the train doesn't run to Gettysburg anymore

the Train doesn't run to Gettysburg anymore

fiction
edward w pritchard

The owner told us the train doesn't run to Gettysburg any more a while back so we walk back and forth from East Canton, Ohio over to Gettysburg, Pa on old route 30 with all the paraphernalia for our small circus. The townies don't like circus folks so mostly we travel at night.

Sometimes I walk with the two white elephants for company me being lonely a lot. I enjoy a clear sky for stargazing but a light rain is more than fine also. The rain on the hilly pavement is good companionship and is nice white noise to the clump of the elephants steady steps. Hannibal got elephants over the Alps in winter.

Usually I wear a small backpack with my personal items in it and carry a small old fashion slate chalkboard and two pieces of yellow chalk to write myself  important notes of things I don't want to forget.

There isn't much traffic on 30 these days but a couple of years ago I remember a car went whizzing by with a song on the radio by old Tampa Red  "when things go wrong with you it hurts me too"; ever since  I often hear that old song in my head when I am walking at night. Tampa Red was light skinned and often played a kazoo along with his primitive slide guitar.

If we are trudging up a long hill on a dark night sometimes I will write down a girls name I used to know with my chalk I carry on my small chalk board so I don't forget her and then when I get to the top of the grade I eventually erase her name and put the chalk and chalk board back in my backpack. Doctors say its good for the heart to walk up long steep hills course they do it themselves in a nice car.

Later tonight we should cross the Ohio river on the Jennings bridge. Route 30 only runs for four miles in West Virginia so that part of the trip is a short walk. Coming or going R 30 in WV is no trouble at all.