You Want Fries With That?

Spring 1986: Damn Yankees was finally over, after many extra performances beyond the originally scheduled closing date. I was in love again, though still not legally divorced from Brandon's mother. And I was ready for another trip. I was taking Brandon to Maryland by Amtrak (no luggage checked, thank you.) Five-year-old Brandon's whole world revolved around trains, so this was going to be an extra special treat for him.

Carmen, my new squeeze, volunteered to drive us to the train station in Orlando. She didn't really know how to get to the station, but she said she would figure it out. (How could I not love a person like that?) We allowed a lot of extra time for getting lost etcetera, but as it turned out, we drove right to the station no problem- except we now had an hour and a half to kill. So we meandered out onto Orange Blossom Trail and looked for a place to get some lunch. Brandon was lobbying for McDonald's, believe it or not, but we chanced upon a funky little sandwich place nearby. The promise of French Fries was enough for the boy.

Brandon was among the world's slowest eaters. No amount of prompting, cajoling or abject abandonment could make him eat a meal in under two hours, so when it was time to go catch the train, he took most of his french fries with him, leaving most of his burger behind. When we got back to the station, the train was already there getting baggage loaded etc. Brandon was beside himself with excitement to actually be that close to an Amtrak train just like his HO scale one at home. He set his fries on the platform and began running from one end of the train to the other, examining the wheels, the brakes, the couplers between cars. Finally the conductor called All Aboard, and we were forced to abandon the inspection. We boarded the train, found seats on the Carmen side, and waved bye byes as the train began to move. It was then that Brandon saw it: his package of french fries was still on the platform! He called to Carmen to get them, but she couldn't hear. He wanted to stop the train, but the conductor wouldn't do it. The fries got left behind.

For years he was incapable of recalling that trip without lamenting the loss of his fries.