During the summer break in college I worked as a brakeman for the Santa Fe railroad in Oklahoma. It was a good job that paid very well. It required that I move to several different cities each summer. It began in Enid, Oklahoma with the wheat harvest. It would end in Arkanas City, Kansas. That was the northern most point in the district.
The hours were weird as you were on call and worked when needed. Sometimes you would stay in town and work at the yard. Other times you would get called to be a brakeman and go to the southern end of the district in Gainesville, Texas.
When in town we all stayed at an old hotel downtown on Main Street. I don't remember the name but I do remember we shared a bathroom and the bed was old and saggy. But, we were young and making money.
The hotel had a front porch and we would sit out there waiting to be called to work. It was there that I learned of a hobby the local girls had. They would drive by and check us out. Some would wave. Some would smile. There were a few blown kisses followed by giggles and the car speeding away.
One evening I was sitting out there but decided to walk down to a near-by gas station to get a soda. I walked out of the store to find a car parked off to the side. The divier was a young girl. I recognized the car as one that drove by the hotel quite often.
I walked over.
"Hello."
No response.
"I said hello."
"I heard you. Get in."
Looking around and seeing no one I opened the door and got in. She quickly sped away.
She looked to be around 18 or so. There was the high school graduation tassle dangling from the rear-view.
"Am I being kidnapped?"
She laughed and gave me a sideways look.
"Right. I'm a little over 5 feet tall and 110 pounds pounds. My guess is you're 6'2 and about 200."
"About."
"So, I don't think I could kidnap you."
"So, what's going on?"
"I'm Debbie, by the way."
"Terry."
She kept looking at the road which was a good idea as fast as she was going.
"So, what's going on."
"Just a minute."
She suddenly hit the brakes and turned down a dirt road. The road turned to the left and then back hard to the right. She stopped with the car facing the direction we had just come. She turned the car off.
She turned to me after a few minutes.
"My name's Debbie."
"Yeah, Terry."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry."
"So?"
"Well, anyway, do you remeber Dixie?"
Dixie had been a girl I had met the previous summer. We had become good friends.
"Of course. I was hoping to see her this summer. Is she in town?"
She laughed.
"No, she's staying in Lawrence for the summer. She got a good job and there are no good jobs in Ark City. I'm her cousin, by the way."
"Oh, great. I knew she was going to KU. How's she doing?"
"Just fine but that's not why I wanted to talk to you."
After a few awkward moments I asked.
"So, why did you want to talk to me?"
Debbie looked away.
