"Come on guys," said Ernie to his hobo buddies Michael and Tony. "If we hurry, we can catch the 2:45 to Houston." They had been homeless now for 2 years, and would hop frieght trains to big cities to take advantage of the shelters and pawn shops. Then it was back to the smaller towns to take advantage of too trusting people. Many people would leave their doors unlocked during the days, allowing the hobos to raid the homes at will. And it was a great system in the minds of the pals. In fact, they were now leaving a small town in Texas to trade in their stash for money in Houston.

"Yeah Ernie, we got us some great stuff this time," said Michael.

"We'll get at least $200 this trip, guys,'' said Tony. And all was good, until they heard the distinct wail of a police siren. And it was close.

"All right. I see ya'll out there. Come on out slowly ya hear" they heard over a loudspeaker. Knowing they were busted, the trio of bums emerged from their hiding spot. The two cops quickly handcuffed the men and away they went to the local jail.

The next morning, the homeledd men appeared before a judge. They had been given the chance to shave and shower, so weren't too repulsive. However, the Judge didn't care. As soon as court was called to session, he spoke to the men.

"Well, it looks like we have some riff-raff here. Now I don't care what town ya'll come from, but here in my small town, we have rules. Like, ya'll can't break into the homes of our hard workin' citizens and rob 'em blind. For that, ya'll will be punished. Now, I also frown on hobos. Instead of workin' hard for a livin' like respectable Americans, ya'll roam the land like a pack of wild mutts. So, I recon we'll have to take serious action here. Here in Andersonville, we have a very special way of dealing with lawlessness. And after today, I recon ya'll will be much more compliant and repectfull of ya'lls elders. I herby sentence ya'll to be re-raised. Ya'll will be regressed both physically and mentally to the age of 10. Now, that's for the theft charges. As for the charges of being homeless and degrading our small town, I herby decree that ya'll will be not 10 years old boys, but 10 years old girls. And I'll make sure that ya'll each get adopted by some good families of ours here in town, so now ya'll even have a home. For that you can thank me. The Mayor wanted ya'll to be thrown into the Cedar Brook Orphanage, but I thought that ya'll would learn more on how to be good upstanding Americans this way. Enjoy you new childhood 'girls'. Behave yourselves. Baliff, take the 'girls' to the Chamber of Youth. Case dismissed.''

Two hours and a lot of stuggling later, the three men emerged from the chamber not as they went in, but as 10 year old girls. And since the Judge had ordered them regressed mentally as well, they actually accepted their new bodies. And they did improve. The next day, they were adopted. Ernie, now Emily, went to live with a doctor and his wife. Michael, now Michelle and Tony, now Amanda, were adopted as sisters by a lawyer and her husband. They all went to Andersonville Elementery School. One thing all three girls retained was their love of adventure. Here we see (from l-r) Emily, Amanda and Michelle walking down the same tracks this all started on. They want to see the freight train that runs at 2:45 to Houston. They don't understand why, but it always makes them cry.


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