Route 66-based story
written by OC,SH’s founder, inspired by his September 2009 Route 66 road trip

CHAPTER 49: BREAKFAST & THOUGHTS

At the kitchen table the next morning, the shopkeeper sat thinking while eating the hot breakfast his wife had made. Though he was thoroughly enjoying retirement, he’d recently became wistful about running a business again. Closing the business for the middle sibling the prior evening after everyone left what became a listening party only inflamed that passion more. With the process of rebuilding the town’s train depot in full swing, his mind kept entertaining the thought of running it once completed.

He knew the local Route 66 Association planned to oversee operations once the train depot was built & ready for visitors, but from his own experience & observations, he knew the presence of a caretaker was important to maintaining not only the building but interest in visiting it. The more the shopkeeper chewed his breakfast, the more his brain gnawed on the idea of running the train depot. He knew what he had to do: tell the local Route 66 Association about his interest. But, he was afraid to say anything because of his age.

For a brief moment, he caught himself thinking about what advice the eldest would give. He then chuckled, realizing the irony of that since he was the one usually giving the advice. He then fondly remembered the recent morning his breakfast was interrupted by a frantic call from the youngest brother wondering where the eldest could be. The shopkeeper remembered leaving his breakfast to go to the old train depot site where he found the eldest. As he gulped down his orange juice, his thoughts turned to wondering what the 2 brothers would be doing the next day or so in Dwight IL….