Waiting in the Emeryville station for the slightly delayed train, I was regaled by the exortations of a bandaged cane-bearing man.

“Hah!” he exhorted, “how can a train be 15 minutes late if this is the starting point!” I warily glanced his way to determine if he was actually speaking to someone, careful not to make eye contact lest I become the one he was speaking to.

The young lady across from him allowed for a polite time interval and excused herself and her luggage.

A few minutes later, two minutes short of the 9:10 departure: “so much for 15 minutes late!” The train was there a minute later and we were underway very close to the stated 15 minute delay if not exactly on.

While on the California Zephyr I finished off a tale from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and came across: “the crisp smoothness of a gravel-drive”. A very odd collection of words, I thought as I read The Advenure of the Engineer’s Thumb in the 21st century.