Stations

                                                     Old St.Lazare Station, Paris
 

 

Dear Reader,

As someone who hates travelling anywhere, on or in anything, strangely I love stations.  Stations to me spell romance.  The most loved film : "Brief Encounter" has had literally millions of people enjoying it over the years, since it was filmed in 1945 with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Stations are so alive, so bustling and exciting.  So many different things are happening amidst the trains arriving and leaving. I have watched many films, especially films of either wars, where a handsome soldier holds hands and possibly kisses the girl he is going to leave behind.  Tears spring to the eyes imagining the sad hearts and distress caused by the leaving train.   

And then of course there are wonderful joyful reunions.  Someone who has come back from somewhere sees you and runs into your arms.  How lovely is that. Tears spring to the eyes but for a different reason, happiness.   And there are station smells which are unlike anywhere else except perhaps at a fair ground.  I think they come from mainly onion and bacon sandwiches or sausages in bread rolls.  And the smell of smoke.  Perhaps there isn't any smoke these days but there certainly was years ago.  And finally the mass of people all pursuing their own lives, running for the train or simply sitting waiting or watching the pigeons.

                                                                 *

                                            If a man does not keep pace
                                                    with his companions
                                            perhaps it is because he hears
                                                     a different drummer.
                                             Let him step to the music
                                                           he hears,
                                             however measured or far away.

                                                                        Thoreau

                                                                   *

 

 

From Gilbert White, 1793, May 28th, in Hampshire

'My weeding-woman swept up on the grass-plot a bushel basked of blossoms from the white apple-tree; and yet that tree seems still covered with bloom.'

                                                                   *

Stations

 are full of people,

people angry, people joyful

people sad, people anxious,

people disappointed,

people running,

people excited,

old people,

young people,

middle aged people

the odd dog

 

Stations are full

of smoke

the smell of frying onions

gauloise cigarettes

pigeons

lost luggage

people hurrying to and fro

the crashing of doors

noise and emotion

 

Stations

are the beginning

or the end

 

the alpha

the omega

 

                                                  *

 

 

My novel : Victoria Scott's Dilemma is available here. It is rather a charming romantic tale with lots of laughter.  Look on Amazon under books: Patricia Huth Victoria and it will come up.

 

 

                                                    VICTORIA  SCOTT'S  DILEMMA

 

                                                                 *

With very best wishes and a lovely summer to you all.

Patricia