So, you have to realize The Canyon Diablo Train Robbery is not new with me. It goes back to the mid-80's...or even earlier, I can't remember. Reading the story for the first time left such an indelible impression on me I couldn't ever forget it and never have. It's always been sort of a Mile Stone in my pantheon of Life Stories. It defines what I've always thought Arizona and The West was All About.
So, let's rewind ourselves into the Way Back Time Machine. I had a Dear Friend Shawn. He and I were returning from Lees Ferry after shuttling a vehicle north. As day turned to night, I told Shawn about The Canyon Diablo Train Robbery and how it happened 100 years ago that very day. Shawn was intrigued and absorbed by the story and kept prodding me for more. Of course, I had more, and poured forth all I knew.
As we approached Flagstaff, I proposed to Shawn the idea that we drive out to Canyon Diablo on the 100th Anniversary of The Robbery to just stand there and "soak it all in". Shawn was totally ALL IN on the idea.
So, we refueled with gas and adult beverages and headed east on I-40, chattering all the while about what it would have been like 100 years ago. As chance would have it, conditions in 1989 closely replicated those in 1889 on the same day.
If you've ever been to Canyon Diablo you know it ain't easy going to get there. It's a rough anatomy road that takes some fortitude to navigate, especially at night. So we bounced ourselves over the sharp-edged limestone and drew ever closer to our goal.
As we strained our eyes, we thought we could see a glimmer of light someplace. I stopped the 4x4 truck and turned to Shawn. I said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could find a place to truly tell the story?" He took another sip of his adult beverage and nodded.
We proceeded on and, as we approached the railroad tracks the tiny light grew ever brighter. We parked the truck and I said, "Let's go rally up whoever is in that caboose."
So, we stumbled over the rough limestone to the caboose and I climbed up the steps and banged on the door. A wide-eyed young man opened the door and yelled out "What do you want?"
I told him we just wanted to tell The Story of The Canyon Diablo Train Robbery on the occasion of the exact 100th Anniversary of its actual occurrence and we NEEDED a place to tell the story and could we please come in!
Well, he didn't know what the hell we were talking about but he somehow trusted us and let us into his caboose which at that time had a glowing fire in the stove and was as warm and toasty as you could imagine.
Shawn sat down on a bench and the caboose guy kept a wary eye on me. And then I launched off. Man, I launched off. I told The Story of The Canyon Diablo Train Robbery better than its ever been told before or since. NOBODY could ever match me on that night's rendition of the story, I let it ALL loose like some volley from The Story Gods.
Even as I told The Story that Night I was actually listening to myself and thinking to myself, "Gosh, where did you get THAT?" But it was so good.
SO Very Good.
We climbed off that caboose that night and each went our own way to Destiny.
And Then tonight....The Guy in The Caboose Comes Back!
Oh! My! Gosh!
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