Train Ride with my Grandmother


I've only ridden on a few trains yet I can honestly say I love trains. Where I live I can hear trains passing by across the river in Canada. Listening to the chugging of the train down the tracks, hearing the whistle blowing, me wondering who is on board and where they are going all takes place as soon as I hear the movement of a train. It's especially mesmerizing at night as I'm wrapped in blankets. I listen to those sounds until they fade into the darkness.

My most memorable train ride was back when I was in junior high school. My grandmother asked me to go with her on a train from Syracuse to Indianapolis to visit relatives. I was so excited, first to be asked and second to be riding on a train that would include riding the train all night long. I would be one of the passengers and maybe somewhere in the darkness someone would hear the whistle of my train and the chugging of my train down the tracks and wonder where I was going. Of course no one would know me but that didn't matter. They would hear my train and that was good enough for me.

My grandmother and I didn't have one of those compartments where we could change into our sleepwear and sleep in bunk beds. We slept in our seats. They were quite comfortable. They went back really far. We were given pillows and blankets. I brought some books to read as well as a pad of paper & some pencils to write things down that I didn't want to forget. 

My grandmother gave me the window seat. I was so happy. I could tell she was too, realizing I'd be gawking out the window a lot of the time so it was just easier to have me by the window. That way she might be able to get a better sleep. And she did while I slept off and on. Anytime we went through a city or town I was wide awake gawking out that window. 
When we were back moving through the night on the lonely track I'd sometimes shut my eyes and feel the rhythm of the train as it lulled me in and out of sleep. I'd wonder who was out there lying in bed wrapped in blankets listening to my train whistle announce its presence as we passed by. I was finally the one inside the train.

As dawn was breaking I had my pillow propped up against the window so I could watch the world wake up. When we moved through more cities and towns the train would slow down so I was able to get a look at the people walking along. Some would even wave. Of course I proudly waved back-wondering who they were; wondering where they were going; wondering if they liked my big, shiny train.

My grandmother and I were served breakfast in our seats. I felt like royalty, sitting there eating my cereal and toast in my window seat to the world.

We had a wonderful time visiting our relatives. And thanks to the anticipation of a train ride home while sitting in a window seat, it wasn't quite as hard saying goodbye.

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