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    The Train Station
    The Train Station
    The Train Station
    Ebook216 pages3 hours

    The Train Station

    By Sandy Grissom

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    About this ebook

    The Train Station is a series of vignettes about a couple who own a travel agency and a father and son who guard an unseen by most train station. The train delivers certain people into the past to a destiny their present life cannot match. It is as if an unfulfilled need in the past reaches out to find someone in the present who can meet that need. The unrest causes a person to seek out the travel agency. They are then sent to the train who takes them to meet the need in the past that would otherwise be left vacant.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSandy Grissom
    Release dateDec 29, 2017
    ISBN9781370382552
    The Train Station
    Author

    Sandy Grissom

    Sandy Grissom has loved books all her life. That love began by listening to her older sister read when she was still too young to discover the magic for herself. She's read everything from history to the phone book but her favorite authors are James Michener, Agatha Christie and the mystic William Blake. Over the years, romantic novels became a favorite. The top of that list is Pride and Prejudice. When she retired she had too much time on her hands and spent too much money and trips to the library to get books in order to satisfy her restless soul. It was then she began to write herself. As an adult she held a variety of jobs, all of them grist for her imaginative mind. The occupations in Choppy Waters will hopefully inspire someone to fight for their own dreams, to never give up on themselves or on love. A widow, Sandy recently moved to southern Indiana where she lives near the younger of her two beloved sisters.

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      Book preview

      The Train Station - Sandy Grissom

      THE TRAIN STATION

      by

      Sandy Grissom

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

      All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the author.

      This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author

      Smashwords Edition Copyright 2017 by S.K.G. Haag

      Cover image by: Jeremy Segrott under Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike 2.0 Generic License

      I dedicate this book to my sister, Sue, who insisted I put this book out on line. As a writer herself I value her opinion and could do no other than comply with her request. Love you, Sis.

      Chapter One

      Good morning, the farmer said.

      Good morning, John replied.

      John Moore had been awake about an hour. He didn’t get up. He only raised up against the back of the seat. He was shocked to see he slept on the bed of a wagon. He wondered how to make sense of where they were and how they got there. Now a stranger approached but he didn’t know how to ask where they were, much less anything else. The last thing he remembered was going to sleep on the train. They were so tired, he and Gloria. It came on suddenly and they just had to take a nap.

      You folks thinkin’ about filing on this land? It’d be nice to have neighbors.

      Not sure, John answered the stranger.

      Well, you best come on in the house. Don’t look like you have many supplies left after your journey. The missus is fixin’ breakfast. You may as well join us. I’ll tell you about the town while we eat. Maybe that’ll help you make up your mind if this is where you want to settle.

      Gloria woke up then and rubbed her eyes.

      John, she asked looking around, where are we?

      I’m not sure, John replied, puzzled.

      Ma’am, the farmer said, you’re just outside of the town of Autry in Indian Territory. Now don’t be alarmed. The Cherokee have moved off to the west and Fort Smith ain’t that far to the east, no more than fifteen miles, I reckon.

      The man saw the look of fright on the woman’s face and rushed on to reassure her she was safe.

      We hardly ever see Indians around here anymore. They don’t want to be around us any more than…what I mean to say is we don’t understand each other. We want to settle the land and provide homes for our families. The Indians don’t understand that. They claim land can’t be bought or sold. I don’t know how they figure that. Anyway, crawl out of your wagon, you two. I’m sure my missus has breakfast on the table by now.

      The man moved toward the horses that were hitched to the wagon. He took hold of the reins between and once the couple was afoot, he led the team and wagon toward the house.

      It was tiny, only one room but when they got inside, Gloria saw they found ways to section it off, like the blanket that was strung from the ceiling to partition off the ‘bedroom’. She wondered about that since there didn’t seem to be children around. Perhaps they were simply modest people.

      The lady of the house waddled to the table with a platter that smelled out of this world to the hungry couple. She waddled because she was big with child.

      I saw you from the door, she said, and tossed another pan of biscuits on the fire so don’t be shy. There’s plenty to eat.

      There seemed to be. Of course they had no idea how much the couple ate. The platter held slabs of ham, thick and fried brown. The smell caused John’s stomach to growl in anticipation. The platter wasn’t all the lady carried to the table. A plate arrived holding a dozen fried eggs. A bowl came next filled to the brim with cottage cut potatoes. Then a plate of sliced tomatoes. Another bowl followed filled with cream gravy to go with the stack of brown steamy biscuits.

