Originally Posted by
hunter63
As a small boy, there was a retired railroad guy and his wife living across the alley in our small town.
As he was around during the day, I would hang out, watch and help in the garden or his shop, generally making a pest of myself.
Under his work bench was a section or railroad rail, about 20 inches long, (probably smaller, but I was small, so it looked bigger.....anyway I wanted that rail, for what ever reason.
So he says if I could carry it, I could have it....One day when he wasn't there I showed up with my wagon (my wagon got a LOT of use) and a board to use as a ramp.
Lots of pushing, shoving, wheel blocking,.....I got it loaded up and carried it home.
My mother saw it and ask where it came from, so I told her.....she made me give it back....That meant loading it back up, hauling it back and unloading it again.
Some years later, I had moved to the big city, the old guy pasted away, and I learned that his son had thrown that piece of rail in the "haul away pile"...I was heart broken.
Moral to this story, keep your eyes open, and never tell a kid something that you don't really mean, (I guess he meant I had to literary "carry it")
I still don't have a big piece of rail............