Departing Train

What a shallow problem: a cracked screen compared to a cracked existence

Photo Credit: Kevin Witzenberger

“Thanks for tonight”, I slurred at my friend. “Are you sure you want to walk to the train station, the last train leaves soon?” he asked me while I was drilling my finger into his chest. “Seriously I’m fine, the fresh air will do me good.” This time I focused, so I wouldn’t slur again. As I put on my shoes I bumped my head against the doorframe. It didn’t go unnoticed: “Should I call you a taxi?” he asked me again but this time my muscles tensed out of anger. Time to get out of here. Does he think I can’t take care of myself? Who does he think he is, Mother Theresa? He didn’t notice my anger; swiftly I opened and closed the door behind me and said “bye” just as the lock of the door clicked.

I had a hard time to balance my steps as I rushed down the stairs. I was already on the ground floor when I tripped. Thankfully my right thigh and hip slammed against the wall instead of my head.

I tried my best to get up and keep moving, there wasn’t much time to catch my train. When I checked the time on my phone I discovered a long crack going from one end of my phone to the other. I wasn’t injured from the fall, but my phone definitely was. I could not have been more furious. Why my phone? Why is it always me who has to deal with these problems?

Even though I got lost on the way to the train station I didn’t lose my anger about the broken glass on my phone. It ruined my day and I knew I’m going to be even more bugged in the next morning.

Somehow I made it in time for my train but right after I purchased my ticket, I tripped again, but this time over a leg. I shouted “you’ve got to be kidding…!” at the owner of the leg — a man with a coloured hat covered with a tiny orange blanket. But mid sentence I realised that the man wasn’t alone, his entire family and a meagre collection of suitcases surrounded him. My face blushed when I grasped what I just did. All my anger turned into shame. How could I have worried about a mobile phone? What a shallow problem: a cracked screen compared to a cracked existence.

This was a new low, even for me and I was even too ashamed to face the situation and apologise. I got up and ran down the escalator. The train had departed without me.