Trains, Hairs & A Scissor

“I told you...It was 7th Avenue not Savant Avenue! I thought I made that clear when I called you earlier!”

I screamed into my crappy old cell phone as I speed walked, looked more like I was sprinting but that's an exaggeration, through the busy streets of Tokyo. Dashing here and ducking there. I heard a weak reply of sorry from the other end and that pissed me off even more. 

“I even texted you.” 

“Well...I didn’t really check my texts you see…”

“YOU WHAT!?” 

“Gah! I’m really sorry!” 

“Great!” 

I said as I went down the stairs towards the subway.

“This is unbelievable! Tch! I’ll sort you out later Chi.”

“Nasia I’m really…”

Click!

I cut the call and put my phone on mute.

“That girl can’t even do one thing right and all she can say is I’m sorry this and sorry that!”

I gritted through my teeth. When I made it to the platform I checked the large screens above me and saw that my train was going to be delayed for half an hour.

“That’s just bloody great.” I thought.

A great way to start a gloomy Monday morning with. I can already tell this week’s gonna be hell like the last one and the one before that and the one before that! Can’t anything just go my way. I sat down on the bench and was going through my handbag to find my wallet. A train came but I knew it wasn’t mine. It opened its doors and just like how one flips a coin for either heads or tails through the air, the crowd of people from inside the train came out and immediately switched with those standing on the platform. It was like a performance. Where one may seem excited at first but after seeing the play for a countless number of time, it becomes a drag. Just like the switch here. The scary thing is everyone looks practically the same so it’s almost as if no one even really gets off the train…

“Good God.” I thought and shook my head.

There I go in a daze and ponder about the most insignificant things. Well...I did get my grandpa’s mindset of being curious about the most peculiar things. And now I’m talking in my writer's voice. Ugh the struggles of writing as a hobby. 

“The Doors Will Be Closing Momentarily.” 

I heard them announce over the speakers. 

“Please wait a moment!” 

Just then, I had found my wallet in my messy bag, when all of a sudden I felt my head jerk forward. 

“Oof. What the?” 

I glance up to see my long black hair that goes past my waist, no I’m not trying to be Rapunzel and won’t grow it any longer than a bit past my waist, a good lock of it caught on the zipper of someone’s satchel. 

“...YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FRIGGIN KIDDING ME!” 

I thought and I know I had a horrified look on my face. 

“The Doors Will Be Closing Momentarily.” 

“Oh no.” 

I could tell the young boy was confused on what to do, cause I sure as hell was, as he glanced between the train doors and my hair caught on the zipper of his satchel. 

“I’m really sorry.” 

He said in a shaky voice and was trying to untangle my hair. I was bent over and wanted to just go jump in a hole somewhere and never come out. I should have tied up my hair. Mother who hated how long I kept my hair always told me to cut it or at least tie it, but I never did listen to her and this is where it gets me. I always admired my grandmother’s long silky hair even if it was fading to gray. I adored how she looked in the photos I saw of her in her younger years. Also I hated tying up my hair cause it just gave me a headache. Anyway, I’m going off tangent again!

“It’s really caught in there pretty good.” He said again in that shaky voice of his.

Just when I thought about yanking my hair out, I overheard in the distance an announcement, 

“Train no. 61205 headed to Shibuya is now approaching Platform B. I repeat, Train no…”

“Wait...WAIT WHAT!?” 

That was my train and it wasn’t supposed to be here for another 30 minutes! I turned my head to the side as best as I could and squinted to see the board and saw that they were able to arrive early. I was relieved for that but what I was the most concerned about at this moment was: 

1. My beautiful, long black hair, that's supposed to feel like silk, that when I put my fingers through it, it would just flow right through like air and not be grasped or caught on anything like a zipper, is now, caught on a zipper! 
2. ...I was on the wrong platform. I was on platform A and B was right across from me, behind the train that still had its doors opened and the boy was drastic to get on.

How...JUST HOW CAN THINGS GET ANY WORSE!? I GET STRUCK BY LIGHTNING NEXT!? 

...Please dear Gods I was only joking. Don’t let me get struck by a lightning bolt. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures. I quickly rummaged through my bag and found my sewing kit. I opened it and took out a small scissor.

*Note: Please kids don’t try this at home. 

“What do I do?” The boy said worriedly. 

“Move.”

“...What?”

“MOVE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT INTACT!” 

