TWO

 

 

He covered Paula with one of his blankets and she murmured a soft “thanks.”

He stood and went through the double doors to the next car. It was dark, too. Running his hands along the overhead luggage rack to keep his balance in the moving car, he quickly made his way through the sleeping people and on forward until he reached the dining car.

It was still a good hour before breakfast, but the train’s staff were cleaning and setting tables when he came in. After the coolness of the coach cars, the warmth and the smell of fresh coffee in the dining car was a welcome relief.

“You’re up early,” Hank said from the waiter’s station in the middle of the car. “Coffee?” He held up a coffee pot in his giant hands.

“Thanks,” Mason said and slid into a table that wasn’t set yet. He’d been around the train long enough to know that the staff didn’t want passengers in the dining car before meal times. But he had been on board for so long that Hank, the six-foot, five-inch tall waiter, had become his best friend.

Before he had started working for the train, Hank had done a little of everything, sort of a jack of all trades. He could talk about anything and Mason loved that trait. Hank said he loved working with people, and as long as he was working in someplace where he could talk to folks, he was happy.

A couple of times, Mason had asked Hank about the train and how Hank had gotten on board.

Hank’s only answer had been that at one point or another, everyone was on the train for one reason or another. That was all he would say.

Their favorite conversation was about the toy and hobby store Mason wanted to start. As a kid, he had found safety and friendship in the local hobby store, saving his pennies and money from pop cans and later his paper route to buy a new piece for his train layout. His mother said that he sometimes spent more time in the toy store than he did at home.

Mason didn’t tell her that she was right. He loved the store more than anything, with all the promises of all the fun each toy seemed to represent.

At home, it wasn’t fun to listen to his parents argue so much. He couldn’t understand how his two younger brothers stood it. They had rooms upstairs. He at least had the basement and his train layout.

Hank slid the coffee in front of Mason and then dropped into the seat across the booth, letting his long legs stretch out into the aisle.

Mason nodded thanks and sipped the wonderfully hot coffee.

“You’re looking serious this morning.”

Mason took another slow sip and then set the cup down. “I’m going to jump today. About ten, near the bridge.”

Hank leaned forward slightly. “Going to miss you, but I think it’s for the better. Paula going to go with you?”

“She might,” Mason said.

“But she might not, huh?”

Mason took another sip from his coffee and didn’t answer.

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-two when I got onto this thing,” Mason said.

“And from what we talked about, you had been doing the same thing most of the years since college?”

Mason nodded. “Now, I’ve been on this train almost longer than I can remember. Seems like a lifetime, actually. Maybe ten years or so. I’m guessing, but I lost count a long time ago, as if time means anything here.”

Hank whistled softly. “I knew it was a long time, but didn’t have any idea it was that long. So what are you going to do with this jump?”

Mason laughed. “Take a wild guess.”

Hank laughed. “Going to open that toy store finally, huh?”

“Yeah. The one I used to spend my afternoons in closed up when the owner died, about a month before my dad died. It was what I was thinking about in my parents’ basement when I ended up here. If the store is still there when I get off, I’m going to make his son an offer. If not, then I’m going to just open my own.”

“Hey, that’s great,” Hank said. “You got everything you need? Money and all that?”

Mason nodded. “I even know the suppliers and had set up business accounts with them before...” Mason indicated the train and just shrugged. “I’m hoping I end up back the same age, at the same moment after my dad died.”

Hank just smiled and nodded his head as if that made sense.

Mason was glad Hank didn’t ask the next question. Why had it taken him so long?

From down the car came the sound of rattling dishes and pans. Hank glanced over his shoulder and then back at Mason. “You better go wake Paula and tell her what you decided. You want to give her some time to make up her mind. She might be ready, too.”

“Good idea,” Mason said and downed the last of his coffee.

They both stood at once and Mason extended his hand. “Thanks for being a friend.”

Hank shook his hand. “You’re welcome. It’s been my pleasure.”

Mason let go of Hank’s firm grip and turned to move back into the coach cars.

“Mason?” Hank said.

Mason stopped and turned back to his tall friend.

“You’ll make it. Just believe that.”

Mason smiled. “You know, for some reason, today, I actually do.”