A letter from L.A. Part 2
As you may remember, the last letter I sent made it into the right wing press in the USA; now if that was not a means to
painting a target on my back, then I don't know what would be. It looked like people were thinking that Canada was some
sort of testing ground for political ideas to see if they might then be transferred to the south. All along my whole idea was
to point out that even with all the differences between the US and the cold and the free, we were very much alike. I tried
to point out that the weather that is second nature to me could kill south of the line. I also pointed out that the idea of
someone dying of heat up in Canada was some sort of fantasy to us. For all of that I just had to point out that the things
that tied us together far outnumbered the differences between us. Well it looks like a lot has happened since my last note
to all of you up in the land of the Free and the home of the cold.
After moving around down here for nigh on twenty years I have found out some new things about the folks who live across
the line here in the republic. I have found out that the folksy attitude displayed by all classes down here is in fact real.
Most of the people that I have met show a genuine friendliness regardless of whether you are from here or anywhere else
for that matter. I will say that it looks like all through the land there has been a real desire to reach out to all parts of the
world, and all the people therein.
In spite of all of that; the one thing these years has shown me is how some people still insist on believing that the things
they are thinking are a secret that no one else can see. I have always wondered how they can be so blind to all the things
they show to the closest people around them. This is a tough time for these folks, they have just ended one war, and they
are fighting another war to a standstill, and that is in a land that even Alexander would not stay in. Finally they are still hard
at it in the eternal war they are fighting with themselves. It is like there are two solitudes; one side will do anything to save
the nation from progressive ruin, while the other side believes the first part would rather pull it all down just to keep the
other from winning. They still don’t see how transparent they both are. One would think they all have a form of national
insanity.
I still like to think we Canadians are good examples; it is just that these poor people are so tied up with their problems that
they can’t think to look around them. Even after you count in the people who have their own personal problems the equation
that is the bed rock of the American nation still holds true. Just when they were ready to radically change the whole nature
of the social contract, it looks like they have again found them self’s. As observers we are very pleased to see that no
amount of money, mistruth or outright insanity can turn them from the direction that was laid out for all those many years
ago by the founders. What makes them such good neighbours is based on the fact that Americans are still mostly good to
each other.
I hope it doesn’t take another twenty years to send another note, but it looks to me like even if it does take such a long
time, at least the USA will still be here.

I hope so too Celt, We'll know more on and after November 6th 2012...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's