Life, love, and death on a trip from Amsterdam to Paris.
The train picked up speed as it left the station in a little town not far from Amsterdam. We passed so close to a row of houses I felt I could touch them, all neat, all the same. Lace curtains hung in each window, and a dusting of the recent snow still held on the roofs.
The sun’s rays sparkled on the window, refracting light into the cabin of the train. It was cold. I pulled my coat from the seat next to me onto my lap to stop the draft on my legs. My gothic architecture book lay open to the chapter on St. Denis. Reading in French seemed more difficult than usual, and I found myself going over the same paragraph again.
When the cabin door opened with a jarring SNAP, I gave a rabbit-like start as a man stepped into the compartment. He heaved his bag onto the overhead rack, sat down just opposite me, and opened a newspaper, De Telegraaf. He was a good-looking man, not really handsome, but his face was strong and intelligent. Very fit. I returned to St. Denis and read the same paragraph for the fourth time.
After continuing in this manner for thirty minutes or so, the man folded his paper, set it on the seat next to him, and stared out of the window. Then he turned his gaze from the window and began studying me.
“Goedmorgen,” then looking at my book, “ou peut-être, bonjour?”
“Bonjour.”
“D’où venez-vous?”
“La Nouvelle Orleans.”
“Ah, New Orleans. Then you are American . . . sorry,” he said.
I thought for a second of asking whether he was sorry that I was American, then thought better of it.
“That’s okay. I’m glad it’s not immediately obvious.”
“No, you are not obvious. You could be Dutch, but appear more French. I wasn’t sure. We don’t get many Americans in November.”
We were rocking along at a fairly high speed. I looked out of the window for awhile, watching the passing fields, all snowy white. I thought of Martijn’s mother, snug in her old farmhouse, and smiled. I turned back to my work, but had not gone many pages when I realized the man was staring at me. I raised my head, stared back and him, and waited.
“You are going to Paris?”
“Yes, I study there.”
“What brought you to Amsterdam?”
After a brief pause, I answered him. “I am engaged to a man who lives in Hoorn, and I came to meet his family.”
“Ah . . . So you will move to the Netherlands? Or will the two of you live in the United States?”
“We plan to live in the Netherlands.”
“By the way, I am Piet Maas.”
“Sarah Stewart.” I took the hand he offered. “Good to meet you.”
I glanced down at my book, at the abbey church, then back at Piet. “What takes you to Paris? Business?”
“I am only traveling through Paris headed to Marseilles. And it is neither business nor pleasure.”
I raised an eyebrow.
He laughed and tilted his head back against the headrest, looking up at the luggage rack. “At home, everyone thinks I have lost my mind. I had an important position at a respected bank in Amsterdam. My apartment was large — perfect location. The kind people in the city wait years to get. I’ve been dating someone for almost two years.”
“One night I was walking home with the thousands of other people who work in the city. It was dark and it was cold. And suddenly, I thought — I am not going to live this life anymore.” Piet looked at me.
“Thea, that’s my girlfriend, gave me a lovely party a week later for my forty-second birthday. While everyone was toasting me, I announced my plans, that I was giving myself the present I had always wanted. In three weeks I would quit my job, leave Amsterdam, and go see the world.”
“When I finished, the room was very quiet. It was my boss who finally spoke.”
“Well, Piet,” he said, “if you want to take a trip, you certainly deserve a vacation. Take extra time — have eight weeks — travel — my birthday present to you. I’ll just take that expensive watch back to the store.”
“Everyone laughed at his little joke, but then I said, “No, you don’t understand. I am leaving, and I am not coming back. I will be handing in my resignation tomorrow. I ship out of Marseille on a cargo boat in three weeks.”
“Absolute silence. Then Thea burst into tears, and the guests all gave excuses for leaving early . . . . “
“All night I tried to explain how I felt to Thea, but it was no good. I know I should have told her privately. Telling her with the others was a coward’s way out. But I wanted no one trying to talk me out of it. It was poorly done, though, and I feel guilty over it.”
I turned to the window. The passing scenery became an indistinct blur, and the hair along the back of my neck prickled.
“Tell me, you are quiet. What do you think? That I have lost my mind?”
I looked at him for a long time. “Hardly. But I am wondering why you should care what a complete stranger thinks.”
“I don’t really . . . but — the last weeks have been so full of logistics. Now I am started, and I have some quiet. And there you are, across from me, watching me.”
“It’s a bad habit of mine, watching people.”
“Yes, same — for me as well. So, for the hell of it, what DO you think?”
“That I am amazed you did it. Think about it, yes . . . . Do it though? And hopping a tramp steamer — it sounds like a movie script — it reminds me of a story an old journalist once told me. The closest I’ll come to anything like it will be marrying Martijn and leaving the USA behind.”
Piet watched me quietly. We continued contemplating one another until I began feeling uncomfortable. Then he spoke.
“Being married in the Netherlands will not be much different than being married in the United States. You will live in a foreign country and learn a new language, and for awhile, this will be an adventure. The newness will wear off though . . . and one morning, you will wake up and realize that you exchanged one mundane reality for another.”
I thought of the neat, tree lined fields outside of Amsterdam, and Martijn’s orderly approach to his work, indeed to everything he did.
“Perhaps. I suppose I will find out. — Why don’t you tell me about the ship you are sailing with?”
He frowned, but acquiesced. So the conversation changed course and we passed several hours swapping views on various subjects. The bright sun and snow of the morning gave way to gray winter fields and an overcast afternoon.
We left Mons, Belgium, and had crossed into France when the train came slowly to a stop. We walked several cars down to get coffee and sweet biscuits which we consumed while continuing to talk. Finally, after almost an hour, the train began to back up, all the way to Mons. There it switched to tracks that paralleled the original set, and moved at a snail’s pace towards Paris.
“Must be a problem on the track up ahead, ” said Piet.
As the train approached the spot where we had been delayed, we stood up to look for the cause. At this point the ground rose abruptly up from the two sets of tracks. It had the effect of a very wide tunnel without a top. Several pedestrian walkways crossed above it.
We had gone a little way past where our cabin had sat for an hour, when the tracks turned crimson. The stone chips of the railway bed were soaked red. As the blood dried, it darkened, so there was a variation from brilliant red to a dull reddish-brown. Then came a leg, severed from its body. The leg wore khaki trousers. The thigh had been shredded as the train tore it from the hip. The torso followed, but it was somewhat obscured by three railroad workers and two officers discussing what was to be done with the mess. A blue workman’s cap lay next to the tracks, shivering slightly in the breeze.
I stood staring, when suddenly I was jerked back and the window shade snapped down. I had not seen Piet moving, and I felt jolted and bewildered.
“It is not a thing to look at.”
I stared at the shade, but saw the mutilated thigh. Piet took my shoulders. “Are you alright?”
