Longing for Home.
(A travellers thoughts.)
The young man sits in the train, as it is standing stationary next to the platform. It will depart in a few minutes time. As he sits and waits for the train to start moving, he is engaged with his own thoughts. He looks out the window at the veldt and the blue sky. The wind is blowing gently outside, stirring the tall yellow grass. A clump of green thorn trees stand nearby.
He thinks of his people back home that he has not seen for so long. His mother and father, and brother and sister. It has been a long time. He wonders how they all are. From the little bit of communication that he had with his parents over the telephone, it sounds as if everyone was doing all right. The dogs would be overjoyed to see him, as they always were when he returned home from a long absence. Everyone would be pleased to see him. It was true that absence made the heart grow fonder.
He too, was very much looking forward to seeing them all again. It had been a long and lonesome time for him, among strangers. He was looking forward with anticipation to see the faces of his loved ones again. Yes, it had been a long time. He thought of all the places he had been, the things he had done, and the people he had met. He had started out on his journey a long time ago, dreaming of money, and a good future. It was true that his plans had not worked out the way that he had hoped they would.
Now, on his return home, he would have to start to rebuild his life, hope and dreams again. It would be an uphill struggle, he knew, but now he had no choice anymore. No, he had to return home and then, he had to start all over again. Still, He was looking forward to be home once more. It would be fine to be back where he came from. To be back where he belonged.
Two men who shared the compartment with him, entered. They were a bit older than him. He greeted them, and when they sat down, he listened with mild interest at the conversation among the two. They were talking about the prospect of the journey, and wondered when the drinks cart would come around. They horsed around a bit with each other. The young man did not join their conversation, but he would speak to them on and off through the journey.
For now, he was occupied with his own thoughts, as he looked out the window at the veldt, and the sky and the trees. The wind still blew gently over the tall grass, as it swayed in patches to and fro. He was still lost in his thoughts, when the train gave a jerk, and started to move out.
The three men in the compartment were very pleased at this, and talked excitedly with each other, as the train got underway. They were on their way home, as the train rolled on through the yellow savannah, and the sun shone above in the clear blue sky.
The End.
Copyright ' JP Brown ' 20/01/2007.
