Train stuff: Cuckoo Clock

     File this under "Unexpected Interests." This past weekend I was flipping through the American Profile magazine that came with our local newspaper and stopped at the full-page ad for the "Golden Spike" Cuckoo Clock. Now, I'm the first to admit it: I have an image in my mind of the person who buys collectible items. First characteristic: it's not necessarily someone who saves his allowance quarters in a plastic piggy bank. I forgot for a moment that my dear 7-year old son has never seen a train, in any form, that he doesn't love. I tore the ad out of the paper and handed it to him with a,"Here's something you might like." He spent at least 10 minutes pouring over the picture reading the description, and considering where in our house the cuckoo clock should be placed. This particular item isn't just a train on a clock, but a commemoration of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. I was pleased, then, that my little guy knew that the train that circles base of the clock is the Jupiter locomotive, something he recognized from countless hours spent studying books of railroad history. Once again I was happy to see that episodes of history have become exciting to him simply because of the railroading part of the story. For now just the picture of this clock will join the many other train pictures posted on the wall of his room. You never know, though. Santa gets Christmas present ideas from so many interesting places. Our house may yet have a train tooting it's whistle at the top of every hour.