Fiction: Miss Calara
Help can come from unexpected places
A 4 minute read.
The taxi arrived 15 minutes late, and Emily began to feel a bit panicked as the train was set to depart at 8:30. She now had only 45 minutes to get to the station. She picked up Kenneth Jon (KJ) in one arm, slung a travel bag over her other arm, and grabbed a small suitcase. Once in the cab, she felt some relief as the road was relatively free of traffic early on a Sunday morning.
This had not been a planned trip. Emily’s mother had fallen, was injured, and needed someone with her at home while she recovered. Although Emily had two brothers, it always seemed to be up to her to take care of situations like this. So, she had downloaded and printed a ticket for her and KJ on the morning Zephyr to Brookhaven.
Emily found the cavernous station exceptionally chaotic. The Thanksgiving holiday had begun and the train station seemed filled with early travelers.
She checked her bag at the baggage counter and then searched the crowded station for a seat amongst the throng of waiting passengers. Glancing up at the large departure/arrival board above the ticket counter, she discovered that her train would be 20 minutes late. Finding a seat near the departure gate, she sat back and breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she had made it to the station on time.
Kenneth John was just about a year old and was getting anxious with all the noisy activity around him. He wanted his mother’s attention and would start to cry. She would hold and rock him and in doing so, she realized he might need changing. She knew she’d probably lose her seat, but she took KJ to the restroom where there was a changing table.
Once done, she went back to the waiting room and felt fortunate that her seat was still available. An older lady, about the age of her mother, had laid her coat across the seat to “hold it” until Emily returned. Emily thanked her and turned her attention to KJ, who had become a squirming kid, wiggling and fidgeting, demanding Emily’s attention.
A first call announcement was made over the station speaker for passengers boarding train 751. Uncertain whether it was her train, Emily searched in her purse for her ticket to verify the number.
She thought she had put the ticket just inside her bag so it would be easy to find. However, it wasn’t there, and she began to panic as she pulled out her smartphone, wallet, house keys, a bottle of hand sanitizer, and a couple of makeup items. No ticket. Her heart sank as she realized the ticket was nowhere to be found. Anxiety crept over her.
Just when Emily felt a knot of despair tightening in her chest, a warm, weathered hand gently touched her shoulder. She turned to see the elderly lady still sitting next to her. "Did you loose something?" the old woman asked, her voice filled with a soothing warmth.
Emily explained the situation trembling with anxiety. The old woman offered a comforting nod. "These things happen. Let's go to the station's help desk. They might be able to assist."
Together, they navigated through the sea of people, with the older lady providing a calming presence amid the chaotic station. At the help desk, a sympathetic station attendant listened to Emily’s predicament and, after what seemed an entirety to Emily knowing her train was boarding, she was handed a new ticket.
A second call for train 751 echoed through the station. It was Emily’s train and the older lady took her by the arm and walked with her to the exit and then to the train. She and KJ boarded expecting their new companion to follow. Emily found her seat and settled in, the anxiety of the lost ticket was replaced by a sense of gratitude.
Taking a breath and wanting to express her appreciation, she kept looking for the old lady to board. However, she noticed that the station platform was empty as the doors were shut. The train slowly pulled away from the station, and Emily sat back with KJ, now asleep in her arms, wondering what had happened to the woman who had guided her through a moment of panic.
The train conductor came by to collect tickets. Emily told him about the lady’s kindness and wondered if she had gotten on in another car. He took a moment, then chuckled a bit. “No, that’s Clara. She worked at the station for years before she passed. She was always so helpful to passengers.” He then added, “It seems she appears from time to time to help those in distress. Interestingly, her name is Filipino and means ‘to protect or to look after.’ It seems that’s something she still does from time to time.
Very nice. I didn't see that ending coming.