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Saturday, August 30, 2008

The Little Train Car That Won't


See the red Pullman car? Next to it is the Marietta Visitors’ Center – it was the train depot; and next to it is the Kennesaw House, which used to four stories high until Sherman’s men burned it to the ground. It was the hotel that Andrews’ Raiders stayed in overnight before they stole The General locomotive engine the next morning in Big Shanty (Kennesaw), Georgia. Now, it is the Marietta History Center.

Lets rotate back left and look at the red Pullman car again. Did your eyes hurt when on focused on it? They should have, Marietta officials say it is an eye sore.

I remember 30 years or so ago it used to be a neat little upscale restaurant. We only ate their one time. We walked in and the hostess was an old high school chum of mine, Wanda B. I think her husband may have owned the resaurant. As I remember, the food was delicious. The owner of the car also owns the building the next to it, so that is probably where the food was cooked.

The restaurant didn’t last very long, maybe a year at the most. If only we had went back - we blame ourselves for many of the failing of local restaurants because we did not support them.

But the only type of eatery it is today is what the homeless had begged for. They have found a way to come and go. It is a roof over their heads.

I am sure the homeless is the reason the leaders of Marietta decided it is an eyesore and must go. Not only is the homeless an eyesore to them, they are also a pain in the ass.

They told the owner of the car it must go… now!! (them clapping their hands quickly twice).

The owner, a female dentist in a neighboring exclusive community said it is not that easy. It would cost thousands upon thousands for the railroad company to move it, but first it would have to be repaired and movable, would take more thousands of dollars. Even more expensive is to dismantle it move it in pieces.

The owner also owns the building next do it, which she has several rentals: a coffee shop, a dog supply store, and I forgot what the other store, maybe a little beauty shop.

I don’t see anything wrong with a red Pullman car parked near what used to be the train depot. It tosses in a small hometown favor.. and the fact that the homeless benefit is a perk in my opinion…. And maybe even Biblical.

I remember once just a couple of weeks ago I saw a man take a picture of his family standing in front of the car. It was making news and people were treating it as a tourist thing.

Wait! While I was typing the third paragraph up, it occurred to me the solution: Put up a sign on or near the car saying DO NOT TAKE PARTS FOR SOUVINERES OFF THIS CAR. It will seem to dissipate before your very eyes.

9 comments:

  1. A great solution, Eddie, except the sign should say "It is forbidden to take parts of this train car!" Then it would disappear even faster. LOL

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  2. Judy,

    If you add the word "absolutely" to that forbidden and there will not even be a greasy spot left.

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  3. Anonymous5:04 AM

    With a free BBQ dinner, a few beers and a few big buckets of red paint the homeless gents could probably help make it look a little better to the civic elete. Much less expensive than the alternative.

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  4. Reuben,
    Great idea! We all should be on the City of Marietta Planning Commitee - we know how to get things done!

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  5. Anonymous5:58 PM

    Eddie,
    My first and last visit there was in 1979. Wanda B. seated me and my 5 year-old daughter. Since we were the only ones in the car, Wanda let the daughter do some exploring of the little kitchen, etc. It's been almost 30 years and it is good to still have such a nice memory.

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  6. Skip,
    thanks for sharing that.

    The more I find myself forgetting things, I am beginning to realize to have any kind of memory at all is nice.

    By the way, lately, I have been working on all my old pictures and pictures of old places and old friends. I am having trying to but them in chronological order in a digital picture frame - I think the chip I bought is suppose to hold about 4000... anyway, they will be like "flash cards" I hope, continuing to keep my memory cells churning.

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  7. Anonymous5:30 AM

    Sounds like a great, worthwhile project. Looking forward to seeing some of it on here.

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  8. Skip,
    Thanks. I am in the process of loading our Savannah trip onto the thing and saw the picture of the Ole Pink House Restaurant in the historic district, which was James Habersham's home - which reminded me of an incident we had there while dining... The event might find itself on this blog in the near future.
    I meant to ask you - did you know the Wanda B. I was taking about? Sister of Linda B.S.?

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  9. Anonymous6:58 AM

    Yep, only because Charlene, her other sister, was in my class. They lived off Alexander Circ or Phillips Dr ... I think

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