The Hundred Year Train Ride

So far, this trip was a total bust. Not only had the excursions been boring, they didn’t even come close to the promises of the brochure my parents had given me. Then again, my expectations were always above what I got.

“Hey, Virginia, aren’t you going with us on the train?” The tour guide stood beside me, a slight frown creasing his forehead.

“Tell me what I’ll see beyond rocks, a big hole and sky.”

Sid let out one of his I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-you sighs. “You might want to try…oh, never mind.”

He must have seen I wasn’t receptive to anything he might say. In my life, for now, there was nothing to enjoy, be it big or little. The only reason I was here was because my father insisted I come with them on this tour. That was a week ago. Everything went fine for two days. On the third day, my parents decided to do a ‘honeymoon’ excursion, leaving me in the middle of nowhere to put up with a bunch of nosey old farts who treated me like a petulant child. I had a very good reason for my behavior but I wasn’t sharing it, at least with them. I didn’t need their pity.

With a military about-face, Sid stalked off, the rest of the tour group following him. With nothing better to do, I tagged along, taking a seat at the top of the stands to watch the funny wild-west show. I actually laughed at the lame jokes, enjoying their clumsy acting.  From what they said, the outlaws planned on robbing the train this afternoon. I could handle that. A different experience.

When the show ended, I followed the group onto the train, sitting by myself in a corner seat. Within minutes I was asleep. The nightly nightmares I’d had for the past month had kept me awake after three AM. A nap on the trip there might make me see things differently.

*****

A tap on my shoulder brought me awake from a deep sleep. “Miss, the train has arrived at the Grand Canyon. You might want to go and see it.”

Blinking, I looked around me. The railroad car seats were leather, not plastic. The man’s uniform was different. I started to move. Then stopped. Why was I dressed in a long skirt and a blouse with long puffy sleeves? I reached up. My hair was arranged in a odd style. On the seat beside me was a wide-brimmed hat, apparently mine.

“Sorry. We’re at the Grand Canyon?”

“Yes ma’am. You slept all the way here.”

I stood and smoothed the skirt before flopping the hat on my head, not really caring how it looked. “I guess none of the group wanted to wake me.”

The man frowned. “But you weren’t with anyone. You said you were doing a grand tour of the sights of the west and no one wanted to come with you.”

“Oh dear. I must have slept sounder than I thought. Forgive my nonsense. So how do I get to this wonderful canyon?” I hoped my explanation covered my confusion, while avoiding my normal speech pattern and trying to match his

“Right this way, miss.” He led the way to the steps off the train. A man helped me down before pointing to a path where the last of the people from the excursion train were disappearing.

“Thank you,” I said, not sure what was happening. How in the world did I get dressed in this uncomfortable costume? How had all the others gotten into the same type of clothes? I glanced at the train and frowned. The engine belching black smoke and steam wasn’t the diesel one from this morning.

I knew where I was, but in what year? From the style of clothes, I was now in the early 1900s. How did I get here? Nothing like going to sleep in one century and waking up in another.

Okay, I could play along with whatever was happening. Taking unladylike strides, I started up the steep path to the Grand Canyon. I made it to the top to see the stragglers from the train not far ahead. Too bad I didn’t have my camera. This would be a perfect picture. Everything was new, clean and pretty. While most of the people turned into the hotel for lunch, I decided to see what I could without a lot of people around.

Slowing to a stroll, I followed the path going to the right along the edge of the canyon, enjoying the exercise. I found a place about twenty minutes away where I could sit and watch these huge birds flying around.

A man’s voice startled me when he said, “Mind if I join you?”

“Since we haven’t been introduced, I don’t believe that would be proper.” I was hoping I was right, since I wasn’t sure I wanted a man I didn’t know sitting with me on a mile-high perch.

His merry laughter had me peering up at him. The man was dressed in an early 1900’s three-piece suit. From what I could remember of the general time period, men and women needed a proper introduction. Or did they?

I had to be the talk of the train. From my history class, ladies traveled with a chaperone and I didn’t have one. Did that mean I was a person of low character?

“My dear, a proper lady would never travel without a companion. Without one, a proper introduction can’t happen.”

“In that case, I might as well give everyone something more to talk about.” I patted the rock beside me. “Have a seat. The view is impressive.”

I studied the handsome man as he settled beside me. He was somewhere around my age, but was mature, unlike the men of my era who refused to grow up. At twenty-two, I would have been an old maid in the early 1900s. Somehow, I had gone to sleep in 2005 and woke up somewhere around 1905.

