Better Angels Now » A guy named Bobby Tony gets a job as a switchman with the railroad.

... and undergoes weeks of training.

    Gene, the supervisor, then takes him into the switch booth to test his readiness. The following exchange takes place:

    Supervisor: "Imagine you were sitting here alone and you learned there was a train coming from the North on that track, and another coming from the South on the same track. What would you do?"

    Bobby Tony: "I'd throw this switch right here and put one train on the other track."

    Gene: "And what if that switch didn't work?"

    Bobby Tony: "I'd go down to the track and throw that big switchlever there, putting one train on the other track."

    Gene: "And what if that switchlever didn't work?"

    Bobby Tony: "Then I'd come back here and call the dispatcher to stop both trains."

    Gene: "And what if the phone didn't work?"

    Bobby Tony: "Then I'd go to that gas station across the street and use their phone."

    Gene: "And what if their phone didn't work?"

    Bobby Tony: "Then I'd go get Uncle Ted McD."

    Gene: "Uncle Ted McD??? What would he do?"

    Bobby Tony: "Nothing, but he ain't never seen a train wreck."