The Train Journey

I was raised during the depression before World War II. In those days there was no such thing as non-stop cross-country air flights. If you wanted to go back east, the train was the only comfortable and reasonable way to go.

I remember when I was twelve years old. I had received all "A"s on my report card and my parents had promised that if I did well in school that year, I could spend the summer with my grandparents in Ohio.

So they got me a ticket on the Western Pacific for a trip from Los Angeles to Akron. Of course we could not afford a compartment or berth, so they purchased a ticket for the cheapest seat, on the caboose, the last car of the long passenger train.

I boarded the train and found an empty seat. A few minutes later, I was joined by an old man, at least in his fifties, very neatly and precisely dressed. He sat down in the seat directly across from me. The long trip started with only the two of us in the caboose car.

Across his knees he carried a briefcase upon which he nervously drummed his fingers. Since he looked to be rather an angry sort of man, I didn't want to start a conversation.

Presently, the man opened the briefcase and took out two paper napkins, a pocket knife and an apple. Carefully, he peeled and cored the apple. He placed all the peelings and the core on one of the two napkins and folded it into a neat parcel. Then he moved his briefcase to one side, stood up, and walked to the end of the coach. By craning my neck, I was able to watch him move out onto the little platform at the end of the car and throw the parcel of peelings onto the tracks.

When the man returned he dusted his hands, sat down and lifted the briefcase back up across his knees. He picked up the peeled and cored apple, carefully cut it into thin slices, placed the slices onto the second napkin and made a similar neat parcel. To my amazement he then repeated his routine. He moved to the end of the coach and threw the parcel onto the tracks.

When he returned, he picked up his briefcase, took out two more napkins and an orange which he began to peel. He placed all the peelings on one of the two napkins and folded it into a neat parcel. Then he moved his briefcase to one side, stood up, and walked to the end of the coach. i watched him move onto the little platform at the end of the car and throw the parcel of peel onto the tracks.

The man returned to his seat, dusted his hands, sat down and lifted the briefcase back up across his knees. He picked up the peeled orange, and carefully separated it into separate sections. Then he cut each section into three equally sized pieces being careful that the cuts were evenly placed. When he was finished, he carefully placed the slices onto the second napkin and made another neat parcel. He again got up, moved to the end of the coach and onto the little platform at the end of the car and threw the parcel of oranges onto the tract.

A little later, the man again opened his briefcase and took out two paper napkins and a banana. Carefully he peeled the banana. He placed the banana peel carefully on one of the two napkins and folded it into a neat parcel. Then he moved his briefcase to one side, stood up, and again walked to the end of the coach. As I watched, he moved onto the little platform at the end of the car and throw the parcel of banana peel onto the tracts.

He then proceeded to sit down in his seat, pick up his briefcase and carefully place it on his lap. He removed the peeled banana picked up his knife and carefully cut it into thin slices. When this was completed, he carefully placed the banana slices onto the napkin, folded it carefully, got up and walked to the platform at the end of the care where he repeated his routine of throwing the parcel onto the tracks.

He returned to his seat, rested for a few minutes and then again picked up his briefcase and placed it onto his lap. This time he took out three napkins and unfolded them. He then took a bunch of green grapes out of his briefcase. He proceeded to remove each grape from its stem, being careful not to leave any remnants of the stem attached. He then proceeded to place all the stems carefully onto the napkin, fold the napkin into a neat parcel, get up and repeat his routine of throwing the parcel onto the tracks.

When he returned, He again picked up the briefcase and took out the grapes. He then proceeded to carefully peel each grape separately being careful that no part of the skin remained on any of the grapes. When he was finished, he placed all the peels onto the second napkin, and repeated his routine of throwing the peels, now wrapped into a neat parcel onto the tracts.

He returned to his seat, picked up his briefcase, placed it temporarily onto his lap, and removed the peeled grapes. He then proceeded to carefully cut each grape precisely in half. When this was done he neatly placed the cut grapes onto the third napkin, wrapped it into a small parcel and proceeded to get up, walk to the platform at the end of the car and throw the parcel of grapes onto the tract.

He returned to his seat, sat back and thought for a few moments and then reached down, placed his briefcase on his lap and this time removed a large peach.

At last I could contain himself no longer and had to ask the man what he was doing.

"I'm making a fruit salad," said the man.

"Then why do you keep throwing it away?" I asked.

"I should think that was obvious," snapped the man, "I'm throwing it away because I don't like fruit salad!"