Pallbearers

Something is wrong the train hasn'tmoved in 20 minutes. Commuters runoff the escalators claim the remainingspaces and if this were a boatwe'd sink. I'm buried to my neckin Japanese my head rising clearthe first to go in a sniper attack.Worse yet I feel a sneeze comingand can't get my hands free.The chime sounds at long lastthe train a train again and departing.All flirts are out of luck Mormonstoo there's no room for eye contacteven a charitable thought. Everyonebreathes shallow and a pall settles.The train rolls into the stationa little embarrassed inches towards itsmark pauses a four-count beforeactivating its doors. Nobody exitspassengers keeping their shape likecanned ham. Seems the salarymen onthe platform would've been better offboozing at the bar a few more hours.Something always gives at midnight.An old man in a three-piece suit throwsan elbow into the wall of people anddrives with his shoulder to roll inbackwards. Nice move but hey refwhere's the call? Everybody squeezes onsomehow the doors close and we launchtowards urban myth or at least the landof bonus questions. The next stationis an artery and if nothing elsewill demonstrate the give and takeof the heart. Those who haven't heardabout tonight's two track suicides mustsuspect anyway snow and death the onlythings that ever hamstring this city'stransit system. It's difficult to give properpause knowing the victims' familiesreimburse Japan Railway for each minuteof lost time. Busier lines exact highercompensation. The rest of us are stillpaying customers the train makesall regular stops open its doorson cue. The outpouring is catharticold and young rich and poorknocked about like clichés. An arm's lengthaway someone's grandmother subsists ina state of continuous fall kerchiefed headno higher than my waist. A student caughtin the surge turns and claws backonto the car as though climbingthe drowned to reach the surface.I single him out for my one prayernot the dead or the dead's loved onesbut this boy whose tragedy is simple.He wants to go home.