Please mind the gap!

The train stopped with an irritating squeaking sound and the passengers huddled together towards the doors, moved just that bit closer to each other anticipating the long awaited descent. Well, not that long to be fair, the train only took forty-five minutes, but sometimes, especially in the evenings, time seemed to dilate and the train felt like barely sliding on the tracks.

David deeply disliked the closeness and tried to distract his attention by breathing slowly in his soft, black, cashmere scarf.

The door hissed open while a raspy, annoying voice kept repeating in the speaker phones ‘Please mind the gap!’ The passengers disembarked impatiently scattering in all directions as soon as their feet touched the ground.

‘Please mind the gap!’

Two more people and he was off. David held on to the safety rail, but just as he was about to step out his hand slid, and his foot never landed on the outside step but just over it and then down between the platform and the train.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Now, he was eagerly getting off - ‘Please mind the gap!’ - next, he was seeing his hand let go of the rail, with nothing under his feet to support him his right foot went under the train, while he did an unusual flip in the air and landed on his back on the platform. He never let go of his briefcase, the beautiful leather briefcase he had gotten for himself when he got the raise.

He was still processing what happened lying there on his back on the cold, dirty platform with people quickly gathering around him. Some pushy, savior type wanted to drag him up but David violently waved him away.

Everybody is a hero! ‘Please mind the gap!’

A group of teenagers were laughing pointing at his awkward position and making faces. They were saying he screamed like a girl. He didn’t! David knew he didn’t! There hadn’t been time!

This was getting ridiculous. ‘Please mind the gap!’ He had to get out of there, all these people hovering and he could swear somebody had recorded him. Vultures!

The people made way for a representative of Irish Rail. He was an elderly man dressed in a not so well cared for uniform and when he leaned close David could see that weird hairs were popping on his face and ears in all directions. What a strange looking man! Was all David could think lying there motionless.

‘Sir! Can you hear me?’, the old man had such a pleasant voice that David smiled surprised.

‘Yes, I can hear you! Help me up please …’

While supporting him the man felt the need to clarify.

‘I am so sorry you fell sir, but the announcement does say to mind the gap sir. It is not the company’s fault …’

So that is what he was worried about.

‘Do you need an ambulance sir?’

David carefully stepped on his twisted foot and to his surprise although a bit tender it was ok.

‘No, no I am fine. Don’t worry I will not sue.’

Visibly relieved that man thanked him profusely.

‘If there is anything I can do! Do not hesitate to let me know! Anytime, any day. I am right there most days!’ And he pointed to a small office on one side of the station.

‘You are very kind! Thank you!’, all David wanted was to get away, distance himself from all those people throwing him sympathetic or mocking glances.

He could swear that, as he was stepping out of the station, the speaker phone voice was saying again ‘Please mind the gap!’ this time though, it no longer sounded raspy and annoying, but soft and caring.

Soon, the incident was completely forgotten, piled upon in David’s mind with other things that happened or needed to happen. One thing though stuck with him, sometimes, when he would just be going about his normal business, he would hear that soft and caring voice whispering to him ‘Please mind the gap!’.

When this happened he noticed gaps that he needed to take care of.

It started with a gap at the window sill, which he filled in and the strange draught he had been dealing with for years disappeared. That gave David a feeling of joy.

Next came a small gap, the tiniest ever, that prevent the entrance door to his apartment from closing properly. He had never noticed it before and was amazed that with just that small fix, now the door felt nice and sturdy. That gave David a feeling of security.

There were also some gaps in his finances (too many expensive scarves), some in his diet (doughnuts are the best, but still), and with every gap that David identified and slowly took care of, David found that he was actually minding a bigger gap, he had not been aware of, a gap within himself.

‘Please mind the gap!’ David would whisper to himself in a kind and caring voice, when he felt the the gap inside wanting to gape open and eat him from the inside. And he would mind it and then it would get smaller and more manageable and David would breathe easy able to go on.

‘Please mind the gap!’