Thursday, April 27, 2006

Jibberish

Too many voices
They all want more than I have
What am I to do?

Something forgot...

On the platform a genlteman looked at his watch.
"Where the hell is the train," he muttered. The 6:26 train was already half an hour late. "So much for the sunset. Forgive me, Kahri."

He inched closer to the edge of the platform, like many others, looking for an oncoming train. Empty tracks returned his stare as a fllimsy piece of garbage mockingly floated by. When he moved back, his shadow stayed behind, a painful reminder of what he missed earlier.

"Soon the stars will come out and we'll all play in the dark," an old woman sang. "Dark and light, day and night. 'ntil the break of day."

The gentleman shook his head with pity. Here was a little crippled lady, hair in disarray, walking down the platform singing. Despite the cane and hunch in her back, she had a smile on her face, and didn't seem to mind if people were trying to rush around her.

She was just about to pass him when a woman ran by, knocking into her shoulder. The cane flew into the air as the old woman tipped over. Ray didn't have time to think. His bags dropped to the floor and he jumped onto the tracks to catch the little woman. He only thought of her silence as the train horn blew.

"Let's go," he mumbled and ducked under the platform, the little body cradled in his arms.

"Dark and light, day and night," the old woman continued her song.

Ray set her down on a bundle of old newspapers and brushed off his own pants. She didn't look hurt, and looking closer, the hump was gone. 'Now I must be seeing things' he thought. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Now her hair was neat. It was hard to tell the difference, but somehow she looked younger.

"I guess we missed the train," maybe conversation would explain things.

"'ntil the break of.... Oh no, we caught the train, Ray, we caught it just in time."

"But we're under the.... How did you know my name?"

The woman smiled. "Oh, excuse my manners. Please, call me Kat. I've known you for a long time, Ray, but it seems you've forgotten me. But we'll talk about that later. Let's be on our way."

Still stunned, he nodded and took her outstretched hand. 'Who was this woman and how does she know me... Did she look familiar... Why was she old before, but now she's my age....' He questioned silently. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to find your strength."