Wait with me

I am Supposed to be at the train station at two o’clock and it‘s twelve thirty. I’m always running late, always unorganized and all over the place. The worst of it is, it’s the holidays, yup that’s right thanksgiving. I wasn’t excited about it and it was almost like It was a bit out my way but I finally managed arrive to the stations lot. I turn the engine off, light my cigarette and take a moment. “I’m not ready for this” I say to myself as I look around at everyone outside the station. My phone rings, it’s my sister Lola.

“Hey, how are ya? You at the station?” asks Lola. “yeah train should be arriving, but ya know lola, my life is already a wreck right now. I think you should be doing this” i reply nervously. “I know its been awhile but try to avoid the whole Kenny situation until this weekend. It’ll be fine Julia, I promise” she says. I knodd. “ It’s been years Jules, yes he’s judgmental but he doesn’t need to know everything, call me with updates”. We say our goodbyes, I fix myself up and head inside the station. It was packed and busy so I decided to take a seat on the bench and wait outside.

“Hello, how are ya”? a young boy asks with a white dingy tshirt, ragged holed jeans and red and white trainers, with a bouquet of daisies laid on his lap. I smile, “I’m pretty good kid, how are you?, waiting on someone“? I ask adjusting my hat. He begins to tell me what brings him to the station. To meet a family member and the way he says it, someone he hasn’t seen in a long time I suppose. It was odd he was there all alone. I started to worry for him and look around for an adult that was possibly with him.

”Are you here with anyone kid, where are your parents”? I ask. “I‘m seven now miss. I can take care of myself, have been for a long time” he says. “May I ask who exactly your waiting on then, you know it isn’t safe for a kid to be waiting around a busy station right? I ask. He says, “They don’t exactly know I’m here, it’s a suprise and isn’t it unsafe to smoke around a kid?”. “Interesting“ I say as I get up and walk over to the brick walling of the station, lean against it and light my cigarette. “I thought you could take care of yourself?, and I’m gonna wait here with you as long as I can, lot of assholes in the world and I’m waiting on one”.

“ I never got to ask who you were waiting on miss” the boy asked curiously. “I’m frankly bored now”. “ I don’t mind, and my father actually. I’m not too fond of seeming him you see, we are....close, but I don’t agree with some of his decisions is alI” i explain. “Like my mother” the boy says. “You think he feels the same way about you”? he asks. I pause a moment, “I’m sure he does but what are you, like thirty two?”. “ I think you should just focus on being a kid” I say going into the station.

I go over to the front desk and wait my turn. A lady in a red shirt with the name tag reading Joanne called me next. “Hello, How may I help you”? she asks. “Hi, there’s a young boy out there he’s nine and alone so Is there anything you can do”?. “There’s a lady from an adoption home waiting outside watching in her car”. “Says he ran off and she followed him here wanting to see what he up to” she says with her country accent.

“Thanks you” I say and knodd as I exit the station to the trains. I scan the cars in the lot across from the station, and around the corner. i take a seat on the bench and cross my arms. “Sorry for getting offended with you, I can tell you have a hard like too, going through your own kid issues I guess” i say as we both laugh. I go over to a hot dog stand and buy two hotdogs with onions. Mustard, ketchup and cheese. Giving one to the boy and indulging in the other. we shared some stories and shared some laughs. “You’re not so bad kid, not too shabby at all” I tease.

We wait and wait, the train finally comes and whistles its arrival. Here we go I began to think to myself. “who ya waiting on kid, I‘d hate to leave you here alone like this“ I say searching for my father. I see a man in high quality, Armani suit step off the train who looks like The judgmental egotistical father he is. I turn to the boy as he takes the photo out his pocket. “This is who i’m looking for, she might be older now“ he says as a tear drops from my face. “Julia! the train was late but I made it” My father says approaching me , setting his luggage on the bench. I remove my glasses and my hat.

”what’s wrong Jules? who is this boy?” my father asks concerned. i began to get nervous of what my father could be thinking in this very moment. “ I can only imagine what kind of trouble you’ve gotten into now.” My father complains. i shake my head, “pleae dad I-” i say as he interrupts me. “You can’t get a real career so now your babysitting kids” he continues. I look at the boy who looks at me, the photo in my hand and back at me again. His eyes brightened with a bittersweet disbelief, and a long lost wanted love, that had arrived and sat with him for awhile. The young woman in the picture, it was me. i hugged and kissed my boy. My past has caught up with me and I couldn’t let this piece pass me by.