Clack Clack the Train Track (a story)

Clack Clack the Train Track

(You may be expecting a damsel in distress story, and some may actually see that in the first part… some may see it in all of it….)

They met on the train, going back and forth to work. (Does it matter if it was Via or the Go-train? Maybe if you need the location or the speed of the train? Does the Go-train go fast? Ever?)

And they began with smiles when they saw each other, then hello as they passed each other, As things begin on the train. Then one sat when they saw an empty seat beside the other. (Does it matter which?) And the other’s cheeks flushed and they grinned, knowing they finally had a chance to talk.

But what would they talk about? Well the local teams, perhaps local or federal politics? They may seem like good openers, but they tend to be frought with emotion and loyalty. Not great if you want to hook up with your crush. And yes, they were at the “I think s/he’s hot” phase.

But he saved the day by seeing the front of the book she was reading. And it was on his nightstand, ready for the day he could get to it. So he asked her what she thought of it. And she made a comment about the author being a fave of hers and this book looking like one of the author’s better ones. And telling him where she was at, in a reflective way. His ears perked up and they smiled at each other.

They exchanged names. “hi I’m Nate, I’m Kathy” and their relationship began.

They met on the train everyday. If the train stopped, they got a drink or snack. Then they began kissing, even though they really shouldn’t. They were both married. But home, love and life sucked. And they were, well had been, lonely. Bored. Unstimulated. And wanting more.

So they took an earlier train. So they could stop in between longer one day. And they checked into a hotel room, the first time. This became a thing, 1-2 x a week. Fitting their growing passion and love into a stop-over. It could have been sleazy, but it wasn’t. They went together, left together and held hands on the trains. Needing more contact, kissing, chatter. About sports, politics, books, whatever.

Thinking they had a future. Till the one day someone saw them that knew he wasn’t with his wife. And the well-meaning friend (ha!) told his wife what “she ought to know”.

There was a storm that night. And he was told he could no longer take that train. He was told either the affair ended or his marriage and family did. And he made the right decision for him. He chose to end the affair.

Nate told Kathy. And they held each other one last time. She didn’t blame him, but she would have chosen differently if she had been allowed to participate in the decision. So she got mad. Sad. Afraid that this was it for her life. For love for her.

And making that come true.

The next morning, the train that they would have taken was stopped due to something blocking the tracks. Yes, it was her body.

When he found out, he was crushed. He felt like such a heel.
But didn’t know how once it had begun it could have played out any differently.

The next morning, he received a package from her. And he opened it, expecting love and sorrow. But he heard anger and fear instead. And was kind of confused by it. It was like everything good had been erased. They’d been friends and lovers. They’d both stepped outside their marraiges. Why was he getting all of the blame now? Because he’d ended it? Because he hadn’t chosen her?

His life from then on was surreal. It was like she was haunting him. And in a real sense she was. He read and re-read her final letters. He almost cried everytime he passed their hotel, went on their route. His steps got slower and slower. He missed her.

He tried to keep his wife from realizing, but she knew. And she got angrier with him. So even though he had chosen her, she left him for grieving for the “slut” as she put it.

Would it have been different if he had chosen Kathy? Would they have been happy?

I guess we’ll never know.