Playing On The Tracks May Be Fatal

All Mark's 2 1/2 years of life has been about trains. He played with trains, watched videos of various trains while getting excited hearing Johnny Cash singing Orange Blossom Special. For some reason trains were Mark's life. Without trains Mark seemed lost as though you took a veteran train engineer out of the big powerful engine without warning. No one could fully understand his attraction and fascination with trains but for Mark, that seemed to be his whole world.

Mark always dreamed of riding on one of the long trains with the big steam engine out in front leading the way, with the whistle screaming as it approached the next crossing. One day his dream came true and he had a ride on a train just as he dreamed about. Since that special day Mark looked forward to each day to watch train videos, and play with his own train as he dreamed of being there again as a passenger, or even the Engineer.

One day Mark ventured on to the rail road tracks and fulfilled another dream. He wanted to walk on the rails and get the feel of what it was like to be someone that worked at the rail road, or maybe someone that jumped onto the train (Hobos) as it was moving like he saw many times in a video on the Internet. Mark never knew of or thought about the dangers of playing on the rail road tracks. He was lost in his fantasy world of being one with the trains as he continued on proudly wearing his engineer hat.

As he walked the tracks he wasn't concerned with anything going on around him, especially the big train that was on the same track that he was on. When he first made eye contact with the train his little heart pumped very hard. The excitement was almost overwhelming for him but he had no fear; no fear at all. Instead he continued on down the track toward the train to face it like a warrior.

This was not like the train he rode on before. This was not a steam engine like he loved to see in the videos. This was a much larger, odd shaped monster of an engine that seemed to tower the clouds as he looked up at it. This was not the Wabash Cannon Ball, or the Orange Blossom Special that he saw so many times in the Johnny Cash video. It didn't matter though because he still wanted to climb on it.

Mark's time has come. His adventurous mind has taken him far beyond what he was imagining. He only imagined having fun, playing on the tracks where he would hope to see his idol Johnny Cash. Nobody ever had the heart to tell Mark that Johnny Cash had passed away before he was born. They knew how much he loved listening to him and never wanted to crush him with news that he would have a hard time to understand anyway. Now he is face to face with this monster of a train, which would scare the soul out of most people, but he stood strong looking at it and smiling, He was thinking what it would be like to jump on; this was his chance to really live.

He never did get on that engine. That was one dream that has not come true for Mark. Instead, Mark left the track to move on to a new scene.

Before I continue to tell you the end of this story I need to pause here to discuss your thoughts and feelings so far.

Up to this point you have been reading a story about a little boy named Mark that has enjoyed trains all his life. He was wrapped up in his dreams while walking on the rail road tracks. As you read this story you can guess what has happened to Mark. You probably are feeling a bit sad, and angry, wondering where his parents were and why they would let this little boy venture on to the rail road tracks. What parents would neglect a little boy like that? It is truly a sad story, or is it?

Actually Mark, was not hurt or killed during his trip to the rail road. He was actually on a fun trip with his parents and grand parents. He went to a local train museum and had the time of his life. At all times during his adventures on the tracks, he was accompanied by 5 adults; his parents, 2 grand parents, and the museum tour guide. No, he did not get to go on that big engine, but he did go on the Caboose of another train, and had a smile the whole time.

This hub was written to show the reader that the way things are worded and in conjunction with certain images, your mind will make you believe something that is not true. The title of this story is "Playing On The Rail Road Tracks May Be Fatal", but it could also have the title, "Having A Fun Time At The Train Museum". These images are not sad images at all when you know what you know now. Mark was not in danger at any time. The trains are on temporary track that is not used. The engine is not operational and so Mark could freely move around the train in complete safety. Never once was it stated that Mark was alone, or that the train was moving, but if you are like most people you came to that conclusion. Don't believe everything you see or read. There are many images if unexplained that can change a fun true story into a sad untrue story, or make good people bad witnesses to an experience if certain facts are unknown.

Below is Mark enjoying his time on the Caboose at the train museum. I hope you enjoyed this story and also learned something. Thank you for reading it and your feedback is appreciated.