the dispatcher in Mobile. It was a sweet, hot southern night. Waller listened to the insects chirping. From far off, he heard the diesel engines throbbing, then the air horn blasting at a crossing. Suddenly, the Gulf Wind's powerful headlight tore through the darkness and the train hurtled past him carrying hundreds of passengers over to New Orleans.

Waller trudged back to his train watching the signal in front of his engine turn quickly from red to yellow to green. He clambered aboard and waved the green side of his lantern in an up and down motion. The hogger made two long blasts of his air horn and began to roll back onto the main line.

"Clear all the way to Flomaton," said the conductor.

Waller settled into his seat andlinebacker at Mississippi. He was busy establishing his career and didn't try to steer Waller toward playing football in college as Curry had. Waller felt relieved. He wanted to have fun in college. Early morning practices and running stadium stairs would be a thing of the past.

When Waller returned to school in September, he went to the library and read through the catalogue for Texas. He sent off for an application and received one promptly. He completed the application and mailed it in with the required fee.

"You're not going to Bama?" lamented Melissa when Xerxes told her.

"Need to expand my horizons," replied Xerxes remembering the beach party in Pensacola.

Senior year was fun and it went by very quickly. Waller had received acceptance at Texas in March. Thad Hank