Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Elephants March on Columbia.


So, i was definitely walking home from school yesterday when i happened upon a most unusual sight. Between school and my house there are at least two sets of railroad tracks and several junction points that connect diverging routes. It's the nexus of the train universe. Trains and the rage-inducing horn blowing wheels of commerce are definitely not strangers to this town. It is not unheard of to get held up for up to 10 minutes while waiting for a train to pass. Today was no different...


...Actually today was different. I did get stopped by a train. I was held up for a considerable duration. Normally, this would have caused serious amounts of frustration and anxiety, especially with a cold front moving through the area. However, to my surprise, it was the Ringling Brothers Circus train just arriving into town! Yes they do really travel from place to place by train. Not only had they just arrived, but they were blocking my route home in order to unload the Elephants and march them to the Colonial Center arena where the Circus is going to be held. I was overwhelmed by a sense of magic and childlike enthusiasm for the spectacle i was about to see. It should be noted that I not particularly crazy about circuses in general and clowns do have that tendancy to freak me out. But how often do you get to see Elephants marching through your hometown?