Changes

My usual routine at Windsor Station is to get my train orders from the fax machine and then walk over to a nearby coffee shop. I get a cup of coffee and a little snack to share with Jim, the other engineer on my train. It's not far from the train station, really. I suppose not more than a five minute walk. The return trip is a bit farther because it requires me to walk to the station, then along the entire platform to the locomotive. I call to Jim and he reaches down from the cab and takes my drink and snack so I can climb the ladder to take my place beside him.

Today, when I reached the locomotive cab and closed the heavy door behind me, I noticed something different. My chest felt heavy. My breathing wasn't laboured, but my heart was pounding and my chest felt tight. I mentioned it to Jim.

"My chest feels like there's a weight on it, Jimmy. A cement block or something."

"You've got a lot going on these days," he said. "Your lungs, Colleen's operation, visiting your Dad tomorrow. Sit down and try to relax. It's probably just tension that makes you feel that way."

Jim always seems to know what to say to help me relax. He's the very best mate I have at work. He's been a real blessing to me in so many ways. And I tell him so.

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