The train rolled rhythmically on the tracks. So far so good.
She’d managed to wake up, get dressed, leave the house, catch the train. The hard part was done. Now she just had to go through the motions and allow the day to flow in its well known routine.
Fog filtered the orange sunrise above dark green fields. She wished she had the words to describe the beauty she saw, but she did not, so she just internalized it and let it rejoice her heart.
Sometimes the world was too beautiful, other times it was too scary, and all the time it was overwhelming.
Sandra smiled to herself slowly closing her eyes just to jolt in high alert in the next second as she felt movement on the seat in front.
In the morning, when the train wasn’t crowded, she liked to spread her things across one of the table seats. The only downside was the seat opposite.
Usually nobody sat in front, so she always expected to be alone. This morning though she was surprised to see another passenger sit in front of her although there were plenty of other empty seats.
She would have moved herself, but she already had her book out, her water, her coffee, some crackers. She would have looked like a mad woman if she had started to shove everything back in her backpack and run.
She made herself as small as possible and pulled her things closer to her side of the table to make space for the unwanted companion. It was only polite.
‘Oh, no don’t bother, I am good!’, and he smiled a perfect smile at her.
Sandra was surprised by his voice and tone, she hadn’t expected him to sound so… so… good. She smiled and withdrew in the depths of her seat, trying to hide behind her bulging backpack. With the corner of her eye she spied on him.
He was not necessarily attractive in an actor kind of way. He had slight features, looking oddly similar to a hawk.
Sandra often associated people with animals or characters from movies, and her fellow passenger felt like one of those magical creatures in the Grimm TV series. A human that turned into some strange, mythical creature and, when they turned back to being human, that was when you really saw the resemblance to their inner creature …
‘No way!’, Sandra was startled by his sudden exclamation and gave out a little squeak.
She peeked from behind her backpack and saw him holding out her book. Oh wait no, it was not her book, it was his book, just that it was the same as hers.
‘No way!’, now it was her turn to be all surprised.
What are the odds?
Slim to none!
Two people reading the same Roald Dahl short story collection.
‘That is … unusual …’, Sandra pushed herself up and now was looking at him still holding up the book.
‘Do you love it? I love it!’, his passion for the book enchanted her.
‘I love it too!’
It felt like the most random thing, like the universe had put all its other affairs on hold just to focus on them two.
Shortly, Sandra found herself pouring her heart out to the charismatic companion she was enthralled with. Sandra found she could not contain her enthusiasm, while all the time she was just repeating in her mind ‘Don’t be weird! Don’t be weird!’, but she was, she knew she was, she just did not know how to control it. Plus, he seemed not to mind it at all!
The man smiled and nodded and approved and chuckled and made all the right noises while giving all the right signals. Sandra was on cloud nine. He might be the one.
The announcement came that in ten minutes they will reach Connolly Station. Her station. His station. The last station. She could not let him go.
‘I would love to meet you after work!’, she blushed all over, she could not believe she had uttered the words. He was meant to ask her, girls didn’t do that. How could she be so forward? For sure now he will run for the hills. She was just too intense. Sandra almost crumbled inside when she heard him speak.
‘Sure, that would be great! What time do you finish?’
Sandra felt her heart leap.
The last minutes of the train ride they made plans on where to meet and what time.
Sandra was walking on air as she walked away from him and waved good bye.
‘Malachy! What a beautiful name he had!’, Sandra thought while wishing the day away.
After he was sure he was out of sight Malachy shoved the book in his backpack and took out his phone. Forty three notifications from various dating apps and instant messaging. He crossed the street and walked into a small, bohemian cafe.
‘Morning Maire! Same as always please.’
He sat at his table in the corner and took out a big appointment book. With an ink pen he wrote in it:
Sandra, May 14th- has potential, expensive bag and phone …
He closed shut the book when he felt Maire approaching his table.
‘Here you are love!’ He nodded as he greedily eyed the large steaming coffee accompanied by a huge almond croissant.
Maire felt the day had started.
The young man would come in almost daily, have coffee and a croissant, write in his big book, spend hours on his phone or watch the train station. Maire liked him. Clean and polite, made no trouble.
If only all young people were like him …