The other night Sukie hinted that I should BBQ some franks we had. It was cold, and I was up to the challenge. After 3 restarts of newspaper, the coals were heating up. 20 minutes later, I had hot coals. Hmmmm, so I poured them in to the grill and went and got the hot dogs. I’m sure what I discovered is not a thermodynamic breakthrough – coals cool down fast in cold weather. I think this was good prep, because this winter on one of the snowiest days, I am challenging myself to BBQ. Yes, it is a stupid thing to do, and yes, it is all ‘white trash redneck’ of me to do.

Or is it? Isn’t such an affrontery to nature the very point of science? existence? Well, you’d think so. These private riots against nature certainly are the point of civilization. It’s no different than building a house, and, by it’s impermanence, is not nearly as drastic or dangerous to nature.

This summer, I upset Sukie, and it happened to be a particularly rainy day – at the time it was during one of those ‘raindrops as big as your head’ downpours we get a few times a year. She said that for her to forgive me, I’d have to run outside, no shoes on, and run around her car 3 times. Well, I did it, and by the third lap I was busting a gut, turned to the clouded sky and gave my own special salute to the rain. That’s the kind of affrontery I’m talking about – pure negligence and lack of dismay in the face of an overwhelming circumstance.

In Sex and the City, the character Charlotte York had found her perfect husband TWICE and had troubles with pregnancy both times. On her second marriage and first pregnancy, she miscarried and it threw her in to such a depression. She was home, alone, and watching TV in her sadness when she saw a documentary on Elizabeth Taylor, and her triumph when she, in despite of overwhelming circumstances, put on her best and went out.

As for my BBQ, yes, I will be sure to see this one out. I might even take the grill out on the front porch to watch all the other saps shovel snow while i just chuck flaming hot coals at it, just ‘cuz i like the sizzle’.