#19 Trains

I think trains are the leading public transportation to a good story. Honestly, I have countless moments at my fingertips to recall to you, oh faithful readers. Though today's blog comes with today's train stories. There are two, in fact. Both of which I twittered about, but I would love to go into detail because I find one of them hilarious and the other mind-blowing.

Well the first was more of an background entertainment as I sat there, calmly listening to my iPod and shivering slightly in the brisk wind - though, I had my awesome new scarf with me, and I secretly knew that without it, I would have been colder.

There was a man walking around the other platform, rather large and stumbling around as if he were either drunk or not quite there in the head. He was clutching to his chest one football as red as Santa's rosy cheeks. It didn't remain in his hands though, oh no. He proceeded to kick said football at the walls of the station, letting it roll unevenly back to him, before aiming, and kicking again. This wouldn't seem a problem to the casual reader, but I haven't arrived at the best part. His 'innocent' kicking almost hit about three people in the head, and was missed because they had the intuition to duck in time.

And the man didn't stop.

You could tell how disappointed everyone on his platform was when he just managed to save his ball from rolling off onto the train tracks.

My second story is from when I was on the train, almost to my destination (flinders street). The two people sharing the four-seat section with me got up to exit the station before mine (Southern Cross) and I was alone. At least I was alone for about the time takes to walk from the doors of the train to a seat.

I was watching a pretty and happy looking girl walk down the train towards my section, to later sit down just a few seats up, when her face changed and my attention shifted as I looked up at a creepy, rather gruesome man coming to sit down next to me (I would like to point out that there were many vacant seats on the train).

This is not from shallowness or bad judgment, my reaction. The way the man stared while he sat down, I knew that I didn't want to be there. Another man was with him, who looked normal enough, but made it impossible for me to get up and leave because I didn't want to insult either of them (I realise they probably didn't care less, but still, it's mean to just get up and leave).

There must have been something in my face as well, as the girl who I had seen enter the train said something to me. I didn't quite catch it at first, as my music had closed me off from the outside world, but when I removed one headphone I heard her say, "Hey, oh my! I haven't seen you in ages!"
I took the hint and got up to walk over to her, the relief plain on my face. "Wow!" I said, "I barely even recognised you! Where abouts are you getting off?"

The conversation that continued lasted for about five minutes as our train drove on towards my station. We ended up chatting as if we had known each other for a long time, though it was mainly about school. As I got up to leave, I hugged her and hurriedly, in a whisper, asked for her name, and gave her mine.

I think the cringe moment of this was when I got up said goodbye, and then, loudly by habit, "It was nice to meet you!"

Sigh.

Her act of kindness was just so wonderful. I mean, I meet strangers online all the time, but to just connect with someone out of the blue, who I will probably never meet again (although I hope I do because she was really interesting) was a mind-triggering moment. It gave me some faith in humanity. Not that I'd lost faith at all, it was just nice.


See you all tomorrow.