Snowman

Rural New England, 1915. Meserve, a preacher, has disrupted Fred and Helen Cole’s sleep in the middle of the night. Finding his way home in a blizzard, Meserve has stopped to rest at their cabin, at what appears to be the midpoint of his journey by horse-and-sleigh. Soon he phones his wife to tell her that he now will be setting out from the Coles’, and to say good night before it gets too late. His wife is not happy that Meserve is journeying out at this hour in such dangerous weather. Following the phone conversation, Meserve says that he’s going to the barn to check his horses and make a judgment about whether to continue his trip. Mrs. Cole insists that the preacher head to the barn by himself, for she wants to talk to her husband without Meserve present. The dialogue that follows shows that neither Helen nor Fred is fond of their guest, who they believe is sanctimonious and improvident (the father of ten children under ten years old). Nonetheless, she and Fred consider their responsibility toward Meserve and the possibility of keeping him from making the foolish decision to journey on. Helen thinks that she herself should call Mrs. Meserve and convince her to convince her husband not to travel anymore this night. When Meserve returns from the barn, Mrs. Cole begs him to reconsider his departure. So he rests a bit, beginning to preach about a leaf in a book that cannot determine whether to go backward or forward. The visitor tells other thoughtful tales, and the Coles let him ramble on, thinking that this means he has decided to stay. After Meserve says his piece, however, he starts to take his leave. Helen puts forth one last effort to detain the preacher, reminding him of the risk of traveling in such weather, but she is unsuccessful: the man must go. While his departure is ultimately welcome to them, the Coles will not sleep until Meserve is safely home. Two hours later, his wife anxiously telephones, and then Mrs. Cole phones Mrs. Meserve to see if her husband has finally arrived—but the transmission is disrupted. For a while, Fred and Helen strain to hear Mrs. Meserve’s voice; then they hang up in frustration. A moment later, Meserve himself calls back, thanks the couple, and tells them that he has safely returned. After the call, Helen expresses her displeasure over what has transpired, but Fred is less critical. He claims that they have learned more about Meserve than they had hoped to learn, and, most important, the Coles have shared one night of this man’s life. Helen can only wonder whether the preacher will ever—or never—call on them again.