All Blocked Up

It was a crazy crazy day.

My son had a Dr appointment, we had to run to the bank, library, post office, then to the drug store, craft store, and finally grocery store. It was so busy, but we still took a few moments to stop at our favorite little coffee shop, Java Junkies, for a drink.

My son and I were exhausted and looked forward to getting home and into our warm fuzzy pj's and relax. As we neared our house, we were getting more and more eager to lounge, but as we rounded a curve, we noticed a train's headlight and one of the neighbor's cars in the drive. We share a driveway that crosses the train track. I had several people in a hurry behind me, also in a wicked rush to get home, so I thought I would turn into the drive and get myself as close to the neighbor's car as I could without hanging the back end of my car into the street. As soon as I turned I noticed that the train wasn't moving, and the neighbor wasn't in his car. I put on the brake, turned off the car, and waited. After all, the train was only about 50 feet from clearing the crossing. Maybe it was just...slow. But we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The train didn't move. I've got groceries in the car that would be melting soon, and my son had to use the restroom. I can't wait and wait and wait for this train to move! I thought about crossing the track by foot and carry all the perishable foods with me, and my son, but the thought of that was terrifying! What if that train decided to move while I crossed the track? We would be dead meat, that's what.

I called my hubby, all in a tizzy...that happens when Aunt Flow is close. I screamed and cursed that this evil train was blocking my path and it was so close to clearing the crossing. I was so mad and I needed to get home...which I could see... it was right there! He said there was a sign up there with a number to call report a train on the track. Yeah right, that will take AGES! So I got out of the car and stomped up to the sign giving the engineer and evil eye that I'm certain he never saw. Sure enough, there was a phone number AND a crossing number. I ran back to the car, grabbed a pen and paper and wrote it down. I yelled at my hubby and told him to hang up so I could call the this number.

So I called. For crossing blockage press 4. I think I must have slammed on the 4 key pretty hard. Then I waited again. They appreciated my call and it was very important to them and soothed me with lovely sleepy music. Finally a lady answered. I said politely, I really did, by this point I was ready to go to a hotel. ha! I let her know there was a train blocking the crossing and I needed to get my small handicap child home. I didn't lie alright! He's got a handicap placard for the car! I told the lady that it had been there 45 minutes since I had been there, but it looked like it had been there longer because my neighbor's car was there too, and he had left his car and walked across the track. (ooooh!) Then I said, it's only 50 feet from clearing the crossing. I gave her the crossing number and engine number and she asked for my name and number.

I called hubby back and started yelling again. It's going to take forever to move that darn train! What good would it do to call!? I can't wait here all night... maybe I should cross the track... in the dark...with a handicap kid...and 15 bags of groceries. Hubby told me NEVER to cross a track, of coarse, and I knew better too, but I didn't want to wait in the car all night long. Then my phone beeped. Another call. An unfamiliar number. Was it the train people? I hung up on hubby and answered.

The lady from the train company said that she called the train driver person and asked them to move a little ways. If they hadn't moved in 10 minutes, to call her back. I thanked her and got her name, so if I had to call back, I would know who to talk to. Then I called hubby back.

Yeah yeah yeah, they said they called the train driver person, who knows how long THAT would be?! But suddenly I hear this bang, boom, and loud growl. The train was moving! YAY! Hubby asked what that noise was. I said it was a dinosaur coming to eat us. The train. Duh. He then proceeded to tell me NOT to go flying across the track until they are far far away from the crossing because they might need to back up and then pull forward again. Yeah yeah yeah.. I know all this. I was irritated and told him I wasn't going to do anything stupid like that. He really did irritate me...I'm blond, not dumb.

I'm watching the train pull slowly away from the crossing while hubby is gabbing in my ear about not crossing. It's going slow and it's about 100 feet from the crossing and if it decided to go back, I'm sure I would have had plenty of time to cross, but I waited a little bit longer. Still it pulled away. I watched the light get smaller and smaller. I started the car and waited a little more. Hubby finally asked me where it was.

I don't know, I'm already parked at home. ha!

I called the train people back and spoke with another person that wasn't the same person I spoke with earlier, and I asked if she could pass a message on for me. I wanted to thank the train company lady for her help....I wanted to leave her thinking, "Oh!! That's the nice lady with the handicap kid!" in case we have to call again. ha!

I got my groceries in and put away, but I'm still not in my warm fuzzy pjs!!