Lately it seems that I am always hearing a train go by. It used to only happen when I would go outside at work so I could make a call on my cell phone…then, of course, the train (which runs directly behind the building) would choose THAT moment to go by tooting its whistle. (Well, that happens, or the lawn care guys start up their lawnmowevers, one or the other, whenever I begin ringing someone on my cell phone.) But anyway, lately it seems every time I step outside I’m hearing a train somewhere. It might have something to do with the summer-like atmosphere.
This morning after dropping Russ at work, I saw the “arms” coming down over the railroad tracks, and though I could have easily taken a right down a side street and avoided the whole “waiting for the mile long train to go by” experience, I decided that since I had the time, and I had the new CD of Glee music, I would sit and wait it out. And as I sat, I counted the cars. Every last one of them. And can you guess how many there were?
122.
I kid you not. 122, and it took two and a half Glee songs for all those cars to go by, probably six or seven minutes, maybe even eight. But as I said, I didn’t mind, since it wasn’t making me late, and I had good music to listen to. But I was just amazed by how many cars there are actually are on one of those “mile long” trains.
Trains seem to be a constant presence here, a part of the landscape, and sound-scape. To me, it’s part of what makes Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa. It just wouldn’t feel like home without them.
