End of the Line

No, it's not the final entry for my blog site. It's the title of my novel. Takes place in the 70's. Dan, a 20-year-old, is forced by circumstances to leave his small midwestern town and flee to the big city -- Omaha, Nebraska. Dan tries to keep a low profile, but he stumbles into a situation where he is threatened, then witnesses a murder. If only he weren't in trouble in his hometown, he could report to the authorities and explain the self-defense. It is not an option. Toeless, an old man, a hobo since the 1940's, befriends him; needs him to make one last run on the westbound Union Pacific rails. Dan doesn't know Toeless's circumstances, but he does see that Toeless always has money in his bindle. Money means nothing to Toeless, and he is often robbed of his clothes, shoes and money during his drunken sleep on the street. Unaffected, Toeless disappears for a few hours and returns with clothes, shoes, and pockets filled with money. Dan agrees to accompany Toeless on his westward journey. He learns much about living a hobo's life. In the 70's, it's considerably different than it was in the 40's, and Toeless is surprised at times by the dangerous changes. Dan and Toeless encounter numerous other characters during the trip; some are friendly but most are threats. Toeless reveals to Dan where his seemingly endless flow of funds come from. It is here that I borrow from history, and interweave an unfinished and unsolved true happening with my tale. In the end, alone, Dan finds his way to California property owned by Toeless. It is now Dan's. (My second book will take it from there.)