Fall Forward,Spring Back

Fall Forward, Spring Back

At eight years old, Nola O'Connor had already been late so many times, she figured she'd go on that way forever. She'd be late for her first job, her college graduation, her wedding. It didn't seem to matter much--if the groom liked her enough, he'd wait. The summer after Nola finished second grade, her family moved from Arizona to Colorado. The move brought new friends, a new school, and a new home, but one thing did not change: Nola was still late for everything.

The first Friday in November, Nola's teacher sent the class home with a reminder that Daylight Saving Time ended that weekend. " Before you go to bed Saturday night, remember to adjust your clocks an hour, " he said. “ Spring forward, fall back. And if you like parades, don't forget the Fall Festival on Sunday. " Nola had never witnessed the parade. Her friends said the Fall Festival parade had awe-inspiring floats, animals, live music, and dancers on stilts. She really wanted to see it.

That night at dinner, Nola asked her mom if they could go to the parade. " I won't be here, " Mom reminded her, “ but I'll bet Pablo could take you. " Pablo was Nola's big brother, sixteen and always sleepy. He would be in charge while their mom was away. " Can you take me to the parade?" Nola asked Pablo. “ There'll be floats. " " Root beer floats?" Pablo asked. Nola laughed and so did Mom. " The parade's at ten o'clock, " Nola said. “ We have to change our clocks so we don't miss it. " " That's right! " Mom said. " You've never had to change your clocks before. " Unlike most states, Arizona didn't observe Daylight Saving Time, so Nola had never thought much about it. She thought about it now, though.

" I don't really get it, " she confessed. " Are we actually saving daylight? Or just moving it around?" “ Moving it around, " Mom said. “ In November, people in states that observe Daylight Saving Time set their clocks back an hour. So the Sun rises earlier in the morning-or seems to-and sets earlier in the evening. In March, they do just the opposite and the Sun sets later. " " Crazy stuff, " Pablo yawned.

On Saturday morning, their mom kissed them both goodbye, got in her car, and drove to the airport. That night as Nola got in bed, she thought back to her teacher's instructions: “ Spring forward, fall back. " Or was it, “ Fall forward, spring back" ? Nola hesitated. “ Fall forward" sounded better, so she set her clock forward an hour. Just like that, she'd shaved an hour off the day. Now it was past her bedtime. Late again. “ Time, " Nola sighed, “ is not my friend. "