The suit was a dark gray with a pristine white shirt, striped tie, vest and patent leather shoes. He had a cane, but I was sure it was for show. The suit was like that of the men I had seen entering the hotel.

“My name is Reginald Harrington. I live in Boston. I decided to have some adventures before marrying, having a family and being tied to the family business.”

“I’m Virginia…uh…Dockerty.” The maiden name of the great-great-great-grandmother I had been named after came to me. I left it like that. What more could I say? Virginia Harrington of Tampa, Florida didn’t exist in 1905.  

“Where is your family?” The voice held concern along with interest.

“I’m alone. My parents died in an accident. This is my push against customs that tell me I’m only allowed to sit around and be decorative. I’m positive I’ve ruined all my chances of making a suitable match by now. I’d rather make tongues wag than be stuffed in a house bored stiff with a husband who doesn’t want me.”

“From that I’m assuming you are planning on putting off marriage until the last possible second.”

“Of course. The man would need to put up with me breaking all the rules of polite society.” I was being honest. There was no way I was going to be stuck in a marriage in the early 1900s with a man who only wanted my great-great-great-great-grandparent’s fortune. My father named me after the woman his great-great-grandfather had fallen in love with while on a trip through the west. Virginia was known for flouting the societal rules of the time.

Reginald Harrington. The name clicked. I was talking to one of my ancestors. A picture I had seen of him and her popped onto the screen of my memory. The real person was much better looking and fascinating. I had to wonder if the Virginia of this era was now dealing with my life in 2005. If so, she had no idea of what was happening and had no reference point like me. I had some history to give me some idea of what to do while she didn’t.

“So where do you live?” he asked.

Avoiding looking at the grey eyes studying me, my mind sifted through the family history, attempting to remember where Virginia had lived. The address popped up with a mental picture of her and Reginald being photographed on the porch of the house Virginia had inherited.

“Providence, Rhode Island.”

“That isn’t so far from Boston by motor car.”

Being honest, I said, “I’m not sure when I plan on returning there, if ever.”

“Then how will I find you, if you don’t return home.”

“Mr. Harrington, you would become an immediate outcast of polite society if you were connected to me in any way.”

“As if I’m not already the subject of multiple scandals.”

Why couldn’t this be 2005 and he be in my real world? He had a good sense of humor, was decent looking, and he wasn’t put off by my not being the normal female of the era. Those were all pluses in my book.

“What do you do when not traveling?’ I asked, needing to get more information on this man who was being scandalous by sitting and talking to me.

“I will become a gas station owner. My father owns several and is opening two more this year. According to him, gas powered motorcars are the future and he said they will need places to get fuel. One of the new stations will be in Providence. My father is giving me until I turn twenty-five to settle down and help him in the business.”

“My father owned a shipyard, but he was diversifying into other areas. I talked him into opening a Ford dealership in Providence. It’s been doing quite well.”

“Franklin Dockerty. Is he your father?”

“Was. He and mama died in a boating accident.”

“I’m so sorry. He was a wonderful man and very proud of his independent daughter who was given ownership of the car dealership.”

It was no surprise he knew Franklin who went to Boston frequently. “Thank you. He was as excited as me when I added motorbikes to the dealership. I bought one, liking the sense of freedom it gives me. Daddy had to take it for a test run to make sure it wouldn’t be too much for me to handle. Mama was horrified when he bought one for himself so he could ride with me.”

“When was the accident?”

“What month is this?” I asked, not sure if the months had changed with the year.

“September.”

“May. I couldn’t stay in the house and dwell on them being gone. My uncle agreed that I didn’t need to sit around and cry. He encouraged me to live a few dreams, promising to take care of things until I returned.”

“When are you going back?”

“I’m not sure,” I repeated.

“Virginia, you are this wonderful lady who isn’t afraid of being who you want to be. I’d like to get to know you better, but to do that, I need to be able to locate you.”

“You would lose your place in polite society with me hanging around.”

“As if I really care. I’m already considered a rake and bounder for not stepping up and taking over the business. Then to leave and travel the west rather than going to Europe. You should have heard my father’s friends.”

I had to giggle. He had just shown me why my namesake had married him. Like her, he didn’t give two hoots about what anyone thought. My dad had said they were notorious rebels in flouting the conventions of the time.

“In that case, I guess I should go home when I’ve seen all I want of the west.”

“What else do you want to see?”

