First long ride
Click-et-a-click; click-et-a-click; click-et-a-click; the steel wheels rattled as they rolled over the rails. Black; black white; black, black, black, white, the darkened window became intermittently bright with the lights of the night, harmonizing with the sounds of the magical machine.
Rocking from side to side, steadily moving forward with slight jerks, the great train charged toward its far away destination. Clang, clang, clang, the crossing arms sing out, keeping time with blinking red lights and rhythm of our mighty locomotive; chug-chug-chug, click-et-a-click, click-et-a-click.
Curled up and tucked into a curtained Pullman bed, a ten year old boy lay in a state of wonderment. His eyes danced, watching beneath the partly drawn green night shade. Everything he sees, hears and smells are new sensations. Twin brass catches hold the window shades in place. heavy red velvet curtains enclose his little room. Softly dimmed lights accent the feeling of richness and privacy. Muffled sounds of people talking and laughing; this is a real adventure!
Keeping time with the sound and motion of his new and amazing conveyance, the boy's mind races from one thought to another-----
"We're traveling over a thousand miles! That's almost all the way around the world, I'll bet," he thinks to himself.
"Three days and two nights, boy this is fun! I'm not going to sleep for the whole time!"
"How can anyone sleep with all this excitement? Mom won't know--she's probably asleep anyway."
"I wonder what Dad's doing now?"
"I wonder where we'll be when the sun comes up?"
"Where is Chicago anyway?
"Where is Detroit?"
"I wonder what my cousins are like?"
Screeeeeeeeeeech! Jerk--jerk--jerk--screeeech, jerk, whooooosh, the train begins to slow, releasing billows of steam from its mighty engine.
"Mankato next stop," the blue suited conductor shouts.
Screeeech! Screeetch, caaaabump!
"Mankato! Mankato" the conductor repeats.
"I wonder how many people live here?" the boy whispers to himself.
"How far have we gone?"
More strange new sights and sounds fill the eyes and ears of the curious young man as people move about; some boarding, some departing. Red capped porters hustle big-wheeled carts piled high with bags and packages. Uniformed men move quickly, flashing lights beneath each rail car, looking for any signs of brake or wheel failure.
"Booooooaaaaaard!" shouts the conductor.
"All aboard, next stop Rochester; booooaaaard"
A few short bumps, a whooshing of clouds of steam, and the great iron horse begins to move out of the station, picking up momentum. As the lights of the station move slowly out of sight the familiar, steady sounds, sensations and rhythms return. Click-et-a-click, black white, black black white.
Once again, the enchanted young passenger watches and listens in awe to the sounds and sights of rail travel. Each hour is more interesting than the last. But, eating in the dining car, now that is really something!
Before each meal of the day, a sparkling white clad Negro walks slowly up and down the swaying isles of each car. Cradled in his arm is a shining set of bell-like tubes, being struck with a soft ball on the end of a long stick. "Bong-bong-bong. Bong-bong-bong" low to high note sand back a gain.
"Breakfast is now being served in the in the dining car," sings out the tall uniformed man in a deep melodic tone.
"Breakfast is now being served."
White table cloths, brightly polished silverware, crystal glasses filled with water, a flower on every table; every meal is a new experience.
Day moves into night introducing yet another awesome experience. Seats convert to fully made beds. From above, like magic, another bed drops from the ceiling. The great red curtain is drawn and presto, a private enclosed room.
"Wow!" "Mom I want to sleep in the top one tonight."
"I won't fall I promise."
"Please?"
"Oh boy, this is even better up here."
"It's almost like flying I'll bet."
"I'm going to stay up all night again. Mom didn't know I was awake almost all last night."
"Come to think of it, I don't remember much after that Mankato place------maybe I wasn't awake after alllllllllllllllllll. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
And he is asleep.
Sleeping, he dreams of traveling even greater distances. Waking, he knows he will travel forever. And he does.
By rail and car, airplane and ship, he experienced every state in America, once crossing the continent by rail, once by motor home and many times by air. He traveled throughout Europe, riding the train from England to Scotland, by ship to the Greek Islands, on to Italy, Turkey Egypt and Israel. While in the orient, he railed from Tokyo, to Nagoya and Ito Japan. He sailed into many ports of Mexico and Australia aboard private sailing yachts and rode the ferry boats in Hong Kong Harbor.
He soared in a sailplane over the cranberry bogs in Plymouth Massachusetts and rode in a balloon and helicopter over the Southern California coast. He road the the length of New Zealand and half way around the Australian continent by rail. He trotted camels around the pyramids, and charged Kangaroos in the Outback of Australia. He skipped over the top of the Great Barrier Reef in a catamaran and viewed its depths in a submarine.
But he never lost his love for trains. That first long train ride was his destiny and a harbinger of his future. Most of all, he has never lost is love for travel.
I know, because that boy was me.