Roads closed

I-10 closed again last night for at least the second time in a week, leaving travelers stranded. The Convention Center next door to City Hall opened as a shelter, which became apparent to me when I arrived at work to see three Greyhound buses and a dozen cars parked in front. This snow is a cinch for me, but I'm used to driving in a little bit of snow, but it is comforting to know that the state of Texas will close the freeway when it gets treacherous. Most people don't know how to drive in it, and there are long stretches of uninhabited land between towns, where if you had trouble in bad weather, it might take a long time for help to get to you. Closing the road at a little bit of snow seems like a good idea here.

I recognize the look on people's faces, having spent an uncomfortable night on a church pew in a remote Iowa town nearly 20 years ago as a refugee from a quick moving snowstorm. The normal visage of the Greyhound patron--tired and stressed and unhappy to be traveling by bus--looks hardened by a night on the Convention Center floor. Van Horn has put out a spread for them, and brought in a television, but it looks as if everyone had a difficult night.

Most in need is the Japanese man who apparently doesn't speak English or Spanish, and no one in Van Horn can speak Japanese. We think he probably needs to let relatives know that he's safe, but no one has been able to communicate with him so far.

And looks as if the road for at least 100 miles in every direction will be closed until at least early afternoon.

Update: 4:05 pm. Earlier this afternoon the road cleared and everyone got in their vehicles and drove out of town, including our Japanese visitor.