Page 45 - The Early Life and Times of Bob Card

The Train That Rocked the Cottage

n the early days, staying at the cottage was an adventure in adaptation. Trains would thunder across the nearby bridge
Iat 1:30, 2:30, and again at 5:00 in the morning. The room I stayed in had an open area above the door, so when a train
came around the corner, its lights would flood the room, making it as bright as day. The entire cottage would vibrate as
though it were coming alive. The train’s whistle for the bridge added to the cacophony, confusing even the walls, or so
it seemed. The loons on the lake would respond – one of my cherished memories. For the first few nights, the noise and
commotion were impossible to ignore. But by the third night, the rhythm of the trains became part of the background.
Oddly, if a train didn’t pass through—perhaps due to an accident or a diversion—it was unsettling. I’d wake up, wondering
what had gone wrong. It’s funny how quickly the extraordinary can become the norm.

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