"Try the train"
- That sign weren’t written for walking cusses like us.
- Can't imagine it would be.
- Gimme a car, a train, buggy, mule, bike, scooter, piggyback. I ain't picky. My feet hurt. Why they telling folks that's in they cars to take the train?
- Never talked to the man who wrote that billboard.
- But that's what it says. "Try the train."
- Yeah. I can read.
- Man, if I had me a car, I don't think I'd never leave it. I'd just drive. Kick up lil’ twisters of dust. Let the wind shave my skin clean. Let those wheels spin like God made ‘em to do. Fall asleep to the sound of her revving engine.
- (silence)
- "Try the train." "Try the train." Pffth. How ‘bout “Try givin’ me just one day’s honest work” is more like it. Or “try givin’ me two pennies to rub together”? As if “tryin’ the train” is something we could do even on the brightest, gold-est golden day. We're Amazing Grace out here. We've been here for 10,000 years. Of walking. And we’ll be here for 10,000 more. I guess you be Grace, I’ll be Amazing.
- Ain’t no way I’m-a be Grace.
- Well then be Amazing.
- (a beat) Ain't nothin’ amazing about this.
- How much longer you figure?
- (silence)
- Think this heat’ll ever break?
- (silence)
- Know what sounds good?
- Huh?
- A milkshake. Strawberry. Or…oooh…a lime freeze! Right from the counter of the ol' drug store, with the extra in one of them frosty steel cups. Back before it closed down for good when old man Farley left town. Stephanie’d ask for yer order while tossin’ them goldilocks off the side of her pretty face, chewing gum all sassy-like, pretending she ain't interested. A lime freeze. Cold as the galldurn arctic with just that little hit of sour tangin’ the sweet? Hoo-ee! Come on. That'd be good right about now. You gotta give me that.
- I'll give you that.