Don’t Go Near The Tracks

Don’t Go Near The Tracks
by Terry Burres


Every student in seventh grade was expected to make a leaf notebook. My grandpa and I had worked long hours gathering, pressing, pasting and labeling. I had one of the best leaf collections of all times,but I wanted one more leaf. I wanted a weeping willow leaf The only willow tree that I knew about was down by the railroad tracks. My mom and dad always said: ”Don’t go near the railroad tracks. Never! Never, go there. Do you hear?”

I knew that they were right. The tracks were dangerous. I knew that people had been killed on those tracks. I also knew that my leaf collection would get an A if I could just get a leaf from that weeping willow tree.

My grandpa told me that we would walk down to the tracks. Then he got sick. I could see the willow tree on the other side of the tracks from the end of our street. I would ride my bike to the end of the street then sit and watch the leaves that I wanted so badly blowing gracefully in the breeze.

Then it happened; the deadline for the leaf collection was the next Monday. I only had five days to collect the leaf and get it ready to add to my collection. Oh how I wanted that leaf.

My grandpa was still sick and couldn’t walk to the railroad tracks. I didn’t know what to do. That’s when I made up my mind - I was going to get that leaf, no matter what I had to do! Without saying a word to anyone I got on my bike and rode down my street.

I tried not to think of what my mom and dad would say. I tried not to think of the people who had been killed on those tracks. I just focused on making an A in Science. I wanted that A so much nothing else seemed important.

By the time I reached the tracks I was starting to have second thoughts. Then I saw it. The weeping willow of my dreams gently swaying. I was off my bike and standing on the side of the tracks faster then you could say, “Don’t!”

I looked both ways up and down the tracks. That’s when I saw this kid standing on the tracks. He was about my age, maybe a little younger. Now I thought that I knew all the kids in my neighborhood but this kid was one I didn’t know.

I waved and said “Hi.” The kid waved back but he did say anything at all. He just stood there looking at me. I said, “You better move. These tracks aren’t safe, you know.” But he just stood there.

I said, “ Hey, didn’t you hear me? These tracks are dangerous! My mom and said so.”
“Then why are you here?”, he asked.

“I‘m going to get a willow whip for my leaf collection. Why are you here?”

Without answering he crossed the tracks and broke off two willow whips. He smiled and headed back across the tracks.

“Gee Thanks,” I said as I slipped them into the basket on my bike. “These are just what I needed.” I waved as I got ready to leave. As I watched the kid headed back across the tracks. When he was in the middle of the rails he stopped to wave.

I’ll never know where it came from, that train roaring down the track. I screamed and screamed. That kid just stood there waving at me. I closed my eyes and sank to the ground. I just knew that kid would be hamburger.

The next thing I remember was looking up at my dad as he carried me home. My friend Susan, had my bike and was telling my mom about finding me laying on the side of the street near her house.

When I had a chance to talk to Susan she said that a kid wasn’t hit by a train. The kid wasn’t there! The train wasn’t there! I didn’t know what to think. I would ride to the end of the street and watch the tracks. I couldn’t help it. You see I got an A on my leaf collection that included leaves from a willow tree. The tree from the other side of the tracks.