Thanks, Dixiebell. What a compliment, to end up in somebody's favorite folder.
It's fun to write about Area 51, if only obliquely. It's a code word for so many cool concepts, in and out of fandom.
When I named the Mystery Train I was thinking of the blues song.
The dead monster line is at least partially a reference to the classic Kliban cartoon: two big striped cats are sitting on a fence, and one of them says to the other: "If I had two dead rats, I'd give you one." That always seems like the ultimate romantic line.
(Of course, Spider does reply, but after a long pause which I should have mentioned.)
I'm glad to hear I pushed your buttons. Thank you so much for commenting.