John Gilbert > Great Locomotive Caper 10

The Great Locomotive Caper by John Gilbert
CHAPTER 10

Sam sat quietly as his dad drove him home.

"Where's your bike?" asked his dad.

"It's still out at the rock quarry with all my camping stuff. I'll have to drive up and get it."

"That's all right, I'll get your stuff and bring it back. I don't want you getting any more ideas about driving that train again."

"It's not that easy, dad. You have to have a crew to operate the engine."

"When I think of the danger you were in, I just don't think you really understand what could have happened. A few more seconds and you would have hit that freight. You could have derailed anywhere along the line, or that old boiler could have exploded. We could have lost you and your sister," scolded his dad.

"You're right, dad. I can offer no defense. All of those things could've happened but they didn't. If it's any consolation, we did a great deal of work every day to make sure that stuff didn't happen. I know you don't understand, but it's something I had to do."

"Yes son, I think I do understand. Do you remember the bike I told you about that I got for Christmas when I was your age? Well, I broke my leg."

"You did?" asked Sam. "How bad was it?"

"Well, it wasn't exactly a break. I was riding along a gravel road when I hit a rock that threw me off the bike. I felt a pain in my leg so I limped over to old Doc Fontain. He said that it was a hairline fracture and wanted to put me in a cast. I begged him to just let me keep it wrapped up and not to tell my folks. Well, it hurt for a while but it healed and I never told my parents. I couldn't because it would mean losing my bike and it meant everything to me. So I can see where you're coming from. But please, before you go off with some harebrained idea, tell me about it. Maybe the old man can help you come up with a better way. "

"Thanks dad. I will."

Sam took a long nap that lasted into the afternoon. When he awoke, he remembered the essay that was due on Monday morning. He had been working on it for several hours when a sudden scream almost sent him through the ceiling.

"Sam, come here quick!" shouted Sharon.
Thoughts of fire, burglary, and murder raced through his mind as Sam raced down the hallway to the den. Or maybe a sinkhole had opened up and was swallowing the house.

"What is it?" he shouted as he ran into the den.

"You're going to be on TV!" Sharon squealed.

"You almost gave me a heart attack for that?" Sam panted.

"We'll be back with today's top stories after this," announced the TV newscaster.

"I put a tape in the VCR," Sharon announced. "I'm gonna’ record it. Mom, dad, come here! Sam's gonna be on TV"

Mom and dad filed into the room just as the newscast returned.

"Good evening," said the newscaster. "Our top story this evening; A familiar landmark at Northside Park turned up missing last night. John Martin has the story."

The scene changed to Sam and Barney walking from the police station.

"This was the scene this morning as 17 year old Sam Thomas and 70 year old Barney Albright were leaving police headquarters just after daybreak. They and three other juveniles were arrested for allegedly stealing the park train number 468 from Northside Park where it had been on display for nearly forty years."

"There we are!" shouted Sharon as the scene changed to the engine racing down the tracks.

"Seen here is the engine at l:30 this morning as the group attempted to out run police and hide the train at the abandoned

Cutchen & Sons rock quarry. The group was arrested shortly after arriving at the quarry and taken to police headquarters. The group's leader, Sam Thomas, said that they stole the train because Mayor Harvey Pugmyre was going to have it scrapped."
Next came a close up of Sam.

"It was going to be scrapped - the mayor - He and his brother-in-law were gonna scrap it and split the money. I've got proof it was him," were the excerpts used from the interview.

"Mayor Harvey Pugmyre denied the allegations," continued the reporter.

"Not a word of truth to it," came the mayor's sound bite.

"However, the mayor's story changed when one of the groups members arrived with a contract authorizing the demolition of the engine allegedly signed by the mayor. The mayor then claimed that he didn't know what he had signed and immediately dropped all charges. As to the fate of the locomotive, no one is quite sure if it will be brought back to the park. There remains the possibility that because of the cost involved in moving the engine, it could still go on to the scrapper's torch in spite of all of the efforts to save it. John Martin, Channel 8 News."

"I guess we did all that for nothing," mumbled Sam as he left the room.
He spent the rest of the day writing. He felt that if he could get his essay into the paper he still might convince someone that the engine was worth saving.

"The pen is mightier than the sword," he thought, "and I think I'll even offer a few prayers for the engine at church tomorrow. I need all the help I can get."

"Mom, dad. How does this last part sound?" he asked after he had finished writing his essay. "In conclusion, it has been said that to see where we are going we must see where we have been. I say that to throw away our past is to steal from our future. The past must be preserved. It is our yardstick with which to measure the future. What was common and ordinary in King Tut's day is today more precious than gold. How incomplete would our modern world be if someone had destroyed the treasures of King Tut long ago. How incomplete will our children's world be if we destroy engine number 468 today? This is the lesson we must take to heart."

