TRAIN SPOTTING WITH LYDIA.

I knocked
on Lydia's front door
and waited
the morning sun

 

was coming
into the Square
Lydia's old man
opened the door

 

and stared at me
with bloodshot eyes
what do you want?
he said

 

is Lydia
coming out?
I asked
who wants to know?

 

I do
why?
wondered if she'd like
to see the trains

 

I said
why would she
want to see trains?
he said gruffly

 

she likes trains
I said
he looked beyond me
at the block of flats behind  

 

who said
she likes trains?
she did
I said

 

I work
with fecking trains
all day
she's never said

 

about trains before
he said
looking at me again
his eyes trying

 

to focus
we often
go see trains
I said

 

we went  to Waterloo
train station
the other week
he closed his eyes

 

rubbed
his hairy chin
and breathed out
a beery flavour

 

LYDIA
he bellowed suddenly
I stepped off
the front door step

 

and stood
gaping at him
LYDIA
he called again

 

he opened his eyes
and stared at me
I detected life
behind the mask

 

Lydia came
to the door
and peeped under
her old man's arm

 

this kid wants to know
if you want go see
fecking trains
he said gently

 

his voice silky
do you?
she nodded her head
yes

 

can I?
she asked
he looked at me
as if I’d just

 

stolen his wallet
trains?
he said
steam trains

 

I said
yes steam trains
she said
we like watching them

 

he raised his eyebrows
and looked down at her
under his arm
resting on the door jamb

 

ok ok
if you want go see trains
go see trains
he said

 

and wandered off
inside
leaving Lydia and me
looking at each other

 

Waterloo again?
I asked
what about Victoria station?
she said

 

ok sure
I replied
and she turned
around

 

to go get
her shoes inside.

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