From somewhere behind me, a voice rings out as we head north, alongside Hoddle St:
"Hi. Yeah, I'm on my way to Epping now, and I'm pissed.
Yeah, I've got my traveller.
Geez, I'm the only one on the train having fun.
Nar, nobody else looks particularly merry.
Anywa, I'll seeya soon. Ciao. Bye."
sit down on the train
hot
bothered
i just want to get home
no train for 15 minutes
so i hop on the hurstbridge one instead
one row of seats ahead
a girl looks at me
pouting
looking terribly unimpressed
i don't know what sin
i could've possibly committed
but i stare out the window
avoiding eye contact
from here on in
turn up the fall
as we speed through
richmond
and abbotsford
"ten times my age
and one tenth my height"
says mark e smith
later
we reach clifton hill
over the music
i can suddenly hear her mention
the word "epping"
to her friend
who reaches for her timetable
for the epping line
i get off at westgarth
to walk over to the tram
and wonder
should i have said something?
