Train sightings

The baby boomer couple across from me reading. He - an old copy of Catch 22. She - a brand new copy of Kerouac's On the Road. Appropriate I guess.

There were ladies on their way to lunch in San Luis Obispo with bloody mary's and national enquirers in hand.

Drawbridge, California -- town given back to the wetlands. On the train you pass through the old abandoned buildings sinking into the wetlands.

Young Asian man I shared a window seat with in the club car for a bit. When I asked if I could join him I was just thinking that it was the last seat facing what would become the ocean in a few stops. After I settled in I noticed the collection of food wrappers (wings, turkey sandwich) and the neatly lined up bottles of heinekin. First two empty and one half full. A little later he asked me to save his seat and returned with another heinekin and two bottles of water. You know, what we affectionately call the pace car.

The conductor was full of interesting tidbits and terrible jokes. I was mildly amused that he had to read a warning about consuming alcohol responsibly at 9 am. Go ahead and drink as long as you buy it from us, and "remember bud does not make you wiser," he admonished to lighten the mood, I think. I thought well this might be appropriate in two senses. Then I watched as one woman walked back and forth from the club car with half bottle after half bottle of wine. One time a young man was leading her, she said, "I think I took a wrong turn.". Fantastic seeing as if you turn on the train you would end up outside. At the very end of the train ride, she was filling in for the conductor, showing us the way to disembark and telling us to watch our steps. And laughing!! She had a great time on the train.

I'll stop there as the racist and bourgeois comments about my hometown nearly got me out of my seat. Some things never change.

Location:N Rose Ave,Oxnard,United States