  Epiblogue: I had lunch with a friend today. Jenn. She convinced me I was courting disaster by refusing to wear the safety vest. "Can you afford a week off without pay, Dale? Can you afford to get fired? Think about it.
Please. You've worked so hard to get your own home. Why risk losing it over a silly orange safety vest? " And she urged me to take the moral high road where it comes to dealing with Bob. So this afternoon, I put on my stupid safety vest. Bob quietly slunk away (slunk?
Is that actually a word? ) without saying anything to me at the start of the shift. I chatted with the other guys as we rode together downtown. Bob hid in another coach. (carriage) I sat as I always do, with my GO girls on the ride out to Oakville. They encouraged me to ignore Angry Bob's puerile behaviour and instead buy him a cup of coffee and pretend all is well.
Rosie even gave me some money for coffee! Gosh those women are good to me. An hour later, we prepared the train for eastward movement and Bob joined me on the engine. I walked over to his side of the cab, and placed a styrofoam cup on the little table in front of him. "Cheers, Bobby. " He looked up from the book he was reading and said, "Here.
I've got something I want to show you. " He began leafing through the book to find the right page. In a moment, he handed me the book. It was a small paperback book called "Settle It. How To Resolve Disputes. " I read the paragraph he indicated.
I don't remember what it said, but I was glad to know that he was reading it. He wouldn't admit he was reading it to help himself though. "Yeah," he mumbled. "My boys fight all the time. It drives me crazy. Maybe this book'll help them learn to resolve their differences.
" "I hope so, Bob. For your sake. " I wasn't referring to his kids and I got the feeling that he understood that. So he talked. We talked. He asked me if I was still angry with Donna.
I said not very often anymore. He told me there were still so many unresolved issues with his ex, that he could see no way to move beyond hurt and resentment. "It just eats at me, you know? I'm still so pissed at her for what she did... I guess my temper gets the better of me and I take it out on people who don't deserve it. I can't even talk to that bitch without fighting with her.
I wish there were something I could do to wipe that slate clean. " I pulled the throttle out another notch and rang the bell for a crossing. I picked up my coffee, took a sip and waited for him to continue. "What did you do to forget about Donna? " he asked. "How did you get over it?
" I didn't really know what to say, Ms Journal. How could I answer that question? Hell, I don't understand spiritual processes. I know they exist. I know time is the ultimate healer. Certainly, in my case, I found friends and family who helped a great deal.
And I discovered my passion for acting and writing. I went to church and prayed. I learned and practiced a simple form of meditation. I believe in a higher power. Mighty hands, as it were, that help me and guide me. All of it helped.
And I told him that. But Bob rejected nearly everything I said. He found some way to counter each of my suggestions. "Well I don't believe in God. My parents are both institutionalized with advanced Alzheimers and my sister has her own problems. I already know how to meditate.
I read a book about it once. I don't see what good that would do. How would that get my ex to listen to me? " I shrugged my shoulders. Shook my head. The poor man is lost and I cannot help him find his way home.
Only he can do that. And he'll have to walk that path alone. Bon Voyage, Bobby. Good luck! 
