by RNH Nello

Created on: February 25, 2009

A Boy Only in Memories

Lazy gusts of wind pushed dust and the occasional tumbleweed along the single street, between weathered buildings, leaving sandy patterns on window pane and wooden sidewalk. Nighttime's coolness and shadows fought a losing battle with the dawn as people woke to a new day.

Almost more train stop for the surrounding ranches than town, the few buildings centered on the depot, gas station, general store, and restaurant/sometime tavern. The stock yards were mostly empty as it was the wrong time of year for the roundup and delivery to the train. During the year neighbors mostly gathered Sunday mornings for the church service.

Usually the train due through at 7:45 AM never bothered to stop just slowing enough to throw out the bag for incoming mail and snatching the bag of outgoing mail from the suspension arm. Today however, Mr. Robert Biggs the station master had set the switch calling for the train to stop as there was an outgoing passenger.
Luke Braddock's son, young Luke, was leaving today for college.

Of course the coffee crowd of six elders who held court each morning at the "T-Bone Restaurant" notice Mr. Biggs throwing the switch and moved outside to keep a close watch on the proceedings and to offer sage comments as to what was likely going on.

It wasn't long before one of them, Hank I believe it was, noticed that from the North road a pickup was headed into town and this brought out comments as to who it might be. Since there were only seven ranches out that way and only two of them had black pickups it didn't take these old cowboys long to figure out it had to be Luke Braddock. Talk dwindled as the pickup came closer as Luke was not a man to joke with or about, being as he was more than commonly tall and hard of both body and mind but short in words.

As the pickup slowed to a near crawl as it passed the T-Bone, one of the old men had enough sand (or respect in this case) to offer, "Mornin Mr. Braddock," to which Luke turn his sun and wind lined face to looked at him with gray eyes and nod.

They could now see that there were three passengers in the pickup, Luke, his son young Luke, and young Luke's dog Shep' in the back clearly guarding a suit case.

As the pickup pulled up to the East end of the train platform Robert Biggs came out to meet it, "I've got young Luke's ticket here Mr. Braddock."

Luke taking the ticket, "Thank ya Robert. I'm guessing its on time."

"Yes sir Mr. Braddock, it sure nof pears to be." Adding, "is there any luggage?"

"Jus

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