The village plow comes through around four and leaves a wall of packed snow across the end of every driveway in the cul-de-sacs off Oakton. Nicks plow service comes back for exactly that — plowing drives down to the pavement, shoveling walks and stoops, and salting the stretches the sun will not reach until noon. In a Niles snow the sky turns a pale blue an hour before dawn, and the street is quiet enough to hear a shovel three houses down. Getting a car out without a fight is the whole point of the night's work. The block empties on time and the day starts as planned.