I nodded. He pulled me to his chest, and for a moment I relaxed and hid my face against his shirt. As I came back to myself, I tried stepping back. Piet looked down at me for a moment, then let go.
“Sometimes this happens . . . I should have suspected. I could have prevented you from seeing that.” Then more quietly, “please forgive me.”
“I, I’ve never — well, I mean . . . never. I mean, I’ve seen corpses in the dissecting room at Tulane medical school. But it wasn’t like this.”
“It is the blood. So much blood . . .”
“Poor bastard,” he continued. “There are often suicides like this. Frequently in Paris someone jumps in front of the Metro. The engineer cannot stop in time. He sees it all. And he cannot stop it. For the person who jumps, it is all over. It is for the engineer I feel sorry.”
For awhile neither of us said anything. Finally, I said, “I wonder why he did it?”
Piet watched the gray fields. “Because it was easier than going on.”
I looked at him. “But you were unhappy — you felt trapped. You didn’t jump under a train, though — “
“Ah, well. But in the moment when he had no hope left, he couldn’t see a way forward. You are so young . . . . maybe it is something that it takes more life to understand. You see, it is always out there; it is always a possible answer.”
I picked at a loose thread on my cuff and thought I didn’t want to hear anymore of this. The grey afternoon dimmed into twilight and the train sped on towards Paris. As it grew dark, we left the lights off in our compartment. Traffic signals and train stations in passing towns lit our room now and again. We alternately looked outside and at one another, but neither of us spoke.
We reached the edge of Paris, and the train soon pulled into the Gare du Nord. Piet flipped on the lights, and I rose to pull down my bag.
“Let me help you with that.”
“Thanks, but I can handle it.”
He shrugged.
When we moved out of the cabin and down the passage to exit the car, Piet preceded me down the steps, then turned and took my bag from me. I stepped down off of the train and stood in front of him as people hurried around us down the long platform. The old iron roof supports rose high over our heads, the riveted beams full of pigeons gone to roost. Loud speakers blared information concerning departures.
I looked up at Piet. “Well,” I said, “I think . . .”
Piet took my arms, pulled me close and kissed me once, then after looking at me for a long time, again, even deeper and more passionately. The noise and the people disappeared, and the two of us stood alone on the concrete slab.
He pulled back and I stood looking at him, breathless.
“Don’t marry him.”
Piet picked up his bag and walked away, disappearing into the stream of humanity.
This is a true story; only the names and other minor facts have been changed. This train from Amsterdam traveled to Paris in late November of 1985. I never saw “Piet” again . . . Seven months later, I called off my engagement.
By Ann Fisher. Copyright 1989 and 2016. All rights reserved.
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Reblogged this on Ann Cavitt Fisher.
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Reblogged this on DREAM BIG DREAM OFTEN and commented:
One of my dreams is to take a train across Europe!!
One of my favorite ways to travel. I wish it was easier to do in the U.S.
Thank you!
Incredible, so beautifully written. I wish the train from Amsterdam to Paris still looked like the picture at the top.
It’s been so long since I’ve traveled by train between the two cities . . . I’m guessing there are no compartments anymore.
Yeah, it’s all matt grey plastic and long carriages now 🙁
Matt grey long carriages. Sad. :-(.
Thank you
Beautiful story, I loved it. Thanks for sharing it.if there’s time to visit my website too…I would live to know your opinion http://www.whattodo.WordPress.com
Well, it looks like you’ve just gotten started with your site — so I guess my advice is to decide what you’d like to write about, and then go for it.
Thank you.. It’s an advice column tho
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This was amazing yet so heartbreaking?
Thank you for a lovely read x
Dean Ann, This is the second time I read this story, I like I can see it happening actually! such a heartwarming true story. You should continue this story and make it more exciting. I hope we will read the second chapter one day!
Ah, but it is a true story, and it ends where it did.
[…] ANN ON MARCH 10, 2016 • ( 378 COMMENTS ) <a […]
Lov’d this . Great work . Incredible post . Thanks for this one . I love to read more of your kind . I appreciate all of ur works . Thanks for giving me this opportunity. Simply loved it !!
[…] Source: The Train […]
Beautifully told! Thank you.
I love this
That must have been some kiss -to alter your life course, unless you were already deep down planning to not marry Piet
You mean Martijn, but no, at that point I felt pretty sure about getting married. It was spending the following summer in the Netherlands with Martijn that made me sure that I did not want to do that. The train journey, with Piet’s own decision, the suicide, and thoughts about life-altering choices gave me pause though. The kiss was minor compared to the whole experience of the day.
What a beautiful memory. A brief encounter that changed one’s perspective forever.
Riveting read. I was left wanting more! Piet sounds so mysterious.
At the beginning of the trip, I thought Piet was just an average middle-aged business man. Shared experience changes everything.
What a beautiful story. I have to admit my hopelessly romantic heart swelled reading this post because I was so immersed in the connection between the two of you – it’s just like a scene from a movie! I wonder what happened with him and how his journey ended up being… I really enjoyed the way you wrote this and I liked the pictures that you added as well. Thank you for sharing this moment of your life with us!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story…I was hanging on and hoping the two of you would get together.
Hi Davina, thank you for your time reading, and for the comment. I think that’s the natural thing, the hope – that when there is a connection, the two people might be destined to be together. I did not feel that about Piet. Nor do I think he felt that way about me. I do think he cared, and that he cared that I not make a mistake and become committed too early. At same time, I have wondered what happened to him. We take our easy connectivity for granted now.
I was drawn into your carriage immediately with the wonderful descriptions and use of language. I have had many encounters with strangers on trains. I believe that every encounter has a reason and a meaning behind them we just need to be open to hearing the message. Sometimes we are more atuned to our subconscious thoughts and strangers are simply the link bringing them into sharp focus.
Great connect your story had. I particularly liked the strong, purposeful nonsensical first person approach.
Great story, sorry you called off your engagement though. I hid in a corner of your cabin during the trip. It took me back to Bogart and Bacall on the Orient Express.
Leland, I was — I think 21. Oh, so not ready to be married, so it was a good thing. Piet made me stop and think. Each of us is different, and the right time for making a family is a very individual thing.
It sure sounds like your train trip had a very special purpose behind it and you came out just right. Good for you and best wishes with your writing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the post. It was intriguing to realize you based this on actual events. Great job!
What an amazing story and I also feel that life brings us to these stories so that we can make some new stories. Fabulous writing Ann.
I felt like reading moses beach once again. You reminded me of my library days 🙂
What an amazing story! I’ve seen two dead bodies: a drowned German man on a beach in Spain, and a boy who had just been run over, his neck broken. Perhaps I’ll write about them….
It’s disturbing, and always a reminder of how short and fragile life is.
