ON THE TRAIN AND WRITING NOWHERE

Years back, I took my first train ride across North Carolina to visit my college roommate.

Not knowing what to expect, I brought a book to read on the five-hour journey.

As The Carolinian cars passed through the Southern countryside, I realized the train would be a great place to get some writing done. The space provided plenty of leg room. I could pull a tray down from the seat  in front of me for a small table. And distractions were few.

I decided that one day I would take the train someplace-and-back to write a short story or finish some of the projects that continuously resurface in my procrastination pile.

The opportunity finally came this past summer when I bought a round-trip ticket for my vacation. I planned to get in eight hours of writing on the journey.

I settled into the roomy seat, got out my notebook and pen, pulled the table tray down in front of me and began to write.

But as the train left the station, my pen started sliding on the page with the motion of the cars over the tracks. No matter what I tried, I couldn't keep control of my penmanship. Sentences dipped and curved on the faint lines of the notebook paper, and many of my words were illegible.

The transportation was too bumpy. Before the first stop, I had put away my notebook and wished I had a novel to read.

On my next train ride, I'm determined to write again by bringing a laptop computer. But just in case my creative plans don't work out, I'm also packing a book.


QUESTION: WHERE IS THE IDEAL PLACE TO WRITE?

--cawk