My grandfather worked for the Mississippi Gulf Railroad. First as a track worker. Later because he’d finished high school as a uniformed Porter. 

Like the Pullman guys, but not as fancy. 

In those days that was near as far as a Colored could go down South. One could be a teacher in a Negro school like both of grandpa’s sisters my grand aunts. A minister,…this didn’t agree with his attitudes. 

That or an undertaker for Coloreds. This was too creepy. So grandpa was working on the Railroad.

This is where my dad found his love of trains. When we got our house in Brooklyn in the 1950′s. He eventually built a giant electric train layout in the basement.  This to the joy of all the kids on the block, and my Ma’s then ongoing annoyance.  

That love was passed onto me,…still have it. Tho’ I sometimes wonder what if grandpa had gone the undertaker route.

…would I be making models of graveyards?