One More Jump

Wally, Debi and John-John, dressed in layers to keep out the cold, ran into the small gully of thistle-filled bushes that ran alongside the train tracks leading out of Turbot. A train really didn’t stop there but there was a small platform where a lineman worked. Every once in a while a train would stop to unload some sort of supplies for the town. But, generally, nothing. What would happen, though, is the engineer would slow down and give a wave to Eustace in his little office with the orange light or he’d hit the horn hard if the old man was sleeping. Regardless of what was done, the train slowed down.

The kids growing up in the rather slow town of Turbot had relished this ‘slowing down’ for years. Many of them loved train hopping. That’s why Wally, Debi and John-John were hunkered down in sharp-pointed bushes watching the approaching light on the train slow down. The train came through at 11:42 PM every other night. It was now 11:41 PM and these kids were anxious. The only light around was shining, bright and harsh, from the big halogen over the station. And, the approaching train.

All three were veteran jumpers. John-John, at one time, was known for being able to hop on the second car after the engine. They would ride the train a mile or so and hop off as it slowed down for Ovid. All the kids loved it. It was fun. But, tonight was a little different. Tonight, they had something to prove.

-Here it comes. Debi was peering over the thistles. -About half a minute.

Wally nodded and had a look at John-John. -Are you ready?

-Ready as I’ll ever be. John-John cleared his throat and spit. -I just hope it’s a long haul tonight.

Debi kissed his cheek. In this dark, her pale white skin and raven hair made her look like and oddball angel. -It will be, babe.

But, John-John didn’t notice the kiss. He was raising up his crutches, primed to move.

The train had slowed down. No horn tonight. Good, that always made it easier.

The trio tensed up. The train began to glide past.

John-John’s eyes welled up tears and his face cracked a smile when he saw extra cars at the end.

-Let’s go. Wally whispered loud over the clack and click of the train.

The trio poured up the gully and ran to the train. Well, Wally poured and ran. He reached the train in seconds and grabbed the rungs on the 4th car and pulled himself up. The wind tore threw his hair and pressed his face into elation. But, when he had a look back, the elation left his face although the wind did not leave his hair. Watching Debi and John-John broke his heart.

Debi was trying to shuffle her boyfriend towards the train. It was clear now that they should have planned this better. John-John’s crutches and his foot were barely stumbling across the pocked and gravely pre-track space. Debi was trying to support him to the train but she was a small girl. So, Wally hopped down from his cherry spot and ran to them. They had to get John-John on this train.

-Thanks, Wally. Debi smiled under the tremendous strain of trying to rush her crippled boyfriend to the train.

-Yeah. Thanks. John-John looked as determined and as fierce as he always did train jumping. It’s just now he was fierce and determined on crutches.

-Come on. Wally went to the damaged side of John-John’s body and scooted it up. Debi cinched up the other side.

Their speed to the train doubled. By Car 16, they were there.

John-John’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the rungs stretching up the slowly moving storage cars. The other two had seen this look before. Normally, it was quicker. He was feeling out the train. Looking for the right one.

After a time...
-There!

Two cars down. A red car with the code AT-374 alongside it. Debi and Wally had a look at each other and nodded. John-John steadied himself on his foot. Her friends readied themselves under him. The car arrived and he was boosted.

-Grab it! Grab it!
-Come on, hon!
-Give me a sec!

Debi’s body was shaking under his weight. John-John’s stretching body was tilting lopsided onto his girlfriend. Wally tried to raise him higher. Just when Debi was about to drop, John-John grabbed a rung. He was on the train.

His foot hit the ground once, precariously close to the wheel, as the crutches dropped and his friends let go. Debi and Wally shuddered but he pulled himself up.

John-John was on a train again.

His friends whooped and cheered, ecstatic. Then, they watched as habit tried to get him to climb with both feet. In an instant, he slipped and fell with a puff of dust and a series of bruises, next to the train.

-John-John!
-Honey!

To his side.

John-John was coughing, dusty and bruised but ready to try again. -That was the wrong car.

