First cold night run of the season, and I let the dream ride

Ran the 2 AM freight through the valley with that old recurring dream sitting in the cab with me — cold engines, missing rails, the works. Usually I fight it, but tonight I just let it idle next to me and we both watched the grades roll by. Made the whole run feel like something I'd done before, not something I was scared of. First time in years I've stepped off at the yard without wanting to shake it loose.