Train to Chicago

It was 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 26, 2019, when Austin Green boarded the Amtrak train from Milwaukee to Chicago. Austin was going home to see his parents for the Thanksgiving holidays. It had been over a year since he had seen them in person. He had talked on the telephone with him about every other weekend. Austin was a senior at Milwaukee University as a Fine Arts major. The train ride to Chicago was pack to capacity that morning. As he boarded to train he found a window seat midways the train. Austin put his larger baggage in the overhead rack and his backpack with all his personal belongings underneath his seat. He kept his ticket inside his jacket pocket to show it to the train conductor. He sat looking out the window as people were still boarding the train. A lady with a feisty little girl in hand got onto the train. The little girl had an Anna doll clenched tightly to her chest and waving to all the passengers. An old woman and her husband sat together in seats in front of Austin. The lady was arguing with her husband about whether he took his blood pressure medicine that morning before they left. When everyone was on the train the doors closed shut. People began to talk loudly as the conductor walked through the aisles asking people for their tickets. A chubby man with glasses and a dark suit sat next to Austin.

"How are you doing?" said the man

"I do fine sir," said Austin

The man took out some papers from his briefcase and began reading them. The train began to move out of the station. Austin went underneath his seat to get his backpack. He unzipped it and pulled out a book and a snickers candy bar. Austin loved books written by James Patterson. He had just purchased the novel The Inn. Before he could start reading his book a waitress came by with some snacks for the passengers. Austin got ginger ale and a bag of chips. Two men began to argue about a football game. They were arguing so loud that the conductor had to come in and make them stop. One of the men refuse to listen and at the next stop, he was put off the train. Austin couldn't wait to get home to taste his mother's home-cooked meals. Thanksgiving was always a big deal at his house. His mom Lily, grandmother Rita, and his Aunts Shirley and Rebecca made it a habit to start cooking at 6:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving day. The men stayed in the living room watching football games. That year the Chicago Bears played the Detroit Lions and won twenty to twenty in the final game. After the game was over, the Thanksgiving meal was ready. Grandma Rita would call us all to the table as she led the festive meal in prayer. Austin's dad would cut the turkey and they sat at the dinner table and feasted. The sun was setting over the horizon as Austin looked out the window of the train. He began to fall asleep but was suddenly awakened by the man who sat near him dropping his coffee mug.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake ya," said the man.

Austin nodded and smiled and fell asleep again. It was early in the morning around 5:30 a.m. when Austin awaken from his nap. People begin to rustle through the train. The old man near him was fast asleep snoring like a buzz saw. The dining room area of the train opened up at 6:30 a.m. serving breakfast. Austin got up from his seat and without waking the old man slid out of the seat near him. He found a seat in the dining car and picked up one of the menus from the table. A woman walked over to see if he was ready to order.

"Have decided what you want yet sir?" asked the Woman

"Yes," said Austin. "Bacon, eggs over easy, toast and orange juice please."

"Coming right up," she said.

The waitress brought Austin his food and he began to eat. Other passengers began to come in and began to order their breakfast. After Austin finished eating, he went back to his seat the man next to him was still fast asleep. Austin picked up his book and began finishing the rest of his chapter. He got a text message from his mom on his telephone. Telling him that she and his dad would be meeting him at the Chicago train station around 1:00 p.m. Austin saw one of his friends from high school on the train. The young man must have boarded late and Austin didn't see him earlier. The ride that morning was much quieter than the hustle and bustle on yesterday. Austin put his book back into his backpack and walked over to where his friend was seated.

"Hello David," said Austin. "Long time no see huh?"

"Hello Austin'" said David. "Going home to see the folks."

The two young men sat and talked about old times and catching up on what the other has been doing since high school. They exchanged numbers to stay in touch with one another and said their goodbyes. Austin knew when the train reached its final destination they wouldn't be able to talk again because of the large crowd leaving the train. Austin went back to his seat at the window. The old man sitting next to him had gone to the dining car area for breakfast. The view out the window from his seat was breathtaking. Autumn in all her splendor showed brilliantly as the maple trees put on a show of their vibrant colors of red and golden yellow. The grass surrounds them as the shiny color of emerald green. The cloudless clear blue sky made the sight even more spectacular like a perfect picture frame hanging on a wall. The train began to slow and stop at the Chicago train station. Austin reaches up from the overhead rack and gets his large duffle bag. He puts his backpack on his back and precedes to stand and wait until the other passengers go by before he can leave the train. When he reaches the bottom step there was his dad waiting to help him with his bags. His mom rushes over to him and hugs and kisses him on the cheek. Austin waves goodbye to the old man who sat next to him on the train as he gets into a taxi. Austin's dad put his bags inside the trunk of the car as they left the train station for home.