***The Skunk Train to Mendocino presents itself as a lighthearted family travel story, but beneath its humor lies a carefully structured meditation on authority, national identity, and the quiet, comic ways people adapt to unexpected social order. The story’s power comes from its ability to braid domestic chaos with institutional discipline, turning an ordinary train ride into a microcosm of American life.
***
The
Skunk Train to Mendocino
By Harry Arabian
We imagined a nostalgic train ride through the redwoods—gentle scenery, family bonding, maybe a snack that didn’t immediately self-destruct in your lap.
We did not imagine sharing a historic railcar with the National Guard heading to Mendocino for the Fourth of July.
But America, as always, had other plans.
At first it was charming—soft whistles, polite families waving like we were in a brochure. Then the doors opened… and in came camouflage, boots, and rucksacks the size of small refrigerators.
Our teenage boys instantly sat up straighter. Like discipline might be airborne.
My wife leaned over and whispered, “Are we safe?”
I whispered back, “Probably. They brought snacks.”
The soldiers were cheerful, polite, and clearly prepared for anything—forest fires, natural disasters, and teenagers complaining about legroom. Our boys were sitting across from two Guardsmen who looked like they could bench-press the locomotive.
Within minutes, one son stopped slouching.
The other removed his headphones.
Voluntarily.
They started saying things like “Yes, sir” to absolutely no one.
One Guardsman asked, friendly as could be, “You guys excited for Mendocino?”
My son nodded like he’d just been asked about troop morale.
My wife gave me a look that said, We should travel with the National Guard more often.
The train wound through towering redwoods and deep canyons. The conductor explained why it’s called the Skunk Train—everyone nodded.
A Guard sergeant added quietly, “Smelled worse overseas.”
Perspective is a gift.
As we headed toward the coast, patriotic vibes increased. Someone hummed the national anthem. Someone debated fireworks safety. One of my kids asked if Mendocino had Wi-Fi.
The Guard discussed logistics and crowd control.
Our family discussed who ate the last granola bar, why train bathrooms are a test of faith, and whether freedom includes choosing a window seat.
When we reached Fort Bragg, the Guard stepped off efficiently—calm, focused—heading to work while the rest of us stepped off to celebrate. It was a small contrast, but it landed.
One Guardsman nodded at us. “Happy Fourth.”
My son nodded back—respectfully. Like he’d been deputized.
The Skunk Train is beautiful, historic, and slightly absurd—in the best way. Riding with the National Guard improves teenage posture by about seventy-three percent. July Fourth feels more meaningful when you arrive alongside the people tasked with keeping it safe.
Freedom smells like redwoods, salt air, diesel… and whatever that snack was.
If your teenagers won’t listen to you—
take a train with the National Guard.
Book Club Summary: The Skunk Train to Mendocino
ReplyDeleteThe Skunk Train to Mendocino is a humorous yet quietly reflective short story about a family’s unexpectedly patriotic journey through Northern California. What begins as a nostalgic plan for a scenic train ride through redwoods quickly transforms when the family finds themselves sharing a historic railcar with National Guard troops en route to Fourth of July duty.
The story unfolds through sharp observation and gentle irony, contrasting the casual disorder of family travel with the calm preparedness of the Guardsmen. As the train winds through redwoods, tunnels, and toward the coast, the presence of the military subtly reshapes the atmosphere—most visibly in the family’s teenage boys, whose posture, language, and attention shift almost immediately.
Rather than focusing on overt heroism, the narrative highlights small human moments: whispered jokes, polite conversations, logistical debates, and sensory details of landscape and motion. Patriotism emerges not through spectacle but through proximity and shared space. By the time the train reaches the coast, the family and the Guardsmen part ways with quiet mutual respect, leaving the narrator with a deeper appreciation for the people who safeguard public celebrations—and a humorous realization that traveling with the National Guard may be the most effective parenting strategy yet.
The story balances warmth, comedy, and understated meaning, offering a snapshot of contemporary America where personal lives and public service intersect on a rattling train bound for the sea.
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Book Club Discussion Questions
1. Expectation vs. Reality:
The story opens with a list of imagined outcomes that are immediately disrupted. How does this contrast shape your reading of the story, and what does it suggest about control and unpredictability in family travel—or life more broadly?
2. Authority Without Force:
The Guardsmen never demand respect, yet the teenagers’ behavior changes almost instantly. What does the story suggest about how authority operates socially rather than explicitly?
3. Humor as a Lens:
Many potentially tense moments are defused through humor. How does comedy function in the story—as protection, critique, connection, or something else?
4. Everyday Patriotism:
The Fourth of July setting is present but understated. How does the story redefine patriotism through ordinary interactions rather than grand symbols or speeches?
5. Parallel Conversations:
The Guards discuss safety and logistics while the family debates snacks and seating. What do these parallel discussions reveal about different forms of responsibility and care?
6. The Final Image:
The story ends with a sensory description of freedom’s “smell.” Why do you think the author chose to conclude with physical details rather than a moral or statement, and how did that ending affect you?