Next Stop: Unknown by GJ

It was in 1970's, probably. Chicago, Illinois. Winter. Downtown Chicago, VERY cold. Wind off Lake Michigan made it colder. We and two old friends, he a student in class of 1961. We had just been to a movie...too dumb to stay home by furnace. Night time, maybe 9:00. Before we can drive home, Jean announces need to use restroom. Where to go? All I could think of, as we were about to pass it, was the railroad station. I pulled up and parked and Jean went in. I needed to stay with the car, and friend Leslie offered to go with Jean, but Jean told her to stay put. We waited quite a while. Finally Larry said he'd go in and look for her. He couldn't find her in the huge cavern of a waiting room outside the restrooms. He came back and three people are about to panic. (Make that two. I had already reached that state.) I asked Larry to stay with car and I went in. No sign of Jean. A woman went by. I asked her to inquire inside restroom. She came back and said NOBODY in there! I asked a worker if he had seen her. No help. Finally, here she comes, all out of breath!

Her story: As I walked into the area outside restrooms, I saw a baby on a bench. A tiny, crying baby. I looked around and nobody anywhere near us. I picked up the baby to calm her (pink blanket) and a young woman came out and approached me. I told her the baby had been crying. Mamma was carrying two suitcases and a bagful of baby stuff. She said she had to hurry for her train. I told her I'd carry baby if she could handle rest and we took off for the gates. I explained I was just helping and gateman said OK. Mamma and I stepped aboard and found a seat when conductor announced, "All aboard, last call." The train actually started to move, just a little, as I rushed to get off. The conductor took my arm and helped me off as the train moved even more. All this time, I couldn't help but wonder: what's the next stop? How'll I tell Jim where I am?

As it turns out, next stop for the "City of New Orleans" was a Chicago suburb, about twenty minutes south. Who knows how that twenty minutes might have been spent by all of us? The very young mamma was extremely thankful. We four elders were even more than thankful!