hunder is booming and rain is spattering me in the face. I’m standing just clear of the coupler, waving my operator back. Lightning flashes. Rain is starting to come down a little harder. I’m going to get wet.

“Ten feet,” I call. “Five. One. Inches. Good!”

Bill comes back and in the gathering rain and wind, we couple the truck to the club trailer and link all the safety hooks up. Rain is splashing against my back now. Finally we’re coupled. Bill decides he’s going to position. “I’m going in,” I tell him. It’s a long walk back to the hall where the Deland Train Show is taking place. I get in half-soaked. A moment after I get under cover, the rain really smokes down.

We had a train show – I had table duty so I was like the station agent (to make a second train metaphor), watching the trains roll past all day. Fixed a lot of problems. Helped two people with membership applications (both interested in joining). Sold a lot of mags. Got some dues. Watch some trains.

Overall, it seemed like a better-than-average show. People came and, as always, enjoyed our layout. In the end, a pretty good takedown – a transport box broke and put our intermodals on the ground – nobody faulted. But those cars must be haunted – they are always breaking. And then, since all the dealers were leaving at once, it took us forever to move the trailer back into the building to keep our modules dry for loading.

And, if course, because I was starting to finally dry, I had to help Greg load his car with his stuff. And he pulled up and fussed 100 feet out, making me walk out into the rain twice to inquire. Bill and I agreed to unload some future day (I’m writing this at 9:40 PM and it’s still raining). And when I finally was able to leave, the other club was struggling to get their modules ready for transport.

In fact, I was so wet (and possibly mildewing) on the drive home that I took the express lanes in rather than deal with the stop-and-go nonsense from Sanford south. Yes, I was done with service for today; I just wanted to get home.

Hot shower. Curled up on the couch with two cats and got a long sleep. Much better.

And the show – great, as always. Thanks to all that attended, who ran the layout at capacity, and let the kids run. More shows in future. But next time, I want to run – someone else run the company store.

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