11-10-2023, 02:30 PM
Maybe I should clarify. I was no traveler, just a kid hitching a ride to the next town(s) 1/2 to 1 mile away. Other kids did it and it seemed cool and exciting - classic hobo stuff - an activity that oozed FREEDOM! We would be traveling on foot, but if a train happened to come by, we might decide to hop it. The truth is, I never really felt extremely confident about doing it, but it was a real thrill. My parents never found out (Shhh!).
There was one girl - whom I did not know personally - that lived about 2 miles further up the track. She lost her footing - literally - and ended up with two amputations below the knee. It was in the papers and we all felt bad for her. Heard years later that she did alright in life with her prosthetics - got married, had kids - all the regular stuff.
It was risky behavior, but I'm not sorry I did it. Would not dream of trying it again at this point in my life... well, unless I were being chased by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and search hounds.
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