A Blind Girl and Her Dog page 2

So I tell the crew-caller to call Denver back and to tell them that a hotel is not an option. The train will be in Denver for an hour getting serviced and I have every intention of being on the thing when it leaves there for Chicago.

So, I’m on hold again. As I’m waiting I notice a car pull into the parking lot of the station. It turns out to be the Amtrak employee. He’s telling us to hurry and come with him. There’s a Greyhound bus up the street leaving for Denver. So still being on hold with the crew-base guy, I tell skateboard boy to come take the phone and when the guy comes back on the line, tell him we caught a bus. Lol
So we all pile into this guy Honda and fly to the gas station to catch this bus. Just one small problem, no money. So now I have to talk our way into a free ride on a bus, and I hate buses. Lol
I explain our predicament to the bus driver but I can tell he’s real reluctant. I can tell he doesn’t want to do this. I know on the train we have what’s called a 720 form. That’s for people who loose their tickets and stuff so I figure Greyhound has something similar. It’s a form you fill out and then get a bill in the mail. Sure enough they do but this guy says he has none with him. We will have to fill one out when we get to the bus station in Denver. By this time I’m ready to strangle this idiot!!! He finally agrees to let us on the bus “only” if there’s enough seats. Grrrrrrrrr......... It ends up there are only 10 people on the damm thing.
So were finally on the bus and it’s moving. I’m trying to calculate the time of our arrival with that of the trains’ departure. This is going to be close.

When going through the mountains on the train we go “through” them via tunnels. This road the bus is on goes over the mountains. As we are making our way up the mountain the brakes catch on fire. No kidding. The bus is smoking and stinking. The driver pulls over and gets out to look at the wheel. Never telling anybody what’s up with the bus. I mean do we get off? What? It stops smoking and were on our way again. This will happen 2 more times on the way up the mountain. All I keep thinking is; “were going UP the mountain. What’s going to happen when were going DOWN the mountain? THAT’S when we are going to need the brakes!!!!!” I hate buses. But we had no further problems. The rest of the bus ride was uneventful.

Jenny wanted to know how something like this could happen. Then she asked if I though Amtrak would give her a free meal on her return trip. LOL Oh my little mind was thinking revenge big time!!! LOL
Not only was Jenny going to get a free meal but she was going to get a free up-grade to a Deluxe Bedroom as well. All her meals would be free there. And guess who was going to pay for this?? LOL Denver Union Station. Uh huh. LMAO
I explain to Jenny how to go about this. I tell her to call the station tomorrow and ask for the manager. Then to tell him exactly what you want. If he gives you any problems, you are to just say the words; “Americans With Disability Act” and “Lawyer” in the same sentence. That, I tell her, will get you anything you want, guaranteed. Then I add she might as well go for a total re-fund too. LMAO

As were coming into Denver via the same freeway that I see when I’m working the train in Denver, I see the train. But the fuel truck is pulling away. It’s done fueling the train. That means there about 10 min or so from leaving. Not good. I sure as hell don’t have time to fill out a 720 form. And I’m going to be on that train when it pulls out of the station. I’m on a mission !!!! LOL
I explain this to Jenny and tell her that we are going to hit the ground “running” when the bus stops at the station. The bus station is 5 blocks away from the train station so we will need a taxi too.
The bus comes to a stop in the station, the driver opens the door and turns to his right to open the luggage compartment. We are right behind him, but we turn left and high-step it into the main waiting room. With her holding my arm with one hand and the dog leash with the other, were running through the station to the taxi stands. The dog thinks it’s going for a walk when it has its leash on opposed to the harness. The dog is about 3 feet to Jenny’s right. I keep yelling; “Blind Lady coming through.” LMAO People are jumping to get out of our way !!! LOL

We reach the taxi stand. 1 taxi, no driver. We climb into the back seat. I reach over the seat and honk the horn. The guy finally shows up and off we go. Then I remember “NO MONEY”. So I explain to the guy what happened to us and for him to go inside to the ticket counter to be paid for the fair. He has me sign a voucher.

As soon as we get out of the taxi, Jenny’s Brother is there. I hand her off to him, say my quick goodbyes and run through the station and up to the train.
As I’m coming up the ramp to the tracks, I see the train along with my supervisor. What a relief. He told me he was holding the train for me. They have been waiting over 1 ½ hrs. But he said they were not going anywhere without me. LOL
I head back to my car to see what and how many people were loaded into my car in Denver. As I make my way up-stairs people start to clap. They’re all looking at me and laughing. I’m all confused. Come to find out, my supervisor made a P.A. announcement telling the whole train why they were being held in Denver!! And ending the announcement with; “We can not leave Bill.......AGAIN.” Ha-ha, funny guy. I quickly remove my nametag.

As the day comes to an end, I’m making my way up to the crew-car. Walking through the closed Dinner, all the employees in there start to bark at me. Ha-ha, funny.
As I get to my room in the dorm car, there’s a sign taped to my door saying to wake me up at 5:30am so as I can “walk the dog”. Ha-ha, funny.

About 3 weeks later I receive a letter in my work mailbox from Jenny. In it she tells me what a nice ride she had in her Deluxe Bedroom. LOL
As for Amtrak, I still to this day, haven’t heard zip. Good or bad.
JJF