Chance Meeting by Leah Weir

Joshua waited on the station platform. It was his own fault for missing his usual train, but he couldn’t help but be a little impatient as he stood there in the cold with a heavy cloud threatening to start raining on him. It had already been an hour, and the next train was due to arrive any minute, hopefully.

The quick clicking sounds of heels heralded the arrival of another latecomer. Joshua turned and was disappointed to see it was only Anne. Normally he only saw Anne coming into the city. Obviously she usually made the return trip on this later train.

"Good evening, Josh. Nice to see you without your gaggle."

Joshua ignored her. She was always like this, and he didn’t need any confrontation. He buried his nose further into his book….

"What are you reading?"

Josh mumbled in reply.

"Pardon?" she said.

"An Anthology. You know, of short stories and poems."

She wrinkled her nose.

"Why? That doesn’t even count as a book."

"Yes it does."

"No it doesn’t. The flow is wrong."

"That doesn’t mean it doesn’t count."

"Well I know more about books than you ever will."

"Why’s that?"

"I’m a librarian."

Josh found that hard to believe. He had never met a librarian with such a dismissive attitude to literature. Or to everything else for that matter.
"Where’s this library you work at?" he asked.

"A school."

"Ah."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"I’m surprised you didn’t know. I’m sure I’ve mentioned it."

"Well,” Josh explained, “normally I try to tune you out."

Her jaw dropped.

Whoops! Joshua had been under the impression she knew how brusquely she came off. Guess not.

"I’m sorry,” he said. “That was rude."

"It’s easy for you. You’re so charismatic, friendship just comes easily."

"I’m sorry! How can I make it up to you?"

She smiled. "Sit with me on the train."

Curses! She’d got him again.

Leah Weir lives in Embro. She wrote Chance Meeting in 20 minutes at my "How to Make Yourself Write" workshop in Woodstock. - Brian