The story was amazing and thank you for sharing. I am glad to see at the end, it is indicated as a true story. As I thought these things might be romantically unreal for life. And I am not saying about the last kiss. I am talking about his idea of quitting everything and going on, about his realisation for the fear of meaningless repetition, and about your braveness of calling off the engagement. The suicide incident in the story is an example of a person who sees no point in going on, as Piet also said. I used to see it as a coward move, but recently I have changed my mindset, not supporting but maybe more understanding. I am sure your story has shown a bit to the world why people needs to be brave, keep fighting for at least a reason to go on. I am writing this based on how my own experience with your story, it might contrast to your original idea of composing it though 🙂
I’m glad you liked my story. Most people get to points in their lives where they have to make a big decision — it could be a change of career, a big move, a divorce. Whatever the big thing is, it takes courage. It’s something I wrote about last fall in Only in a Leap: //anncavittfisher.com/2015/12/04/only-in-a-leap/
Reblogged this on Words, words, words and commented:
The story is beautifully written, and I would excuse myself from saying additional words besides many other possible reblogs, and you should experience it yourself.
Sometimes, we don’t really know why things turn out the way they do. Then suddenly something hits you and then, boom, there’s the light. This is amazing. Thank you for sharing! <3
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment. I’m happy you liked the piece.
Wow. I couldn’t stop reading the post. Such an amazing post.
I really love the evolution of the plot, the vivid descriptions of surroundings and actions is often subtle, yet effective, plus i’m one who likes an open ended/suddenly ended story. Superb piece 😀
Enjoyed your firsthand account – not unlike the delightful movie, “Before Sunrise.” Thanks for sharing your story.
Wow, that was an amazing story. I also felt like I was there with you!
Simply moving. It’s amazing how simple things can make such an impact to our lives.
Piet reminded me of Gauguin who left his family to paint. Strong story. A good title also might have been: We don’t get many Americans in November. I liked it a lot.
Reblogged this on zsyed509.
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Wonderful story! I felt like I was on the train with you.
Excellent work!
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you deal with suspense superbly – I was eager to read to the end.
It´s about those singular, sparkling moments, no? Thanks for this, beautiful!
Awesome!!! Great writing..
Hello from India..
Visit my blog too.. give ur feedback ..
I love your story
Love this blog entry as well and would love to collaborate! I’m Super excited for everyone to check out my blog!! I’ve been working on it for a month now and it’s finally ready. I’ll be posting new things every chance I get. Having a little one makes it kinda crazy to get alone time. So please check it out!! https://ericalombe.wordpress.com/
Hi Erica, and thank you — I enjoyed your blog as well. Collaborating is always interesting — let’s see where that idea takes us :-).
Yeah I also loved reading your story. It feels good to remember these old memories. I still can remember how much I cried for not getting the love I always dreamed of but after creating space with me I realized it was a transition point for me to develop myself. And now I am stronger than before. Thank you for writing a story with you gift. I loved it =)
I met my “the one” on a trip, too. We stopped talking this April and let go for an unspecified time after 6 months of ineffably different relationship, even if on texts. We never confessed our feelings directly, never even called each other a friend, (haha!)—apparently because we liked novelty, and preferred the most precious feelings not to be put into words. And now we’re counting on destiny to take care of things now and bring us together, kinda like in Serendipity—wait, no! EXACTLY like in Serendipity.
Anyway, your this story is the first story I have ever read on WordPress, and it was undeniably cute and handsome. I wished it didn’t end.
Profound regards
A beautiful story. You evoked so many of my own memories. I’m sitting here smiling – and feeling more confident in a recent decision to resign, pack up and try a different path. The best life advice I ever received was to “take the scenic route” and your story just reminded me of this. Thank you.
Thank you. I am at a transition point myself, and that may be why in March I went digging in papers, looking for the train story. I wish you all the best on your new path.
I am happy to have found your blog, Footprints and Photos. Thoroughly enjoyed your images and your last post on micro vacations; it’s something I’ve done a lot of over the years when my daughter was young and I had no money for travel. I still do it now, mixed into bigger trips — and I well understand the post trip depression :-).
Beautifully written and it was a great surprise at the end to find out it was a true story. I was hooked as soon as I started reading as it was so interesting to see what happened when two strangers were put on a train together. A very powerful piece!
Reblogged this on On the Road.
Wow, what a powerful story! I thought it was fiction until I reached the end and read your note.
Thank you — lends credence to the saying that truth is stranger than fiction . . . or can at least be as surprising.
I love the story!!!
Thank you!
Bon article et jolies photos.
Merci d’avoir lu mon histoire . Les photographies proviennent de 123rf stock photography (crédité dans les légendes ) , et je pense qu’ils sont très beaux aussi . Beaucoup d’images sur le site sont les miennes , mais je ne pouvais pas voler aux Pays-Bas de prendre ceux-ci en Mars :-).
Ann – Super story! I’d like to use it in my Freshman English class in Taiwan, if that’s OK! Do you have an audio version of it, or have you thought of recording one?
Hi Karen, I would be happy for you to use the story. Wow — thank you. I have an audio version, hadn’t considered doing it. It’s a nice idea though.
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Really wonderful writing and very captivating. I can relate it to it in many ways. I have recently taken a break from work, and my family has been very supportive. Let s see where my journey takes me ..
How wonderful. I hope you have great travel adventures! I’ve followed you so I can keep up with your travels.
Love it and the photos!
Hi Krishan, thanks — and I’m glad you liked my train story. The images for The Train come from 123rf Stock Photos; many of the photographs of my site are mine, but I use stock photos when I don’t have pictures of my own that will work. I wish I’d been able to hop on a plane and fly to the Netherlands in March before I published the piece, but ah, well . . . I do think the images are great. I particularly like the shot in the morning on one of the canals in Amsterdam. Gorgeous light.
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Your story brought me back to a summer I spent in Europe riding the trains, sometimes just because I had a Eurail pass and no place to sleep. I loved those compartments and your story made the experience of them present again in my life. Thank you.
I remember making a few travel choices based on being able to sleep on the train or an overnight ferry :-). I am really happy that I brought those experiences back to you.
Carried as an expat fantasy for awhile. Ended with force and decisiveness. Loved it.
The imagery you created in this story was fantastic, along with the great story of course. Well done. Look forward to reading more.
Thank you. I’ve written off and on for a long time, but have never shared it.
If you ever write a book I would certainly be a buyer!
That’s a gratifying thing to hear. As it so happens, I will have a novella finished this year — a ghost story.
Remarkable! Truly incaptivating and interesting! Great Writing!
Thank you so much for visiting, and for your kind comment.
Thank you for sharing this story. I really enjoyed reading about the journey of these two strangers, their brief time together and the deep connection they shared. It brought back memories of some of my own solo travels abroad – meeting all sorts of people, spending a few hours with them, then walking away from the experiences feeling richer or somehow permanently changed by them. The confluence of people’s lives is so random. Yet, when we form a bond with a stranger and receive from them just what we need at a given moment, the meeting will seem anything but chance. Your story is a wonderful illustration of this. Thanks again.
Melody, thank you for your thoughtful comment. The people we meet when we travel are often the most special part of the experience.
Beautiful story. And beautiful images too, until I realized they are all from stock photo agencies 🙂
Hi Juha, I’m glad you liked the story. I use my own photographs whenever possible, and then buy stock photos when I need them — and always try to document. I wish I’d been able to hop on a plane and head to the Netherlands in March when I was ready to publish The Train :-). I think the photo of Amsterdam in the morning is particularly lovely. These images are all from 123rf Stock Photography. — Ann
Absolutely captivating story.
Ruby, thank you.
Great story. A bit too gory for my taste, but it was a great read. Reminded me of lost in translation a bit, haha.
Thank you for reading and taking time to talk to me :-). It’s been too long since I’ve seen Lost in Translation — I’ll put it on my watch list.
Wow. This was a very lovely read
Viola, thank you :-).
Thank you for this. A dose of good writing was what I needed. The depth in this is just amazing.
I’m so glad I could provide a fix. And if you are writing, send me a link and I look forward to reading you.
https://rjjacobswriters.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/the-words/ Here’s something I posted today.
I really liked your poem — thanks for sharing!
When you get your “Follow” widget set up, let me know, and I’ll follow you R.J. — and congratulations on joining the blogosphere — or whatever we call this part of the internet :-).
Great story, and beautifully told.
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Wow this is beautifully written…I also treasure that moment when you can connect with a complete stranger holding no expectations and no ulterior motives . It seems to be rarer and rarer these days with our phones and tablets. My favourite line- The newness will wear off though . . . and one morning, you will wake up and realize that you exchanged one mundane reality for another.
That was hauntingly written and beautiful! It gave me butterflies in my stomach.
Stephanie, thank you :-).
Fantastic read, nice to read an in depth story with plenty of detail, even the little things make a story like this that bit more engaging.
Thank you — both for reading and taking the time to comment.
A creative verbal picturization of a journey
Then I succeeded. When I was young, there was an old journalist who was very important to me. While I did not learn to write from him, I often think about him when I finish a piece. If I helped you see it, then Clint would say — well done. Thank you for your comment, — Ann
I just have joined wordpress, the first article was yours i went through, Wonder in words.. Impressive at once.. I got my first following. 🙂
Well, Shreya — thank you! And welcome to WordPress. I’ve enjoyed having my blog here, and I’ve found many wonderful writers and people. It’s a great community. 🙂
up…
nice pictures , I hope you are still eager to take good pictures ^ _ ^
I love taking pictures, but I want to be clear that the ones for The Train are not mine. When I don’t have images of my own for a story, I buy stock photos, and these are from 123rf Stock.
Amazing images and way you’ve drawn your writing is great! Loved it! It’s looking like Palace on Wheels!!!
I’m glad you liked the story :-). While many of the photographs on my site are mine, these are from 123rf Stock Photography.
Alright! Just gave a visit to your site and well, your pictures are just amazing!!! Loved them! That tempted me to press the follow button! 😉
Great images !Thank you for sharing it.
Wonderful prose and supporting images. Great job creating real characters. Love a good train story. Love Paris.
Thank you, and yes to all — love train stories and Paris. And wandering in general. Thank you for reading.
I do love your writing style. Such a gift this skill.
Greta, thank you for taking the time to read my story. — Ann
Well done in terms of vivid thoughtful writing & photos
Thank you, Daal. I think the photos are lovely, too — but I want to be clear that these came from 123rf Stock Photography. Many of the images on my site I did take, but I also purchase stock photos when I need them —
Even better, Ann, to see that your admirable integrity.
Thanks. It’s important to me. I use my own images whenever possible, but when I cannot, I buy them and give credit.
I’ve found quite nice ones for free – would you like me to forward you the site links?
Yes, please. I know about Pixabay, and use them from time to time. I have just had photographs accepted at IStock Photo, and I buy images from them periodically. Free is good :-), so send them along.
Hi again, Ann! Would you be interested in composing a short guest post on something to do with books or travel for my blog? (or pets or dance or libraries or public speaking, tho I didn’t see those subjects on yours)
Hi Daal,
I would be happy to do that — and by the way, I love your blog image with your two dogs. Do you mind if I send you an email? Your contact info shows up on my contact screen, and that way we can chat about topic. So pleased to find your blog :-).
Ann
Hi Ann – so glad! that would be perfect!
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looks like the hogwarts express
Yes, at the point in Europe (not Britain, but on the continent) all of the train carriages I traveled in had compartments like that.
Sometimes it takes a complete stranger to tell us what the world won’t. I’ve always enjoyed honest conversations at airports with complete strangers. Ann, I hope PIET finds this post..and you!
I had a similar experience at a mall, I’ve written about it- titled ‘Stranger at the mall’. Have a read! 🙂
I look forward to it — I’ll head over to your blog to find your stranger :-).
Kris, would you send me a link to the Stranger in the Mall? I went to your site, and read several things I liked, but didn’t find this.
Sure..it was the very first post i wrote. Infact, the reason I started probably. Here it is. https://krisheaven.wordpress.com/stranger
I would love that, and who knows . . .
it’s a story that forced me to read till the end. and i can say that now story is very simple and loving.
Yes. He was — kind, thoughtful — and it was not self-serving. He wanted nothing from me.
Thank you for that lovely story! English it’s not my mother tongue but I’ve directly been captivated.
Hi Chloe — thank you!
That was truly wonderful, and has really ignited my want to travel once more. Thank you so much for sharing that, you should write more and more because that was honestly so captivating! I shall look forward to reading more!
Thank you, Rachael. And if I entice you to travel, oh, that’s wonderful. I will keep writing.
very nice story….like a novel. So in to it when read through this story…plus, beautiful pics as attraction.make it completely perfect!
I guess this is what they mean by write what you know. It adds a quality to the work that makes it easy to accept the situation. I could picture the trip, the changing of trains. I had one moment where I was confused by the ‘very wide tunnel without a top’ description, but felt it did not detract, only stopped me for a moment as I tried to imagine it. It is also a nice snippet in the lives of two people. It sounds like an intense and very strange encounter. It reminds me that stories do not need to be long drawn out descriptions of everything that happens. Instead, they can focus with laser precision on a moment when everything changed. Nicely done.
Thank you. When I wrote it many years ago, it was longer. As I’ve gotten older, I have become better at simplifying. I’m glad you liked it :-).
— Ann
I was transfixed by your story and it really struck a cord with me as my life has been full of many changes in recent years – I continue to change to live a life that is more ‘me’. Thank you for sharing it.
That is wonderful. I think we often get pushed in directions we would not have chosen by work, sometimes by spouses, often by parents, and then by the sometimes crushing responsibility of being a parent. I lost my way . . . but came back to a more “me” place. I wrote about some of that here: //anncavittfisher.com/2015/12/04/only-in-a-leap/
I’m happy you have returned to you.