      You must have been cooking all morning, Gloria said in awe.

      Naw, the lady replied with a flush of pleasure on her face. It’s nice to have company, though.

      Y’all must have come from the north, the farmer asked, nosing a bit into their business. Y’all don’t talk like Southerners.

      We come from the city, John replied, New York first but we’ve been living in Missouri near St. Louis for a number of years.

      Well, that explains it. I’m afraid I’ve been remiss in introducing myself to you folks. Name is Adam Easton. This here is my missus, Elva.

      I’m pleased to meet you, John said.

      He stood to take the man’s hand and they shook.

      My wife, Gloria, he added.

      Hmm, the man said, I’m sorry, ma’am, pleased to make your acquaintance. It’s just, well, isn’t that a bit of a sanctimonious name, Gloria.

      John smiled. He wanted to laugh for the man was so serious with the question.

      I can’t help what my parents named me, she replied.

      ’Course not, he agreed.

      How long have you lived here, John asked.

      Came out here in ’59. Was a lot wilder then but it’s settled down some since. That makes it almost three years now. Married my missus last year.

      Gloria smiled at the woman. It looked to her as if they didn’t waste too much time starting a family. That caused Gloria to wonder if they had other family nearby so she asked the lady.

      My folks were headed for Santa Fe. Some people got sick so the wagon master put us off the train. There were five wagons of us and we headed for Fort Smith thinking there’d be a doctor there. ‘Course by the time we got there, no one was sick anymore. Pa guessed it was something we ate that caused the sickness.

      I was in Fort Smith getting supplies, Adam told them with a happy smile. I saw Elva on the street and that was it. I asked her pa if I could marry her and he said it was up to Elva. She was in agreement and we got married the same day I met her. I bought the supplies I went into town for and we headed home.

      My folks and the other four wagons went on to Santa Fe. I got a letter from them just last month, she bragged.

      Her ma tries to write every month but we don’t always get them that way. Sometimes a couple months go by and then we get two or three at the same time, Adam said.

      What about your folks, John asked the man.

      Don’t know. Last time I sent off a letter, I never got an answer. Last I knew they were in Missurah.

      John nodded that he understood though he really didn’t.

      The talk went on friendly like that throughout the meal. John was finally able to let go of his confusion about how they got to this place, for the moment anyway. He quit worrying because he was enjoying the fellowship of the couple so much. They were very friendly and giving. He was shocked when they prayed a blessing thanking God for the food before they ate. But after that it was almost as if he was eating with neighbors back home.

      The hugely pregnant wife poured more coffee for the three of them and then began clearing the table.

      That was a fine breakfast, ma’am, John told her.

      Indeed it was, Gloria replied. I ate too much but it tasted just wonderful and I couldn’t seem to help myself.

      I’m glad you liked it, Elva blushed.

      It was then that Gloria realized she was younger than her husband, probably by ten years or so. It might be she was only seventeen or eighteen to his late twenties. Of course, as a farmer he worked hard so it was possible he only looked older while his wife looked younger. It happened that way sometimes.

      If you’re thinkin’ about staying, I’ll ride into town with you, take you to the land agent’s office. We had a citified fellow from the government come out and plot out the land. Guess they don’t trust us out here to have enough horse sense to do it. Had to send some guy in a suit all the way from Washington. They did allow a local fellow to sign folks up, well after the city fellow ‘trained’ him how to fill out the paperwork.

      Adam said the word trained in such a derogatory manner that John knew he didn’t like city people much, government ones even less. Much like the moonshiners in the south avoided revenuers. Still he was friendly to him and Gloria.

      That was when it struck John. The knowledge must have been coming on all morning but he hadn’t acknowledged it. Now his fear of what must have happened hit him hard. Somehow they slipped through some time warp and were in the past. 1862, he realized. The civil war hadn’t even happened yet. He needed some air for he was getting panicky at the realization.

      I’d best talk this over with my wife, John replied.

      He was shaken but tried to appear he wasn’t. It was obvious to Gloria, though, when he spoke using the farmer’s vernacular.

      Sure, sure, the man said.

      We’ll just step outside for a moment, John told him.

      He didn’t know how he’d tell his wife but he didn’t have to because she spoke first.

      John, he said he came out here in ‘59. That can’t mean 1959. It has to be 1859.

      Yeah, I know. I keep thinking this must be a dream but it isn’t. How could this have happened?

