When I was a high school student, I used to take the train from the nearest local station every morning. Trains came frequently during morning time. It came usually every five to ten minutes. I always got on the same train and stood in the same spot near the train door. After a while, I noticed that the same people were there with me each morning. I didn’t know their names, and I never asked which schools they went to, but from their uniforms and bags, I assumed they were also high school students.
I usually traveled alone, so the routine of
the morning train became something I looked forward to. During the ride to the station where I got
off, I often listened to their conversations. They talked about homework,
teachers, club activities, and sometimes their boyfriends. I never spoked to them and I never even said “good
morning” to them. We shared
the same space and time. So, it felt as
if we were part of a team, commuting to school together every day. Secretly, I felt a quiet connection to them.
When one of them was not on the train, I found myself worrying. I wondered whether she had overslept, or she was sick. Even though we were complete strangers, their absence made my morning routine feel incomplete.
