Article May 17, 1975 Issue

The Cable Car Ride

Gladys R. Heorodt

Denise thought that San Francisco was never more beautiful than on this sunny day. She stood on the sidewalk waiting for one of the famous old cable cars that went up and down the city's incredibly steep hills. She was on the way downtown to meet her cousin, and this whole weekend promised to be one of the happiest of her life. Her parents had given their permission for this visit in town, her very first time away from her small-town home many miles from San Francisco. The weekend plans included lunch and shopping today, and on Sunday morning there would be a visit to the Christian Science Sunday School in a big city church. She was looking forward to all of it.

The cable car arrived and as it rolled smoothly to a stop, Denise climbed aboard, paid her fare, and took a seat on the outside bench, so she could see the exciting, steep view of this beautiful city. Glancing quickly around at the smiling faces of the other passengers, she saw from their conversation and clothes that many of them were visitors in town. Denise smiled shyly at the two ladies sitting near her, and they smiled back as the cheerful gripman pulled at the cord above his head, clanging the car bell as they proceeded along the streets.

People passing on the sidewalks waved to the passengers on the car, and the passengers waved back. It was like an adventure they all shared. As the cable car rounded a sharp curve, before beginning its trip down a steep hill, the gripman called to everyone, "Hold on to your seats!"

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