The Longest Train Ride

You look around the house again, scanning to make sure there is nothing you have forgotten. Shrugging on your jacket, you button it up before opening the door to a sunny but slightly cool day outside. Suitcase in hand, you head to the station. 

The train leaves in 20 minutes which gives you plenty of time to walk the four blocks between you and the beginning of a great adventure. The trip to Virginia will take close to a day, arriving in town sometime early tomorrow. Then you will be with him, the sweet thought of him causes you to smile involuntarily. This will be a new beginning for you both. He will take you as his wife, to love forever. Together you will buy that adorable cottage you found on your last trip into town. The thought of time spent by the fire reading and talking well into the night warms your heart. You will be married and finally able to share your lives together. 

Several minutes later you step onto the train carrying your luggage with you. You were fortunate enough to save enough money to get a sleeper cabin which will allow a quiet peaceful trip with lots of room to stretch out. The conductor comes by calling for tickets and you hand him yours. He punches it for you and directs you to car number two where your cabin is located. He also tells you that dinner will be served promptly at 6:00 in car number three. You thank him and head to your cabin. 

Once inside, you put your luggage away under the bunk and place your carry-on bag on the small settee adjacent from it. The pillow on the bed seems soft enough and the blanket warm enough. Sleep shouldn’t be a problem tonight. You pull out the lemonade and cookies you packed for the trip, take a seat and relax for a moment. It doesn’t take long before you hear the whistle and feel the tug as the train begins to slowly depart from the station. After some time of listening to the rumble of the tracks beneath you, your stomach begins to grumble. Looking at the pocket watch your beloved dad had given you before he passed, you take note that it is still three hours until dinner. You begin to eat the cookies and sip the lemonade, relaxing and watching the beautiful countryside race by the window.

As you daydream of what’s ahead, the prospect of being at your new home, thinking of how you will decorate it and make it as comfortable as possible for your new husband, of how much he will love the colors of paint you’ll pick out, the excitement begins to build. You will have some of the best, most colorful flower gardens and the envy of the neighborhood. Oh, the parties you’ll go to and the nights of dancing wrapped in his strong arms and he whirls you around the dance floor! He’ll introduce you as his beautiful wife and people will marvel at how in love the two of you are. 

He has been everything you ever thought possible, kind and generous, loving and eager to marry and provide for you, every bit the gentleman. A smile crosses your face again. To distract yourself, you pull out a book and decide to read for a while until dinner. 

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You make your way through the rest of car two and into the gangway leading to car three. Delicious smells waft toward you as you enter the door, the clang of silverware and light conversations envelope you. A waiter greets you and offers his arm as he seats you at a table. Another waiter brings you a glass of water and explains the specials. 

“Good evening, ma’am. I hope you are enjoying your trip.” You smile in agreement. “Tonight we are offering broiled mutton chops with a side of savory potatoes or breaded veal cutlets with a side of summer squash. Which would satisfy your palate this evening?”

“I believe the veal and squash would be delightful.” 

“Yes, ma’am. I will have the food sent right out to you.”

“Thank you, sir.” With a slight bow he leaves you to sip your water. The scene outside the train window will soon grow darker, the sun will be setting in about thirty minutes or so. You look forward to seeing the wide array of beautiful colors as they streak across the sky, painting the world into the night. 

With the delicious dinner filling you up, you make your way back to your cabin, deciding to relax and write in your journal, hoping the train doesn’t jostle too much. 

Nestling into your bunk, you turn yourself so you can still see the last lingering rays of sunlight out the window and you begin to write. You describe the train in all its loveliness, from the lush velvet seat covers to the rich red of the carpet. The wooden trim around the doors and windows give it a stately feel. The lanterns lining the walls are intricately carved with beautiful glass covers. Whoever built this train spared no expense! 

Feeling sleep threatening to overtake you, you tuck your journal back into your bag, turn off the light and slowly drift off.. 

You’re awoken with a sudden jolt. Looking out your window, you see that it is daylight. The train is stopped and you see the edge of the station platform just outside your window. That doesn’t make sense. How could you have arrived at the station already. Did you sleep that long? Jumping up, you frantically dress. Suitcase in hand, you head out to the station.

As you step out into the car you barely take notice that it is empty already. “People move quickly here!” you think to yourself. You push the door open and step down to the platform. 

It is empty too.

You look around, confused. Even the ticket windows are gated shut. You slowly make your way through the station to the doors leading to the pick up area. There are surely people there. Could the others have gotten off at a different station during the night? You shake your head at the thought that you could have been sleeping so hard you wouldn’t have noticed an entire stop. 

You push the doors open and step out into the sunlight. And gasp! 

The scene before you is completely unfamiliar. There are automobiles everywhere, but not ones like at home. Some are loud, some are very shiny. All of them are shaped oddly. And they were moving so fast! Music blares out of the open windows as one speeds past you. You catch a glimpse of the man driving it and are surprised to see he has a ponytail! A woman walks by in a shirt that’s showing her bare shoulder. Stacked halfway up her arm are thick, plastic bracelets in bright colors. Her nails are very long and painted a startling bright pink. 

People glance your way but not even one says hello. 

What is going on? This is not the town you had visited so many times before. Where are the beautiful gardens that you had strolled with him and had lovely picnics that had been across the street? The lovely pink dogwood trees that would cause a snow storm of petals whenever the breeze kicked up were gone too! 

You scan the large expanse of ground that seems to be covered in concrete, filled with these strange automobiles, and wonder what is going on. Did you get off at the wrong station? You spot a police officer across the walkway. Maybe he could help! Racing across the concrete, you reach him just before he turns to walk away. . 

Finally, catching your breath you say, “Officer, please help me! I seem to be lost. I just came into town on the train, but I must have missed a stop somewhere along the way. I’m trying to reach my fiance in Roanoke, Virginia. I must get there as quickly as possible. He will be so worried.” 

“Did you just say you came off the train?”

“Yes, yes I did. I took it from Savannah, Georgia yesterday to meet up with my fiance. We are getting married and moving into our cottage this week.”

“Well, ma’am this is Roanoke, Virginia. But I’m very sorry, you couldn’t have taken that train here.”

“What? Yes, I did. I just got off of it a few moments ago.” 

You look around bewildered. This is Roanoke? It can’t be. You were just here three months ago. It looked nothing like this whatsoever.

“Ma’am, I’m afraid you are confused. That train was just restored and isn’t open to the public yet.”

“Huh?”

“Yes, the restoration was finished just yesterday. The commuter train hasn’t run through here in, well, almost 40 years now….”