Full Speed Ahead: My Journey with Kit

Kit sees my hesitation and she hesitates, too. She asks how much the tickets will cost. Mrs. Finch says that kids pay half-fare. It will be one nickel each. Kit looks at me and asks if I’m thinking the same thing as her. I nod and say we should give our other two nickels to the hungry boy.

Buddy comes outside with us and leaps and barks with happiness as we give the two nickels to the hungry boy. The boy is so overwhelmed that he whispers thanks, and his eyes fill with tears. As long as I live, I’ll never forget his grateful face—for a mere ten cents. I make a vow to never to take even the smallest gift for granted ever again.

Kit, Buddy, and I walked to the train station and march right up to the ticket window. Confidently, Kit asks for two tickets to Cincinnati. I wish the railroad bulls could see us buying our tickets. I’ve looked on my nose at them. No wonder they’re called bulls—they’re bullies!

When the train pulls into Lewis Falls with a whistle, clang, and screech, I can’t help feel sort of excited and relieved at the same time. I carry Buddy aboard, and we sit on the scratchy seats. We watch out the window all the way back to Cincinnati. When the conductor calls for Union Station, Kit, Buddy, and I are the first ones off. The station is echoey and cavernous inside, full of hurrying people. It’s so large and beautiful that I feel as though I’m in a cathedral. But Kit and I don’t dilly-dally. We’re eager to get home.