Sweet endings

With our Pullman debates yesterday how serendipitous it was to learn that it is George Pullman’s birthday today. The other day I ordered a birthday cake for each class with a Thomas the Tank Engine on top and the words “Happy Birthday George Pullman.” The top of the cake was an edible landscape of a complete train yard. Last night as I was in the checkout line at Jewel, the cashier saw my cakes, plates, and birthday candles, and said “Oh, I see you are having a birthday party. And how old is George Pullman?”

“185,” I said. Both she and the woman next in line looked at me oddly.

So today, after we talked about yesterday’s debates and the “riots” following, we gathered around the cake, turned off the lights, and lit the candles. A few began to sing “We’ve been working on the railroad” and then we broke into a raucous chorus of “Happy Birthday to George.” The students who played George Pullman blew out the candles and we dug in.

Some endings are just naturally sweet.