THE GREAT TRAIN TRELLIS ADVENTURE

Not too far from the family homestead, there was a long train trellis bridge that arched out over a river traversing through a small gorge. This trellis bridge was both a source of great fascination, and many games of "chicken" throughout the years for the local kids. I have often heard that kids during the depression apparently had nine lives, the result of which were many fantastic tales to regale their offspring with years later. I can tell you that we would have been in a great deal of trouble if we'd have gotten into the myriad scrapes that my daddy and his siblings managed on a regular basis.

One summer day, Mac and daddy were exploring near the trellis, and decided it would be great fun to cross it. Now, this structure was pretty formidable, with its high wooden beams, and the only footing being the steel train rails, and the cross ties between the tracks. According to dad, it took awhile for them to start making a steady pace as they jumped from one cross tie to another and had to steady their balance each time in order to progress. Some of the cross ties were missing, and some were weathered enough that they splintered with the full weight of someone hopping on them. Just as they were right about in the middle of the trellis, the whistle that signaled an oncoming train began blowing. The train was headed right in their direction, and there was no where for them to go. They were fairly well trapped on that trellis, and it was a sure thing that they were gonna lose this game of "chicken" with that train.

I guess Uncle Mac, being the eldest, must have made the decision that they had to find a way to crawl underneath, and hold on to the wooden boards that held the rails together. This is exactly what they did. Dad said this may not have seemed hard, but at the time- for two small boys to have managed to swing underneath and hold onto the cross ties was quite a feat. They both held on for dear life, quite terrified, as the train passed overhead. Dad remembered just closing his eyes and having a death-grip onto the tie that he was holding, with Uncle Mac encouraging him to keep hanging on.

Both Mac and dad recalled that tale many times, and I believe of all the escapades they had during their adventurous lives, this was undoubtedly the closest encounter with the potential for death that they ever experienced as young boys.