Leaving Town
When I was two years of age my parents
left Kansas City and moved to southwest Missouri. They had many ties to Kansas
City, which had been my father's home for a number of years, so we often
returned to see family and
friends.
Occasionally my father worked there and my mother and I would travel to see him. We most generally rode the Kansas City Southern Belle. I was fascinated by the train and hardly ever took my eyes away from the passing scenery. One distinct memory I have is of a beaver building a dam in a stream that ran parallel to the railway track.
Having read about beavers at school I could hardly believe that I had actually seen one at work creating its natural art form.
Perhaps man cannot outdo the wonder of a beaver dam, by the magnificent structure created by mankind in Kansas City known as Union Depot awed me throughout my childhood. I recall the smells as we disembarked from the train and the sounds of the Red Caps calling people to board departing trains. I can feel the texture of the long seats in the waiting room where we would sit until friends came to pick us up.
Those were special days of travel in our country which I later wanted our son to experience. The summer he was eight years old El Dorado Springs endured unusually hot temperatures. As the heat wave continued day after day, I came up with an idea during a hot sleepless night.
When Diana awakened I told her we were going to leave town. She wanted to know what I was talking about. I said that I wanted Parrish to have the experience of a train ride such as i so often had had when I was his age. And since it was so hot, I thought that that week would be the perfect time for us to take a trip.
That was fine with her, but where would we go? "New York CIty," was my reply.
We had a friend in Manhattan who had been a student of mine when I taught in El Dorado Springs and I suggested that we call him and see if it would be possible for us to visit for a few days.
A visit from us was fine with him. Tickets were purchased and we left two days later to The Big Apple.
The ride was long, just a warning if you ever decide to go that far. But the countryside was beautiful. I was particularly impressed with the Ohio Valley. We had many things to see and Parrish truly enjoyed himself for he had hours to read. While I relieved my childhood and looked out the window, Parrish looked deeply into life through his books and visited with other passengers.
He has a way with people that has always fascinated me. His personality seems to charm people, to win them; they warm to him. I do not know what his memories of that trip are like, but I recall him with his reading glasses, his beautiful blond hair, and the occasional visit with someone; the beautiful smile on his face, the kindness and friendliness in his voice. I know that I certainly enjoyed "his trip" on the train! I believe he did also.
Arriving at Penn Station in NYC is a memorable time to us. We found a pay phone and called our friend who said he would be there soon. About forty-five minutes later he found us among the throngs of people. We climbed the stairs, went through the Penn Station entrance and found ourselves in the bright sunlight of Manhattan. I was holding Parrish's hand. It still hurts my fingers thinking of it. His grip became intensely strong! We had never seen anything like that city. So big, so busy. Our friend hailed a taxi and we soon found ourselves in a Yellow Cab with a wild driver such as you often see portrayed in movies.
He talked continually about how New York just wasn't like it used to be. He honked at other drivers. He yelled at them. He drove up on the sidewalk to get around stopped traffic. What a ride!
Fortunately it didn't last long and he soon dropped us at Columbus Circle West near the Museum of Natural History. Reaching our destination our friend had a surprise for us. He and the person he lived with were "sitting" the other apartment on their floor. The person who lived there had just left three days earlier for a vacation in the Bahamas, so we got to live in her apartment while in New York. It faced the street and afforded us a great view of the neighborhood.
That trip is probably the greatest experience we have ever had by leaving town. The experiences which came about from that vacation have enriched our lives and given us insight into human relations. They have helped us find truth in our daily lives at home in El Dorado Springs. It is good to get to leave town if you can bring something good back with you, something which benefits you and those with whom you come into contact. Our journeys should teach us, should enrich us.
Occasionally my father worked there and my mother and I would travel to see him. We most generally rode the Kansas City Southern Belle. I was fascinated by the train and hardly ever took my eyes away from the passing scenery. One distinct memory I have is of a beaver building a dam in a stream that ran parallel to the railway track.
Having read about beavers at school I could hardly believe that I had actually seen one at work creating its natural art form.
Perhaps man cannot outdo the wonder of a beaver dam, by the magnificent structure created by mankind in Kansas City known as Union Depot awed me throughout my childhood. I recall the smells as we disembarked from the train and the sounds of the Red Caps calling people to board departing trains. I can feel the texture of the long seats in the waiting room where we would sit until friends came to pick us up.
Those were special days of travel in our country which I later wanted our son to experience. The summer he was eight years old El Dorado Springs endured unusually hot temperatures. As the heat wave continued day after day, I came up with an idea during a hot sleepless night.
When Diana awakened I told her we were going to leave town. She wanted to know what I was talking about. I said that I wanted Parrish to have the experience of a train ride such as i so often had had when I was his age. And since it was so hot, I thought that that week would be the perfect time for us to take a trip.
That was fine with her, but where would we go? "New York CIty," was my reply.
We had a friend in Manhattan who had been a student of mine when I taught in El Dorado Springs and I suggested that we call him and see if it would be possible for us to visit for a few days.
A visit from us was fine with him. Tickets were purchased and we left two days later to The Big Apple.
The ride was long, just a warning if you ever decide to go that far. But the countryside was beautiful. I was particularly impressed with the Ohio Valley. We had many things to see and Parrish truly enjoyed himself for he had hours to read. While I relieved my childhood and looked out the window, Parrish looked deeply into life through his books and visited with other passengers.
He has a way with people that has always fascinated me. His personality seems to charm people, to win them; they warm to him. I do not know what his memories of that trip are like, but I recall him with his reading glasses, his beautiful blond hair, and the occasional visit with someone; the beautiful smile on his face, the kindness and friendliness in his voice. I know that I certainly enjoyed "his trip" on the train! I believe he did also.
Arriving at Penn Station in NYC is a memorable time to us. We found a pay phone and called our friend who said he would be there soon. About forty-five minutes later he found us among the throngs of people. We climbed the stairs, went through the Penn Station entrance and found ourselves in the bright sunlight of Manhattan. I was holding Parrish's hand. It still hurts my fingers thinking of it. His grip became intensely strong! We had never seen anything like that city. So big, so busy. Our friend hailed a taxi and we soon found ourselves in a Yellow Cab with a wild driver such as you often see portrayed in movies.
He talked continually about how New York just wasn't like it used to be. He honked at other drivers. He yelled at them. He drove up on the sidewalk to get around stopped traffic. What a ride!
Fortunately it didn't last long and he soon dropped us at Columbus Circle West near the Museum of Natural History. Reaching our destination our friend had a surprise for us. He and the person he lived with were "sitting" the other apartment on their floor. The person who lived there had just left three days earlier for a vacation in the Bahamas, so we got to live in her apartment while in New York. It faced the street and afforded us a great view of the neighborhood.
That trip is probably the greatest experience we have ever had by leaving town. The experiences which came about from that vacation have enriched our lives and given us insight into human relations. They have helped us find truth in our daily lives at home in El Dorado Springs. It is good to get to leave town if you can bring something good back with you, something which benefits you and those with whom you come into contact. Our journeys should teach us, should enrich us.
(written September, 1999)
Posted: Sat - January 28, 2006 at 03:37 PM
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"Chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
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Published On: Jan 28, 2006 03:37 PM
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Published On: Jan 28, 2006 03:37 PM