Railroad Bill

page 331/ August 21,2010
Quote #9
Quote: “‘Then, one morning, right around daybreak, I had to go to the toilet. I was about half asleep and when I got to the bathroom, there was Momma and Aunt Idgie in there, with the sink running. Momma looked at me, surprised, and said, ‘Wait a minute, honey’ and closed the door. ‘I said, ‘Hurry up, Momma, I cain’t wait!’ You know how a kid’ll do. I heard then talking and pretty soon they came out, and Aunt Idgie was drying her hands and face. When I got in there, the sink was full of coal dust. And on the floor, behind the door, was a black stocking hat. ‘I suddenly figured out why I’d seen her and old Grady Kilgore, the railroad detective, always whispering. He’d been the one who was tipping her off about the train schedules...it had been my Aunt Idgie jumping them trains, all along.’”

During most of the book, the characters were trying to figure out who had been jumping onto the trains and throwing food off the train for the people in the nearby town of Troutville. This town was predominantly African American; everyone was led to believe that Big George was stealing the food from the trains because he lived in the town. Many people were having a hard time putting food on the table because they were in the Depression. This quote allows the readers to see how thoughtful and concerned Ruth and Idgie were for others, they obviously did not have enough money to feed everyone that needed food so they helped the only way they knew how to. Idgie was raised to help others in any way that she could because that was how all of the Threadgoodes acted and Ruth was no different from the rest of them as well. Theses character would give you the shirt off their back if you asked for it. It was interesting to find out the Idgie was “Railroad Bill” because there were no clues given for the reader to suspect that it was her that was doing this.