Ann
I agree with so many others, just a great, great story!
Thank you, Stuart.
Hmm… now i will keep wondering what happened to piet and what happened to her? but thank you, i enjoyed reading it. https://mshksite.wordpress.com/
Well, I am not sure about Piet. I would love to know myself. I can tell you that I went on to more adventures. I lived in Seattle for awhile, and also New York. Traveled with a circus for a couple of weeks, dated a stand-up comedian. Spent a summer in California with a poor little rich boy. Walked horses in the morning at a racetrack. Oh, and finally got married and had an amazing daughter. So much to write about . . . I’d better get busy.
I had an amazing feeling while going through this post. I was literally living the life of Sarah. So much of feelings in your narration. Thank you for giving me the pleasure of reading such a beautifully written post. 🙂 It also holds the strength to stand for our self.
What a wonderful story! What makes it even more fantastic is that it is a real incident. Couldn’t stop reading till it was over and then wanted to read some more! Maybe I’ll plan a solo train trip myself and find some memories to cherish as well. Keep writing and Spread the love Ann!
Thank you so much. It was quite a day and set of experiences. And I heartily recommend solo travel, of course, not that I dislike traveling with a companion. But with solo travel, it’s just different. I find myself more introspective at times, really able to write and to focus on my photography (no pun intended :-)), and then along with it — I ALWAYS meet people — who I would never have met, had I been with someone else. It has been quite awhile since I have taken a solo train trip. Perhaps I’m due for another one myself :-).
Amazing Story!
You told an intriguing story and you told it well. Thank you. There are only beginnings, no endings; if we choose.
Thank you for your comment, and I agree about beginnings. All of life, the way we choose to see the things we experience, changes everything.
Very nice writing; keep it up
Thank you!
Reblogged this on whenmundanemeetsme.
Good One
🙂
if you don’t mind check my blog too 😀
I would be happy to :-).
So well told, Ann. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you. It’s been sitting in a box for a long time.
[…] via The Train — Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Wow… This story is.. Breathtaking.
Thank you.
This piece is absolutely really interesting
Thank you.
Wow! What a suspenseful event in your life…!!! Enjoyed every minute of it, I wonder whom DID you decide to marry, if anyone?
Ah, well. Married and divorced, then married and widowed. The first gave me my daughter, Catherine, the last was the love of my life. Drew died after a long cancer fight in July of 2013. We were blessed. I learned a tremendous amount about myself, about love, illness and humanity, and about death. Life is very beautiful and very special.
Awww! Wow, sorry for your loss, but happy you experienced love & growth. We could all be so blessed to have one love in our lives…
Ann – Piet is one of those great teachers that shake you to your soul and hold you when the world falls apart. There is a certain mystique to a spontaneous, strange travel companion. This may be the truest love that any of us ever feels. It was brief but I am certain that you can still feel this fervent kiss on your lips. It was the kiss of freedom. I think many people don’t believe this story because they themselves are trapped in a mundane reality – the very same reality Piet kissed you away from.
Yes, Anjana, to all you just said. We talked for hours, about many things. The kiss wasn’t a romantic kiss. It was — I know you. And what you plan to do, isn’t you.
Yes.
Really enjoyed this story and particularly love the picture of Amsterdam on a winter morning…
Hi Mike, thank your for reading and commenting. That is a gorgeous picture of Amsterdam, but it is not mine. Many of the photographs on my site are my own, but I used stock photos from 123rf Stock for this piece, credited in the captions. I couldn’t fly over to the Netherlands to take pictures myself when I was ready to publish The Train in March :-).
Great piece. Wish I’d be able to write like that. Well, maybe it’s another one of these things which take more life to be able to be done. Was that even a correct sentence?
Thank you!
Well, from looking at your very first blog post, I think you can write. You will certainly rack up life experiences as you age, and you will have more and more stories you’ll want to tell — so just keep writing. In your post, you say you read a lot, and I think that is also very important.
Thanks for the kind words. Really means a lot to me. 🙂
Great, now get out there and keep writing about anything that interests you. Find a little notebook, and when an idea comes, sometimes it’s a sentence, sometimes a question, maybe a verbal sketch of a scene, write it down. I’ve followed you, but you will probably have to throw something at me when you publish — and I’ll come over and read it :-).
I’ll do that! :))
🙂
This is a beautiful story of life, living and death, dying. Thank you for sharing. I would love for you to read some of my posts. Breathesmiletravel.wordpress.com
I will head over to your blog to do some reading. Thank you for visiting mine, and for your comments.
Very nice narrative, just the right amount of background details and a story well told. I could not wait to complete the story. Really wonderful!
Thanks, Raj. When I first wrote it, it was a third longer. I cut down to what I thought was elemental. I’ve gotten better with word economy as I’ve gotten older :-).
Nice to hear. I have been trying to write a book for decades but the chaos of ideas and choice of words and constructs kept causing problems. With blogging, I can take an idea at a time and explore it while with each subsequent post and economy of expression builds into my writing style. As I look at my older posts, I feel an urge to correct but I let it be there as a reminder. I still have a long way to go but I enjoy the journey.
This is the closest we can come to transferring memories 🙂
I enjoy the blog format. I also think, and of course we know it, that the more we write the better we get at it. I think we also become more sure of our style, how we want our thoughts to sound on paper. 🙂 On a screen.
Transferring memories — it’s why I have finally started sharing my writing. It took my cancer to make me think, “Well, I’d better start getting my writing out there. I may not be around to do it if I keep waiting for tomorrow before I get on task.”
Glad to have discovered you on WordPress Discover!
Yes, thank you — and as soon as I get a breath here, I look forward to heading over to your blog and reading there :-).
[…] via The Train — Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
[…] via The Train — Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Really nice story.It touched me. The train journey reminds me of my trip to my grandma’s place by train.I love to travel by train. All the scenery of nature which we see during a train journey are well and truly described. Very nice story. I loved it
I love train travel as well. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Beautifully written! I felt transferred to another time and dimension.
Thank you — I appreciate your time reading, and your comment.
just a powerful story!! The ending shook me up!!! Great story!!
Regards, Chaitanya Haram 🙂
Chaitanya, thank you for reading it, and of course for your comment. 🙂 — Ann
You’re welcome! 🙂
WOW! What a great story. Couldn’t wait to find out what happened.
Hi Lisa, then I couldn’t be happier. It’s like a pat on the back. Thank you.
“You will live in a foreign country and learn a new language, and for awhile, this will be an adventure” – two years ago I was in same situation. I moved to foreign country for one man. Today… I live on my own, in foreign country, speak foreign language and making new friends. I was told by some stranger woman on the plane “don’t marry him” when I was on my way to new life. Didn’t understand what she meant that time. I realized. Good story Ann! 🙂
It seems it’s a story that has repeated itself again and again. It is the people that make it unique. I hope you are enjoying your new country — and YOUR adventure, which this has certainly become.