I screeched and cut my tangled hair away from the zipper. With that done, I said a quick farewell to the strands that were still stuck there. My hair will grow back in a snap, hopefully. I then threw the scissor into my bag and grabbed my stuff and gave a quick bow to the boy who was standing there with his mouth open and eyes wide like he couldn’t believe what he just saw. Yes, I have a sewing kit in my bag and I love to knit and sew. I’m a grandma though I don’t look like one, yet, and I’m not ashamed of it! I then turned around and started to sprint to the other platform. 

“Wa...wait! Please wait a moment!” 

I heard the boy call out from behind me. 

“Nope!” I thought.

I got no time for that. I made it to the other side and was heaving and just when the doors were about to close I pushed through and made it inside the tightly packed train. I squeezed myself past and stood on the other side next to the glass doors. 

Sigh. Finally I can catch my breath.

“Both trains will stop for a brief period before departure. Please remain where you are.” The announcement said.

“Are you kidding me!? Couldn’t you have said that before I ran like a maniac!? God that was just absolutely crazy. Ugh so embarrassing. I hope I never have to see that kid again.”

I looked out the window and saw a brown satchel appear on the other train next to its glass door.

“That looks strangely familiar...OH DEAR GOD NO!” I spoke too soon.

I saw the strands of my long hair, a great chunk of it stuck to the zipper and the boy, who I was with just a few seconds ago appear by the window. He looked out of breath like I was and when he lifted his head, he looked me right in the eyes. We were only a few feet apart. The only thing separating us was the glass doors and a small platform separating the trains.

“OH MY GOD! Why didn’t I look away or better yet why did I even pick this spot to stand!?”

I turned my head away. A few seconds later I glanced out of the corner of my eyes and I saw him pound on the glass to get my attention only to be scolded by an elderly. I saw him bow to him as an apology. Is he an idiot? He then turned to face me again and pointed at the strands of my hair still attached to the zipper and brought his hands together and bowed as an apology. I raised my hand and waved it, trying to say it was okay. He then breathed on the glass window of the train’s door and wrote something with his finger. I peered closer and saw that he wrote,

“Sorry.”

Gosh he reminds me of Chizuru. The only thing both of them can say is sorry. I looked at his face and he looked really sad and guilty. I sighed. I breathed on the glass window and wrote with my finger,

“It’s okay.”

He read it and looked at me. I gave him a weak smile and he grinned back. Then a short conversation occurred between the two of us which lasted less than 5 minutes.

“It’s pretty.” 

“What?”

“You’re hair.”

“Thanks.” 

I smiled. Suddenly the announcement came back on,

“Both trains will now be departing. towards their respective routes.”

The train moved with a sudden jerk and came to life. I looked back at the boy and he gave me a smile and waved. I waved back towards him and for some reason the both of us kept waving. Even as our trains departed and headed towards opposite directions of each other. I kept waving until I couldn’t see his train anymore.

“That was...nice I guess.”

He seemed like he was in middle or high school. Well whatever. He was just an ordinary Japanese school boy who just had a typical rush hour morning. Except for the fact of getting tangled up with a foreign student off to her first year of college. To think it all started off with that miscommunication call with Chizuru. Though the miscommunication was on her end. I’m soo gonna scold her when I get on campus. 

I looked at the clump of hair that I had to cut off. It was definitely jagged now and a lot shorter compared to the rest of my evenly long hair.

"Haaa. What a morning.” I said looking up at the gray clouds that were starting to break apart and let the sun’s ray fall down to the earth. 

“I guess...It wasn’t all that bad.” I said playing with that lock of jagged hair. “I wonder...if I can see that awkward little bean sprout again?” Who knows I just might with my darn luck. I closed my eyes as I rode the train in silence on to Shibuya. 

***On the other Train***

The boy stood on the train next to the glass doors and clutched the soft locks of black hair that were stuck to his zipper.

“I wonder how I can get her hair off without ripping it apart?”

I smiled and looked out the window. She really did give me a fright with the scissors and her hair must have been really precious to her. It was a shame she had to cut it off. I wonder if the ends are now all jagged? I hope it grows back soon. I glanced up at the morning sky that was starting to show its blue color. I closed my eyes.

“She had really pretty blue eyes like, the sea, and shiny black hair like, the night sky. I wonder...if I can see that girl who looks like a foreign princess again?”