(The following story by Gordon Dickson appeared on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website on December 17.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — Here is a letter to sixth-graders in Antigo, Wis., whose class mascot, a stuffed dog named AMS, is being carried across the country on Amtrak to help the children learn about trains, geography and the freedom to roam.
The name, pronounced “Ams,” is an acronym for Antigo Middle School.
Dear students: Your dog, AMS, has arrived safely in Fort Worth. He came on a train known as the Texas Eagle. He’s spending a few days at the Amtrak ticket counter here before moving on to Houston and New Orleans.
AMS needs to be brushed, but otherwise looks great considering he has traveled more than 3,000 miles in about a month.
When word spread that your fluff-filled bulldog was coming to town, we called your teacher, Connie Miller, to ask about the class project.
She said that many of you have worried about AMS’ well-being since he boarded a train Oct. 24 in Portage, Wis., the closest city to you with Amtrak service. Since then, the roving Rover has visited Chicago, Seattle and many other cities you may have studied.
“They were afraid the dog was going to get lost,” Ms. Miller told us. “I told them there was a possibility it could happen. It’s like following a dream. If you don’t take careful risks, you’re going to be left sitting at the depot.”
Rest assured that Amtrak’s employees haven’t let AMS out of their sight. He has posed for pictures in locomotives, spent the night in sleeper-car bunks and watched an Amtrak chef cook breakfast in the belly of a dining car.
In a few days, you will receive a postcard from a couple of Amtrak ticket agents in Fort Worth, Roger Bernado and Larry Hutsell. They jokingly wrote: “Your little friend has made the journey in good shape. He barked at one conductor, but seems to be happy in our ticket office.”
A lot of Amtrak passengers have gazed curiously at AMS’ pet carrier, which is just like the carriers that living, breathing dogs use to travel on trains. The paper dog bones with your names written on them are still attached to the outside of the carrier.
The Green Bay Packers stickers that you placed on the front of the carrier are intact. AMS is in Dallas Cowboys country, kids.
AMS is still wearing the outfit you chose: a purple doggie sweater and a gray railroad cap. But, since you last saw him, he has been accessorized. On his cap, there are now pins commemorating the 200-year anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Coast Starlight train between Seattle and Los Angeles, and a holiday parade in Oakland, Calif.
Bet you didn’t think AMS would get to see a parade!
Dozens of postcards, with messages penned by strangers, are stuffed into AMS’ carrier. You can read them when the class canine gets back home at the end of the school year. By then, he may have traveled more than 22,000 miles.
We considered putting a souvenir copy of our newspaper in there, too, but we didn’t know if AMS was housebroken. Just kidding.
Anyway, the camera you placed in the carrier is still there, and you’ll be happy to know that snapshots have been taken across the land.
It was a brave decision to send AMS on a voyage to places unknown to you. But he’ll be fine. There are few better ways than traveling to express your freedom.
We hope your lives are filled with many safe journeys.
Sincerely,
Your friends at the Star-Telegram.
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ONLINE: AMS is not on public display but can be seen behind the ticket counter at Fort Worth’s Intermodal Transportation Center. He leaves for Houston early this week.