My adventure became into my new life. I live far away from my best friends and my family which makes me lonely sometimes but there’s nothing more exciting than making new friends and exploring new places. Today I’m close to mine 30th birthday and just discover ME afresh, it’s quite interesting feeling. Hope you enjoy your life as much as I’m going to 🙂
It sounds like you are doing well — and happy 30th!
Ann, I had to read this again.You set it up so beautifully. I can hear the clack-clack. Au revoir. Stanley
🙂 Stanley. Thank you.
Reblogged this on lastmansite.
Beautiful narrative.
Hope your decision gave you many opportunities to enjoy your youth.
It did. I was thirty two when I finally married, and I spent my time traveling, having adventures, and of course working. It was the right decision for me.
I’m glad your life had a happy conclusion in terms of marriage. It would have been sad if you ended up alone.
Hey Ann! Loved the writing style and of course the story! Oh I so dislike incomplete stories.. and yet those are the most compelling ones.. I’m so curious to know how did Piet fare on his trip around the world!
But I guess life answers us very choosily and creatively…?
Keep writing! Glad I came across your blog..☺
I also wonder what happened to Piet. He would be around 70 – 72 now; I would love to hear his life story.
The newness will wear off though . . . and one morning, you will wake up and realize that you exchanged one mundane reality for another.”
Interesting story. Do you ever wonder about the one you didn’t marry?
Oh, I know exactly what happened to him :-). I’m still friends with his brother and his Mom — so I know that “Martijn” married his secretary in 1989 or so, and they’ve had two children. He has had a successful career, and she is a stay at home Mom. I think they’ve been perfect for each other.
“Exchanged one reality for another!!!” So friggin true!!
Of course, isn’t that what we do multiple times over in our lives, whenever we make big decisions. It’s the whole Road Less Traveled thing — we must make a decision, take a fork in the road, choose our reality . . .
I agree Ann… Feeble as we are, with unbeknownst of our future, we still find strength to decide and stick to these new realities!
[…] via The Train — VENKY………. […]
Wow! Amazing and wonderfully written.
Thank you, Mason.
This was beautiful to read. The dialogue felt true and genuine. Your descriptions were also fantastic. Thank you! 🙂 It paired perfectly with my coffee this morning!
Hi Anita, wonderful. It makes me happy to think I made the coffee cut :-).
Wow! Fascinating story and really drew me in.
Thank you! It’s been an unusual couple of days — I’ve never had so many folks find my blog. I’m very happy you liked the piece.
Reblogged this on oshriradhekrishnabole.
nice and interesting story. i kept reading till end.But i am not sure it is true story but is excellent piece of imagination. But anyway i liked it.
Thank you for reading and for commenting. And I am happy for you to consider it as you will, a story or a memoir.
In this case, you are correct. He was right.
Reblogged this on S C Richmond and commented:
Beautifully written and proof that strangers sometimes know us better than we know ourselves.
You know, I’ve sometimes wondered whether Piet did get me well enough to know it was not the thing for me to do . . . or whether it was that he desperately didn’t want the standard married life and was projecting his feelings . . . will never know, but he definitely made an impression on me.
nice story. But i am not sure it is true.but excellant imagination.
Hi Vinod, It happened when I was in my early twenties studying in Paris, but I simply satisfied you enjoyed the piece, and happy for you to consider it fiction if you prefer.
Wonderful writing and proof that sometimes strangers perceive about us things we are too close to see. How different your life could have been if you hadnt let this stranger into your life. Thank you for sharing this.
It may be the reason that there are so many train stories. Caught on a train for long hours, strangers often engage in deeper conversations than could possibly happen with people one has just met.
It was very nice to read it.
I love travelling by train and i do have nice experiences as i made many acquaintances while travelling by train. But this one is something really mesmerizing 🙂 It was such a refreshing story. Loved your post.
I love traveling by train, too. It’s my favorite way to travel; the luxury of time to watch scenery, read, contemplate. And meet people. Thank you for coming by to read — it makes me very happy to know you enjoyed my story :-).
I loved it
Thank you :-).
Excellent and great pics.
Thank you for coming and reading. I do want to be clear that while I have taken many of the photographs on my site, the images for this story came from 123rf Stock Photos, and the credits for each are in the captions. I think they are wonderful images, too, and I wanted pictures — I’m very visual, and I think they add to stories.
That is good to know;) I too will be doing the same with original photos and sometimes stock:)
Yes, while I use my own photographs whenever possible, there are times — like this story, where I don’t have an image to go with what I’m writing. I’ve used Pixabay (free images), iStock Photo, Alamy, and 123rf Stock Photos. The last one is less expensive, so was a good find.
[…] Source: The Train […]
I loved the story , great read . I’ll be looking forward to more good stories , thankyou billy
Thank you, Billy. I’m so happy you enjoyed it, and thanks for commenting.
Really Pretty?
Chris, thank you for coming and reading.
… and did you travel after breaking off your engagement?
Hi Roy, I did, pretty extensively in both Europe and the western USA. When I did marry and have my daughter, much of the travel had to stop. Standard reasons — time, money. Happy to report that I started traveling again in 2010, and have continued doing it. It’s one of my favorite things.
Well good for you. I’m happy to hear that.
Incredible story. It’s funny how those surreal moments happen, and yet they are among some of the most real to experience. I agree with walt walker, it definitely reads like a vivid film-with a brilliant setting!
I have thought that the surreal quality may come from running an experience over and over in the mind. Thank you for reading, and for your comment.
Wow… That’s deep…??
Reading this, I felt it was coming from another time. I thought either you were very young and an old soul, or perhaps just a little older, but probably still an old soul. Not that there’s anything wrong with [any of] that. Then I got to the bottom and was just ever so slightly disappointed that the mystery was solved for me by the date. I was enjoying the mystery. This was really great. It read like a film from decades ago. Loved it. Thanks for sharing, and glad it was ‘discovered.’ Cheers. ~ Walt
Hi Walt, I’ve been told I was an old soul for a very long time. I was young when this happened – junior year in college, not quite twenty-one. I’m glad you enjoyed it. — Ann
Ah, so you were just a couple of years ahead of me. Makes sense. 🙂
[…] Source: The Train […]
i absolutely love this, i really believe sometimes people are meant to come into our lives if nothing else but to change its course, such a wonderful story and i like to think fated xxx
I believe the same thing. There are too many points in my life that confirm my belief for me to think otherwise.
Very good!
Thank you.
Reblogged this on such sweet things.
That was a great conversation with a stranger and what a twist at the end! It’s indeed something to remember and a great story to share.
Glad to know you’re stable now from that illness. Keep fighting, keep writing. 🙂
Thanks, Iriz. In an odd way, it is the cancer that launched me into blogging. I started writing again after my husband died in 2013, and I have a novella that’s probably 2/3 done. The cancer has made me unafraid to tell personal stories. Maybe it’s even made me anxious to be sure the stories get told now, since none of us knows what tomorrow may bring.
