Brushed across the sky was swirling clouds of purple and orange. The sun peaked just above the fields and around houses. He walked up towards the small train station. It was made out of wood, single room with a small ticket booth, which was no longer in use. A small bench ran across one side of the room with a few ornate pads to be sat on. Behind it on the wall was a board filled with advertising, job postings, kids art and a map to a couple of local tourist spots. Through the building and over tracks was a ramp that led to a long concrete platform that ran along the metal roads and poles of wire that escorted the trains.
The station was empty besides him. He walked through and stepped onto the platform and waited. The air was hot, thick and humid, even with the sun now waving goodnight. He dabbed his head with a cloth and then returned it to his fine pressed suit. Lights started to turn on and the last of the sun turned to darkness. He stood waiting still. He was early. Then out in the distance a light appeared to be moving towards him.
He took a deep breath in.
The train grew larger, calling out with it’s horn and slowed before reaching the platform. The yellow lights of the cabins whirled past him then came to a halt.
He released his breath.
The doors opened. The train was also empty besides the conductor who waved from the front of the car with a big smile.
He hesitated. Waved off the torrents of nervousness.
“行きましょう” he whispered to him self and stepped into the humming train.
The doors closed and it pulled slowly away form the station. Carrying another towards their destiny.
行きましょう = “Let’s do this”
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This was inspired by waiting for trains in Japan. When I traveled around Shikoku I waited for a lot of trains out in the country side. In Japanese movies/anime/manga there are scenes where they either show train station when the sun is setting or characters standing on the train platform. Before the trip the scenes did not mean much to me,they seemed to be showing that the characters were about to travel, but after experiencing it my self I can sense the feeling now that is being portrayed in those scenes. It is a sense of daily life. Train and train station would accompany one through their whole life making imprints of memories through out time. All feelings could be wrapped in those stations. One memorable train station was Motoyama station. It is just after temple 70 Motoyamji and down the street. Around is a bit rural,but when you get to the station you see all the fields that surround it. When I got there the sun was setting and the sky was a deep purple and red. Nothing was better then catching the train after an exhausting day.
Trains also carried majority of people in Japan, so each person I saw was going somewhere, doing something. I was fascinated with their stories. Trains carried dreams.