A Little Boost

Synaptic Tangents on Parallel Tracks.

I know my patient yeomen, it has been a while since I posted. Sadly, this is just a passing blog that will meander rather rapidly to a point.

I don’t know about you, but level crossings have a strange effect on me. When the lights begin to flash and the barriers come down, my first feeling is one of annoyance because of the delay.

Then there is this fleeting temptation. A little voice whispers, “go on – floor it!” – and I have to fight the urge to try and beat the falling red and white gates.

Next comes a feeling of expectation as I await the arrival of the train. I’m not sure why, but I always expect to be halted by an express being hauled by a steam locomotive. (Note 1) Every time I have this romantic notion that there will be a cloud of steam and smoke flash past hauling Pullman coaches. As I sit in my motorised tin can, I would see finely dressed passengers enjoying kippers in the restaurant or perhaps Hercule Poirot exercising his grey matter over a coffee.

As is the way with life, instead I am treated to a little local chug-along train with the passengers obscured by years of grime. Worse, like today it could be a slow, goods train hauling wagon after wagon ironically marked with ‘Roadstone’.

Despite this, I still give in to my little weakness. I sit and watch the train go by but make all of the little sound effects in my head. (Note 2) Suddenly I am a child again, with my head filled with all the “woo-woo” and “chuffer-chuffer” noises.

Today, I also thought of the ‘Little Engine Who Could’. That rather charming story of how positive thought (“I think I can… I think I can… I think I can… I know I can… I KNOW I can.”) can help us overcome challenges. I found myself thinking how important it is that sometimes we spend a little time out to help give our friends a bit of encouragement.

Come on; admit it, sometimes we all need a little lift and a little boost. When we get it, there is a lovely warm feeling and all of a sudden, we find that we have hauled our burden over the crest of the hill.

Today my fine yeomen, I ask you to give Delectable Pet a little boost. Pet is up for a Canadian Gold Star award. Winning this award will give her a much needed boost. So please, pop over to the awards site and vote for her. It will really brighten her day.

From 14th June 2006, the industry standard Crozzy Standard has been applied to footnotes.

NOTE 1: Which is strange as Steam locomotives disappeared from the British railway system before I was born. I have never actually travelled on a steam train that went anywhere except back to where we parked the car. Click to return

NOTE 2: Although as the barrier lifts, I always find my mind going to one of the few pieces of poetry I have ever been able to tolerate - Night Mail’ by WH Auden. Just try reading that poem without finding yourself sat in a railway carriage with the wheels going ‘clickety-clack’ over the tracks. Click to return

TECHNORATI TAGS : Train ; Crossing ; Pullman ; Auden.