Piggyback Ski Lesson

It’s ski season here in Mountain Town, which brings back memories of when I decided to embark on my first ski lesson at thirty-seven. The snow-covered peaks and cozy ski lodges provided the perfect backdrop for winter adventures. I arrived at the Snow Valley Ski School, heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. As I got fitted into my ski gear and awkwardly shuffled in the angled posture of the ski boots, my charismatic ski instructor Alex approached with a warm smile.

Alex was not just any instructor; he exuded confidence and charm, making the ski lesson more exhilarating than I had anticipated. Underneath his guidance, I learned how to balance on my skis, make tentative turns, and eventually navigate down the beginner slope with newfound confidence, despite my stiff pizza technique.

Throughout the lesson, Alex and I shared laughter and stories. Alex's encouragement and patient teaching style kept me calm and engaged. It didn’t hurt that he was gorgeous, with those green eyes and olive skin, I was practically swooning!

"How about we grab a cup of hot cocoa at the lodge?" Alex suggested with a twinkle in his eye. The cozy lodge was adorned with flickering fireplaces and the scent of freshly brewed cocoa. We talked about where we came from, how we ended up in Mountain Town, and how difficult the dating scene was in our 30s.

“Are you ready to move past the bunny hill?" He said with a mischievous smile.

“Do you think that I am ready?” I asked.

“You are a natural!” he said. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

Armed with the warm glow of Alex’s compliments, I decided to take on the big slopes. After I managed to get on the chairlift smoothly, I took in the beauty of the winter scene below me. I could not help but smile as I thought about how far I had come. From the depths of depression, while trapped in an unhealthy marriage, to snowy escapades with an athlete, my fate had certainly turned around!

I noticed that the snow started coming down heavier as we slid off the chairlift. Alex caught me just in time before I started to slide down the advanced “black diamond” side of the mountain.

“Whoa Lindsey Vonn," he said. I laughed while regaining my balance. “Ok I am going to go right in front of you and you should just follow my path”.

I did my best to look cool in my pigeon-toed position, panicking each time I gained speed. The more I tried to slow down, the more fatigued I became. As the snow pelted down even harder, my goggles fogged up and I lost visibility.

“How are you doing, Olivia?" He called up the hill. “You are doing great!"

“I don’t think I can go any further Alex. My legs are exhausted, and I can’t see.”

It was then that Alex climbed up to rescue me.

“Put your skis in between mine.” He yelled behind him. “And put your arms around my waist.”

I did exactly as he said, and he then started to ski me down. I was being piggybacked down the mountain by my beautiful ski instructor. I leaned against Alex and allowed myself to finally relax. When we reached the bottom of the hill, he gave me a big hug and congratulated me on my big day.

“I hope that this is not too forward,” he asked, “but do you want to grab a drink?”

Though tempted and flattered, my aching legs and frozen body had other ideas. I let Alex down easy with the promise of a future date and made my way towards a hot bath and early bedtime. I was so proud of myself as I mentally checked another thing off my bucket list.

Until next time,

❤️ Olivia