The platform--episode 1

Episode 1---Finding my way:

On a very hot summer afternoon I was roaming around to find where can I buy a newspaper to take with me on the train, the place was too crowded and the voices were so loud that I can barely hear my thoughts.

While opening my wallet and paying the man the price I saw a woman standing around the corner holding five kids in two hands, she seemed so worn out and almost dying for a bench to throw her body on, I took the papers and started walking towards the platform to wait for my train, I have to memorize this place as I am going to be here everyday at 8.

The clock on the wall strike 7 and I knew it was too early but i would rather come early than miss my train. I recognized that I had a meeting at 12 so I have to work on my way till I reach there, I wasn’t thinking much about that as I was taken by the crowd around me and I thought why not open a conversation with the waiting others and this is what happened on the first day.

I walked to the corner where I found a bench, an old man was sitting alone, holding a hot glass of tea, his blue suit told me that he was a worker and the wrinkles around his eyes meant that he was in the late 50s, I can also count 3 to 4 black hair threads that I can spot under his hat. What amazed me the most is that he had this strange prolonged gaze at the tea as if he was lying under the sun on the beach enjoying his tea on his own…I walked toward him and I smiled and the conversation started with a "good morning ya hag"….

3am Hassan: Saba7 el ward ya benty

Me: Tell me ya hag, howa enta bet7eb el shay awe keda

3am Hassan: yaaaaaaaaaaah, da el yom mayb2ash yom men ghier kobayet el shay dee

(Me: smile)

3am Hassan: y3ny enty sebty el raseef kolo w gety tetkalemy m3a el ragel el 3agooz w sayba shabab zay el ward henak (Smile)

Me: Enta el kheir wel baraka ya 7ag, dana mabsoota enee wa2fa batkalem m3ak

3am Hassan: rabena yekremek ya benty, enty shaklek ray7a balad el ba7r, eb2ee salemee 3lieh w ew3ee el shoghl yakhdek w temsheesh ganbo w teshmee hawah (sigh)

Me: tesda2 ya 7ag, da awel yom leya henak, w lesa mesh 3arfa ha3mel eah, bafakar akalem modeeree yen2lnee hena asahal

3am hassan: shofee ya benty, el safar feeh saba3 fawayed, sa7ee7 ana mesh 3aref eah homa, bs homa alolna kda enohom sab3a, khodee menhom wa7da menee w ermee 7moolek 3al ba7r wenty rag3a w

ed3elee b2a

I smiled and heard the clock strike 8 and it was time for me to go, I greated the old man and waved to him and left. I stepped my foot on the train and searched for my seat, and the moment I placed my tired feet on the ground, I closed my eyes and laid my head back and smiled, I remembered the words of the old man "throw your burdens to the sea and come back empty handed"

Next episode….(The missing bag)