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MidReal Story
Rekindled Journeys
Anonymous
Apr 30
Scenario:Train journey, two people, relaxing, new journey, doctor, Fashion Designer, meetup after 1 year, relishing their time, AC, new things, new experiences,
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I wasn't sure why I chose to take the train to London.
It was not a mode of transportation that I was used to, having always preferred to drive myself or fly when going abroad for work.
But as I stood on the platform waiting for the train to pull in, I realized it was probably because I rarely took the train that made today's journey so exciting.
As a child, growing up in a small town, my family always took the train to go on holiday, or to visit our relatives in the city.
I don't know why, but I've always loved trains and the idea of traveling on them.
Even seeing a train pass by when I was driving to work would make me smile and think of the wonderful memories I had from my childhood.
I guess taking the train today was my way of reliving some of those memories, if only for a few hours.
Just like when I was a child, the mere sight of the train pulling into the station made me excited and full of anticipation.
I glanced around at the crowded platform and wondered where all these people were heading.
Were they going on holiday?
Or maybe to visit family?
I had never missed living in London until recently.
The countryside had always been more than enough for me.
The peace and quiet that came with it was exactly what I needed after a long day at work.
But lately, I had been feeling restless and wanting more from life.
Not just from my job but from everything around me.
Maybe that was one of the reasons why I had decided to go to London this weekend.
To try something new and get away from my routine for a few days.
It was also the reason why I wasn't annoyed when they announced that the train would be ten minutes late.
If it had been any other day—if I were traveling for work—I would have been frustrated by being kept waiting.
But today was different, and I didn't mind having to wait a little longer if it meant that I could enjoy this journey even more.
It took me two hours to get from my home to the train station, and I had enjoyed every minute of it.
The train journey itself would take four hours, but it was worth it.
The drive here had been peaceful, with roads winding through forests and fields that seemed to stretch on forever.
It was strange how just being in the car, driving, could make you feel so free.
That's how I felt anyway.
And as I stood on the platform, waiting for the train to pull in, I realized that this trip meant so much more to me than just going away for the weekend.
It was about freedom and new experiences.
About taking time to enjoy the journey and not just the destination.
There was a sudden rush of excitement as the train pulled in.
I watched as the carriages went past, searching for mine, feeling like a little boy again.
This was going to be fun.
Slinging my rucksack over my shoulder, I made my way to the first-class carriage, where my seat was located.
The door slid open automatically as I approached, and the first thing I noticed as I stepped inside was how clean and sleek everything looked.
I hadn't taken a train in years, but I remembered them being much older and dirtier; they always seemed grimy compared to planes or buses.
But this one looked brand new, even though it probably wasn't.
There were only a few people inside the carriage, most of whom were already seated.
Some of them were working on their laptops or reading newspapers, while others were staring out of the windows at the platform, waiting for the train to leave.
As I walked past them, I noticed that the seats were arranged in pairs facing each other, with a small table between them.
It looked comfortable and spacious, and a lot nicer than the crowded buses and trains I was used to taking to work every day.
I was definitely going to enjoy this journey, I thought, stopping in front of my seat and placing my bag on the floor next to it before sitting down.
I settled back into the plush leather chair, resting my head against the headrest and looking around the compartment at the other passengers.
There was an elderly couple sitting across from me who were talking quietly and holding hands, and a man in a business suit who was reading emails on his phone and tapping his feet impatiently.
A young woman walked past the compartment, rolling her suitcase behind her, and I watched as she disappeared down the narrow aisle toward the other carriages, wondering where she was going.
It would be a few minutes before the train left, so I closed my eyes and relaxed, enjoying the quiet and the feeling of being somewhere new and different.
I must have dozed off for a few minutes, because the next thing I knew, there was a soft voice saying, "Excuse me, sir."
I opened my eyes to see a train attendant standing in front of me, holding a small device that he had used to scan the ticket of the man sitting across from me a few minutes earlier.
"May I check your ticket, please?" he asked politely, holding out his hand.
I fumbled for my wallet in my back pocket, then pulled out the ticket and handed it to him with a smile that I hoped looked less dazed than I felt after waking up so suddenly.
He scanned the ticket quickly, then handed it back to me along with a small card that said "First Class" on the front in gold letters, and wished me a pleasant journey before moving on to the next compartment to check the tickets of the other passengers.
I settled back into my seat with a sigh of relief, glad that I wouldn't be interrupted again, then reached for my bag and pulled out my tablet, setting it down on the small table in front of me.
I had brought it with me just in case I needed to do some work or check my emails while I was on the train, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to catch up on some reading or maybe even draft a few emails to send later when I arrived in London.
I opened the case and turned on the tablet, waiting for it to boot up so I could see what kind of battery life it had left, and then I froze when I heard the conductor's voice over the intercom saying that we would be departing in just a few moments.
I hadn't even realized that we were still in the station, I thought with a start, glancing out the window to see if we were moving yet.
The train was still, but I could see people walking past outside and could hear muffled voices as they talked and laughed, so we must have been about to leave soon.
Sure enough, a few seconds later, I felt a jolt, and then I heard the low whine of the engine as it started up, followed by a series of loud metallic clanks and rattles as the train cars were connected together and the brakes released, and I grinned in excitement, looking forward to my journey to London and what awaited me there as we picked up speed and began to pull out of the station.
I reached for my tablet and turned it on, tapping my fingers impatiently on the screen while I waited for it to load, and then pulled up my email app to see if I had anything new that needed to be read and answered right away.
My phone vibrated in my pocket a few minutes later, and I pulled it out with a smile when I saw that I had a message from Isabella, my childhood friend who lived in London and was now an incredibly successful fashion designer.
We had met for dinner a few months earlier when she was in town for work, but I hadn't seen her since then, and we had only talked a few times over text message and email while we were both busy with our own lives and careers, so I was happy to hear from her.
She asked if it was really me who would be arriving in London soon, and said that she was looking forward to seeing me again and hearing all about what I had been up to for the past year.
