The Aimee and David Story

as we approach the train, we realize we have no money for our tickets. a man stands beside the train. he had stopped greasing the wheels and is eyeing us suspiciously as we search our pockets and your pack for any loose change. "you headed to meet babbel in finn city?" he asks. i glance at you and you shrug your shoulder, so i call back "yes, how much for the tickets?" "that'll be one seashell for each of you... you do have the seashells don't you?" i look at you, then at the ground. i feel funny about giving this man some of the shells from the box.... how do we know if it's the right thing to do? how do we even know that it is babbel that we are supposed to be looking for? but you've already got the box out and have chosen two of the shells. before handing them over, you whisper to me, "let's just follow the signs.... it's all an adventure, even if we make a mistake." you drop the shells in the man's gloved hand and he pulls two red tickets from the pocket of his overalls. we thank him and board the train.....

Upon boarding the train we are met by the porter who shows us to the dining car. The train has some people on it but they seem to be busy interacting with one another, and like the house, no one really takes notice of us. A waiter comes by and places a typewriter in front of each of us. We look at each other, completely puzzled. The waiter smiles and leaves us to our confusion. We start laughing out loud at our situation. "I wonder who lost the bike race?" you say. Upon looking around a second time we see other people with typewriters, and there seems to be food coming out of the rollers. "I have an idea" you say. I watch you as you slowly type T E A, and like magic a cup of tea comes forth from the typewriter. We giggle and type until we are stuffed. "What time is it" you ask as you finish a small sweet. I look at my watch and say "I dunno, the second hand and the hour hand are going in different directions. We look out the window, but we seem to be back in the fog again. It becomes apparent that we don't even know what direction we are going, nor does it feel like we are on the tracks! I yawn, and as if the porter sensed our tiredness, comes over and shows us to a small room that has a plush bench on each side. "Sorry sir, the berths are all taken". We plonk down and I put my arm around you. "I am glad we took the train.....", I say and before I can finish you come in closer to me, and fall asleep in my arms. I smile and run my hands through your hair. Before I nod off, I hear the porters talking amongst themselves, I over hear one saying Finn City is only five hours away...