Chapter 6: The Tiny Plan

March 14th, 1995, 8:05 PM EST; Mile 23l; 21 miles east of Lewistown, PA

Jill and George walked to the lounge car, trying not to notice the people staring at them. They settled at a pair of seats facing away from the side windows, which George said would make it ideal for seeing the Horseshoe Curve coming up later- on top of that, it gave a good vision of the television.

Just then, Krista came storming up with Justin in tow. They managed to look even more like they had three sheets to the wind than before, an incredible achievement. George and Jill both braced for another session where Krista let the alcohol do the talking. It was embarrassing, and they both steeled their nerves to handle the mess that was about to come their way.

“HOW DARE YOU EMBARRATH MEH!” she hysterically screamed in a cracking voice that, were the windows not made of several-ply Lexan, three-quarters of an inch thick, would probably have shattered the windows in the car. Obviously, the woman was projecting.

“How dare I embarrass you?” George laughed sarcastically, and replied slightly in-sagaciously. “The truth is, you don’t really need my help for that.”

“SHUTH THE FUH UH YUH ASH-HOE!” Krista screamed with a hysteria that managed to be even greater than the previous one. George would have considered this unfeasible mere moments ago. “GETH YOUR WHORE ASH OTH THATH FUTHING CHAIR YUH TRAM-”

“Is there an issue here, M’am?” a voice spoke with such incredible confidant authority, it stopped even her tirade for a moment. But just a moment.

“FUTH YETH THERE ISH A PRO-” she screeched.

“I WOULD SUGGEST that you don’t yell at me,” said the man, clearly indicated on his hat to be a conductor.

Krista went to open her mouth, but was cut off again.

“IF you open your mouth, you will be put off the train!” he growled, his white teeth contrasting against his black skin, “If you sit down, calm your nerves, and give me a damned good reason why I should listen, I may listen!”

“Thith sonovabith ish trying to make a foo oth me and thrying to kidnath my neeth!” she said, trying hard to keep a semblance of decorum in her voice. She failed abysmally.

“I dunno,” the conductor drawled with palpable sarcasm, “You seem to making a pretty good fool of yourself on your own.”

Krista looked at him angrily, but seemed to somehow manage to think better of it, an improvement over her previous conduct, which seemed to include no thinking, at all.

“Is he kidnapping you?” the conductor asked Jill.

“No, sir,” she said, the innocence she projected into the voice almost a parody of innocence, “I’m just sittin’ here waitin’ to watch a movie.”

“YUH LIEING BI-” Krista started.

“MADAM, this is your last warning. If you don’t go back and sit at your booth, I am going to throw you off this train!”

She finally looked at the conductor. He must have been six and a half feet tall and weighed 400 pounds easy, with not much of that fat. Although he was clearly an old man, he looked like he could throw both her and her husband about 100 yards off the train. He was clearly enraged, she noted. And his hands were balled into fists, which she estimated to be larger than her head.

Knowing she had been beat for now, she stormed off to the booth she had been sitting at, with her husband in tow. She was practically falling over as she moved, and when she got to her table, she held her head in her hands, as if she thought it was going to fall off and roll away if she didn’t.

The conductor sat his elephantine bulk gently into the lounge seat across from George and Jill. He looked at George with questioning eyes, as if he was expecting a distinct and full explantation of what was going on. As if he didn’t have to ask for such a thing, and knew it.

Jill rolled her eyes. “Let me guess. You two have known each other since George was a kid, too.”

This is getting to be almost a running joke, Jill thought.

“Sure have,” the conductor said with a broad smile that betrayed the tough guy act he had put on just moment ago, then offered his hand “I’m Tiny.”

“Uh... ?” she said, extending her hand.

“Yeah. It’s an old joke,” Tiny said shaking her hand.

“Speaking of old jokes,” George said, “I thought I saw you retired in this month’s employee newsletter.”

“This is my last run, kiddo,” he said, “And it is a pleasant surprise honor to have a member of my favorite passenger family aboard on it.”

“Wow, man,” George said, “My dad said he knew you back when you were a Pullman porter on the Southern Crescent. How many years?”

“49 years on the road, and loved every minute of it.”

“Tiny, thanks for helping with those creeps,” George said.

“Who are they, anyway?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“My Aunt and Uncle,” Jill shivered, “Bad news. They are taking me to even worse news in Chicago. Oh, damnit, I have to pee. Where’s the bathroom?”

“Bathrooms over there,” Tiny said, pointing to it.

“Thanks, Tiny.” She replied.

When she disappeared into the bathroom, Tiny looked at George seriously.

