I popped into a model train store today, a cluttered, unorganized, dirty store, to find out some prices for my Dad. The man running the store was about 60, big-bellied and wore his ill-fitting Coast Guard shirt with pride. We were having a fine conversation about Atlas and Gargraves track and he even told me about some websites I could visit if I wanted to “play computer” and learn more.

The conversation turned odd when, after telling him that I was looking for stuff for my Dad’s layout in Michigan, he said, “that’s one of the few states that McCain carried last night.” I gave him a look, trying to figure out if he was happy or sad about that false belief, but I couldn’t read his pudgy face. I said, “Nope, Michigan went to Obama.” There was a long — L O N G — silence, the awkward sort.

He finally said, “We’re all going to have to play with our trains just to try to feel better about this.”

Hm. Play with our trains?

Maybe we could try … I don’t know …

…offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited. (from McCain’s concession speech)

Wish I had thought to say that to him. I could have pulled McCain’s eloquent, humble and wisely stated speech up on my phone right there and spouted it off. But the long pauses were painfully awkward, and did I mention it was cluttered?

His phone then rang, providing me with my exit.