Car Number 4704
What a huge difference in the crowd on the return train compared to the going out train – returning us from our trip to Ottawa. If you have read the “Car Number 4203” of last week (a few posts back) – you will remember the two older ladies in the center of the car. You may also remember that they spoke to everyone that came by.
Whoa! Guess what? Car number 4704, Sunday night to Toronto was way different. Alida and I were the two old people sitting in the middle of the car – EVERYBODY ELSE WAS YOUNG!
In the “Car 4203” posting I had said….
“I think the ladies in the middle of car #4203 have the right idea. They are out to make a difference where they are seated.
When the taller one of the friendly two looked at me and smiled, I smiled back. She wanted to talk…but I had an important book to read. I missed the opportunity for sure.”
On car 4704 – I tried to make a difference…but the others were very busy cramming for the finals. I think someone must have not told me this was the 'Return to University – Return to College Car' – not just 4704. Every seat was filled with young, beautiful, vibrant, young adults with books open – or lap tops humming. It was like being wisped back to my University days.
Mixed with the young University students were the Military Guys also cramming their home work. The bald fellow across the aisle from us was an airman stationed on the Trenton Military base. His intent reading of the military documents and the flying papers pretty well gave him away as well. Other airmen were on the car 4704 as well…in fact there were four more all with their young families with little kids in tow. All of these guys were a tad older than the University Crowd – but very sharp guys.
Remember Mr. Chris that I told you about on Car 4203? Well Mr. Chris was replaced by Mr. John – who was almost the same age as the University passengers. He was tall, sharp, and clean looking. He moved quickly about his duties without any limp. His own vibrancy was very evident. What a contrast from Car 4203 of last Thursday!
In a short few days my world had radically changed from being the younger one on a fast moving car through the Ontario countryside…to being the oldest guy sitting with an elderly lady who was busy doing crossword puzzles and very glad she had no homework.
It was like being “Rip Van Winkle” who fell asleep for many years and then woke to find the world different. ‘Hokey Mokey’ – that shift was too fast. I went from wondering at the verbosity of two older ladies on Car 4203 a few days back – to wondering why no one will talk to me as well…? Oh Boy!
Well if they won’t be able to talk to me with all of their cramming I decided to be like them. I pulled my lap top out and attempted to hook to the WiFi connection on the fast moving train. Got through with no problem as I gave my Credit Card Info online… then advanced to the Log In stage…put in my username…then the pass word that I had given myself for this connection…then waited….NOTHING…. just a blank white screen. Argh! They took my money…$8.95 for 24 hours of Internet use on the train…. THEN IT WON’T WORK – double ARGH!
I checked the Networking of my machine and found that “PhillipCutter” was sitting not far away and was on the same car “LAN”. Not sure that "PhillipCutter" knew I was looking into his machine or not…buy I knew he was nearby. As a Computer Technician I can do some things that the rest of the world cannot do with computers…after all I have been doing this for a lot of years!
Unfortunately all I could get was the “LAN” of Via Rail Car 4704.
First thing I did was get up and walk down the aisle of the fast moving train to look for the students that had their laptops on and also to see if any of them had their browsers open and were surfing the Internet. It is very easy to see what they had open. All of them were working on documents in either MS WORD or WORD PERFECT. As I walked by them I could even read the sentences that they were typing rapidly. I had walked by 12 open and fast working lap tops. None were on the connection “Via Rail WiFi”
Immediately behind me were a guy and gal with their laptops humming. I stopped and had the thought to ask them audibly if they were on the Internet. The reply was, “No.” – with a grin. I couldn’t figure why they reacted that way. Then the guy said, “You know that you have to get connected by going through your Browser – right?"
I replied, “Yah…I did that…but I can’t get by the Log In stage. He just grinned at me….and said no more. Didn’t seem to want to help…and I couldn’t figure why… I thought that he of all people, my close seating friend…just behind me…would think he could maybe contribute something in my Internet connection dilemma. But he just grinned…
When Mr. John came by, tall, sharp, and clean looking; I figured he might have an answer. He grinned at me and said loud enough for all to hear, “You can get your money back if it doesn’t work…” He continued that, “Via Rail has had some big problems with the Internet on its car service. It may be something to do with the atmosphere – or weather…or something.”
No Mr. John that isn’t the way it is… ‘MR. SWAMMY’, the guy that I called on the Internet Help Line on my cell phone….had told me that it was true "PhilipCutter" was online as well…but there was a problem on certain cars and that a note had been registered to have it repaired. 'MR. SWAMMY' had apologized deeply in his heavy accent.
