Going Home

It doesn't matter how exciting the trip has been or how the scenes and people you visit tug at your heartstrings - there's nothing like going home.

It was Wednesday night and I'd been riding the eastbound train since I boarded at Jasper on Monday at noon.

Although the scenery had been breathtaking all the way along the line, a winter wonderland, especially from Jasper to Edmonton, I was restless. I was looking forward to getting off the train and seeing Jeff waiting there for me.

The smoking room cut off for supper at 5:00. I knew I had three hours to fill before we arrived in Toronto.

I took in the last of the daylight, watched the sun set on a small lake somewhere after Washago, Ontario, and then settled down with my book.

Of all the soft-covered books I'd taken with me, I'd read almost nothing. Still "Life With Woodpecker" was amusing, so I determined to keep turning the pages and see what I could get under my belt before the trip was over.

I smartly turned the foot stool up on one side of my seat, and lay down, using the extended portion as a place to curl my legs, put my specs on the end of my nose and read through a good two chapters.

By now I was a somewhat seasoned (at least lightly salted) train traveller and I was finding it a lot easier to sleep in my seat in the economy coach.

I felt myself dozing off, so I put my glasses away, pulled my cape over my head and dozed off.

I woke around 7:00 p.m. and looked out the window to see a lot of city-like lights. I looked across the aisle at the senior couple who were catching a train to Aldershot when we got to Union Station and they were both smiling. They knew how anxious I was to get home and could see my face light up when I saw a sign that said Thornhill.

We're getting into Toronto early, they told me. While I'd been sleeping the attendant had come down the aisle to announce same.

Soon people who had never been to Toronto before were getting up to look out the window for their first glimpse of the CN Tower.

I felt so proud of my city right then.

When the attendant announced we could get off, I was beaming with pleasure. Passing my bags down to the conductors at the foot of the steps, I very carefully lifted my long skirt and stepped down from the train.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic