He Caught the Westbound

"He caught the westbound" is an old American hobo expression for someone who has departed from this life. In the case of this book it is employed to be symbolic of a passing American way of life and the people who created that. We live in troubled times, and the author often uncomfortably reminds us so. Yet positive travel experiences relieve the pessimism wherein the author says, "It could be worse. But not much . . ."