We’re getting our first snowfall for the year (nothing really significant around here, much worse if you’re north of the city). Anyway, it reminds me of a story.

I was tobogganing with a friend from school. It had been snowing hard and there was a rare (for Toronto) deep layer of white fluffy snow covering everything. The day had that "winter wonderland" quality to it.

The hill we were on was terraced and dipped into a small gully before the main stretch. At the bottom was a field planted with a few (carefully arranged) trees.

We’d taken our run and wiped out in the gully. From there we couldn’t see the bottom of the hill, only the top of some of the larger trees. As we were dusting ourselves off, another kid tore past us, easily making it over the little lip and headed at breakneck speed down the remainder of the hill.

After he’d passed, we heard his sister watching from the top of the hill say – "That’s right. Hit the tree." We turned, there was a short pause, a dull thud, and a FWUMP! as the crown of one of the larger trees shuddered and dropped it’s load of snow.

I think not seeing the actual impact made it that much funnier.