Lets read the rest....................
3rd para of "The glass window"
The train stopped at the station with a cracking noise which would give a heart attack to an average old person. Hundreds of people ascended and descended. I heard a woman cursing the government for not supplying an effective transportation service. I didn’t get a sea of white horses but instead a white young man came near me and asked “Ich suche einen fensterplatz. Mochten sie den platz mit mir tauschen? 1” I looked at him. I knew that is German but I didn’t know how to answer him. I said “Do you speak in English?” He smiled at me innocently and said “I am sorry; I almost forgot that I am in Sri Lanka. Would you like to change the seat with me? I get train-sick whenever I travel here.” I accepted his request and moved to the other side of the seat. With a brilliant smile he thanked me. “Train-sick!” what is that? I never heard of that. Secretly I looked at him. He was looking outside the window and suddenly he turned towards me and said “Hi! I am Mark” I tried to pretend that I didn’t look at him and said “I am Teescha”. He smiled at me once again and said “wow! That’s a wonderful name”. I smiled at him as if to thank him for the complement and I asked what is “train -sick”. In return he looked at me in a silly way and said “I don’t know what u call in English but I vomit when I travel in these trains” and I replied “may be these trains are uncomfortable for you. You could have taken a taxi to go to Colombo”. He said “no, I like traveling in trains as it gives me an opportunity to speak with locals. Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiβe ist2” I nodded and in a flash I turned the other side as to hide the tears that came to my eyes. Those words echoed in my ears for several minutes. I heard the same words long time back. It was Hans. I cannot exactly remember what I asked him but he said that. My heart is beating like a drum. I cannot stop it. It is almost about to leap and then Mark touched my shoulder and asked “are you OK?” Slowly I turned my eyes toward him. I wanted to say that I am not “OK” but instead I said “OK”- whatever the meaning is.
1. “I am looking for a seat near a window. Would you like to change the seat with me?”
2. A Proverb which gives the meaning as “Strike while the Iron is hot”
The glass window reflected my face. I have seen my face in the Golden framed mirror hanged in my home, in the eyes of Hans, in my inward eye but never saw my self so clearly and accurately as now in this shabbily constructed and dust embossed glass window. I saw my self as a creature driven and derided by shame and anger. This is me Teescha Herath, whose life is much like this very train, running far and away aimlessly. I turn the other side and closed my eyes as I wanted to get away from this keen and curious blue eyes looking at me. I heard opening of a bag and I slowly opened my eyes. Mark took a book out from his bag and engaged totally himself in the book. After few minutes he was in deep meditation with the book.