The Mighty Redwood

Douglas had been downsized. He was informed during the company morning meeting. He had one last chance to turn it around before he would be reassigned. Reassignment at his age was never good. He has to hit his target sales goal in California.

The company will be paying for his travel expense. Douglas was excited it has been months since he had been on an all expense paid trip. He was equally excited about flying first class. Douglas thanked them for the opportunity and asked what time his flight left. Joe Conley the CEO took great pleasure in telling Douglas that he will be traveling by train.

The train hurl down the track exceeding speeds of 80 miles per hours at one point. It is a rustic passenger train with a dining and sleeping area for weary travelers, often on their next big business venture.

The train while well maintained has begun to show signs of wear and tear. Compared to the newer models the train is wrought and small in size.

At full capacity the roaring dust of freight holds a maximal of 120 passengers ad 15 crew members. Today, the train is at full capacity. Douglas Mortimere McGhee is on the train heading to San Francisco. His sales has been way down and as part of his "punishment" his usual means of traveling onboard of a Delta Boeing 747 in first class has been suspended. Low number means low traveling mode.

It was Douglas who had coined the saying; once at the top of his game, head of the food chain. But, in recent months he hasn't come any where close to hitting his previous numbers.

Hence, him sitting on a crowded train with barely enough room to raise his hands to wipe the sweat piping down his forehead.

Douglas motion to one of the attendants and inquire about the heat. The man's tells him that the Eldorado Express drew the short end of the stick this morning and that they are traveling without air conditioner until they reach their destination in San Francisco.

Douglas is a married older middle age gentleman with two children in college and his youngest a senior in high school. By all accounts Douglas is a good and patient man, but the heat in the train and his inability to move about freely is certainly testing him today.

Douglas had hoped for the window seat at least that way he could look out the window and commune with nature. But, he was late arriving at the station and the only available seat was a cramped aisle seat.

Douglas clears his throat and ask the man sitting next to him, "Excuse me sir, do you mind letting the shade up so that I can look out the window?" The man ignored Douglas. He never looked up from his newspaper. Douglas thought, maybe he did not hear me. So he clears his throat again and says, "Excuse me sir, do you mind letting the shade up so that I can look out of the window?"

The man rubs the tip of hus fingers together and without looking up from hus newspapet or looking at Douglas harshly replies, "The sun light upsets my migraines." Without any further dialogue the man returned back to reading his paper.

Douglas tried closing his eyes and imagining all of the beautiful trees and flowers, but the heated cramped train would not allow him to focus.

He summoned the attendants again and asked him when will be their next stop. The attendant tells him that he is on an express train and that they will not stop until they reach San Francisco in about another three hours.

Douglas was heart broken he was not use to such accommodations. The attendant came back with a drink that Douglas had not order. He smiles politely at Douglas hands him the drink and says on the house. Douglas thanks the man profusely he was hoping that the drink will do the trick and allow him to relax.

The man sitting next to him looks up frim his paper and immediately ask the attendant for a drink on "the house" too. The attendant apologize to the man informing him that he is unable to honor his request, but he will be glad to put in a order with the wait staff for him.

The man is furious and rants on and on about being mistreated and getting the attendant fired. The man does not allow the attendant to offer up and explanation.

Douglas says, that he would like to order a turkey sandwich on rye bread with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and a pickle.

The attendant ask the man sitting next to Douglas if he should put his order in. The man does not respond and the attendant leaves to put Douglas order in.

There is now some friction between Douglas and the man. He pulls the shade down further and lean over on Douglas console when Douglas ask him to move he does so, but with an air of pretense. The attendant returns with Douglas sandwich. Douglas pays the bill for the sandwich and thanks the attendant.

The man looks at Douglas sandwich and decides that he would like one too. He asked the attendant to put in an order for him for a turkey sandwich. The attendant sincerely apologized to the man informing him that the kitchen is temporarily closed as they prepare for tonight's dinner.

The man is outraged. He jumps out of his seat and pushes pass both Douglas and the attendant and retire to his room. Douglas wished he had a room, but his company did not include one for him.

Douglas waited for ten minutes when he was certain that the man was not going to return he eased into the window seat and raised the shade high as it would go.

Just as the train was rounding Big Sur, Douglas caught a most wonderful sight. He saw the tallest redwood trees and imagined himself in the midst of them dancing and singing. The further the train traveled the more illustrious the trees where. Some where so tall that Douglas could not see the top of them.

He sighed to himself, seeing the redwood trees made everything better. Suddenly, he was not hot or agitated instead he felt empowered sitting in the rustic crowded train looking out of the window at the beautiful and mighty redwood trees.