When I was a little girl we had a train track behind our home. Our backyard was spacious, quiet and private, except for the occasional freight train that thundered by on route to who knows where. I loved having a train in my back yard. We would swing on the swing while trying to count the number of train cars and then walk the tracks to see what we could find along the long desolate path. Mom told us to never walk on the tracks because trains could "sneak up" on us if we weren't paying attention. I thought this was an old wives' tale and did it anyway...until one day it happened. I'll never forget the chill of hearing the engine's horn and turning around to see that huge monster hot on our heels!
Jimmy knows I don't like to piddle around train tracks. We did a photo shoot on the tracks once before, but I was too tense for either of us to enjoy it. During the Labor Day holiday, however, he wanted to try it again. With two tripods, Dani, and Ecclesiastes in tow, I teetered on the rails and tried to have fun for the camera, while checking each direction every 20 seconds or so.
Then it happened. Moments after these pictures were taken I did my bi-directional safety check and low behold rounding the bend was a humongous train. Over its blaring horn I yelled, "There's a train! Get off the traaacks!" Frantically we ripped the tripods, child, and dog off the tracks and huddled together in a ball just 10 feet from the train as the wind current blew us to bits. Ecclesiastes was scared to death, so I covered his ears while Jimmy held him still. Needless to say we survived, but I will never be talked into piddling on railroad tracks again.
It's good to be alive!
