The seat

The doors closed and the announcement made it clear that the next station would be Tower Hill. As the train built up speed in the tunnel so did the tears running down the woman's face. The woman made no attempt to wipe them away, all she did was tuck her long blonde hair behind her ear and let the tears fall onto her coat and the floor. I had no idea why she was crying and didn't feel like it was my place to ask, but she was crying a silent river from her glacial blues eyes. I felt helpless, I longed to be able to talk to her, to hold her and wipe away her tears. Assure her it would be alright but there was nothing I could do. I didn't know her from Adam and if I talked to her would be more than likely to put my foot in it and make matters worse. As the train arrived at the station she stood up silently and left the train, leaving a small puddle of tears behind her on the floor. 

Her seat was taken by another woman, shorter in stature and in hair. I was pleased to see she there was a big smile on her big round moon face, no sign of crying. But then she glanced at her phone and her green eyes went from smiling to sadness in seconds. Her eyes welled up, then leaked tears down her face. Hers were more a trickle than a river but her sobs added to the drama. A tear dropped down on to her exposed cleavage exploding like a fountain. She wiped away the moisture then took a tissue out and blew her nose violently, but it didn't stop the tears from creating tracks Smokey Robinson could sing about. Again I had an overwhelming desire to comfort the stranger, but again I kept my distance, too shy and too uncomfortable to help a damsel in distress. She lasted two stops before leaving the train, and this time it was me who took the seat.

As soon as I sat down it hit me like a thunder bolt. I felt an overwhelming melancholy wash over me. An intrinsic sadness that I couldn't control. I felt so bad I thought I’d like to throw myself off the nearest tall building. I didn't know why I felt so sad, all I knew was that I needed to let the tears flow or escape from the seat. 

Out on the platform the air from the departing train hit me and brought me to my senses, I no longer felt the urge to cry, I no longer felt the sadness that had consumed my body while sitting in that seat.