Abbot to Augusta

by Susannah Starr

“Why do we have to take the train?”

“Because flying is expensive and it’s fun.”

“But…”

“No, don’t argue. Go make sure Harper has her ticket and make sure she didn’t drop anything.”

Tom scowled at his mother as he half rose from his seat. He glanced at his younger sister, saw that she had dropped her scarf under her seat and sat back down.

“Yeah, she’s fine.” He said.

Back in March Tom’s father, Henry, had to close his hardware store. It had been owned by Tom’s Great-Great Grandfather and was passed down through the family. Tom never really wanted to own the store but he would have much rather done that then move to Augusta. Cities were dirty, crowded, and the only things that grew were the weeds in the sidewalks.

The town of Abbot, population 630, was in the forest. Huge pine trees lined every street and the scent of soil was everywhere. Tom had lived there his whole life, all nine years of it, and that was where he belonged. He loved waking up to the sound of woodpeckers and the smell of clean cold air. Their two-bedroom house was cozy and warm. Built over the store, it gave Tom a perfect view of Tenney Hill Road, and the surrounding mountains.

After Henry was forced to close Barnes Hardware he had gone to see his brother in Augusta. Teddy Barnes owned a grocery store chain and had agreed to hire his older brother as manager of the branch on Hichborn Street. Two months later their bags were packed, the train tickets were bought, and their goodbyes were said. The family of six had been able to pack everything they were taking into 4 suitcases and 3 cardboard boxes. Otis Winter-Garret, the town librarian, had offered to drive them down to the train station in his old yellow pick-up truck.

With Henry, Tabby, Edward, Mae, Tom, Harper, and Otis it was a tight fit. For the entire ride Tom sat with his forehead pressed against the window, pretending to sleep. He had been racking his brain for the past two months for any kind of plan of escape and he knew this was his last chance to come up with a one. He knew an illness wouldn’t work, because his mother, Tabitha, worked as a nurse in Dr. Richborn's office and could tell when her children needed real medical attention. It seemed that running away was his only option, but where could he go? As Otis pulled into the parking lot of the Downeaster station Tom was brought back to reality with an unpleasant lurch and bang from the truck’s engine.

“Guess this truck’s on ‘er last legs.” Otis said as he opened the passenger door. “Now anytime you wanna come back for a visit or if you forgot anything you just give me a holler Tabby, Henry.”

“We will Otis, and thanks so much for the ride.” Henry said with a smile.

“Thanks Mr. Winter-Garret” Mae said, as she gave Otis a hug.

“Bye”, Harper said as she tried and failed to carry her jacket, scarf, plastic purse, water bottle, and mittens.

“I really appreciate everything Mr. W-G” Edward said, as he shook Otis’s hand. “We’ll be in touch.”

“Tom, say thank you and goodbye to Otis. That was a long drive and he didn’t have to go so far out of his way for us.” Tabby said to her son, with an apologetic glance at Otis.

“Bye.” Tom said without raising his eyes from the ground.

“You know Tom,” Otis said quietly “moving doesn’t mean you can’t come back.”

Tom nodded, picked up his bags, and fallowed the rest of his family to the check in counter.

Finding their compartment ended up being a far more difficult task then Tabby was prepared for. By the time all six for them had filed into the small room, found the seating arrangement that was best suited for everyone she was ready to scream. Finally everyone got settled and the train started to pull out of the station. Tom sat with his back turned away from his family and his jacket over his face, trying to sleep. Harper, who was seated next to him, kept squirming and the fur on the hood of her jacket kept brushing Tom’s bare arm.

“Ugh, Harper can you stop moving PLEASE?” He said

“I can’t find my scarf.” She whined.

“Tom, I told you to make sure she had everything. You are so thoughtless sometimes.” Tabby said, standing up.

“I’m not thoughtless, she’s just stupid. This whole thing is stupid!” Tom yelled

“I’m not stupid!” Harper said, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Of course you aren’t stupid honey. Apologize to your sister right now!” said Tabby

“NO!”

