Guest Writer - Trains - Steph

From Stephanie Beach, writer of The Great Abyss:

Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Part II
Love Train

I have taken several train rides in my life, but the one I remember the best is the one I took to see Dave in the summer of 2004.

That was the first summer we were separated. After our first year of university we both went to our respective hometowns which were 4 hours (driving) apart. It was a very difficult summer and despite the phone calls, emails and care packages we sent each other it was very hard to get through it without him. We visited each other a couple times during those 4 months, he drove down to see me once and I took the train from Brockville to Cobourg to see him.

My dad drove me to the station after my mom bought me my ticket using her Sears card (she was afraid to use any other credit card online). As I hadn’t been on a train since I was very little, I wasn’t entirely sure how to go about things. I stepped on board and went to what I thought was my seat. Turns out it was the right seat number but it was in the wrong section of the train. Luckily though, it didn’t seem to matter. I hadn’t wanted to let go of my bag so instead of putting in the baggage area up front, I sat with it in my lap the entire ride. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you how long that ride actually was as I was nervous about missing my stop and seeing Dave. Eventually we pulled into Cobourg. I stepped off the train and saw Dave and I was so happy.

Those are good memories.