Growing up during WWII, I lived around the corner from Grandma and Grandpa B. and spent many hours there. I remember hobos coming to the back door and Grandma bringing them a plate of food which they ate sitting outside on the stoop.
We often wondered why they came to Grandma’s house and not to the homes of other neighbors. Years later I discovered the reason why.
Back in the days when hobos and tramps were a common sight in America, riding the rails and walking from town to town, they had a shared vocabulary of “hobo signs” to let each other know what to expect when they came into a town. They chalked or scratched sketches on pavements, fence posts or back stoops. A picture of a smiling cat was a compliment meaning that a kind-hearted woman who would share a warm meal lived there.
I wish I could go back in time and search for the smiling cat at Grandma’s place. Since I can’t do that, I have a smiling cat at my back door to remind myself to welcome all who choose to visit my home.
Because you can no longer ride these rails, you will, instead, be walking the rails to find this cache.