A place called friendship

- Good afternoon, sir, but by any chance, do you know where the train station is? - and a broad-shouldered blond young man appeared to the man, right in front of the newsstand, where the man was reading a newspaper, comfortably seated on a pillow on a bench.

 - Are you a foreigner, young man? - admiring his peasant accent - because only tourists or foreigners who visit the country do not know where the train station is, moving his removable and plastic teeth from one side of his mouth to the other, like a ball, to indicate that the station it was right around the corner

 - yes.

 - Where are you from?

 - From the coast - and the handsome young man opened a bottle of stupidly ice water, taking it without making a gesture.

 - Coast? - and the plastic teeth almost fell out of his mouth - where does the sun shine 24/7?

 - exactly! - Almost smiling - I'm from California, to be precise - taking a sip of sharp from the bottle, while looking at his watch.

 Well, I think I still remember the first time I went there, with a group of friends from my school, and there was a lovely young woman, you know, waving her hand in the shape of a woman's body, really hot!

 - I'm sorry sir, but someone told me that there is a train that leaves in maybe an hour, and I would like to catch it ..

 - young - serious and pointing with his finger to the palm of his left hand - the next train that leaves the station will be tonight, since the rails of the train are blocked by the heavy snowfall that fell two nights ago. They fell in the middle of the night, and many trains did not leave for their destinations, as the mayor had resigned so that no one would care. Take a look in this document:

 "Mayor resigned in a chaotic city situation"

 The young man looked at the newspaper.

 Read them

 Fold it in two.

 With a dissatisfied face, as well as taking a deep breath, he hit his forehead with the folded newspaper.

 The old man put a chair beside him, as he was looking at the young man with wet eyes and a tear almost falling from his angry eyes.

 - Do you want to sit down, young man? the old man asked, speaking compassionately in a low voice as he took another patched pillow for the bench seat and beat her to sit down, since there was nothing else to do.

 - How long ago did you come here?

 - one day - still sipping water from the bottle

 one day ? But you can't even see a place in one day! No wonder you are lost.

 Not so much. Despite being the first time that I am in such a different place, with people who do not know me and I do not know them, like you, who in a second of memories already offers me a seat.

 This is how I was raised, to be nice to others, something that I think is not known in your big city, where everyone is so preoccupied with their little personal problems.

 Don't you have problems?

 Lis had once - scratching my beard - but now I feel that problems are better solved if you forget about them

 how?

 With the happy memories of your past, because the sad memories only produce more sadness, pain, crying.

 For what? That is why it is better to look for happiness in yourself, before looking for it outside yourself, or perhaps in a place like a train station without memories, like what you do now.

 The young man looked at him, deeply.

 It was true.

 And that place, the place of good memories, was the place where no one else could go with him.

 Will you wait for the train? - asked the man, smiling as if to be kind to the young man who might never listen to him, worse understand him.

 And the young man, with lost eyes, answered in a low and resigned voice:

 - I think so. I don't have the money to get a plane, so my last chance is to catch the train, but it will be late.

 - So sit here - the old man touched the seat again and offered a sweet to the young man, who was looking at his watch.

 - Thank you, you are very kind, but the point is that my wife is having a baby in California and wanted to participate, since the delivery will take place in water.and the old man was looking at him, paying all his attention, until he stopped the swing of his plastic teeth inside his mouth.

 - For real ? asked the curious old man.

 - For real. I would like to give him my name - from which anyone could deduce the obvious: the child was not his son - and who cares if it is or not, if the young man sought to give him a name in consideration of his affection?

 - Then tell me, sir, looking deeply into his eyes, what can I do, like the old man, who stepped back about two centimeters to think of a suitable answer.

 - Sorry young man, but if I were you, I would do the same, or what else can you do? - The old man asked with the typical despondency of the lack of answers to give at that moment.

 The young man, keeping reality in a low head, covered the weakness of the tear with his two hands.

 The old man, looking at him deeply moved by the sincerity of the young man, consoled him by stroking his head, saying:

 - That's fine, young friend. Everything will be fine. You have to be sure of that. This testifies to what will keep you alive. It's what you need right now: the old man said that very softly, almost whispering into his ears, so that he couldn't be hurt by chance.

 The young man raised his head and, trying to wipe his wet eyes and cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt, thanked the old man with his eyes and with the words:

 - Old man, your kind words give me hope that everything will be fine and I will not lose anything, including my stupid pride, which I am feeling at this moment in which I do not want to leave immediate reality.

 Without his kindness, and the young man took the old man's hand, I would never have the strength to move on, to stand up and search for the things that are really valuable, like this friendship that is burning right now.

 I have to thank you, from the bottom of my heart and my sincerity, since you knew how to read my feelings and card about a foreigner who should want an answer, and you gave one more light than this: you gave your heart. And this, man, is incredible, it is something that I needed to have in my life and that you gave me freely, as a gift.

 I will never forget it, and the young man hugged the old man.

 But, glancing at his watch again, he asked again, how do I get to the train station?

 - that's the way - and the old man pointed north where the train station was supposed to be.

 - Thank you - and they said goodbye hugging each other, as a friendship is a safe place to arrive.