Training Day

Story Sent in by John:

Katie and I were on a late train from the city after a day trip during which we visited two museums, had lunch at a great hole-in-the-wall Italian place, and walked through several parks. We had been dating for about two months.

During the ride, she stood up and said, "I'll be right back. I have to use the bathroom."

She was gone for quite some time, and we were about five minutes away from our stop when I called her phone. She picked up and said, "Hey. Where are you?"

"Uh… on the train, where you left me. Where are you?"

"I'm… yeah, I think I'm off the train."

"You think you're… what?"

She replied, "I tried to find a bathroom, and I thought there was one at the end of the car but I accidentally walked out of the train at a stop and, well, I'm here."

"Where?"

"Off the train."

"Which stop? When I get off at home, I can run to my car and pick you up."

Silence for a few moments, then, "You wouldn't take the train back for me?"

I replied, "It would probably be faster for me to jump in my car and get you. It's late and I don't know when the next train back towards the city will be."

She said, "I want you to pick me up on a return train. Then, we can take the train back home together."

"That could be over an hour from now. If I jump in my car, depending on the stop where you are, I can pick you up in less than 15 minutes."

"I don't want you doing that. Take the train or don't bother to get me at all."

"I–"

"Call me when you're on the return train." She hung up.

At my stop, I disembarked, made it to my car, and called her. She asked, "You on a return train?"

I replied, "Yes. Which stop?"

She told me, and I promised her that I'd be there soon. Very shortly thereafter, I arrived in my car at the station, parked, and approached where she waited on the platform.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, "There hasn't been a return train. You drove?"

I nodded. "Ready to go?"

She folded her arms and said, "No. I told you that I wanted you to come pick me up by train. You haven't done that, and so I'm going to wait here until you do."

"Are you for real? Let's just go."

"No! I wanted to go the full way with you by train. I have a ticket for the whole way."

I gave her one last chance. "You're seriously not going to come with me? I'm right here. Right now. Ready to take you home."

"Train or nothing," she said.

"Suit yourself," I replied, then returned to my car and drove off.

Predictably, the text barrage and phone calls arrived moments later. "Where do you think you're going?" "You're just going to leave me here?" "You come back here this instant."

Home, yes, and no. Have a nice life.