Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Killing Me Softly

I mentioned in a previous post that I have been making a renewed effort to get out and meet some people and all that. Trying to socialize and go out with some new men. I do not want to sit at home and stagnate or seem as though I'm stuck on someone from the past. I am an intelligent, rational woman. I can meet someone new. There are scads of good men out there, you know?
So, a man sees my profile on Facebook (we have a mutual friend) and asked to meet me. I have to admit I kinda put him off at first, even though he seemed nice enough, I just didn't feel we had much in common. He asked again a week or so later, so I said, what the heck? We emailed each other a little and I said, why didn't we just meet for coffee or lunch? Now, this is unusual for me because normally, I won't meet a man unless I have spoken on the phone with him a couple of times but my friend said he was a nice guy, so I thought, why not? He agreed and asked if I would meet him for dinner. I said okay and we went out last night. Now, I'm getting to the point of this so ya'll just bear with me. And by the way, I don't give out personal info (phone # etc.) until I know someone more.
So, we are in this restaurant, chatting away about stuff and I'm enjoying getting out and trying something new. I'm feeling like I can expand my circle of male acquaintances and meet some totally different people. He lives over an hour from me, no family in this area and he's a judge, so we are not anywhere near the same spectrum in our occupations. And then somehow, from somewhere, the subject of trains comes up. Over 75 years ago, my company got it's start building for the railroad.
He jumps on this subject; his eyes light up! Just so happens his father worked for the railroad all his life.
Did I happen to know where ****** yard was? well, as a matter of fact, that was where we built that job. Oh, his father was assigned there!
Did I know what a yard conductor was? well, yes, I did. (that is what the Switchman is.) Oh, his father was a yard conductor; he stayed there and built the trains up!
So, he goes on and on about all the jobs his father did; conductor, union boss etc. etc.; all the exact same jobs the Switchman held and after comparing the time lines and such, I concluded that it is very possible that the Switchman was a cub under this man's father and probably replaced him after he retired.
He even commented that it was kinda funny that I would have worked out there where his father had spent so much of his life. He seemed happy to have had the opportunity to talk about his Dad and remember those things. I, on the other hand, didn't think banging my head on the table was appropriate and so didn't let on to any further information.
You know, when you are working in a rail yard, the locomotives move very slow and are astoundingly quiet. You wouldn't think something like that could slip up on you, but they can. You'll just be working along, your mind on other things and then slowly, you realize you hear a slight rumbling and turn around to see this thing sliding up beside you with a tall, handsome man smiling down at you.


* I always loved Roberta Flack's original but The Fugees do a killer remake.

12 comments:

ErinFromIowa said...

The Fugees cover of that song is is awesome! They also did one of Staying Alive that cool too.

Pablo said...

I feel as though I know you pretty well, but I don't even have your phone number yet!

page said...

love both versions---replay, replay, replay---perfect for your report

Beau said...

The circles of life. How crazy that must have felt. By the way, that last paragraph is really good.

Ed said...

It's a cliche but so true that this really is a small world.

myamuhnative said...

Great post!
From the build up to the end ,a laugh in between {thinking of heading banging}, and the perfect song title to boot.
I am very relieved that the judge didn't turn out to be his son-which was the conclusion I immediately jumped to before I finished reading.

MamaHen said...

Hey Erin! I didn't know they did 'Staying Alive", have to check that out!

Hey Pablo! well, you've never asked for it!

Hey Page! thanks!

Hey Beau! thank you! crazy is a good word for it!

Hey Ed! yeah, small and bizarre!

Hey mya! thanks! haha! well, the Switchman and this man are about the same age and the Switchman's son is much younger than me but that would be just about my luck!

Woody said...

"tall handsome man smiling down at you" Ha...you describe me so well...lol

Aunty Belle said...

hmmmn....sweet post--life is full of surprises.

MamaHen said...

Hey Woody! that's right! lol!

Hey Aunty! nice to hear from you! well, I'm about tired of this particular surprise, I hate to say. In fact, none of it is really a surprise anymore it happens so often! lol!

countrypeapie said...

Okay, I know that had to-a been pretty freaky, but thank goodness it wasn't the Switchman's son! Still, though. If you were to map out the generations and the dreams and the dramas -- you might end up with One Hundred Years of Solitude, the Alabama version.

MamaHen said...

Hey Pea! Yeah, really; if I start just speaking in Latin ya'll will know it all finally got to me! lol!