I was
stationed at Seruli during my early days on the railways. Steam
trains usually ran through this station unless they had to cross or
pass other trains or take in water. When a train had to run through
the orders were handed to the driver and guard with a fibreglass
loop with a handle and a canvas pouch that was used to push the
paper order into.
One day a
train was to run through and I passed the orders up to the driver as
the train came past and the next moment I was lights out.
When I
came too, I was lying on my bed in the single quarters with a
worried Stationmaster leaning over me.
What had
happened was that as I turned away after handing up the orders to
the driver, a piece of coal the size of a size 10 shoe fell off the
tender and smacked me full on the face. If I had turned away 10
degrees more I would not be writing these stories but it had hit me
squarely flat between the eyes.
My face
was swollen for a few days and I had black eyes for weeks
afterwards.
Ref. Rhodesia
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