solitude

alone in a train station that looks old

I was watching TV, the news anchor started talking directly to me. 'And you on your couch, what do you think?'. I answered, he listened and commented. We discussed. He asked me my opinion on the weather. Woke up believing the TV was on.

lost in the desert, scorching sun, a killer thirst. just sand. and there, a vending machine in the middle of nowhere. i run, i put in an imaginary coin, i press 'water'. a penguin comes out of the machine, hands me a cup of crushed ice. i accept, too good. he starts telling penguin jokes, really awful ones. woke up before the punchline

estava numa estação de trem fantasma. os passageiros eram transparentes, os trens passavam silenciosamente pelos trilhos. ninguém falava. comprei um bilhete pra 'lugar nenhum' de um cobrador sem rosto. entrei no trem, sentei ao lado de uma senhora que tricotava com agulhas invisíveis. a paisagem lá fora era só névoa. senti um arrepio. acordei antes do trem chegar

in a ghost station. the travelers were transparent, the trains passed silently. no one spoke. i bought a ticket for 'nowhere' from a faceless conductor. got on the train, sat next to an old woman knitting with invisible needles. outside, only fog. i had chills. woke up before arrival.

I remembered an old joke. I laughed to myself.