"I think it's excellent," complimented his mom.

"Sounds like A plus material to me," remarked his dad.

***

"May I have your attention please," squawked the P.A. system in homeroom on Monday morning. "As you know today is Founder's Day. We would like for everyone to attend the founder's day celebration and parade at one o'clock. In order to do that, the school day will end at noon."

A mighty cheer could be heard up and down the hallways.

"Each class will last for 25 minutes with a 5 minute break between classes. This is so that no classes will be missed and all assignments can be turned in. Otherwise, this will be a normal school day. Thank you."

The bell rang and the shortened school day began. At 11:35 Sam and Ralph's history class began.

"I see that everyone wrote an essay over the spring break," said Mrs Johnson. "We really don't have time to get started on anything today but you can read over page 375 for tomorrow while I read the essays."

"Are you going to the parade?" Ralph whispered to Sam.

"And listen to Mayor Pugmyre run on about our wonderful heritage? Please, spare me," groaned Sam.

"I think you ought to go," suggested Ralph.

"I'll watch it on the 6:00 news," said Sam.
Sam sat back in his chair and daydreamed. Any other day he would have gone to the park after school and visited the train but now it was gone. He felt bad because it was his fault that it was no longer there.

"I guess I'll drive out to the quarry and see if they've started cutting up the engine," he thought.
In a few moments the bell rang signaling the end of the short day and Sam got up to leave.

"Sam, may I see you for a moment," asked Mrs. Johnson as he headed for the door. "I read your essay and I think you did an excellent job. You really poured your heart into it."

"Thank you Mrs. Johnson. Thank you very much."

"In fact I'm taking it now to Mr. Grirmsley as one of the final entries for the essay contest. Of course he picks the winner but I think yours has a very good chance of making it in tonight's paper."

"Do you think it's that good?" Sam asked

"I do indeed," answered his teacher. "Are you going to the parade?"

"I don't think so," Sam answered. "I couldn't listen to the mayor talk about our proud heritage while he's having 468 scrapped."

"Well, just between you and me, he's not going to be there. He has an appointment with the district attorney this afternoon. I believe Mayor Pugmyre's going to be in the hot seat for quite a while. I really would like for you to go with me," said Mrs. Johnson.

"Well, I guess I'll go but I'm not gonna stay for the parade," Sam said.

"That's fair enough."

The reviewing stand was only four blocks from the school so Sam and Mrs. Johnson walked the short distance. When they arrived, a sizeable crowd had already gathered.

"I've got to go across the street to the newspaper office and drop off these essays," said Mrs. Johnson. "I'll be back in a moment."
Sam eyed the crowd for familiar faces. While he was searching for his friends, he felt something under foot. He looked down and saw that he was standing on the railroad tracks that ran down Buckner Street. He wondered if 468 had ever run on those rails. Barney told him that he remembered when Buckner was a dirt street and would get so muddy when it rained that people would walk on the rails. They would get the rails so muddy that the trains would stall from the slippery mud.

"Where's Ralph?" he mumbled. "He said that he was going to be here."

In a few moments Mrs. Johnson returned.

"You didn't see Ralph did you?" Sam asked.

"No I didn't," answered Mrs. Johnson. "It's 15 minutes before the ceremonies start and I have a strong feeling he'll show up."

"Hi Sam," came a voice from behind him.

"Oh, hi Becky," he said turning around. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see the parade," she answered.

"Did you get in trouble Saturday morning? I guess I should've called," said Sam.

"I didn't get in trouble. The police dropped us off at your house. I spent the night with Sharon. Didn't she tell you?”

"No. She didn't say a word to me," answered Sam.

"Well, don't you dare breathe a word of this to my parents. They'll ground me until I'm 50 years old.”

"It's kind of hot. Would you like some lemonade?"

"That would be nice," Becky answered.

"Mrs. Johnson, could I get you a cup of lemonade?"

"No thank you Sam. I'm fine," answered his teacher.
As Sam purchased the lemonade a band began playing.

"That's the Jefferson High band," Sam told Becky. "We call them the Jefferson jerks."
As the band played, a number of dignitaries filed onto the reviewing stand and the crowd surged toward the platform. The band finished its number and Carl Fendley, president of the Chamber of Commerce, stepped to the mike.

"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the 27th annual founder's day parade. Unfortunately, Mayor Pugmyre has a previous engagement and will be unable to attend. So it is my pleasure to present to you at this time, Councilman Larry
Shoemoker. "

A ripple of applause rose from the crowd.

"Thank you Mr. Findley. I'm glad to be with you this afternoon. Now I'm not a speech maker like Mayor Pugmyre so I'll be brief."

"That's a blessing," mumbled Sam.