“How old is she?” he asked, “She looks young, but she seems older old up here,” tapping his head.

“Fourteen,” George said, “And you’re right. Very precocious.”

“And you’re crazy about her,” he said.

“Yes.”

“She’s crazy about you. You can see it in her eyes,” Tiny said, “What’s the story? There has to be one, and I want to hear it, kiddo.”

“Her parents died. Left her with various relatives,” he explained, “ Apparently, from what she’s told me, the will wasn’t really set up for this kind of thing. These pricks are just selfish jerks, but she’s going to her uncle and ... well...” he paused, not knowing what to say.

“What?”

“I’m not sure, but...” George mouthed the words “sexual abuse.”

Tiny didn’t respond, but his horrified facial expression indicated he had fully understood.

“I hope I can save her from this crap,” he sighed, “I’d take her to LA with me, but ... I don’t have a clue how to do it. I have this fear that once she is in the hands of this prick in Chicago, we’re going to need more than just my dad’s lawyers to pry her loose.”

“I know your dad has never been one to follow every rule,” Tiny replied, “But you better be damned careful, George. You’re talking about kidnapping, or am I crazy?”

“Perhaps not,” George replied nervously, yet without clearly answering the question.

Just then, Jill returned from the bathroom and sat down next to George, laying her head on his massive shoulder. She sighed with contentment, and looked happier and less nervous. The truth of her feelings and emotions were not lost on Tiny.

“I hope you enjoy the movie, kids,” Tiny smiled, “And just about the time the movie is over, we will be passing the famous Horseshoe Curve. It may be dark, but you can still see the lights of the train.”

The movie came on and they watched it in silence. It was a great movie, in the Disney Royalty Cartoon tradition, and while it had some action and adventure, in typical Disney fashion was almost entirely upbeat and fun to watch. After the movie was over, they snuggled together and held each other, feeling each other’s bodies made being in public a less than ideal circumstance, perhaps.

Tiny’s voice came over the PA as the train departed Altoona. “In just a few minutes, the Broadway Limited will be approaching the famous Horseshoe Curve at Altoona. I know it’s dark out, but you can still see the lights on both ends of the train out the windows of the lounge car, and will probably see the entire train. This engineering marvel, with its incredible degree of superelevation, allowed the original Broadway Limited to fly over this 220°, 609’ radius curve at unheard of speeds. Due to degradation of the track, we, however, will be rolling over it slowly.”

Tiny then marched back from the vestibule microphone, slapping his forehead just as he passed the kids.

“Dear me, I must have forgotten to close the window. Oh well, I’ll take care of it later,” he said and went into his office.

“He didn’t seem that laz-” Jill started.

“He isn’t. He left it open for us to hang out of. C’mon,” he dragged her to the vestibule and they hung out the window watching the train ride over the fabled monument to the Pennsylvania Railroads might, determination, engineering prowess, and can-do attitude.

In addition to giving them a chance to see the famous horseshoe curve, it also gave them a private place to be and talk, which may have been the intention. Tiny’s place in his career meant he had little to lose if he could justify his actions in an inquiry. His granddaughter had been killed by her father, and Tiny had almost no patience for sexual predators.

“I think he is going to help us, Jill. I don’t know what he is going to do, but I just know it. Watch for his lead. He can be slightly subtle about it sometimes. I promise we will be together soon,” he purred as he held her soft, warm body against him, letting their body heat keep each other warm in the cold and breezy vestibule.

“He would get in-” Jill started.

“Maybe, but he has nothing really to lose. The most he can get unless he breaks laws, is fired. And he’s retiring when he steps off this train in Pittsburgh.”

He handed her his dad’s business card.

“What’s this?”

“I don’t know my number in Cali yet. But if you call this number and ask to speak to Johnny, you’ll be put through to my dad. He will get you in contact with me. This is just a precaution. And don’t worry tonight. If she tries to hurt you, she will be off the train so fast, her head will spin. Scream for the conductor if anything happens. They are like a god on the train.” He kissed her passionately.

“Please don’t leave me...” she cried.

“I have to. If they figure this out, the game is up and we will never get this to work. My parents have money and power. We will make this work. If not now, then very soon.” He took out a pen and scribbled a note on the back of the business card, using a freezing cold stainless brace as a desk.

“If something starts to happen with your uncle, call the police. When they come accuse him of what he did just now and what he’s done in the past and hand the officer this card. He’ll believe you, trust me.”

“Okay, but...” she was almost to tears.

“Trust me darling. Oh, and one last thing:” he paused. “I love you.”

“I love you too...” she said, holding him. And then he was gone.