Train Wait

What Lia experienced during her wait for her next train.

Late, late, late, late, late, late!

 

Damn it! I should've been faster with combing my hair! Why did I have to have a bad hairday today?! Grrr.

I run quickly to the platform for  my train. Come on, come on!

Aaanndd... missed... it... SERIOUSLY?! Now I got to wait an hour till the next train. YES an hour. Considering the distance and the time... I am supposed to be at a meeting in an hour. Damn. I seat myself on the bench on the platform and sigh. I take out my phone and call my secretary. Drrrrr... Drrrrrr

'Ms. Lia Mancer's office, how may I help you?'

'Silvy, it's me.'

'Evening, Lia. On your way?'

'I wish... missed my train. Sucks so much.'

'Shall I postpone the meeting then? Next week?'

'Hmmm... Can you try to postpone it for an hour?'

'I'll try. Can't promise.'

'Thank you, Silvy. Call me if it doesnt work out.'

'Will do. Get here quick ok?'

'I will. See ya soon', I say as I put the phone back in my purse.

I love my secretary. She is so reliable. Unlike the last one I had. She was-

'Sounds like you are in a pickle, Ms. Lia.'

The voice came from behind me. I look in the direction of the voice and saw that a young man was sitting on the bench facing the other way. It was one of those two way benches. The man had fuzzy curly hair and was sitting quite relaxed.

'How do you know my name?', I ask a bit startled. He points at his ear.

'The phonecall. Heard your name through it. Pardon the intrusion. Hiding the fact that I listened would be worse in my opinion.'

I calm down. This man doesn't seem like he means any wrong. Not that I am lowering my guard or anything.

'Still quite bold.', I answer him.

'I guess that's true. I am Feo, by the way. Feo Nicks', he says while he turns around to give me his hand. 'My punishment for listening to your call.'

'Lia Mancer', I say while shaking his hands. 'What is?'

His eyes are light blue. I never seen such blue eyes. Tinted contacts? But he also has some glasses on. He looks quite handsome. Wouldn't have thought that from only seeing the back of his head.

'You got some firm hands there... Telling you my name. Seems fair to me. Or not?', He says while turning back the way he was. I decide to just do the same.

'Possibly,'

He laughs softly. Sweet voice. Not deep and not too high. Just right enough.

'Hey, tell you what. I am bored with my... usual job for the moment. I want to try something. Care to join me?'

'Like what?', I say while I look at the time. I sigh. Stupid hair. I have time so I might as well kill it.

'Well you have an hour or less so how about I make a proposal to both kill your time and get you to your meeting in time.'

'Haha, that won't be possible.'

Wait did he just use the same words as in my head? I shrug the thought off.

'Now, now. What'd ya got to lose?'

'I suppose. I have nothing else to do anyway. So what are you suggesting?'

'Imagine you are sitting at a bar and a guy walks upto you and being the beauty that you are - Pardon the bold statement - it's obvious he is coming to you for one thing. Following me uptill now?'

He ignored my question and went straight to it... and is he casually trying to hit on me? Did he just chuckle? Wow, he is having fun. Is time going slow? felt like 10 minutes yet it has only been 5. Oh well. Let's just play his game.

'Oops, forgot to mention. It's a movie.'

'Huh?'

'Just, just... Bear with me ok?', He says with a chuckle.
What is up with this guy? He is as weird as his hairstyle is.

'Right! his looks. Just picture your ideal man.'

'Hmm... ok, got it.'

'Ok, now he sits on the barstool next to you... left... no, right.', he says as he sways his hand in smooth motions left to right. And again to left. 'Nah, make it left'

'Does it matter?'

'My story or your story?', he asks smiling deviously.

'Continue.'

He chuckles again. He is having too much fun suddenly.

'Ok, he sits left of you and orders a drink. A.. Hey, turn around a moment, Lia.'

'What? I-'

As I turned around, he took my chin and inspected my face for a moment. I could feel his eyes touching my skin. This is embarassing!

'Hey! I-'

'A cocktail', he interupted me with a smile.

'Huh?'

He let's me go and sits back down with the same goofy, yet beautiful smile. A smile that could make many others smile. I almost just did, which is VERY embarassing.

'He orders a cocktail for you. And you say..?'

'Huh?'

'You "huh" a lot, you know?', he said looking at me from the corner of his eyes.

'Uhm'

I gather myself quickly. I caught myself staring at him.
Quickly, I sit back down and stare at my knees.

'I am sorry, but that isn't my kind of drink.'

'He would say, "Oh, I am sorry but it was for the pretty lady next to you."', he says while he bursts into laughter.

'HEY! Are you messing with me?!', I say while I turn around and glare at him.

'Hahaha! I am sorry, couldn't resist! Hahaha! Oh, man! Ok, ok. I am, ok.'

'I was kinda hoping you weren't. You're crazy.'

'So mean. Let me ask you something. Did you like where that was going or where this is going?', he asks while he points at himself and me.

I stare at him confused yet angry.

'Haha, this one it is.'

'Hey, look mister-'

'Just Feo is fine'

'Wha-? Feo... Look Feo. I agree I did not like the bar set up, because I am not the kind to go there, but-'

'As I'm seeing it you are more comfortable talking to me in our situation then you would be in a bar scene', he said with a big smile.

