Trains

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by David Shumate

I am seduced by trains. When one moans in the night like some
dragon gone lame, I rise and put on my grandfather's suit. I pack a
small bag, step out onto the porch, and wait in the darkness. I rest
my broad-brimmed hat on my knee. To a passerby I'm a curious
sight—a solitary man sitting in the night. There's something

unsettling about a traveler who doesn't know where he's headed.
You can't predict his next move. In a week you may receive a
postcard from Haiti. Madagascar. You might turn on your
answering machine and hear his voice amid the tumult of a
Bangkok avenue. All afternoon you feel the weight of the things
you've never done. Don't think about it too much. Everything
starts to sound like a train.

Comments

  1. SilliyakMarch 11, 2009 at 6:53 PM

    My area is close to re establishing train service, freight at first and passenger service in a few years. I can't wait. (but I'll have to!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 11, 2009 at 7:33 PM

    Trains....
    good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 11, 2009 at 9:51 PM

    your blog is very moving.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Don't Feed The PixiesMarch 12, 2009 at 5:27 AM

    Oh i don't know - there's something exciting about not knowing where you're going: just following your nose and seeing where it gets you.

    Then there's Zen Navigation - follow someone who looks like they know where they're going: you won't end up where you intended to, but the results are generally interesting xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownMarch 12, 2009 at 6:46 AM

    "All afternoon you feel the weight of the things
    you've never done. Don't think about it too much. Everything
    starts to sound like a train."

    ...my favorite part. Another moving post.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Viewtiful_JustinMarch 12, 2009 at 7:07 AM

    I haven't been able to express that feeling adequately...ever. And this does just that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Eleonora BaldwinMarch 12, 2009 at 7:08 AM

    Very touching. I love the melancholy wail of distant trains rattling through stations. They pass and momentarily bring movement to luggage and hearts. And then they're gone. Thank you for your writing. Ciao

    ReplyDelete
  8. RudeeMarch 12, 2009 at 8:30 AM

    Over the years, there have been many times I've wanted to gas up the car and keep going. It's not a desire to leave what I have, but more a hankering to find what I haven't yet experienced.

    ReplyDelete

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Hey, thanks for your thoughts and your time:>)

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