I wanted to shout – ‘YOU DON'T KNOW EITHER! YOU DUMB LITTLE UPSTART!’ – but I didn’t. The guy behind me was grinning and the gal across the aisle was smiling too….this old guy(me) was in a stew with technology…poor old geezer(that’s me again!)!!!! – “He just doesn’t understand computers. It is so quaint…there he is trying to get on to the Net – with his new laptop…cute little white haired guy…kind of reminds me of my grandpa…” – they were saying as they GRINNED AT EACH OTHER!
‘Listen ‘PhilipCutter’ or whatever your name is… you are on my Network and you can see me as well…don’t treat me like a stupid old fool! I know more about computers than you do… “You silly University Student with a ‘poor old senior citizen’ nodding smile on your face”!!!! I was working on computers when your parents hadn’t even considered conceiving you! DON’T PATRONIZE ME ‘PhilipCutter’ – or I will be forced to snap your lap top shut on your soft little fingers!’
All of that raged through my mind – BUT I did not say it!
So to get some satisfaction and get my $8.95 worth of NON Internet service… I clicked the Wireless Feature OFF and then turned on SIMCITY – one of my computer games that is COOL. It has all kinds of neat sounds and sights as I build cities, repair water lines, meet natural disasters head on… as the ‘POWERFUL MAYOR of LINCOLN CITY’ – I AM IN CHARGE!
So they want to study…. and grin and think funny thoughts about the old guy with the lap top – struggling with the fact that he should know he needs to connect through his browser….I WILL SHOW THEM!
The sound was louder than I expected….and as I played…my wife said, “Can you turn that game down?” But she didn’t understand….sound was what I needed to let them know I was okay. The SIMCITY sound is unique and penetrates a rolling train car – like Car 4704.
The University students were still smiling. Okay – Okay I know – “SIMCITY” is OLDer…. And all of this crowd plays “World of Warcraft” with its own unique sounds and sites…..
At the Cobourg train station we departed car 4704 and the young students. Some looked up as this older couple sped to the open door. They grinned at the old guy with the red face pulling the two rolling suitcases… “Somebody should help them…” was likely running through their thoughts.
Man of man…a lot happened from Thursday to Sunday. The world had become much younger and I became much older.
Oh Boy!
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Whoa! Guess what? Car number 4704, Sunday night to Toronto was way different. Alida and I were the two old people sitting in the middle of the car – EVERYBODY ELSE WAS YOUNG!
In the “Car 4203” posting I had said….
“I think the ladies in the middle of car #4203 have the right idea. They are out to make a difference where they are seated.
When the taller one of the friendly two looked at me and smiled, I smiled back. She wanted to talk…but I had an important book to read. I missed the opportunity for sure.”
On car 4704 – I tried to make a difference…but the others were very busy cramming for the finals. I think someone must have not told me this was the 'Return to University – Return to College Car' – not just 4704. Every seat was filled with young, beautiful, vibrant, young adults with books open – or lap tops humming. It was like being wisped back to my University days.
Mixed with the young University students were the Military Guys also cramming their home work. The bald fellow across the aisle from us was an airman stationed on the Trenton Military base. His intent reading of the military documents and the flying papers pretty well gave him away as well. Other airmen were on the car 4704 as well…in fact there were four more all with their young families with little kids in tow. All of these guys were a tad older than the University Crowd – but very sharp guys.
Remember Mr. Chris that I told you about on Car 4203? Well Mr. Chris was replaced by Mr. John – who was almost the same age as the University passengers. He was tall, sharp, and clean looking. He moved quickly about his duties without any limp. His own vibrancy was very evident. What a contrast from Car 4203 of last Thursday!
In a short few days my world had radically changed from being the younger one on a fast moving car through the Ontario countryside…to being the oldest guy sitting with an elderly lady who was busy doing crossword puzzles and very glad she had no homework.
It was like being “Rip Van Winkle” who fell asleep for many years and then woke to find the world different. ‘Hokey Mokey’ – that shift was too fast. I went from wondering at the verbosity of two older ladies on Car 4203 a few days back – to wondering why no one will talk to me as well…? Oh Boy!
Well if they won’t be able to talk to me with all of their cramming I decided to be like them. I pulled my lap top out and attempted to hook to the WiFi connection on the fast moving train. Got through with no problem as I gave my Credit Card Info online… then advanced to the Log In stage…put in my username…then the pass word that I had given myself for this connection…then waited….NOTHING…. just a blank white screen. Argh! They took my money…$8.95 for 24 hours of Internet use on the train…. THEN IT WON’T WORK – double ARGH!
