Who: Big Tobacco and Steam Power Where: Railroad; Richmond, VA to Washington DC train. When: Fall, 1842
The Tobacco God, who was not yet known as Big, watched the platform grow smaller through the window as the train pulled away from the station. He always enjoyed travelling this way. Something about the feeling of having the world rush past him, towns and cities and farms all blurring into one as he passed them by and yet each distinct in the worship they radiated. Most often the chewers, expectorating ritually in the public spittoons one saw more and more frequently these days; but also the smokers, their every pipe a burning offering to him. Further out of town, they favoured the dip, pasting moist snuff on their gums with twigs that had been stripped of their bark. Then, of course, as you neared the tobacco plantations you'd come upon the slaves. Hundreds upon hundreds of living sacrifices toiling on the land, sowing profits they would never see. (Of course, everybody who worshipped Tobacco was a human sacrifice, but it would be some years yet before they made the connection between him and deteriorating health, and over a century before it drew serious consideration.)
And all this, appropriately, to be observed from the comforts of a machine that itself ran on burning material, releasing all its lovely exhaust gases into the air through - this tickled him - the smoke stack. Tobacco couldn't help but approve.
But there was power in the trains, besides. True, they were young yet, but Tobacco - somewhat cockily, perhaps - liked to think that he could pick a winner when he saw one. And rail travel did carry an undeniable appeal, especially to a young nation such as America. It was new, it was shiny, the image of modernisation; seductive with its promise of speed, convenience, and of course new lucrative opportunities. And he obviously wasn't the only one who thought so. That she'd gotten in on the game surely meant something. Steam Power, like Tobacco, didn't waste her time on a loser.
And speaking of her...
Tobacco turned from the window as the door to his compartment swung open. "Well, you do make a timely appearance," he grinned. "I didn't know you'd been in town. Don't tell me you've been avoiding me."