Don't be jealous. Not everyone can be serenaded with Olivia Newton-John songs on the train.
One afternoon, it was really crowded on the train home. My stop was at the end of the line, which meant I might have to stand for forty minutes until it was my turn to leave. Instead, someone got up and let me have her seat because she was getting off at the next stop. I was really grateful and sat down next to a man who looked to be in his 40's. He introduced himself as Chris, and our conversation went like this:
Chris: I'm going home.
Me: That's good.
Chris: Yeah, I've been in the hospital. I had a brain injury.
Me: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
I opened my book and tried to read.
Chris: I'm a singer.
Me: Oh, that's nice.
Chris: My band is in Florida.
I just smiled and tried to read my book.
Chris: I couldn't go with them. I was in the hospital.
I nodded and kept reading.
Chris: I had a brain injury, so I couldn't go to Florida with my band.
I didn't respond. I was beginning to believe he had a brain injury since he was repeating himself.
Chris: Do you see that man over there?
I looked up and saw an elderly man watching us. He was tall and frail-looking, and he smiled at me when I made eye contact with him.
Chris: That's my bodyguard. He's making sure I get home safe.
Me: That's nice.
Chris: You know, if you were my woman, he'd be your bodyguard, too.
Oh, no. I realized too late that the guy was crazy. I read my book and tried to ignore him. I didn't want to be rude, and the train was too crowded for me to change seats, so I sat there and tried to limit my contact with Chris. He wasn't done, though.
Chris: My band is in Florida.
I didn't respond.
Chris: I couldn't go with them because I had a head injury. John is helping me get home from the hospital. He's my bodyguard.
I glanced at the elderly man, and he smiled at me. So, I assumed John really was escorting Chris home.
Chris: If you were my woman, I'd say, "John, take care of her," and he would.
John smiled at me again, and I tried to read my book and ignore Chris.
Chris: Do you like The Eagles?
Me: They're OK.
Chris: What? Everyone loves The Eagles. You don't like The Eagles? What about Olivia Newton-John? Everyone loves her.
Then Chris began to sing Let Me Be There - loudly. I was grateful he chose that one and not Physical!
The train stopped, one stop before mine, and John said, "Come on, Chris, this is our stop."
Chris told me goodbye and got off the train. I was even more grateful we didn't have the same stop!
After Chris was gone, a lady across the aisle said, "You'll be careful who you sit next to from now on, won't you?"
I smiled at the lady - if she only knew. I was a magnet for train adventures, and I knew Chris wouldn't be my last one.
One afternoon, it was really crowded on the train home. My stop was at the end of the line, which meant I might have to stand for forty minutes until it was my turn to leave. Instead, someone got up and let me have her seat because she was getting off at the next stop. I was really grateful and sat down next to a man who looked to be in his 40's. He introduced himself as Chris, and our conversation went like this:
Chris: I'm going home.
Me: That's good.
Chris: Yeah, I've been in the hospital. I had a brain injury.
Me: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
I opened my book and tried to read.
Chris: I'm a singer.
Me: Oh, that's nice.
Chris: My band is in Florida.
I just smiled and tried to read my book.
Chris: I couldn't go with them. I was in the hospital.
I nodded and kept reading.
Chris: I had a brain injury, so I couldn't go to Florida with my band.
I didn't respond. I was beginning to believe he had a brain injury since he was repeating himself.
Chris: Do you see that man over there?
I looked up and saw an elderly man watching us. He was tall and frail-looking, and he smiled at me when I made eye contact with him.
Chris: That's my bodyguard. He's making sure I get home safe.
Me: That's nice.
Chris: You know, if you were my woman, he'd be your bodyguard, too.
Oh, no. I realized too late that the guy was crazy. I read my book and tried to ignore him. I didn't want to be rude, and the train was too crowded for me to change seats, so I sat there and tried to limit my contact with Chris. He wasn't done, though.
Chris: My band is in Florida.
I didn't respond.
Chris: I couldn't go with them because I had a head injury. John is helping me get home from the hospital. He's my bodyguard.
I glanced at the elderly man, and he smiled at me. So, I assumed John really was escorting Chris home.
Chris: If you were my woman, I'd say, "John, take care of her," and he would.
John smiled at me again, and I tried to read my book and ignore Chris.
Chris: Do you like The Eagles?
Me: They're OK.
Chris: What? Everyone loves The Eagles. You don't like The Eagles? What about Olivia Newton-John? Everyone loves her.
Then Chris began to sing Let Me Be There - loudly. I was grateful he chose that one and not Physical!
The train stopped, one stop before mine, and John said, "Come on, Chris, this is our stop."
Chris told me goodbye and got off the train. I was even more grateful we didn't have the same stop!
After Chris was gone, a lady across the aisle said, "You'll be careful who you sit next to from now on, won't you?"
I smiled at the lady - if she only knew. I was a magnet for train adventures, and I knew Chris wouldn't be my last one.
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