I checked the Networking of my machine and found that “PhillipCutter” was sitting not far away and was on the same car “LAN”. Not sure that "PhillipCutter" knew I was looking into his machine or not…buy I knew he was nearby. As a Computer Technician I can do some things that the rest of the world cannot do with computers…after all I have been doing this for a lot of years!
Unfortunately all I could get was the “LAN” of Via Rail Car 4704.
First thing I did was get up and walk down the aisle of the fast moving train to look for the students that had their laptops on and also to see if any of them had their browsers open and were surfing the Internet. It is very easy to see what they had open. All of them were working on documents in either MS WORD or WORD PERFECT. As I walked by them I could even read the sentences that they were typing rapidly. I had walked by 12 open and fast working lap tops. None were on the connection “Via Rail WiFi”
Immediately behind me were a guy and gal with their laptops humming. I stopped and had the thought to ask them audibly if they were on the Internet. The reply was, “No.” – with a grin. I couldn’t figure why they reacted that way. Then the guy said, “You know that you have to get connected by going through your Browser – right?"
I replied, “Yah…I did that…but I can’t get by the Log In stage. He just grinned at me….and said no more. Didn’t seem to want to help…and I couldn’t figure why… I thought that he of all people, my close seating friend…just behind me…would think he could maybe contribute something in my Internet connection dilemma. But he just grinned…
When Mr. John came by, tall, sharp, and clean looking; I figured he might have an answer. He grinned at me and said loud enough for all to hear, “You can get your money back if it doesn’t work…” He continued that, “Via Rail has had some big problems with the Internet on its car service. It may be something to do with the atmosphere – or weather…or something.”
No Mr. John that isn’t the way it is… ‘MR. SWAMMY’, the guy that I called on the Internet Help Line on my cell phone….had told me that it was true "PhilipCutter" was online as well…but there was a problem on certain cars and that a note had been registered to have it repaired. 'MR. SWAMMY' had apologized deeply in his heavy accent.
I wanted to shout – ‘YOU DON'T KNOW EITHER! YOU DUMB LITTLE UPSTART!’ – but I didn’t. The guy behind me was grinning and the gal across the aisle was smiling too….this old guy(me) was in a stew with technology…poor old geezer(that’s me again!)!!!! – “He just doesn’t understand computers. It is so quaint…there he is trying to get on to the Net – with his new laptop…cute little white haired guy…kind of reminds me of my grandpa…” – they were saying as they GRINNED AT EACH OTHER!
‘Listen ‘PhilipCutter’ or whatever your name is… you are on my Network and you can see me as well…don’t treat me like a stupid old fool! I know more about computers than you do… “You silly University Student with a ‘poor old senior citizen’ nodding smile on your face”!!!! I was working on computers when your parents hadn’t even considered conceiving you! DON’T PATRONIZE ME ‘PhilipCutter’ – or I will be forced to snap your lap top shut on your soft little fingers!’
All of that raged through my mind – BUT I did not say it!
So to get some satisfaction and get my $8.95 worth of NON Internet service… I clicked the Wireless Feature OFF and then turned on SIMCITY – one of my computer games that is COOL. It has all kinds of neat sounds and sights as I build cities, repair water lines, meet natural disasters head on… as the ‘POWERFUL MAYOR of LINCOLN CITY’ – I AM IN CHARGE!
So they want to study…. and grin and think funny thoughts about the old guy with the lap top – struggling with the fact that he should know he needs to connect through his browser….I WILL SHOW THEM!
The sound was louder than I expected….and as I played…my wife said, “Can you turn that game down?” But she didn’t understand….sound was what I needed to let them know I was okay. The SIMCITY sound is unique and penetrates a rolling train car – like Car 4704.
The University students were still smiling. Okay – Okay I know – “SIMCITY” is OLDer…. And all of this crowd plays “World of Warcraft” with its own unique sounds and sites…..
At the Cobourg train station we departed car 4704 and the young students. Some looked up as this older couple sped to the open door. They grinned at the old guy with the red face pulling the two rolling suitcases… “Somebody should help them…” was likely running through their thoughts.
Man of man…a lot happened from Thursday to Sunday. The world had become much younger and I became much older.
Oh Boy!
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Monday, March 31, 2008
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