      I don’t know, Gloria replied. My arm is black and blue from pinching it to wake up. But I’m already awake. All I remember is bedding down, now I’m talking like them, I mean lying back on the train seat. Then we wake up here. How is that possible?

      I have no idea but we are here. What do we do?

      I guess we file for some land. Isn’t that what we left home to find.

      Yes but I thought we’d go to the city, work and save money to buy a place.

      Now we don’t have to, Gloria said matter-of-factly. Land is free for the filing.

      We don’t know how to live in this time, John spoke out his fear for the first time.

      I guess we’ll have to learn, Gloria replied. We can ask for help from our new neighbors. Heaven knows I’m going to have to learn how to cook in a fireplace oven. You may as well learn how to farm like the old days.

      Okay, John shook his head. Guess we don’t have a choice anyway. I bet I’m careful what I speak out from now on.

      I’m not complaining, Gloria said, I only wonder how we got here.

      John shrugged for he had no idea either. Maybe they simply got what they wanted.

      He recalled the man at the travel agency asked the couple where they wanted to go. They stood silent for a long moment.

      If I truly had my way, he said, I’d go back in time to the settling of the country. But as it is we’re simply wondering where we might go to get a good deal on some land.

      We just don’t know where that is, Gloria sighed.

      They meant what they said at the time. They simply had no way of knowing the result of what their longing for a simpler life would bring.

      They get there, the train manager asked.

      They did. I sure hope they like it. There’s no way back.

      I was surprised. You don’t usually send someone without talking to them a while first.

      Joe, the travel agent nodded. Then he realized his cohort couldn’t see him across the phone line.

      It was an unusual situation since the time was right. By the way, when does 1770 come around again?

      Let me look. Tuesday about two.

      I have a couple we told all about the negatives of the time. They are determined to go. They say they belong there and that’s that. I hope they mean it.

      Have them here by 12:30. It sometimes takes that long for them to fall asleep.

      Will do. Unless they change their mind by then. If so, I’ll let you know.

      Chapter Two

      That 1100s lady still interested, the station manager, Henry, asked Joe.

      It seems so. She has been reading everything she can find on the era.

      She has another week. After that likely more than a month before we see that time roll around again. Of course it might be too late then.

      It was true. Some trips had a specific window when the travelers needed to go; others didn’t. They didn’t know why. Somehow it dealt with why they were going.

      Does she have a story worked out for why she shows up?

      I’ll ask when I let her know about the time window.

      Joe’s wife, Mary, was the one who called Amy to get an update from her and to give one as well.

      Amy, she asked when she heard ‘hello’.

      I’ve decided to go by Amelia, she replied.

      She recognized Mary’s voice right away. Truth to tell she spent little time with others lately. Mostly she stayed home with her head in one history book after another.

      I like it.

      So do I. It feels more lady like and less casual.

      I called to let you know the next time the train leaves. It’s a week from today. You need to be here at seven in the morning. Joe will take you to the station.

      Can the time and place be specific, Amy asked. I know where I want to go and when. Is that possible?

      Yes, that may change the time you leave a bit but we can work with that. So tell me.

      Well, you know I’ve been reading everything I can find about that era.

      Yes.

      There is a certain gentleman in 1152. He had a bride coming to him from Exeter. Her party was routed and all killed but a lady’s maid. She claimed the lady escaped but she was not believed since the lady never showed up at her future husband’s castle. He never married and no one knows why. Perhaps all his hopes were on that one alliance alone. Though since he probably hadn’t met the woman, the distance she came from being so far away, I wonder why he didn’t choose another. Did she bring a large dowry he needed to defend his keep? I mean he couldn’t have been in love with her.

      It is a puzzle.

      I thought to go there and be that woman. Show up at his castle. I could claim I hid and walked the rest of the way. Do you think I could get away with it? I feel so bad for the man who never married. It might be he will want me.

      What if he doesn’t?

      I’ll still be in the era I want.

      True. One thing you will have to learn, Mary said, is not to use contractions. I don’t believe they spoke with them back then.

      I will have adjustments. I know that but I can claim to be overcome a day or so until I get the hang of the place. I suppose no slang either, she laughed at her use of getting the hang of the place.

      I’ll have Joe check with the station master for latitude and longitude of the castle and the time you need to be at the train.

      I have the location information, the name of the castle and exact date I need to be there.

      She read it off to Mary who wrote it all down.

      He will want to double check. A bit off and you’ll never find your dream man.

      Then please have him double check. By all means. So next Wednesday at seven in the morning.

      "Come early to be sure

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