Chester Train Station. Monday – 10:21am

A pair of laughing men in suits got up from the café’s outside table and parted ways with a handshake. One went inside the café and the other walked towards and past Sam with a smile still on his face. The smile was infectious and Sam caught it as he entered the café.

“A bottle of Beck’s please,” he said.

“There you go love. That’s two pound eighty please.”

Sam’s weak smile changed to a wandering gaze as he fished for coins in his pocket.

“Thanks,” he said, and walked towards the door. The conversation of the only other two people in there stopped momentarily as they watched him walk out. They glanced, in unison, at his beer and then his face, inspecting him. He knew what they were thinking and he was used to it, so he ignored them and sat on the empty table outside.

It was a beautiful day. There were people everywhere, sharing the clean fresh air. The sky was busy with white, radiant clouds and there was a natural shine to the atmosphere. Just like these clouds, some people glowed around the edges, holding a most effervescent aura for such a time of morning. Yet, despite the positive vibes surrounding them, some exuded sadness in their silence. Each seemed to be holding on to their privacy, shunning all human contact. It was an uncomfortable sight. Three platforms could be seen from where Sam was sitting and over half of their benches were occupied by motionless, vacant people. A select few scanned the station in the harmlessly inquisitive way that Sam did. Crossing sight paths were met with either a smile or a nervous sideways jerking of the head, but the latter was less common.

Sam sat and pondered their nervousness as he waited for his train to the airport.

Inside the train, people were happier. The atmosphere was lifted and conversations were started. Sam sat back with his beer in hand and tuned his ears into

the conversation behind him. Some might view this as nosy, but with Sam, it was more out of interest and admiration.

“John!” was the shout that caught his attention.

“Oh, hey Henry! How are you?” replied the man reversing his direction as he passed Sam’s table. Sam felt the tug on the chair next to him as the man lowered himself into the empty seat behind it.