The Slice: All tracks lead to train station at wee hours

I‘m sure you have seen those lists.

Regional magazines love them. Newspaper features sections, too.

You know. The ones that start with “You can’t really call yourself a (Midwesterner, Californian, Philadelphian, whatever) until you’ve …”

I’ve never been a huge fan of lifestyle litmus tests. I’m all for regional pride. I’m also a big believer, however, in a person’s inalienable right to respond to “You gotta love it” with “No, I don’t gotta.”

But.

After hanging around the downtown Amtrak station in the zombie hours of Thursday morning and stepping onto one of the silver trains for a little look-see, I have something to say.

You’re not really a true Inland Northwesterner if no one in your family has ever ridden the Empire Builder.

Sure, you have to drag yourself downtown in the middle of the night to board it. (Some things worth doing take a little effort.)

And yes, train travel has its drawbacks. Plenty, actually.

But it could be argued that the railroads made Spokane a real city. So riding the train is sort of a salute to our heritage.

There’s no telling how much longer the option will exist.

But the real reason I think everyone should do it is to see Spokane through the train’s windows – the way travelers passing through (assuming they are awake) view our home.

There, speckling in the predawn blackness, are the lights of a sleeping town that looks like it just might be an OK place to live.

A place that still has a train station.

“Season creep: “I am writing regarding the Thursday Slice’s comment about someone already having (Christmas) lights up,” wrote Charlene Bozarth. “If you think that is bad, I work for the Postal Service, and last Sunday I saw a letter from a child going to Santa at the North Pole.”

Feel free to share your theories about that kid’s strategy. I’m thinking he or she either wants to beat the rush for some popular toy or this kid has had it with being nice and believes that once the letter is mailed, all bets are off.

“Card player: “My story is kind of the opposite of the one in The Slice on Tuesday about people leaving their health insurance cards in the car,” wrote Cynthia Laird.

“When my daughter was 16, we went for her driver’s license examination. It was a slow day, so they took her right out for the driving part since she aced the written part. When they got in the car, the examiner asked her for proof of insurance. So she opened her purse and handed him her health insurance card.”

That momentary misunderstanding notwithstanding, she passed the road test and got her license.

“Today’s Slice question: What’s your favorite movie scene involving train travel?