Western Railroad Discussion > Three Quarts and Three Strikes.

It’s A little after two this afternoon. I am vacuuming up dust ,cat hair and fleas in the garage. It’s a rather disagreeable chore I have to perform every two months as the result of our three cats living in the garage. They live in the garage because we live on the Nipomo Mesa with a lot of coyotes that will eat them if they venture outside. Why don’t they live in the house? Because we have a 25 pound Lhaso Apso that will eat them if they venture inside.

The vacuum is in full howl when my wife appears in the garage with the phone. “Some guy named Todd from Trainorders wants to speak to you”. I shut off the vacuum and answer the phone. "Hi Todd. What can I do for ya"? Todd explains the problem. They have run out of half and half on the PV. Since I am a local, would it be possible to pick up three quart cartons of the stuff and deliver it during the station stop at SLO? I think for a moment, If I deliver the cream to the train in San Luis, I should be able to beat it to the west end of Price Canyon and get a nice down on view of the Starlight and TO dome from the highway as the train exits the last curve in the canyon. That should be doable, and it sure beats, dust, cat hair and fleas. However, I first have to get the cats various paraphernalia and their cage back in the garage, and put way the vacuum and a few other loose items. Oh, and Todd says the Stoplight should arrive on time.

With this complete, Sharon and I climb in the truck and head up US 101 for Trader Joe’s in SLO. We are running a little tight as we exit TJ’s at 2:15. I floor it up Tank Farm Road only to have to wait what seems like hours for the light at Broad Street. The light turns green; I turn left, mash the throttle and head for the station. As I roar into the parking lot the clock on the dash reads 2:22, and the train is in the station! The Damn Stoplight really is on time! I am frantically hunting for a parking place when the horn blasts twice, and seconds later she is underway. Strike One!

Sharon turns to me and says, “Well, we might as well take the half and half back to TJ’s”. “Why”, I ask? I’ll just use it on my morning cereal. (I can still catch the train, if I hurry). “No”, she says, “You don’t need the Cholesterol”. We arrive back at TJ’s. The manager says there is no problem with the return. I go back to the checker that did the original transaction. He is almost finished with a large order. There may still be time to catch the train. The lady buying the groceries begins writing a check. Strike Two!

Five minutes more and we are back on Tank Farm Road. We make a right on Highway 127, and several minutes later another on Price Canyon Road. We reach the end of the canyon, and there's the train! But. . . .we’re too late. Strike three!

I drive on home and call Todd. He thanks me for my efforts and we both marvel that the Stoplight is on time. I hang up the phone and Sharon asks “Did you vacuum the cat’s cage? Its back to dust cat hair and fleas. The vacuum howls.

Africansteam

There used to be a book with the title "101 uses for a dead cat" or some such. Sounds like you could use a copy of the same.

Con

xtra1188w Wrote:
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> There used to be a book with the title "101 uses
> for a dead cat" or some such. Sounds like you
> could use a copy of the same.
>
> Con

Thanks, Con. I seriously though of vacuuming them too!

Cheers,
Africansteam

Thats a good story African.Perhaps the coyotes should have there willful way.<G>.Plenty of time to chase trains then.
Regards,Daryl Kay.

Nipomo Mesa ?? ME TOO !!!!

SLOCONDR

That's a sad story...but one that needed to be told. Somewhere, Rhonda Settalotte is feeling your pain.

Nitehostler Wrote:
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> That's a sad story...but one that needed to be
> told. Somewhere, Rhonda Settalotte is feeling
> your pain.

Thanks, Tom!

Cheers,
Jack

Hey, where on the Nipomo Mesa do you live? I have an aunt in one of those golf course/housing development things up there, and a Grandmother in Santa Maria, CA.

shtinkypuppie Wrote:
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> Hey, where on the Nipomo Mesa do you live? I have
> an aunt in one of those golf course/housing
> development things up there, and a Grandmother in
> Santa Maria, CA.

On one of those golf course/housing development things - aka Blacklake. Let me know if your Aunt lives here too.

Cheers,
Africansteam

You don't waste more time playing golf too, do you?

Down here in the Lone Star State, it's also known as Cow Pasture Pool.

Con

xtra1188w Wrote:
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> You don't waste more time playing golf too, do
> you?
>
> Down here in the Lone Star State, it's also known
> as Cow Pasture Pool.
>
> Con

Heavens to Mergatroid, no! We just liked the neighborhood, and at the time we bought the price was right! However, we have neighbors who play in the fog. Don't ask me how they do this.

Cheers,
Africansteam

That's what I like about this site. If one gets bored with the constant rhetoric, hold on, something will come along to break the monotony and it does. I love all animals but cats are my favorite. Thanks for your story. I feel refreshed till the next one rolls along.

Happy days to all.

Jim
Hatboro, PA

DKay Wrote:
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> Thats a good story African.Perhaps the coyotes
> should have there willful way..Plenty of time to
> chase trains then.
> Regards,Daryl Kay.

My guess is that the remark was meant to be humerous....but, to cat lovers, including me, that sentiment is........well, I'll just make an understatement and say it was cringeworthy.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

agentatascadero Wrote:
> My guess is that the remark was meant to be
> humerous....but, to cat lovers, including me, that
> sentiment is........well, I'll just make an
> understatement and say it was cringeworthy.
>
> AA

Normally, I don't respond on here when members get a little vial and carried-away with their heated comments about each other regarding railroad related topics and all that.  But as a director for a non-profit feline rescue that deals daily with injured, dying, abandoned, and abused felines, I'm just not getting this so called "humor" on a railroad discussion site of how there can be (1) over 101 uses for dead cats; (2) suggesting that "perhaps the coyotes should have their wilful way" with felines???  I'm sure the person that made the coyote comment intended it as a joke, but it's not a joke dealing with the aftermath of what a coyote can do to an adult feline, a mamma cat and her litter of kittens, or other smaller domesticated animals that were left abandoned or just left outside for the night.    

I very much enjoyed the original private varnish call for assistance story and subsequent back-story of how taking care of the cats, waiting in line behind someone writing a check, and everything else that went wrong or got in the way all led to three missed deliveries with the train.  And yes, it's very thoughtful that the original poster would take the time to provide a shelter for these cats from the environment and even keep it clean for them.  Keep up the good work as the guardian off your animal friends and share some more railroad stories with us your railroad friends too!    

UD