I have written a small article named “magical connections” in my blog http://www.soulwits.WordPress.com . I am only telling you this because you found what I have really written in that. Do read it, it’s brief!
I will definitely head over and read your Magical Connections. Look forward to it :-).
Since the time he comforted u after the suicide scene, I wanted to read u both ending up together… But that is just an impact from movies. Ur story spot and style reminded me of the movie “before sunrise”
It ws such a beautiful story, ur narration was so vivid that I thought I have witnessed it. I hope you the the most beautiful story in Piet’s life as well- the day I guess anyone would crave for- just one more time!
Hi Roshni, thank you for your comments. I think Piet would say it was a day he remembers. I like to think so, anyway.
nice to see your post. where r u from
Surat, Gujarat
Great thought
Wow. Just wow. I am left in awe after reading this. It had all the ups and downs of romantic movie. However, the movies have happy endings. This just broke my heart. But in a beautiful tragic way. I thank you from sharing this story.
Thank you so much. Today has been a bit overwhelming with the story on the editor’s list at the WordPress site. I am so happy you enjoyed the piece. And I must say, I have often wondered what happened to Piet. We were far less connected in those days.
I’ve been following comments on this particular piece and wondered what caused it to blow up in a big way today. It’s wonderful your work is getting this kind of attention!
Well, I rather fell off of the sofa this morning while having coffee. Started getting email notices oddly higher than usual. The Train was picked up by Discover WordPress as an Editor’s selection (Thank you, Editor, I appreciate it truly!) — so that blog is here: https://discover.wordpress.com/editors-picks/ . I’m in the middle of getting ready to move at the end of the week, and quite happily spent more of today replying to comments.
Hi – I apologize if you get double answer posts. Could have sworn I finished hitting the reply button. I nearly fell off the sofa this morning while having coffee. You are right, it did blow up. An editor at Discover WordPress featured The Train (thank you, editor at Discover WordPress, it’s been very nice) https://discover.wordpress.com/editors-picks/ . I’m in the middle of getting ready to move on Friday, and I quite happily took some time off of packing — so much fun — to answer comments here.
I agree with you. It does have ups and downs and it feels like a movie. But I also like that calling off engagement is a “happy ending” for you.
It was absolutely a happy ending for me. I was much to young for marriage.
Oh, not that I’m against it. I think you are brave! Very much so! that’s all what I want to say. It is difficult to admit to yourself that something is not for you. It is a one of the biggest gifts, that Piet gave you – the courage. No wonder you want to return a “thank you” to him. And “yes”, it is better to do it by looking in his eyes.
I see what you mean. The reason I said it was heart breaking is because when Piet walks away it feels like there so much more left unsaid.
I know this feeling very well. After a while you ll see, that the best story is the one with a french film finale
What a beautiful memory, it gave me goosebumps. Moments like that are what make us the humans we are today. Thank-you for sharing 🙂
Well, thank you for coming over to read and also for commenting.
…it hasn’t yet left my head… I want to know more!
Really it was nice
[…] : The Train […]
That was one heckuva train ride!
Yes m’am, it certainly was!
What a beautiful story. Traveling is such a wonderful experience and through that we encounter a lot of things which affect us or someone else’s life.
Travel changes us in many ways. Our understanding of our world and people grows. And of course, very often, our understanding of ourselves deepens as well.
Indeed:-)
What an amazing, beautifully written story. Looks like I’m not alone when I say that as the story unfolded, I felt like I was there too. Such a lucky find on my reader today!
Thank you — I love telling stories. I’m happy you liked this one.
Amazing story
Thank you.
nice post , thanks for sharing .
Truly an engaging story!
Great story.
Thank you!
That is one interesting train ride, sometimes you meet lovely people in the most simple places.
We do indeed.
Beautiful story. It really was a pivotal train ride! It’s interesting to read how a meeting with a stranger altered your path in life. Brilliant post:)
Piet was important. But the thing that really affected me in the end, is what he said to me, I could hear old Clint Bolton saying as well (old journalist here: //anncavittfisher.com/2016/02/25/to-miss-new-orleans/ ).
Beautiful post – Sometimes I find it difficult to get to the end of long posts, but this had me gripped.
Glad it kept you going. It’s really a short story, not a standard post, so it’s definitely long compared to a lot of blog work.
Awesome post
That is a great, timeless story. I loved seeing at the end that it happened on a train in 1985. Europe is a wonderful place, but I have been back several times in the past few years, and it’s hard to escape the sense that many places in the world are becoming more and more similar. You write great conversations, thanks for posting this!
Yes, 1985. I initially wrote about it in 1989, and that old draft has been in a box of my writing for a long time. As I’ve wrestled with cancer in the last year, I’ve gotten to the place where I was ready to share my work . . . so here we go :-). This is rewritten – simplified. I’m happy that you enjoyed it. — Ann
Very much so. Sorry to hear that you have been wrestling with cancer, but glad that you’re sharing your work. The photos in that story were great.
Well, things are stable just now, but I see more fight coming up. It’s what we do, we fight on :-).
nice to see your post
nice to see your post
[…] via The Train — Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Amazing work. Well done . very inspiring
Maha, thank you.
nice to see your post
Such an interesting piece to read — Being a romantic at heart — I believe we all need to have a moment like this – For Clarity & For the love of feeling this way! Great Post – Great Blog! ~Kristine Xx
Kristine, I think we all have these moments that are surprising – that we think back on as having great impact on us. Thank you for reading my piece.
You are so welcome, Ann – I also have a blog that I thoroughly enjoy creating – http://www.kristinelivinginthemoment.blogspot.com – If Interested!
Of course I am — will head over and take a look.
Thanks So Much, Ann …
nice to see your post
nice to see your post
Awesome! I’m writer and just I wrote a novel about the travels in train. I want to recommend it to you: THE OLD BROWN LEATHER NOTEBOOK http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01C905VJS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1462120510&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=the+old+brown+leather+notebook&dpPl=1&dpID=51xPabOy5HL&ref=plSrch
I will head over and read it, thanks for the link :-).
Wow, the story is beautiful. First I thought nothing will happen, just strangers on the train but the ending was really beautiful. He just kissed her to let her know she was making a mistake. Truly beautiful…
Everyday moments unhinged by an invitation to wonder with intentional connectivity and freedom from obligation. These moments are too often saved for travel or dismissed without the exceptional undertones of romance. I often marvel at the discoveries other people inspire of ourselves in the most common places; adventure just beneath our noses. Beautifully crafted memory.
Thank you, Marie. I think you have touched on the magic of travel. In those times that we are open to the world and to life, extraordinary things tend to happen.
