Stuck on the Tracks

by Gammy

When Minnie was a young girl, she walked to school every day, but not alone. She was in charge of getting Sara and Mollie, her younger nieces, to school as well. Every morning Minnie helped the girls put on their high boats under their long dresses. The boots were buckled from the ankle all the way up to the knee, so it took awhile to fasten them.

The walk was quite long too. Sometimes the little ones would get tired, grumpy or hungry. Minnie would entertain them by pointing out interesting parts of the trip. But the best was crossing the railroad track. Minnie would try to make a game of it.

“Let’s look up and down the track, do you see any trains Sara?”

Sara’s head would move back and forth, “No Minnie, nothing.”

“Okay now Mollie do you hear any train sounds like chug’a’chug’a…woowoo?

“No, Minnie, nothing.”

They would carefully cross the railroad tracks. But one day as the girls crossed the tracks, Sara cried “my boot, my boot is stuck on the track! Help me!” Minnie looked down to see why the boot was not moving. She pulled and pulled on Sara’s foot, but it was still stuck. Just then Mollie tucked Minnie’s arm, “I hear something, chug’a’chug’a, a train is coming!”

Sara started to cry. Minnie began to unbuckle the boot. If she couldn’t get the boot off the track, she would have to get Sara out of the boot. There were 12 buckles. Minnie would have to hurry! She released the first two buckles. Ten buckles to go. Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo! The sound was getting louder! Eight buckles left. Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo! Really loud now.

“Hurry Minnie,” Mollie yelled! Six buckles. The girls could hear the rumble of the wheels. Chug’a’chug’a, woowoo! Four buckles left. The steam from the engine filled the sky! Chug’a’chug’a woowoo! Two buckles left. Minnie could see the train coming now. Sara was frozen in fear!

It was time for Minnie to pull the boot again with all her strength. Waaah! This time it worked. Her foot was free! The girls ran off the track just in time!

Sara was still worried, “My boot just got run over by a train, now what?” Minnie walked back on the track to pull out the boot. The leather was easier to push and pull once Sara’s foot was not in it. The boot popped off the track. Hmm it looked fine. Minnie buckled the boot back on Sara’s foot from the safety of the grass. They headed off to school. The end.

01 - Stuck on the Tracks by Gammy