At Kii-Katsuura train station, my train departs in 10 minutes and the lady in front of me is taking a long time with the ticket machine. Then the most wonderful thing happens: the staff who’s helping me runs to the platform and tells the conductors to halt the entire train so the lady in front of me could get her ticket without us having to interrupt her. Finally, five minutes past due departure time, it’s my turn at the machine. But the time option no longer shows. The staff runs to his office handwrites a ticket for me and tells me to pay upon arrival.
He dashes to the train with me and waves goodbye until the platform disappears from my sight. Staring out of the window, I mull over what has just happened –– something that couldn’t have happened anywhere else in the world. I’ve never seen or experienced so much humanity, care, and respect so deeply ingrained into how people treat each other. The sun feels so warm and gentle on my face.
He dashes to the train with me and waves goodbye until the platform disappears from my sight. Staring out of the window, I mull over what has just happened –– something that couldn’t have happened anywhere else in the world. I’ve never seen or experienced so much humanity, care, and respect so deeply ingrained into how people treat each other. The sun feels so warm and gentle on my face.