It’s amazing 😀
Hi Ann, I just discovered your post in my reader and I am so glad I did! What a captivating story. I loved it so much!!! It was so beautiful and really touched me… I felt like I was there with you, just watching the whole thing unfold. I would love it if we could follow each other!
Hi Halima, and thank you. I’m glad you liked my train story, and happy to follow you as well.
A moving story. It almost felt like I was there, experiencing what you did. It`s strange how meetings like these can alter your life, and it reminds me how important it is to get out in the world, meeting people and not stay at home dreaming about it.
Yes, it takes effort to start traveling by yourself if you haven’t done it, but I have loved it. And I always meet interesting people.
I have the same attitude and have met so many good people after traveling. Keep traveling as much as you can, even after you have settled down.
In my country traveling is boring
Well, I’ve certainly taken many train trips where nothing dramatic happens . . . this was certainly an exception.
Just imagine travelling in india
I would love to travel in India, and it will happen . . . something for me to look forward to doing.
Think little negative
Left me speechless…. :’)
I love ur blogs anyway
Thank you, and I’ll head over to yours.
Alright dearl
Check our for profile @eddyprofitmusic plz don’t skip
I just can’t stop reading this… Lovely!
Henry, thank you. Piet made me stop and think – six months of thinking. His trip towards adventure and seeing the world reminded me of Clint Bolton, the journalist who had been a big influence early on (I write about him here: //anncavittfisher.com/2016/02/25/to-miss-new-orleans/ ). You add Piet to Clint, well. I couldn’t get married yet.
Wow, magnificent post!
Thank you, Miley.
a good story, and it deserves to be read. Thank you for your story. if there is time visit my website too
Thank you — and I’ll head over to your blog :-).
Beautiful photo of early morning Amsterdam! You were brave to follow your heart. I married a Dutch man once upon a time too soon and we both paid the price. Your story moves me to want more from my life than just the ordinary. Thank you.
Thank you so much for your comment. I loved my time in the Netherlands, and I remained friends with my fiancé’s family – have made several visits back. I wish the photo of early morning Amsterdam was mine, but it is a stock image from 123rf Stock Photo, which I credit in the caption.
Thanks for your reply! It’s good to read about your happy ending. The photo reminded me of a time long ago I traveled a similar place.
I was going to ask you how you the birds Eye view
Hi — I’m not quite sure what your question is — would be happy to try to answer it.
What an interesting post. Loved your narrative and just the right images to convey this suspenseful piece. Makes me wanna travel.
Well, if I made you want to travel, I’m happy. It’s one of my favorite things to do —
Yup, I’ve said it before, them trains can change your mind, make you look at the world from a different angle. Mind you, I think that applies to Piet, as much as your protagonist. He was unhappy with his life, decided to make a decisive break (his age, people might say, had something to do with it), so he takes this trip, meets a young woman, whom he finds attractive, talks to her and tries to steer her away from a life, just like the life he’s escaped. But did your protagonist feel that way about Piet? Was she not ,already, in a delicate position, a state of unrest – she remember Maerten’s regimented, organized approach to life – and all she needed was another voice to put into words, what she was thinking. I loved this story, even if I thought the dismembered body was a tad over dramatic (but that’s a personal style thing). Please check out my own train journey yarn – it’s almost a genre, in its own right – and, if you would, let me know what you think? This is fiction.
https://dermotthayes.com/2016/04/21/round-trip/
Hi Dermott, thanks for your comment, and I look forward to reading your train adventure. When this happened, a long time ago, I saw the upcoming marriage as an adventure. What Piet said combined with an influence from the old journalist, Clint Bolton (described here: //anncavittfisher.com/2016/02/25/to-miss-new-orleans/ ), and six months later I decided not to get married. I was afraid I would miss the a lot of life if I settled down so young. It was the right decision for me at the time. My family came later.
Ann, I’m glad it worked out for you and, as you say, it was based on a true story. The seed of doubt was already planted in your mind. Mine, as most fiction is, to one extent or another, based (very loosely) on a true story, also. I have a vivid imagination, too but what I like to look at is the way people relate to each other, particularly strangers. Stuck together on a train, you can talk about things you may not talk about, ordinarily, and find yourself seeing those things from a different perspective. But then, what no-one in those circumstances can know, no matter how frank your discussion, is who you are and what your life is about. I read ‘To miss New Orleans.’ Isn’t writing great?
It certainly is :-).
I love a gr8 rail trip story.
🙂
do such things seriously happen?????
Yes, this seriously did happen to me. And if you mean the suicide by train, it’s unfortunately common in Europe.
[…] via The Train — Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Wow – what a fabulous piece. And what a pivotal train-ride 😀
Thanks, Lisa. It was a pivotal moment for me. Between “Piet” and the old journalist Clint Bolton, the were both people who made me feel like I wanted to be someone out exploring the world and having adventures. Then on the opposite side, another friend, and older attorney told me — if you do not settle down, you will never be able to build a career and a family. So in my late twenties, I did finally settle down and have my daughter. So 17 years later, I am ready for adventure and travel again.
I wanted to ask, if you had married any later rather than in late twenties. Would your life have been any different?
Hello, and great question. I married when I was 32, and my daughter came a year later. Had I waited later, as we all know — fertility for women can decrease. I might have missed having Catherine. These are big life questions and decisions for all of us, and for each of us the questions of having or not having family, and decisions about when to do it — so individual. I feel fortunate. For me the timing was great.
Cause I am 25, and everytime I go for a blind date and meet a guy. The first thought that pops up in my head is, not yet, not him. Is there a story of how you met your current Husband? I would love to read it.
[…] Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Train trips bring much more to our lives than those by any other way. I’m glad such an encounter led you to a new life of adventure. Wonderfully written piece.
Sandra, thank you.
[…] Ann Cavitt Fisher […]
Thanks to Dream Big, Dream Often for finding this blog! Loved this story, which was romantic in an unusual way. I was drawn to this post because of my own recent travel to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
Thank you — it is a trip that I think about from time to time. It’s hard to know how much impact Piet had on my life . . . I think possibly more than I realized. This happened when I was very young — my first solo trip abroad: http://anncavittfisher.com/2015/11/17/first-solo-travel/
Ann, i could feel your curiosity, your uneasiness, your attraction towards this man. 🙂 lovely moments that impacted your life. The addition of pictures made me actually imagine you both. Such a nice feeling to be a part of this.
Thanks, Rose.
I love traveling by train. Few ways of traveling opens up for as many relaxed conversations, as traveling by train does. I’ve made many friends on trains 🙂 Great post! I hope your friend reads it!
Thank you, Maria. I love train trips — it’s one of my favorite ways to travel. This was definitely the most eventful in my experience :-).
It’s one of my favorite ways of traveling too! No stress about traffic, endless new sights outside the window, new encounters. I enjoyed your story!
Ann, I hope THAT Piet finds this post, and reads it. THIS Pete remembers a little town in Austria. Thanks for the memory trigger. Well done.