It was a hot summer evening, and the train station was crowded with the families enjoying vacation travel. Any vacation was incomplete if we don’t visit our family, and I was doing the same that day.
I was alone in the compartment, comfortably settled onto my window seat and reading my favourite Sidney Sheldon book, when the people started coming. One by one, they occupied the seats near me. One of them was a lively and noisy family, a man and his wife, with a young daughter of age below 5. I was already having nightmares in the day thinking of how I would sleep at night amidst them. I hated sounds and lights while I am asleep. Maybe I am a light sleeper. I prepared myself for the worse time ahead, returning to my book. My thoughts slowly went back to fantasizing the characters of my book again.
“Hey, where are you getting down?”
I looked up.
“The last stop”.
Never reveal much to strangers. I wondered whether I should ask them back about their destination too, but the second thoughts of having a long conversation stopped me short.
I went back to reading, assuming they got my reluctance.
It was just before dinner, I saw him entering with a backpack. Finding his seat next to me, he unpacked his stuff and shoved it below the bench. Since I had placed my bags next to me on his seat he sat in front of me, next to the stout man and wife handling their toddler child. He was petite and tall and small eyes with black-rimmed spectacles, the contemporary rectangular style. I stole glances at him, while he settled down, straightening his hair which had got dishevelled in the windy night. He too noticed me, but not as much I was noticing him. Continue reading →