Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: PUNCH (08/27/20)
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TITLE: Childhood Memories | Previous Challenge Entry
By John Custer
09/01/20 -
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Dad worked for the railroad in Delaware as a machinist which allowed him to get free passes to ride the train. Excitement overflowed on the day of departure as I went to the station and waited with dad for the train.
The station platform trembled as the noisy train rumbled in and came to a screeching halt with steam flowing from under the car. After the conductor said, “Watch your step,” we ascended the larger than normal steps and entered the car. Since there were no assigned seats, we walked the aisles until we found two seats together. I’ll let you guess who took the window seat.
After everyone boarded, the conductor created his own presence as he stood at the front of the car and thundered as if he was a Metropolitan Opera House baritone, “All abooooooard”. As the train pulled out slowly, he proceeded down the aisle, collected each person’s ticket and punched it. It was no ordinary punch. It punched a design. Each time we got on a different train, it was the same routine.
At the end of the trip, he stood at the end of the car and proclaimed, “Next stop is Wiiiiiil-ming-ton”. It seemed like the conductors must have had a course in pronunciation to roll the words in such a way as to make them sound so unique. I tried to imitate them, but my high-pitched childish voice was no comparison.
When I was in the eleventh grade, dad got a pass for me to ride the train to New York City. I am shocked that he let me go by myself. I thought my parents were strict, but in retrospect, I realize they were not as strict as I was with my kids.
New York is where the dealer was that sold an accordion that I wanted to buy. Like always, I heard the conductor proclaim, “All abooooooard.” Then he proceeded down the aisle and punched everyone’s ticket. Walking through New York was a little scary even then, but I was a confident teenager.
Riding the train was a big part of my childhood experience. However, it didn’t stop when I graduated.
I rode the train to and from college in Missouri. I heard many “All abooooards”. When we stopped at Pittsburgh, Canton, and Indianapolis, it was dark. Around 10 pm they would turn the lights down. People would board and go from car to car, bumping sleeping passengers, trying to find an empty seat in the dimmed light. The conductor would take their ticket and punch it.
Once we stopped at Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri where many soldiers boarded. They were a rowdy bunch. Soon the MP’s went down the aisle and restored order. A few soldiers were removed and had their orders changed, so to speak.
In recent years most of my traveling has been by car or plane. There isn’t any more ticket punching. Airlines now use a “Boarding Pass” which is cancelled by a machine. I wonder what kind of memories my grandchildren will have with no ticket to punch and no conductors thundering the announcements.
Times have changed. My memories haven’t.
Non-fiction
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