames, toward the pages or through the panes, a pleasant strain of Beethoven string quartets provides a soothing soundtrack to the serene scene.
Atlanta is not often blessed with such picturesque, idyllic winter days. They are particularly enchanting on Saturday mornings unencumbered with competing obligations. So we enjoy the welcome respite and pleasant prospects from the comfortable confines of our domestic snow globe.
My experience with snow usually involves crowded airport terminals, cancelled flights, and overbooked hotels. Just this week I escaped Columbus late Thursday afternoon, just ahead of heavy snow that arrived like a disruptive relative with plans to stay the weekend.
Across the South, tornadoes moved out as I moved in. And the temperature plummeted. We awoke yesterday to find a few flakes dancing amid a cold rain. But the air soon dried, and the roads quickly cleared for Alexander and me to take an easy two-hour drive to Auburn.
Alexander was accepted to the school last month. But before rings can be exchanged, his family must be convinced, and a pre-nup arranged. For this marriage to proceed, it is he who must provide the dowry. To preside over the wedding, we need not a priest, but a broker. Were Auburn a stock, the tuition Bid-Ask spread would be wide enough to drive a truck thru. The purpose of this trip was to help close the gap.
Our first stop was Goodwin Hall, home to the Music Department. There Alexander auditioned for a prospective place in the band, and for a potential scholarship. Within six weeks, we should know whether our bid is in tune with their ask. Or if we are even on the same sheet of music.
Meanwhile, we took advantage of our time to explore the charming campus and friendly town. Despite cold air exacerbated by a brisk breeze, we strolled through the beautiful Davis Arboretum, a large garden on the south side of campus, beside the President’s residence.
Further south, the Jules Collins Smith Museum houses permanent exhibits of 19th and 20th century American and European art. The airy modern edifice sits on seven acres surrounded by English gardens, wooded landscapes, and scattered sculptures.
Being endowed for the benefit of the university, this accredited museum welcomes appreciative visitors free of charge. Alexander and I gladly accepted the warmth of their invitation and of their rooms, and enjoyed six extensive galleries spread across the recently renovated interior.
Highlights of the permanent collection include works by Dali, Picasso, Renoir, and Matisse, and dozens of prints by John James Audubon. Rotating exhibits spice the perennial stew, with Rubens and Rembrandt flavoring prior years.
The menu yesterday was more bland, featuring the white rice of assorted pottery, paintings, and artifacts from Alabama. We politely sampled the offerings, and proceeded to the next course.
Across College Avenue, the Gogue Performing Arts Center is an impressive venue that opened this season. It hosts performances by and for students, and is the new destination for prominent artists who include Eastern Alabama on their tours. Should he attend the school and join the band, Alexander will sit on its stage next year.
Whether he will do so remains unclear, and cannot be determined at this time. The right decision on the best college does not fall from the sky like soft snow on a winter day. A snow globe is inadequate. We need a Magic Eight Ball.
JD
