John Harrison and his son Jimmy are taking the overnight Wabash train from Des Moines, Iowa to Centralia, Missouri. They are returning from visiting John’s mother as a tenth birthday present to Jimmy. It is Sept. 10, 1944 and a rainy night. John over ate before leaving and is suffering from heart pains. He is particularly worried as he had a heart attack five years ago. During a night of little sleep he reviews his past life as he struggles to hang on at least until getting home.
