Friday, September 18, 2015

More than a train ride

  Having accepted the fact that each time i want or have to go to the city, a 2-hour train ride is a thing you can't escape. Without knowing when was the exact time i felt totally comfortable and enjoying the whole train ride, i started doing things during my journey. While most of the time, without internet access, my eyes would follow every tree we passed. I still remember my first ride to the city. i thought the place i just moved in is a really deserted region which all you see are barren trees over the next 100 miles and that time i hopped on the train and realized about 5 minutes train ride away, a small community/town is just on the side of the track almost made me sob. Well, i did look at other stuff apart from trees, houses,what people were doing in their garden, the mum carrying her baby waving goodbye to the train on the steps of the front house, the cyclists in the middle of nowhere paused their ride and waving to the train probably saying "look, it's a train!', the most scenic view of a lake house to those time i picked up my Backstage magazine and looked for casting and theatre news...but there are more to that.

   Throughout my hundreds times ride, there are a few things/people left me a fair impression and i have decided to put them all in this little post. Don't worry, you all have your own seats, it's not that crowded to be standing. (cut the joke, please)

    Usually after i ventured most of my energy in the city for a day and got changed for another train and was ready for the next one and a half hour or forty five minutes, a small nap is the most desirable thing. Cushioned seating, quiet environment... what a great way to re-charge and let time pass and the next minute, you found yourself closer to your destination. I always can wake up just stops away from my stop, well, except that one day... I did wake up at my stop i just...didn't think it was my stop... I remember i woke up magically and peeked my way to see the environment around me, cool, trees and houses, probably one more stop away. I didn't go back to sleep again . And the minutes i heard the closing door sound, it just clicked that it was totally my stop and realized i missed it! i snatched my bag and stuff and ran to the door...but it was too late, the door was shut tight. Having no idea what to do, i knocked on the window pane of the door hoping some staff maybe just a few steps away would hear it. "Ahh, too late." mumbled the old man sitting on his seat. The train started to move and i realized i have to go to the next stop which is extremely miserable just by the sound of it as what i found out later the next train departing from that final stop to the city is going to be 2 hours away. Suddenly, a man, i didn't really pay attention to how he looks rushed out and reached up his hand to the ceiling and there, push, he pushed a white button just above me. "if you missed your stop, you can push that button." Seconds later, the train started to pull over and there it stopped and the door finally opened for me. At that moment, all i know was to rush out to the platform, one of the captains on the side of the train asked:" What happened?" as i made my way back to the platform. "i slept..." and the train went to its final stop at last. To the man who rushed out to help me to push the button, which has no label for its usage!, i didn't have the time to thank him. and this is for you. Thanks.

 


    The second thing i want to write about are the random people on the train. I don't want the post be too long so i hope you don't mind i just mention the key things and people below.

      There was a time two old ladies were sitting a row back next to me on the other aisle. They were sort of dressed up in a casual way and seemingly this train ride wouldn't be their normal commute. The staff of the train in his uniform with a hat on his head came for tickets. After he punched some holes on mine, he went to the ladies. One of the ladies asked, "Do i have to change again?" This explained my thought about their ride that this was probably their first ride. The staff or can i say ticket man replied, "I don't want you ever to change." There, the two ladies laughed and so did i. "That was smooth!" said the lady. I just love moments like that, random people joking suddenly made me, the ticket man and the old ladies happy. Not only that, to the staff who would say "Have a nice day" after they checked my ticket instantly made me feel like my day is going to be great. Or to those people who don't know each other on the train but heard someone sneezed saying "bless you"are my favorite kind of people. And last but not least, those random people who sat next to me and casually started a small conversation with me, I think i like you. a lot.

      Yes, the train ride to and out of Manhattan is magnificent, so magnificent you refuse to believe its real and not photo-shopped. Those sunrise and sunset, specially sunset, red yellow and orange, and sometimes pink purple and blue, dyeing, filling and spreading all over the sky of Manhattan like a painting canvas, making a huge contrast of the silhouettes of the Manhattan skyline, the sun is dipping into the horizon while i imagine, the people behind those dark black silhouette in the city are still working hard and the city is still breathing. What makes the whole trip glistens is not just about the sky and the place, sometimes, it's all about the people. Sometimes train rides or more than just a train ride.


               


   


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