The Rail Yard

An old man once told me about the

danger of rail yards. They’re designed

on an incline so when them brake’s

released, the box cars and flat cars will

roll down the track into the place they

are supposed to go all on their own.

Gravity, you know. Got to be damned

careful working in them rail yards, keep

a watchful eye out all the time. Them

rail cars don’t make no sound when they

come a rollin’ down, mind you, not a

whisper of a sound.

Many a man has lost limbs or met his

maker workin’ round the rail yard, yes

sir. I can surely attest to that. Got to

have eyes in the back of your head,

you want to stay in one piece alive.

Ain’t no lie. And I believed that old guy.

All those years working the rail yards,

he managed to make it out alive, arms

and legs still attached and where they

ought to be. I, myself, never walked the

rail yards, but on occasion cross the tracks

while driving on the street.

And to this day, even when the gates are

up with no signal lights flashing, I’ll still

stop and look both ways. You just never

know when a box or flat car from the rail

yard has found a way to escape. Last thing I

want anyone to say about me is, poor fella,

he never heard it coming.

Chris Hanch 6-23-19