“Tomas what is wrong with you? From the moment we got into Otis’s car you have been surly and rude. I know this isn’t the most ideal situation but we have to move. None of us wanted to leave Abbot but we have to.” Henry said.

“You’re lying. We didn’t have to leave! You’re just making us cause Uncle Teddy is giving you more money at the grocery store. You don’t even care that me and Mae and Edward had to leave school and our friends and everything. I heard you talking to Mommy last night saying that you thought this would be fun. It won’t be. All you care about is yourself. You didn’t even ask if we wanted to move. I hate this! I hate you! I want to go home” And with that Tom stormed out of the compartment leaving his family in shock.

“I knew he really didn’t want to move but that was way over the top.” Henry said.

“He’s just mad because he doesn’t understand the situation Dad” replied Edward.

“Do you want me to go find him? I bet he’s in the dining car.” Mae got up and slid open the door. She walked down the narrow aisle past compartments filled with businessmen and women, looking in each for any sign of her brother. By the time she reached the dining car she was concerned. She looked under all the tables but she couldn’t find Tom anywhere.

“Excuse me, did you see a short kind of fat little boy with brown hair and glasses in here?” she asked the women behind the cash register.

“I don’t think so”

“Damn it, Tom!” Mae said

“Do you want me to get one of the conductors to help you?” Asked the women

“Yeah, actually, that would be so great.” Mae replied.

The woman pushed a button under the counter. Five minutes later a man in his mid fifties with dark grey hair and a blue conductor’s uniform came huffing into the dining car.

“Is something wrong miss?” he asked

“Yeah, my little brother ran away and I thought he would be in here ‘cause he loves food but I can’t find him.”

The conductor looked at her with a tired expression.

“Okay I’ll ask the other passengers to keep and eye out for him, and I’ll make a sweep of the compartments. You can come with me or go back to your seat.” It was clear from is tone that the conductor did not want her to accompany him.

As Tom ran down the aisle of the train he whipped tears out of his eyes. He was so upset at his father and at himself that he didn’t see the stall, skinny, Africa-American man in the mechanics uniform coming out of a compartment ahead. He ran straight into the man and was so startled that he stopped sobbing.

“Whoohoo. What are you doing?” asked the man

“Running away.” Said Tom, matter-of-factly.

“You’re on a train son; I don’t think you’re going to get very far. It looks to me like you need to sit down for a minute. Come in here” The man showed Tom into the compartment he had just come out of. “I’m James by the way,” he said.

“Hi, I’m Tom”

“Well now Tom, why don’t you tell me what you’re running from.”?

“My mom and my dad and my two sisters and my brother.” Sniffled Tom. “My dad is making us move to Augusta even though he knows that we all don’t want to.”

“Moving doesn’t have to be a bad thing little man.” Said James. “Just think of all the good things about the new place you’re going to. I live in Augusta and I have to say it’s a pretty nice place.”

“But it’s not where I’m from. Abbot has lots of trees and animals and I know everyone. It’s where I want to live for my whole life.”

“I think that if you look around a little bit when you get to your knew home you’ll find that it’s not much different. We have lots of parks and it’s right on the water. Did you know that Wabanaki Indians used to live in Augusta before it was settled by the Europeans?”

“Really?”

“Yup, I think the real problem here is that you don’t want to forget Abbot, and from talking to you I can tell that you won’t. I’m sure your parents will want to go back and visit and when you get old enough you can move back there and live for the rest you your life with your pine trees.”

Just then the conductor past by the empty compartment.

“Ah Mr. Cape I see you found the runaway. Are you Tom Barnes?” He asked

“Yes” said Tom shyly.

“Well thank heaven for that. We were about to tell the driver to stop the train. You need to get back to your compartment immediately.”

With the conductor’s hand firmly squeezing his shoulder, Tom said good-bye to James. As they walked back to the compartment Tom felt a little bit of hope creeping up into his cheeks. Otis Winter-Garret and James had been right. He could always go back.