I Met 'Her' That Fateful Night Poem by Sapna Goel

That night I was on my own

riding the train

to Bhopal, maybe Jammu,

Does it matter? The name..



I sat hunched, like I usually do

on the top berth reading a book..

Pretending I didn't mind being alone!

Ignoring the "loud" families below.

Wrapping myself in my protective shield



But she..she saw right through my facade

She smiled a bit and asked

"Here would you like some food? "

Her friendliness couldn't be barred by a book

Her open smile, her gentle voice

I had no choice, but to be nice..



"Not really, I am not hungry" I said

"Its not poisoned" she replied, with a laugh

I went red like I was a two year old

Caught with my hand in the cookie bowl



I accepted the sandwich and we began to chatter

Talking to her was easy..

That we'd just met, didn't matter

Name, home, work, education, we walked the routine

but soon we were talking about hopes and dreams..



We sat all night, talking,

Just like that..

My book forgotten, our berths un-slept..

I discovered she was a dreamer, just like me

An idealist, a thinker, a "spirit" free

She spoke softly, spinning words of gold

everything she said was poetry,

I was completely bowled!

When she asked me my story, I simply told

Everything I could think of..since I was two year old



If she spoke well, she listened even better

Her head cocked to a side,

her gaze filled with compassion.

Understanding things said and left unsaid

Even though I maintained a stony face

My inner angst was reflected in her eyes

When I surreptitiously attempted to brush aside

Two tears threatening to roll down my eyes,

She began to cry, long open tears she shed.



Was it possible for her to feel?

So much for a stranger like me

When the morning sun shone

I felt like

In this world I wasn't alone

I had found on this soulful night

A person who spoke my language, and heard me right



At the station when she turned to leave

She shook my hand, giving it a squeeze

I tentatively squeezed it back

the train seemed so empty after that..

There was nothing to do, nobody to chat

Even the book that I had really longed to read

Now seemed just so "second seed"



By the time my station came

I could hardly wait, to google her name

And make her my Facebook friend

And when I finally keyed in her name

It spitted out a string of suggests

But I was only seeking her face

Found her at the end of 2nd page



I clicked to see her wall

She was all she said.. except for a minor detail

There on her profile for all to see

Were a husband she hugged and two lovely kids

Her eyes shone just like they had, on me

Her friends list was really long

And from the comments on her wall

It was evident she was a good "friend " to all



For a minute I didn't know what to feel

Had she or hadn't she cheated me?

I hadn't asked about her family life

I had been so busy narrating my story

At no point had she lead me on

Just spoke to me in that gentle tone



After that first hit of surprise

I understood, I realized..

It didn't matter if she was married or free

She could still be a good friend to me

And so with a big smile

I sent her a "friend" invite



And now we keep in touch on mail

she listens to my long dreary tales

My silly worries and confused plans

She gives me advice and "saner" plans



Now whenever I travel by train

I chat, talk and attempt to connect

with someone, sitting close to me

for I learned this on that fateful night

one never knows, Where & When

New friends walk in..To change your life..