It had been a shit day, a hospital check up over in Nottingham and a day that didn’t know whether to rain or shine as autumn argued with winter over what to do. My body was racked in pain; ironically I was going to the hospital for something other than my recent medical bane.
Usually I enjoy Nottingham, yesterday I felt detached, happy in my own private solitude. I sat and lunched, watching the world go by, often pondering about the passing people as the food didn’t hold my attention.
The rest of the day passed without event, almost in a haze, I even forgot to ask the doctor a question I was planning too, and cursed myself for it on the train back.
Then as the train announced its arrival at my stop and lurched to a halt I stood looking over a young passengers shoulder. I would say he was about 18 with neatly cropped hair, normal clothes etc. As my eyes roved in that commuter like idle fashion, when you pretend not to look but really you are, I noticed the guy was holding a sheet of paper angled towards me, albeit unknowingly. I noticed his spidery writing stretching across the page and the first line said
Usually I enjoy Nottingham, yesterday I felt detached, happy in my own private solitude. I sat and lunched, watching the world go by, often pondering about the passing people as the food didn’t hold my attention.
The rest of the day passed without event, almost in a haze, I even forgot to ask the doctor a question I was planning too, and cursed myself for it on the train back.
Then as the train announced its arrival at my stop and lurched to a halt I stood looking over a young passengers shoulder. I would say he was about 18 with neatly cropped hair, normal clothes etc. As my eyes roved in that commuter like idle fashion, when you pretend not to look but really you are, I noticed the guy was holding a sheet of paper angled towards me, albeit unknowingly. I noticed his spidery writing stretching across the page and the first line said
‘Is it over between us? Why don’t you love me anymore?’
The train rudely halted and the rush hour passengers moved off, that glimpse of the page was all I saw but my heart went out to the guy.
As I walked off I replayed the scene in my head, it had me turning to the young guy and departing with some paternal patronising sage advice or anecdotes for breaking up (you all know the sort!)
Then I realised, there is no easy way of breaking up, not when you truly love someone.
I walked on and it began to rain, it had been a shit day, but not just for me, I felt humbled knowing my pain was physical and would pass; emotional pain can often seem endless.
2 comments:
has a nice turn of phrase in it.
and i think the end point is very valid.
I second that.
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