Somewhere in Philadelphia
The music plays softly in the background as the man sits staring at the wall, eyes full of tears and a soul full of regret. Glistening off the morning’s light the metal stock of the gun glares back at him almost taunting. He stares at the safety in the off position as her image stays in his mind and the thoughts run through his head like a heard of buffalo. Why did she leave? What did I do to deserve this? The sadness overwhelms him, like it’s done many times before he says his own prayers of forgiveness as he puts the gun in his mouth. Starting to pull on the trigger, he feels the resistance fight him as his phones rings. Staring down frozen he sees the number, his brother… He lets loose the trigger as he composes himself and answers.
As he talks he wonders what he wants. No call is free with him, always something, then it hits him as hears only pieces of what he says: “I’m sending you on a trip…. It’ll be good for you… You don’t get out enough…. I worry about you….” He thanks him as he hangs up the phone, immediately looking over at the packed bag next to the door, the same bag he had ready for the honeymoon. The honeymoon he’ll never know, the tears come back as he thinks to himself what’s next? He sighs deeply as the clock strikes 4. The weight of the gun in his hand reminds him he was still holding it, placing the safety back on he puts it away in its case…
Staring at the display for the train schedule, he finds his train #4 to Harrisburg… 20 minute delay…. “Great he thinks, this trip is off to an epic start.” Watching the hundreds of people around him boards train after train, he wonders if they realize how much like cattle they are, moved across the country in cramped quarters. Finally hearing his train come before spotting #4, he grabs his bags and heads for doors. Greeting the ticket man he steps on as his mind drifts…