It was one of those days. I arrive too early at Broombridge for my train to Hansfield. It is all new territory for me, even railway runnings are an unknown. It's still dark. I see a man with a bicycle and ask him how long it would take to cycle from Broombridge to Hansfield. He advises I cycle along the Royal Canal, he thought most of it was cyclable. We chat for some time. He tells me he cycles two days a week from Broombridge to his job in Dún Laoghaire and does it in circa 50 minutes. We both agree our chat was most enjoyable; a lovely encounter between two strangers.
The time passes, 10 minutes later the train for Hansfield arrives. There’s no realtime notice board on the platform, so to be sure-to-be-sure I ask the driver if this is the train for Hansfield. He assures me it is.
Eighteen minutes later as we approach Hansfield after the recorded destination announcement is made the drive adds that the train was stopping at Hansfield.
I get off with my fold up bicycle, go to the train cab and ask the loco driver if he made that announcement for me. yes, he had.
We chat for a minute, he tells me he previously had been a bus driver with Dublin Bus but much prefers this job. And then just before we part he asks me my name and shouts his name. Off the train went. I might see him tomorrow.
What a lovely start to a new day.
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