Did I hear that correctly?

2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday - Portland to Klamath Falls

My listening skills have become much more acute - or is that eavesdropping skills - in the last thirty days. I have noticed that my ears catch phrases and sentences as I walk or sit near others who are having conversations, and my imagination takes over.

Great fodder for stories or just to wonder: The Storytellers and the Listener

Our seats were assigned for the trip from Portland to Klamath Falls, Oregon. Behind Bob and I sat a man and a woman, strangers until they boarded. He promptly announced to his seatmate, "I am going to sleep the entire way. If I snore, and I promise, I will, just nudge me." She agreed to comply, but asked one question, "You're going to Klamath, too?"

Not a moment of silence, not a snore was snorted the entire 8 hour trip. (Perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, Bob and I left our seats to the quiet of the observation car for part of that time, but I would be willing to bet they did not take a breather, a nap, nor a bathroom break.)

For a person who loves to hear people talk, I was fascinated. Every aspect of each of their lives were revealed: childhood, school years, college, first jobs, last jobs, military experience, marriages, children, step-children, parents, religion, spouses' employment, fun times, bad times, best times, every time in their lives. Susan even offered to share her "blankie", but Paul declined.

The woman, Susan, asked Paul most of the questions and he answered with stories complete with beginning, middle, and ending. She rounded out each phase with her own story or summarized what he shared.

I remember: that Paul had won $17,000 in one night in Las Vegas - he shared the rest of story about how he lost most of it -

I think both were storytellers and loved to talk, question, and what was so unusual is that both listened to each other - I did not detect any interruptions, any hesitancy, any exasperation's during their exchanges, only acceptance. Maybe the art of conversation is not dead!

I remember: that Susan had been a dance major in college, but returned to college after she turned 40 to become a nurse. She now only dances in church. At one point she prayed for Paul.

When the conductor announced we were now in Klamath, I thought for sure there would be a big hug, "see you soon." But, "goodbye" was said in unison, their last word together.

I wonder, since they both live in Klamath Falls, if they meet each other on the street or in the market, will they be able to continue with their day's plan when asked, "how you doing?"

I felt privileged (and, of course, pretended not to have heard a word) to share in their 8 hour talkathon - and even though Susan possessed a witch's cackle laugh ( at times and I wished and prayed that Paul would not say anything funny for Susan to respond to) - I would not have minded sitting in the middle.

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10:00 p.m. Sunday night

Klamath Falls Amtrak Station sitting on the pews waiting for the train to arrive:

Sitting directly behind me was an elderly lady, about as big as a lady bug, dressed in a black velvet pantsuit, trimmed in gold braid, complete with a velvet beret.

She began her conversation with the gentleman sitting next to her, apparently a friend of a friend who had given her a ride to the station,

"I never rode a train in the USA until I was forty, but I had ridden trains in England, Russia, Africa, and Asia when I was much younger." No response.

She continued, "In London, for my first train ride as a young woman, I was so excited. I asked a man who was standing nearby to please take my picture since this would be my first ride on a train. He went to great lengths to make sure I stood just right in front of the huge locomotive. I said, 'thank you very much,' and we both went our separate ways.

"Within a few minutes a young man ran up to me calling, 'stop, stop,' and put into my hand an emerald, a good size emerald that I have to this day."

No questions, nothing - I wanted to jump over that bench and sit at her feet, "tell me more, tell me more." (Even if it was a 'once upon a time' story)

Her friend did have his own story which he mumbled about meeting General McCarthy's daughter at a train station, but he added no details. The lady waited, and added a few more tidbits, "I've met many famous people, like the time that President Eisenhower bought me a glass of wine. And, the time I had my picture taken with Bishop TuTu in South Africa."

She then encouraged him to get on home to his wife and that she could wait on her own since the train would be here soon.

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