 Dreamscape Presents Leaving Lyman by Lisa Klein-Ransom narrated by Deon Graham Daddy won Parchment Farm Sunflower County, Mississippi 1938 Ma and grandpa's didn't tell me nothing said we were going on the train For my house. I could sometimes hear the train whistle on quiet nights Grandpa's used to tell me stories about trains that carry people to places far away to a town. I thought was called north Turns out that wasn't the name of a town at all just a place people bought a ticket to My made a mess of food She spent all Saturday cooking and the house smelled like frying grease and pickles and chocolate cake I told her twice I was hungry just to get a taste of something But she hit me so hard on my backside. I stopped asking after that Way past supper and bedtime grandpa's came in my room whispering Lyman come on now time to get going He dressed me quiet in my church shirt and pants Wrapped my blanket around my shoulders and carried me out to his truck I remember the truck smell like all the food mine been cooking and that smell woke me up good We're going on the train now I asked Sure said grandpa's Ma just closed her eyes laid her head back against the seat and didn't say nothing I thought she was tired from all the cooking We drove quiet through the night till we pulled up to a small building Here we are Jackson depot grandpa's said Grandpa's lifted me out first and kept my blanket around my shoulders Then he helped down ma Last he got the basket of food my maid When grandpa's stood in line for tickets. I looked around at all the other folks Most looking as tired as mine nearly all with food and bags and packages The ladies had on fancy dresses I grabbed grandpa's hand tight when I saw the lights from the train and heard its loud whistle when it pulled into the station Huffing and puffing smoke Back home. It sounded like a whisper But here It sounded like a long screen I covered my ears and grandpa's laughed I nearly peed myself. I was aching so bad to get on that train Stopped that jumping Ma snatched my arm The train was so tall I didn't know how we were going to get all the way up there But then the man opened the door and let downstairs Grandpa's helped me up the steps and I walked into the train car It looked like it went on forever and when we walked through I read my hand on the backs of the Sample complete ready to continue