'But that bar scene FAILED. You did not tell me about the other lady and you did not tell me he would go for her'

'Well it wouldn't be realistic if I did since you wouldn't have noticed yourself that the guy was going to hit on the girl next to you. Plus, making him hit on you would be such a boring story.'

'You got some nerve.'

'Maybe', he said in a sing-song manner and he sits back down and stares at the train rails. 'Misunderstandings are quite something. Did you know that most of the world's conflicts is based on misunderstandings? Not politics. I mean quarrels and grudges between people.'

Strange change of conversation. I sit back straight facing the other way on my side of the bench and look at the ceiling of the station.

'So misunderstandings are the cause of conflicts...'

''Ever had a conflict with someone?'

'Hmm... I suppose my father.'

Wow, I am relaxed enough to even talk about that. This guy has got skills.

'What happened?'

'He is always messing with my love life. Scaring away any boyfriends I have and even boys who I am just talking with.'

'Let's find the misunderstanding in that... Hmmm... Now I don't say I know it all. Just a thought. I think your father is protecting you, because he knows some guys are capable of things he did or things he saw others do.Might be the environment he had that makes him scared for you. Maybe he even was traumatized about it.'

I am kind of confused. This conversation is getting quite serious. And my dad being scared for me.

'How... how can he be traumatized by it? He isn't a girl!'

'A close family member or friend perhaps? In such case he would never mention it and who it happened to That might be what you misunderstood about him. Might. But if it is... Would you feel as grudgeful as you already were?'

I thought about it for a moment.

'I guess I wouldn't... be as mad... Although-'

'Although he shouldn't misunderstand and think of you as a person who couldn't handle herself, right?'

I stare at the rails on my side and nod silently. He stood up with his hands in his pockets. He walked around  the bench and sat down next to me.

'It was fun talking while not looking at each other like that, but it get's boring after a while.'

I look at him. Plain white shirt and jeans. He saw my stare.

'I was just strolling about. Should account for my plain clothes. You forgot your family problem fast just now didn't you?'

Usually when talking about my dad I would be angry for hours. For some reason I feel ok now.

'I guess... I am ok with it all now.'

'Amazing how well it works to tell people about all misunderstandings. Happens to a lot of people. For example, a break up because the girl did not see that he was only acting strange because scared of losing her to others, which was a misunderstanding by itself. Killed by his own misunderstandings. Also misunderstanding ones siteuation can occur. A person who has it bad, but doesn't realize  that others around him suffered as much, making the person snobby and cocky, receiving hate from peers.'

I thought to myself. The way he described it... it all made sense. It accounts for a lot of problems people have in their lifes.

'I think I understand', I mumbled.

He looked at his hand.

'I am a healer. Someone who can motivate people who need it. But to resolve every conflict... Showing people the misunderstandings in life is quite a task. Do you believe in Guardian Angels? Wouldn't it be great to have something like that telling you right from wrong?'

'Well... I wouldn't say I believe in em. Would be nice to have someone to tell you this though.'

'Right? Too bad not everyone can judge over good and bad and point it out to others. Even if there were Guardian Angels... There would never be enough to account for every conflict in the world. It sucks so bad.'

He had a funny sad expression on his face. A goofball with worries.

'Maybe the Guardian Angels should teach people how to do it for their friends?', I said with a smile. Just gently encouraging his fantasy. Can't hurt.

'That could work. Slowly, but maybe. Hmmm... Well, also depends on who wants to listen.'

'Can't beat free will, huh?'

'Yep. Sad, but the truth.', he answers with a bright smile. ' But those who are motivated to do so should make the best of it. Every dent in the right direction is a good one, right?'

'I suppose...'

He chuckles as he looks at my face.

'Hey'

'Hmm?'

'It has been an hour, there comes your train.'

'Huh? Oh right!'

The train just came in and stopped in front of us. People were gathering closer to get in. I laugh for a moment and look at the time.

'What?', he asked.

'You kept your promise alright. Killed my time. But what about me getting on time', I say while I pick up my purse. I smile at him and reach out my hand to him. 'Or was that a misunderstanding?'

He smiles and looks at my hand. He takes my hand in both of his and pats the top of my hand lightly.

'Maaaybe!', he says in a sing song way. He let go of my hand and stepped back as I walk to the train doors. 'Hey, thanks for listening! Sorry for rambling on!'

'That's ok! Will I meet you again?'

'We will. I hope it isn't anytime soon though.'

I look at him full of questions.

'Just go', he said with a smile.

The doors of the train closed... Whoa. He is fast. He is sitting again on the same bench on the other side. Oh well. Strange pers... Is that... There is a girl running towards the train. Same clothes, same purse, same hairstyle... bad hairday... as me...

'What the...'

I look at my phone. The time. It's... one hour ago. I will be on time... What just... happened?

I call my secretary. Drrrrr Drrrrr...

'Ms. Lia Mancer's office, how may I help you?'

'Silvy...'

'Lia? Didn't you just call me a minute ago? Everything alright?'

A minute ago...

'Yeah... Cancel waht I said earlier... I am going to be on... time.'

 

What was he? I never found out and never met him again. I have been thinking about that day for years. His words helped me understand some things of life and other people. The mor I thought about his words, the more I realized what he meant to tell me. He wanted to tell me a way to live without much pain. If he came for that purpose or was really just bored... I don't know...
Feo Nicks. A healer. Energetic guy. Not afraid to speak his mind... Feo Nicks... Phoenix... The healing creature, full of energy. Guardian Angels... Could it be that... he was one?