From There to Here.

Mark sits on a snow lift, a snowboard strapped to his left foot. A girl he doesn't know, and who is wrapped up in enough gear to barely make out her features, sits next to him. She wears skis. They've been on the lift for about 30 seconds when Mark decides to stop hiding behind taking in the view and say something.

"Hi. I'm Mark," he says through a smile.

The girl turns to him, pushes her scarf away from her mouth with her mittens, and replies:

"Hi Mark. I'm Sarah."

"Nice to meet you, Sarah. Are you from around here?"

"Oh. No. I'm from Michigan. I'm here with my family for the weekend... Are you?"

"Nope. I live in Los Angeles. But, I'm from Chicago. I came out with some friends for the weekend. We're spread out all over the country."

"That's fun."

"Yeah."

Mark looks around. Sarah pushes snow off her ski using her pole.

skiers and boarders swoosh bye underneath. The village behind them seems like a scale model. The mountain in front an almost attainable goal.

Mark looks at her skis, he speaks...

"All my friends ski. I'm the only snowboarder."

"That's cool."

"Yeah, I thought I'd give it a try and I've fallen in love with it."

"I never tried it before."

"You really should. When you get the chance."

"I don't know. I think I'll stick with my skis."

The end of the line can be seen. Seven chairs ahead of them, a first time skier is nervous about getting off the chair. She clumsily stands off the lift. She falls, dragging down the person with her. They stop the lift.

Mark and Sarah sway in the cold. Above glistening snow covered grounds. Pine trees dot the landscape. Mountains and blue skies span forever.

Mark asks, "Are you staying nearby?"

Sarah answers:

"The Grizzly Bear Lodge. It's nice."

"My friends and I are renting a cabin. If you'd like to meet up later..."

"Oh. Thanks. I don't think I can. My family..."

Mark switches gears, "Oh. No worries. That's cool."

Sarah smiles and pulls her scarf over her mouth. The lift begins to move. Mark looks down on the people below. He readies himself to exit the lift. Their chair reaches the end. They push off. Mark heads left. Sarah heads right.