"Takin' Twenty" with the Virginian Brethren by Skip Salmon

[NW Mailing List]

Last night I had the pleasure of "Takin' Twenty" with four of the Brethren
and Friends of the Virginian Railway. During our conversation about the
recent hot weather, Wis and Landon recalled picking wild strawberries as a
lad during the hot summers.  Of course during this operation they had to
watch out for snakes.  This led to Landon telling us about a Norfolk
Division Dispatcher, Pete Williams, being bit by a copperhead.  Landon said
Pete was "so tough that the snake died."  Of course we all had at least one
story about our favorite strawberry short cake memory.


 Speaking of the Norfolk Division, I showed the Brethren my latest in
Virginian poem:


 The ole Norfolk Division was straight, like a string bean,
 Of our Fallen Flag, and power was by diesel and steam.
 No more Alberta, Nutbush or Sunray;
 And Purdy, Meherrin, Sedley or Gray.
 Now all that's left is the line from Roanoke to Abilene.


 The ebay report this time has the following Virginian Railway items sold:
VGN RY short globe (no globe) lantern for parts for $188.50; August 5, 1945
VGN Public Timetable for $19.99; "Victoria Then and Now 1909-2009
Centennial" for $29.99; and an August 5, 1946 New River Division Timetable
for $50.00.


 The Jewel from the Past, like those in an E. Howard 21 Jewel Railroad
Chronometer with keystone 25 year guarantee is from April 1, 2009:  "Rufus
Wingfield asked me to bring to the session a Seniority Roster for him to
review.  While looking at it, he recalled all of the 1923 dates indicated a
"Strike Breaker".  He said in 1945, Roundhouse Foreman N. A. 'Knot' Thomas
told him he 'could get him on as a fireman'.  Ruf remembered responding to
'Knot' 'No Thanks', 'those steam engines are too much work.'  Ruf and Wis
Sowder talked about Conductor Warren H. Arthur, who was known fro his
thriftyness.  'He would bring jugs from home for VGN water and  coal and
would only take showers with VGN water'.  Ruf said as Conductor, when
taking 'transfers to the W, he would pull the air to stop the caboose to
pick up pop bottles for the two cent deposit'.


 Then there's this (for Frank B.): A Mafia Boss finds out that his
bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of 10 million dollars.  His
bookkeeper is deaf.  That was the reason he got the job in the first
place.  It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing and would therefore
never have to testify in court.  When the Godfather  goes to confront Guido
about the missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer, who knows sign
language.  The Godfather tells the lawyer, "Ask him where the money is. "
The lawyer, using sign language , asks Guido, "Where's the money?"  Guido
signs back,"I don't know what you are talking about."  The lawyer tells the
Godfather, "He says he doesn't know what you are talking about."  The
Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido's head and says, "Ask him
again or I'll kill him!"  The lawyer signs to Guido, "He'll kill you if you
don't tell him where the money is."  Guido trembles and signs back, "OK, OK
You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my
cousin Bruno's house."  The Godfather asks the lawyer, "What did he say?"
The lawyer replies, "He says you don't have the cahonies to pull the
trigger".


 Time to pull the trigger on this one!


 Departing Now from V248,


 Skip Salmon


 DCXVI








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