-Babe, maybe we should just forget about it.

John-John lost his determination for a moment. He looked at his girlfriend with eyes that were glazing over. His mouth hung open for a moment and...

Wally hauled him up. -No time for crutches, John-John! Pick your car!

Debi, a little weary, grabbed the other side.

John-John pointed at an approaching faded green car. Wally nodded. With an audible huff, the two friends boosted their crippled pal to the rungs.

The train began slowing.

Three chilled kids strained for the rungs. Puffing and huffing. Trying to get John-John attached to this train. The rung approached.

-I’m gonna miss the rung! I’m gonna miss it!
-We can’t lift you anymore, John-John!
-I’m gonna drop him!

The train got slower.

Rungs alongside the crippled boy. He grabbed at them but his girlfriend slipped and he missed and he swore and Wally began to move him but Debi stumbled and the two fell heavy to the ground. Wasted and defeated.

But, the train had stopped.

Slowly, the bruised train jumpers patted themselves off and began to watch the stopped train. Wally stood up. Debi stayed down, next to her winded boyfriend.

The train was so quiet. It was very dark here. The halogen was faint in the distance and the moon’s light barely helped. Slowly, they listened to the approach of the man with the lantern.

-What in the hell are you kids doing out here? Vaudeville?!

-Uh-oh. Wally tried to cinch John-John up. But, he fell over again.

Debi’s teeth began chattering and she tried to hide her face with her hair. But, you could still see her just fine.

The engineer cast light on the dusty trio. He was a man of about 50. He knew right away that these kids had been riding trains for a long time. This pretty girl, her shaven-headed boyfriend and their longhaired buddy. Somehow the train jumpers always looked like this. But, he’d traveled the country by rail 4,723 times. Not a lot was new to him. -You guys are gonna get hurt. What are you doing?

Debi spoke through chatter. -Please, mister! Please don’t have us arrested! I...

-Shhh! Shh, shhh! Please, pretty girl! No one’s callin’ the police on anyone. I just...Holy Jesus! Boy, you’re missing a foot!

John-John flushed and brushed dust from his face.

The engineer frowned at them. -Why are y’all jumpin’ trains when he’s missing a foot?

Wally looked at the engineer and then at John-John and Debi. They shook their heads at him. So, he turned to the engineer and said -This young man was the best train jumper in Turbot! He...

-He just wanted to make one more jump, Debi said, sweetly. That’s it! Then, we’re gone.

-I’m just too ‘uckin’ crippled to do it, John-John mumbled.

The engineer had a look at his train. -This the car you wanted?

-Yeah.

-Grab it now.

-It doesn’t count if it’s not moving.

There was a long pause presided over by the crickets.

The engineer checked his watch. -How far you wanna go, son?

The trio perked up trying to hide their enthusiastic smiles. -A mile?

-Can you hold on for a mile?

-I’ll be behind him, Debi said.

-OK. The engineer helped John-John to his feet. -I got 10 minutes. Let’s get him up there. The engineer began going to his engine.

-Hey, Mr.! John-John said. -Why are you...?

The man smiled at them. -I used to jump trains too, kid. I was the best around. Until...I lost three toes under a coal car wheel. Now, I drive ‘em. He ran to his engine. -Get ready!

The trio prepared themselves by the faded green car.

And, the train began backing up. All the way to the engine.

(John-John was heard to mumble -3 toes- angrily. But, Debi gave him a shot in the arm.)

The engineer gave ‘em a Thumbs Up and the train started moving. Kind of slow but moving. The trio tensed up as the green car passed and they dove for the rungs. Moments later, they fell to the dust again. But, the engineer was extremely amiable.

It took three tries but, finally, John-John got up there. Debi got behind him. Wally took the next car. And, they rode, at a faster pace, a clear, cold, dark and glorious mile. John-John laughed and laughed until tears came to his eyes. Debi hugged him tight. Wally smiled.

The train slowed. The kids got off. They thanked the engineer but could not get him to back up the mile to get John-John’s crutches.

It was a long walk home but worth every minute.