On an Amtrak1train the same day. The train is traveling from Florida to New York City. Grandpa is sitting on the train.A woman puts her suitcase on the seat next to him.

Elsa：Excuse me.Is this seat taken?2

Grandpa：No,It's not taken.

Elsa：Oh,thank you.

Grandpa：Oh,let me help you with this.[He puts her suitcase inthe overhead rack.]

Elsa：Oh,thank you.

Grandpa：Do you want to sit by3the window?

Elsa：No,no, no.I like the aisle4 seat better.

Please, you sit by the window.

[They sit down.]

Grandpa：My name is Stewart…Malcolm Stewart.Pleased to meet you.[They shake hands.]

Elsa：I'm Elsa Tobin.How do you do?

Grandpa：Do you live in New York?

Elsa：No,no.I'm from Florida.

Grandpa：I am,too.5 But didn't you just get on6?

Elsa：No, no.I just changed my seat.A man next to me was smoking,and smoke really bothers7 me.Where are you from in Florida?

Grandpa：Titusville.It's near Orlando.

Elsa：Small world.8 I'mfrom Titusville,too.

Grandpa：Really? What part?

Elsa：My husband and Ilive near Spaceport.

Grandpa：I know that area. My house is only a few miles9 from Spaceport.Do you still live there?

Elsa：Oh yes, yes. My husband's there now. He couldn't take time off10 to come to New York with me. Do you still live there?

Grandpa：No.I sold the house and the furniture11, put a few personal12 things in an old trunk, and shipped13 it to my children in New York.

That's my destination14.

Elsa：Are you married?15

Grandpa：My wife died four years ago. She was a wonderful woman. A real friend.

Elsa：I'm sorry.Really,I'm sorry.

Grandpa：Lots of wonderful memories16. We were married almost fifty17 years. Well,fortyseven,to be exact18.

Elsa：John and celebrate19our fortieth anniversary20 next month.

Grandpa：Oh, congratulations21! That's nice. What does John do?

Elsa：He's an aerospace22 engineer and works for Orlando Aircraft Corporation23. He started with them almost forty years ago.What do you do?

Grandpa：I just retired24. Had my own company.25 A construction company.26 Roads,27 bridges,28 big stuff. But I just sold it and retired.

[A conductor walks over to them.He asks to see Mrs.Tobin's ticket.]

Conductor：Excuse me, ma'am. Ticket, please.

Elsa：[to Grandpa]Would you kindly29 hold these keys, please?I have a ticket,I know,I was in the smoking section.

Conductor：It's OK,lady30.Take your time.31

Grandpa：I'm sure it's in your purse32, Mrs. Tobin.

Elsa：Oh, here it is.[She finds the ticket in her handbag and gives it to the conductor.]

[The conductor moves on.]

Grandpa：And here are your keys.

Elsa：Thank you.

Grandpa：Do you have family in New York?

Elsa：No, no.But I do have very close friends in New York City. We like to go to the theater together.You said you have family in New York.

Grandpa：Yes, indeed.33 A son and his wife and their three children----my grandchildren.

Elsa：You must be34 excited.

Grandpa：I can'twait35 to see them!

Elsa：Are you going to live with them?

Grandpa：Yes.

Elsa：Permanently?36

Grandpa：Well…they want me to, but it's too early to know for sure.I'm pretty independent.Itried to teach my kids37 the importance of independence, but I'm not sure I want to be alone.Some people don't mind38 being alone.I do.

Elsa：I understand. But tell me. Why did you stop working?

Grandpa：I retired because …I wanted to be with my family.I didn't want to be alone anymore!