In response to Ermilia’s Picture It & Write.

Things had not been going well for the Holden family. Willie had been terminated from his job working for the New York Central Railroad after 15 years with the company. “Downsizing” was the term the human resource  person had told him. Fifteen years down the drain in one 30 minute sit down with the company representative. His wife Margie had been cleaning homes in the neighborhood to make ends meet for the family. Their son Donald was four years old and required special medical treatment for a very rare bone disease. A disease that Willie never understood.

Willie and Margie had both agreed that they would be better off out west. Arizona had been recommended by their son’s doctor. Since neither had any immediate family they could make decisions by themselves without affecting anyone.  Together they managed to get everything they owned in Willie’s old ’54 dodge.

They were on Route 66, just leaving Flagstaff when the dust storm hit. Margie saw a sign that read next rest area 110 miles and suggested they stop. Willie, wanting to make  good time, ignored her and continued on west.