The Panama Limited

You know how some things are just way out of your reach? That's how I always felt about the Panama Limited, a special train what run between New Orleans and Chicago. It were named back in 1911 for the Panama Canal and warn't nothing but pullman coaches and a club car and dining car. So unless somebody from Harper was heading to Chicago the Panama Limited warn't no use at all. This special train was cut out during the depression and come back in December of 1935 when I warn't but three year old. Now like I said my grandpa were a engineer and one day he come home and told my grandma to get ready they was going on a little trip. He wouldn't tell her what it was, but he said I could go if I were good. I reckon I were about six or seven then. Well we went down to the depot and stood there waiting. We both, grandma and me, thought we was just going to wave the super train by, but that warn't the surprise. When it stopped, grandpa told us to get on and we did. We went back into the club car. Peoples was drinking beer and whiskey drinks back there and grandma was upset at first, but grandpa told her to never mind and enjoy the ride. This porter fellow come back and told us to follow him. We did and ended up in the dining room, with white tablecloths and silver salt and pepper shakers. And we had what they called the King's Menu. I guess they meant if were fit for a king, but you know the funny thing, they didn't ask what we wanted. They just kept bringing stuff out: clam soup, green salad, some kinda flat fish, real big steak what were kinda red in the middle, all kinda vegetables, and pecan pie with ice cream. Grandma and grandpa coulda had wine if the would have wanted it. It were a day I won't forget. The Panama Limited don't run no more. Not that it would help me much, but I did enjoy waving it by and remembering my ride.