the crossroads of intersectionality

It is new years eve 2018 and the snow has mostly melted with the help of the warm winds of the west coast that have come over the mountains past the prairies into the valley I call home.

The morning I rushed to work knowing it would be incredibly busy with the commotion of the new year ready to be rung in.

"I have a 16OZ extra shot mocha to go, for Jay!"

The toaster goes off, the scale is beeping, and people haven't stopped coming in, all the garbage bins are full and a customer politely explains that one of the bathrooms is out of toilet paper. I take a deep breath and smile letting them know i;ll get to it as soon as i can while the steam wand is screaming in eggnog mixed with oat milk, i our a simple tulip and call it out and hand it off with a smile. The hours follow the same pace and I'm left alone to close the cafe and keep up service.

Exhausted and happy to finally have locked the doors I bring out the garbage and breathe in the warm chinook winds and look up to see the arch created by these warm winds, clouds pushed to the east form a line accumulating like a gate turning pink against the blue a moment of peace.

A buzz goes off in my pocket, its a text from a friend asking me if i'm still able to drop by for their New Years party, a quick response and I jog back inside to get the cafe clean and in order and set up for the next day worked by staff who volunteered to work New Years day.

I’ve always booked four specific days off from work, Halloween, Valentines, my birthday and New years day.

I had always celebrated or gone out on these days and otherwise worked every single day, even picking up shifts on days off.

That evening I went to see a couple live bands and then headed to my friend's place for their party. The following day I woke up thankful that I did not have to head into work as the alcohol reminded me of its vulgar side effects if caution is not taken.

Ended the day having Korean bar bq and headed home to my parents home barely beating the snow storm coming in after the brief winter blessing of a chinook that was quickly covered by snow and the roads have frozen over.

“Do you need a ride tomorrow to work?” My dad asked since it was a sunday he had it off and was able to take me. I took his offer considering I didn't want to freeze waiting for the bus in the early morning.

With that thought in mind as i tried to fall asleep i thought about the things i wanted to do that year, my biggest goal was finally getting my drivers licence, and with that a slipped into a brief sleep abruptly woken up by my alarm I quickly got ready and was picking out what to wear my dad said he would also pick me up so i decided since i wouldn't have to be out in the cold longer than running out drinks or the garbage that i’d wear a dress with thigh high socks and a sweater and left with my favourite jacket which was definitely not winter appropriate.

On the drive my dad and I exchanged some words but we both liked just zoning so i played my music in one ear.

The roads were incredibly icy so my dad drove under the speed limit and I took mental note to do the same once I was able to drive.

Then something deeply misfortune happened, something that would impact me for the rest of my life.

The song that played as it happened-Afterlife by Arcade Fire.