Almost everyone I know believes that they alone have the special ability to somehow attract the nutcases on the train. This morning I encountered a man. Energetically he bounded into my carriage and sat across from me.
"I’m on a train!" he pronounced enthusiastically but slurred. I smiled politely and looked away. "WOW" he went on, "And it's a Tangara!" (a model of train that was new to Sydney about 15 years ago). The smile spread wider across his face as he started to bounce in his seat. Then he looked directly at me, "I'm lucky aren't I?"
I looked up.
"I'm on a train and I've got this!" He held up a small Coke bottle. Now chuckling I asked "What's in that?" expecting him to admit to a large splash of rum.
"Coke!" he replied as proud as punch, as though it was a drink strictly reserved for birthday parties.
I quickly realised he wasn't drunk or drugged-out, as I'm prone to expect on the trains.
"Ooooo, I've got Coke and I'm on a Tangara" he shrilled, still bouncing and now slapping his hand on his thigh too. "I am so lucky, aren't I?"
His excitement was pure and his joy completely contagious. "Yes, I reckon you are" I replied, now with a smile as large as his. And I meant it; envious of his ecstatic state compared with my on-the-train-every-day drone.
We exchanged a bit more of enthusiasm about his plans for the day, and then wished each other a good day as I got off the train. The wish was sincere and it worked, I kept my wide smile all day.
It was a rare experience in its loveliness, and I was left wishing I had the special ability to attract someone like him on the trains more often.
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