Grandma's Trip: 16 - On The Train

Click here to read story from beginning

Story so far: Grandma Cecile had planned her trip to visit her relatives back in her home village of Nieder-Mohrau, Czechoslavkia. Finally after months of planning, she was on her way, riding the train from Salem, Oregon, to Portland, Oregon, where she had to change trains. From Portland, the Northern Pacific train headed east to Chicago, Illinois.

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Pullman stub - front

Pullman stub - back

Grandma Cecile was heading east on the train for the third day. She did not have a lot to say. The swaying of the rushing train apparently made her a little seasick.

Her notes have mentioned food twice already, and she was not eating much. When my parents and aunts and uncles talked about Grandma's trip, they always talked about everyone worrying about her health. She had problems with anxiety. Personally, I can relate. When I was younger, especially when I was in school, social situations made me shy and anxious. When I was in the middle of an episode of anxiety, the last thing in the world I wanted to do was eat. Just looking at food could make me sick. Grandma was probably feeling the same way.

Her first sentence refers to "that old lady". It is not clear who she was referring to, herself or someone else riding on the train. By other comments she made along the way abiout people around her, it was probably a fellow passenger.

Here is her next diary entry:

JUNE 3 Nothing to tell except that old lady is really too feeble to travel alone. Today the train crew wanted to make up for lost time. If we dared to walk a little, we were cast from one side to the other. I ate very little. I had hot milk, black bread and figs (canned) and am feeling okay.

Since Grandma Cecile didn't have much to say, I'll include more pages from the Northern Pacific train schedule. The document is 62 pages long, so I tried to select the more relevant pages and some interesting ads.