“There are these mountains up north on the Canadian border that are a must see. Then there are the hot springs I heard about that spout water into the air. I also heard about this city built into the cliffs in this valley to the northeast of here.”

“Ambitious itinerary.”

“I’ll not get a chance to see these places if I don’t do it now.”

“Would you mind having a male traveling companion?”

“And set tongues wagging?” He and I both laughed.  “As long as you promise to be a total gentleman, I’d like that.” I grinned up at him, totally aware that I knew nothing about him other than he was my father’s great-great grandfather.

“I can promise that.” He pulled out a pocket watch to check the time. I lifted the watch from his hand. This was the one my father used for special occasions. The old watch still ran and kept perfect time in 2005. Reginald took it back from me, closed it, slipping it back in his vest pocket. “If you want to eat, we need to return to the hotel. The train will be leaving in ninety minutes.”

He stepped up onto the path before helping me up from my seat. I wished I really was Virginia Dockerty. Reginald was the type of man who got my attention. But in 2005, I couldn’t seem to hold a man’s affections. My bad mood this morning was due to having been dumped by my fiancé who decided his assistant at work was more his style. Today was supposed to have been my wedding day.

We ignored the whispers and shocked expressions on the faces of the people from the train who noticed us. My fame as a strumpet was gaining a good foothold with Reginald by my side. We opted for a half a sandwich and some hot tea for our lunch. As we ate, Reginald told me about a few more places we should stop and see before returning home.

He got my attention when he said, “We can go to California by train and see it later. I believe spending the time to see those places that are more difficult to get to is a great idea. Like you said, if you don’t see them now, you might never get to do so. Traveling with children to out of the way places can get quite difficult.”

What? Children? California? Did I miss something?

My face must have shown what I was thinking. He grinned, took a sip of his tea before saying. “I do plan on marrying you, Miss Dockerty. I can’t ruin your chances of marriage by traveling with you without a plan to make sure your reputation is recovered. Besides, I’ll never find another upstanding woman who will join me in flouting the snobs while doing what we want.”

“But you know nothing about me?” It was the truth. Of course, I really didn’t know anything about Virginia Dockerty either.

“I know enough to want to spend as much time as I can with you, hoping I can convince you to stay with me and not take off, leaving me behind.”

“Attention all who are leaving on the train. You have twenty minutes until the train leaves.”

We finished the rest of our meal and returned to the waiting train. Reginald talked to the conductor and had me upgraded to the first-class car with him. We sat on a comfortable sofa. Without even considering what it would look like. I curled into him and closed my eyes. The fresh air, exercise, food, and hot tea had left me sleepy. The soft kiss on my forehead made me smile before I drifted into sleep. His whispered, “I’ll love you to the end of time, Virginia,” made me hope I woke up next to him.

*****

“Hey, Virginia, wakeup. We’re about to be robbed.” The voice sounded like Reginald’s.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Instead of the skirt and blouse, I was dressed in my jeans, tee-shirt and hiking boots. Disappointment crashed my good mood. The man beside me wasn’t the 1905 Reginald.

“Sorry. I guess all the activity tired me out.”

“Not a big deal. Holding a pretty girl while she sleeps is high on the list of things I don’t mind doing.”

A man’s voice announced, “This is a train robbery.” Two of the cowboys from the show started down the aisle, taking cash from the tourists. I pulled out a five, taking only seconds to nimbly fold it into an alligator. I held it on the palm of my hand. When the cowboy reached for it, I warned with a grin, “Be careful he doesn’t bite you.”

“Will do ma’am,’ he said with a wink, carefully putting the origami into his coat pocket.

“That was pretty neat. Where did you learn to do that?”

“Japan. My father worked there for five years. It’s fun to do and most people enjoy the animals and flowers I make.”

“Hey, Reg, you coming to the bar tonight?” a young man opposite us asked, watching the man who hadn’t taken his arm from around my shoulders.

“It depends on Virginia and what she wants to do.”

The other man shook his head. “Figures. We go on a guys only trip and you find the prettiest girl who isn’t married and traveling alone.”

“Serendipity,” Reg replied, smiling down at me. He leaned over and whispered, “I promised I’d find you again.”

Moving out of his arms, I twisted to study his face. The merry gray eyes I stared into were those of Reginald Harrington, the man who said he was going to marry me in 1905.

Understanding crashed into me. The photograph my father gave me before leaving now made sense.

I breathlessly whispered the promise from Reginald and Virginia’s tombstone.

“I’ll find you in a hundred years, and we’ll do it all again.”

His wink and merry grin said it all.