Friday, August 12, 2011

#$%^@ Trains!!

A quiet night on the prairies.
No sounds can be heard as the moon lays dark shadows amongst the brush.
I hear an occasional puppy yip as they change positions in their bed of straw and complain to each other for the interruption of their slumber.

Far off in the distance I hear the lonely call of the train. 

For most people this is a sound that stirs memories of the past long forgotten, a time when the world was simple.  I've heard someone say that it always brought a smile to their face and a shiver down their spine.
Myself I do not feel or think such things.  Maybe once long ago I would have agreed, but not so anymore.

Instead I find that my back becomes tense.  Anger spurs from deep within helping to build the childlike frustration that wraps itself around my very soul.
At 2 in the morning as the train fast approaches  with the whistle increasing in volume I have these visions that turn to hope.

I'm not wanting anyone to get hurt.. but a turned over train would mean a day or two of reprieve from the never ending train whistle.
A 'noise' that is heard many MANY times through the night and into the early morning hours.
A noise that sets my little pack of dogs off on a howling frenzy.

I am positive they are complaining rather than singing to the whistle that interrupts their sleep.
And I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if our Hubba Bubba could actually learn to howl instead of his shrill bark that sings along with the others Husky Howls.
As the singing continues while the engine passes our house my visions of de-railing trains increases.

As does my anger and frustration.
We learned recently that a CP Rail employee lives on the other side of the tracks from us and his fellow engineers will blow the whistle long just for him...
This knowledge does little for the pent up anger that builds within me for the train... stupid trains.

We asked what it would take to stop the whistles in town.  A letter from town is all that is needed.  Crossfield did it.  And don't tell me it has anything to do with fencing, because it does not.. drive through Crossfield and you'll see.. no fence... no train whistle..

NO train whistle... now THAT is a dream worth having.

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