"It is on this day that we honor the men and women who founded our community. We remember those who gave us a proud heritage whereby we can hold our heads high. There were those who exhibited greatness and leadership. Sometimes things happen that show us that we still have those qualities with us today. This past week an event transpired in our community that gained national attention. There stands one among us whose actions speak louder than words. And speaking of words, let me read you a few of his words which will appear in this evening's edition of the Gazette. 'I say that to throw away our past is to steal from our future. The past must be preserved. It is our yardstick with which to measure the future.'"

"Hey, I wrote that," exclaimed Sam. "My essay's going to be in the paper. Now maybe people will get interested in saving 468."

"We have two special guests with us today," continued Mr. Shoemoker. "Mr. Sam Thomas, I know you're here. Would you join us on the stand?"

"Oh Sam, they want you to go up there!" exclaimed Becky.

"You knew this was going to happen didn't you Mrs. Johnson?

"I'll never tell," she said with a broad grin.

As Sam made his way to the stand, the audience applauded.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present Mr. Sam Thomas."

The audience cheered.

"Sam, on behalf of the mayor and city council, I would like to present you with the key to the city.

This time the audience cheered wildly.

"Speech, speech," someone shouted from the crowd.

"Thank you Mr. Shoemoker. This is a real surprise," said Sam with a nervous quiver in his voice. "I just wanna say that I think it's real important to try to save things and not to just throw things away because they're old. I just wanted to see the park train working again and being useful. When I found out that it was going to be melted down I knew I had to do something. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. I hope everyone here will help me to try to save number 468 so it can once again be a proud part of our community. Thank you."

Again the crowd cheered as the band played "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

"You'll remember that I said that we have two special guests with us today." said Mr. Shoemoker stepping back to the mike. "I think that it's time to bring in our other special guest."

Right on cue, Sam and the crowd heard the blast of a steam whistle from several blocks away. Sam's mouth gaped open as he saw a column of black smoke rise above the buildings. In a moment, 468 chugged down the rails toward the reviewing stand.
The crowd parted as the locomotive inched its way toward the platform with Barney Albright at the throttle. Sam couldn't believe his eyes. The engine had been freshly washed and the tender was full of coal. The train consisted of two passenger cars with the caboose bringing up the rear and it had a fresh coat of red paint. As the engine pulled past the reviewing stand, Ralph was frantically ringing the bell while the band struck up "I've Been Working on the Railroad". Barney stopped the engine with the tender at the platform.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Mr. Edward Knight, President of the East Coast & Shortline Railroad."

"Thank you Larry. Folks, it took a high school senior to show us our duty to our past. I'm pleased to announce that the East Coast & Shortline Railroad will instigate a weekend tourist train to run between here and Melville."
This time the crowd roared. Sam was laughing and crying at the same time.

"And now ladies and gentlemen, let the parade begin!"

Becky ran to the reviewing stand and threw her arms around Sam's neck.

"Oh Sam, I'm so proud of you," she squealed.

"Sam, we did it," said Ralph who had climbed from the tender onto the stand. "I told you we’d come out of this smelling like a rose."

"I don't understand," said Sam. "How did you do this?"

“It was Mr. Knight," replied Ralph. "He got a crew to the quarry Saturday and all day Sunday. It looked like a small army working on the engine, loading coal and everything. He had the two passenger cars brought out of storage and he even got a boiler inspector from Melville to check out the boiler on Sunday. Me and Mike and Milton helped to sand and paint the caboose. "

"Why didn't you let me know about it," Sam asked. "I just had one of the worst weekends of my life thinking the engine would still be scrapped."

"We wanted it to be a surprise. Are you surprised?"

"Surprised is an understatement. I don't think there is a word in the dictionary to describe my amazement," said Sam.

"Come on Sam," called Barney. "We're the parade finale. Then we're going to make a run over to Melville to pose the train for some press photos."

"I thought you weren’t going to stay for the parade," said Mrs. Johnson who had made her way to the platform.

"And you knew that I wasn't going to miss it," grinned Sam

"May I go?" asked Becky.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," smiled Sam. "Coming with us, Mrs. Johnson?"

"Yes, but I'll ride in the passenger car," she said.

"All aboard!" called Milton.
Barney blasted the whistle and then slipped from the engineers seat.

"I think this moment belongs to you Sam," he said.
Sam was speechless as he climbed into the engineers seat. He grasped the
throttle and looked back at Barney.

"Go ahead," said Barney. "She's all yours."

"Ralph, let's have the bell," Sam instructed.

Nervously, Sam released the airbrake and pulled the throttle open one notch. The engine groaned and began to roll. Sam looked back at Barney and smiled and Barney smiled back. Barney knew how Sam felt as he remembered the first time he started a train. After all, they were now both railroad men.

THE END

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