Melançon Enterprises • a multidivision multinational since 1980

After a high-speed, high-stakes drive with some miss-turns trying to get to Union Station, the great Drupaler S.B. dropped me off exactly on the Amtrak side, with 4 minutes to go to the 7 p.m. departure. I was downstairs and approaching the platform at 6:57 p.m., a young black man who had probably just finished helping load all the other passengers pointed me to the gate and said I had better hurry.

Two Amtrak workers are standing near the gate, and two more not far off.

A black woman says "The platform has cleared. You can't get on."

I say I have three minutes like it's a magic phrase.

She says "If you step onto the platform, I will call the police."

I see a guy step off the train and

She was distracted by the other woman

I did think the guy signalled to come

she's like, we will call the conductor

the illogic of it gets me. If the train is so about to go I can't be permitted to go through the gate at all, taking the time to make a call – when no one has a phone in their hands or out – sounds like it dooms my chances.

I felt actually pretty bad not listening, disrespecting a worker's authority and in particular a black woman's, but I am not going to respect anyone's authority at the expense of my time, possibly expense, and inconveniencing others.

I can't believe they weren't going to let me on the train. If I had listened to them, even argued with them, I would still be in Chicago.

No one acts more privileged than me. Dad would slap me down.

Next stop Jolliet Illinois
That's the stop where they'll be waiting for me to take me directly to prison!

...

Crazy fireworks welcomed me to Chicago, and now amazing lightning as the train crawls and stops in the last dozen miles entering St. Louis.

passing the RV Park Mini-Mart

and there's the arch, with it's top in black clouds!

Is the building with the red slice in it the Adam's Mark where I stayed?