The “train station” in Pontiac is most certainly anything but. It’s an elevated concrete sidewalk with a sign reading “Train Station.” Wishful thinking at it’s best.

Andrew ended up buying my ticket with the AAA discount as well as his own. They reiterate many times the fact that you have to have your membership card when presenting the ticket to the conductor. We figured worst case scenario they would make us pay the difference, but it was still proving to be a slight source of anxiety. They don’t bother to check tickets until the train is already moving (which I guess has it’s reasons, and they can just make you pay before you get off if you don’t have a ticket, but still…), so it wasn’t until a little while into the ride that things were settled. They didn’t even mention it.

Trains are huge. They may seem large when they are driving by while holding you up in traffic. But if you’ve never ridden a train, you have no idea just how large they are until you have to walk by the engine to get on the train.

We got on the train at one end and walked up towards the front. We had business class seats. But, I hadn’t ever been on a train at all, much less been on one enough to be able to differentiate between coach and business class. Andrew didn’t seem quite as clueless as me, but he was still slightly confused. He told me to sit and wandered back where we came. Eventually a few other people, who clearly had done this before, boarded and were mumbling something about business class. We followed them and finally found the right coach; it was at the very front of the train. Upon later consideration, it made perfect sense that it would be located at the front. Otherwise coach passengers would be able to wander through.

Graffiti artists are actually really good. I was thinking about that. We definitely passed enough of it on our way out of Pontiac and through Detroit. There were a couple of really lamely done paintings and I pointed out that I could do something like that. But it always amazes me how good people get with spray paint cans. I’m thinking now that I should do a photography exhibition of graffiti. Although the type of place that a person can stand around with multiple cans of spray paint and make illegal art is not exactly the type of place a girl like me should be walking around with 2k$ worth of photography equipment. Could take a couple of huge guys with me… But I wouldn’t bank on that really working.

The guy serving in the dining car was a trip. Sounded something like this: “Alright, alright now, what can I get for you..” “French toast and sausage.” “..french toast and sausage, alright, we’ll get you all squared away, alright, next one, what can I get for you..” “A bagel.” “..alright, alright, a bagel, we’ll get you all squared away, how about you, what can I get for you..” “A bagel.” “..alright, we’ll get that right up for you, next..” “French toast and sausage.” “..french toast and sausage, see they only give me two of those per trip, not what they call a hot ticket item, but we’ll get you taken care of, get you all squared away, what about you two..” “A bagel.” “A bagel.” “..two bagels, I’m in bagel heaven here, who else wants a bagel, anyone else need a bagel, we’ll get you all squared away, what about you..” “French toast and sausage.” “..see, now I don’t know how to break it to you, but they only give me two of those per trip, not what they call a hot ticket item, so I only have two per trip, now lets get the line wrapped around this way, so we’re not standing in business class, move on around here, what about you, lets keep it going so I can get everyone squared away, what can I get for you..” “A cinnamon roll and a coffee.” “Alright, alright, I got your coffee right here, go ahead and pick up your cinnamon roll there, I got cream and sugar right here, grab a stirrer if you need one, go ahead and move over here so you’re not in business class, they paid their 10$ for their privacy..” (He wandered out from behind the counter and closed the little curtain between the dining car and business class, all the while still talking…) “..so what can I get for you..” “A bagel.” “..a bagel, see I’m in bagel heaven here, now just wait a bit so i can heat that up, they only give me this microwave, what I really need is an oven over there, so just give me a minute, I’ll get you all squared away, “..what can I get for you..” [me] “A bagel.” “Just keeps coming with the bagels, what can I get for you..” [Andrew] “A pepsi.” “Thank heaven, I’ll get you all squared away, just give me a minute here, now what about Beatles over here, what can I get for you..” (I have to point out here that there was a girl in line wearing a Beatles shirt.) “A water and a muffin.” “..just pick out your muffin right there, and I’ll get you your water, I got a story about the Beatles, my mom once waited on the Beatles, but they were so drunk she had no idea, so she waited on the Beatles and then she sees a picture of them, and says ‘I waited on those fellas,’ but they’d had so much to drink she had no idea who they were when she waited on them, now I’ve got you all squared away, so what can I get for you…”

The whole time. Never really paused once. He was quite entertaining.