The Zephyr .5.
"Omaha!" The lights were still dim, but the Attendant came through and announced it quietly. The two ladies from in front stood, gathered jackets and purses. "What?" thought Caramel to herself, "Ahh." The ladies both carried cigarettes. This must be a stop to pick up passengers where you could get off the train to smoke. Caramel laughed silently to herself. Her one remaining bad habit, and she apparently wasn't going to have to give it up after all. As always, she remembered the post card she had sent a friend in college as a joke, "I gave up smoking, drinking and sex" which, when you flipped it over then stated" The funeral is tomorrow." She grabbed her raincoat, purse and headed out after them. Down the mini-stairs and out to the exit.
The Attendant was not right there, but the smokers were. No new passengers were visible yet. She quietly lit her cigarette and started observing once more. She chuckled inwardly at that too ~ she did a lot of observing now rather than doing. The trip was her first "Doing" she had done in a very long time.
Way far down next to the middle of train, the new passengers began to filter onto the platform. A few were pointed down toward her car, the farthest, by the same Car Attendant who took care of her car, and perhaps more.
She calmly finished her cigarette and began to think about getting back on the train before the seats could fill. The she stopped and decided she still had time, and she would be on the train long enough. Observing was more fun.
Most of the new passengers did not actually look anyone in the eyes except when they spoke to the Attendant. A few looked at everyone. The smokers next to her talked among themselves and generally gave the new passengers room to board without having to walk through smoke.
One of the new passengers stopped outside with the smokers and stood a moment. He put his suitcase down, straightened his jacket, and reached in a pocket. A cigarette appeared from his pocket and he lit it, seemingly without looking, for he was looking at the other smokers. He looked at each in the eyes, one by one, and nodded casually as if saying hello. He didn't join the conversations, but remained , observing she thought, much as she did.
The Car Attendant broke Caramel's train of thought when he swung the metal step stool onto the car in front of hers, and then walked back to her car. He stated they had finished boarding and they were good to go in now.. The young man put his cigarette out , grabbed his case, and headed in as did the others. Caramel boarded the train and headed back up the tiny stairs to her seat. The clang of her car's step stool hitting the floor sounded, and then the great door closed at the same time the train started moving again. Once more they moved through the darkness.
The Attendant was not right there, but the smokers were. No new passengers were visible yet. She quietly lit her cigarette and started observing once more. She chuckled inwardly at that too ~ she did a lot of observing now rather than doing. The trip was her first "Doing" she had done in a very long time.
Way far down next to the middle of train, the new passengers began to filter onto the platform. A few were pointed down toward her car, the farthest, by the same Car Attendant who took care of her car, and perhaps more.
She calmly finished her cigarette and began to think about getting back on the train before the seats could fill. The she stopped and decided she still had time, and she would be on the train long enough. Observing was more fun.
Most of the new passengers did not actually look anyone in the eyes except when they spoke to the Attendant. A few looked at everyone. The smokers next to her talked among themselves and generally gave the new passengers room to board without having to walk through smoke.
One of the new passengers stopped outside with the smokers and stood a moment. He put his suitcase down, straightened his jacket, and reached in a pocket. A cigarette appeared from his pocket and he lit it, seemingly without looking, for he was looking at the other smokers. He looked at each in the eyes, one by one, and nodded casually as if saying hello. He didn't join the conversations, but remained , observing she thought, much as she did.
The Car Attendant broke Caramel's train of thought when he swung the metal step stool onto the car in front of hers, and then walked back to her car. He stated they had finished boarding and they were good to go in now.. The young man put his cigarette out , grabbed his case, and headed in as did the others. Caramel boarded the train and headed back up the tiny stairs to her seat. The clang of her car's step stool hitting the floor sounded, and then the great door closed at the same time the train started moving again. Once more they moved through the darkness.
posted by Unknown at 3:47 PM
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