Reggie narrates the story of the time he and his friend, Badger, snuck into the local skating rink to witness an adults-only event called the Blizzard. It is the event that began and cemented their friendship.

At the start, Badger asks Reg what happens during the Blizzard, assuming he knows because his father is the maintenance man at the Palace of Artificial Snows. However, Reg has no idea and doesn’t think his father does either, as he never attends. Annoyed by this answer, Badger informs him that they are going to go to the event the following Wednesday. This makes Reg happy as be believes he has finally made a friend.

They arrive at the Palace of Artificial Snows, which Reg describes as a boring blue stucco building that conceals a frozen paradise inside. In the parking lot, they see a St. Bernard that someone has left in the hot car; Badger smashes the window.

They also notice Badger’s father’s car in the parking lot. This is not a surprise, as it is well known that his father spends a lot of time at the Palace. Reg also loves the rink, where he would often “skate in tight, contained circles, and dream about winter” (135).