A little stranger on a train

Ever wonder about the other people on the train with you? I guess this was highlighted by the July bombings and that documentary the BBC did about the survivors. Sitting one seat closer or further away from a bomber and your life could have been saved or snuffed just like that? Barely able to think about it. Also, what about the carriage you're on with regards to meeting people you know? A friend you havn't spoken to in years or people that could enter your life or completely miss you depending on where you sit.

I had a really strange moment on the train today when this girl wouldn't stop staring at me. She was about 16, very thin and she looked quiet. She had extremely pale skin and looked like she hadn't been talking to anyone in hours. She was wearing a khaki jacket and a stripy top and at first I didn't pay her any attention at all but she had the most intense gaze I could practically feel it. I was uncomfortable and looked away, pretending to do something on my phone and then looking out the window but I noticed she was staring at me in my reflection. I couldn't escape her short of getting off and moving to a different carriage but a bunch of football boys in tracksuits were blocking the aisles. The whole thing was pretty uncomfortable and claustrophobic. After a minute or two I inevitably looked up because there's only so long you can pretend to not notice these things and she was just looking at me straight in the face, she didn't even look away, as I nearly always would out of politeness alone, but instead the corners of her eyes creased and she just giggled. An watery, pale stare. I just laughed because it was so unusual to have someone of any age being so brazen! She got up shortly after that and left the train. Perhaps she was looking up to me in my work clothes or maybe she thought I was beautiful. Either way, it was an intense little look there was obviously something going on with her.

I watched her walk away and started smiling to myself about our little communication- quiet, wordless and short.