What if... #4

What if...#4

What if the trains were always on time?

Alice stood on a platform waiting for the train to arrive. She wore her big coat with the collar turned up. She shivered slightly. It had been a long morning already she thought, as she gazed across the tracks.

From the corner of her eye she saw movement. A train was coming. Seeing it veer towards her platform she looked at the nearest overhanging sign to check if it really was her train. But the sign said 'do not enter'. The conductor kept everyone from boarding. The train had a malfunction, it was heading to the workshop.

Numbness set in on Alice. She'd been delayed earlier this morning due to maintenance work that was behind on schedule and now this. She'd have to wait till eight to call the office. She debated going upstairs to get some coffee and wait in the hall where it was warmer. But a replacement had been announced and she didn't know when it would get here.

Finally she managed to board a train. Alice stood squeezed in between some students and a man. Middle aged she guessed. He was staring at his hand with a frown on his face. His hair a mixture of that pepper and salt colour with a handful of grey. His shoulders heaved as he sighed.

She wondered if she should talk to him. He turned and looked at her, “What would you do, if you could improve just one thing in the world? One thing only so you have to be sure there won't be any nasty side effects”, he said.

Alice' mind threw a blank at her. She blinked and said the first thing she could think of: “I'd make the trains run on time”. The man nodded and went back to staring at his hand. By the time Alice reached the office she'd almost forgotten about it.

But that night the maintenance crew that had been running behind schedule finished their work. Other maintenance crews finished on time. While the workshop fixed all trains and stood empty for the first time in years.

Alice set off for work with her mind set on commuters drone mode. However when she arrived at the station her train ran smoothly. She made her connection without a glitch. She greeted everyone cheerfully at the office, feeling awake and fresh.

The afternoon journey went just as well. Alice came home deciding she had enough energy to try out some new recipes. Over the next few days her energy levels kept improving. Her creative spirit awoke as if from a long hibernation.

It wasn't just her. All around people seemed more enthusiastic about their jobs and more energetic during their spare time. A change came over the country as strangers took to greeting each other on the streets. Clubs and organisations noticed an increase in volunteers.

After seven months Alice attended the first neighbours barbecue to be organised in her street. She had fun talking to Joe and Patricia. Both of whom she often passed on her way to the station. Joe was telling them the news he'd heard that day: “Five citizens from our nation have been nominated for Nobel prizes for breakthrough science!”

“I heard something great too”, Patricia chimed in, “The cabinet has finally proposed a budget plan that might actually work”. Alice beamed at her neighbours. She wondered why it had taken them such a long time to get to know each other. Her cheeks flushed a little as a sense of belonging claimed her.

Three years later Alice stood on a platform waiting for her train. It was strange that it wasn't here yet. Jane, Alistair, James and Paul, who always shared a carriage with her, came over to talk. They were wondering about the situation when a gasp went through the crowd. “Something's wrong”, Alice said. James had his phone in hand, the look on his face was grim.

“Someone has blown up the main switchboard. A terrorist attack is suspected as both back ups were also targeted at the same time. Trains will be delayed or cancelled throughout the country. Firefighters and the police are doing the best they can”

Suddenly everyone was running about trying to find a way to travel. Alice got cut off from her fellow commuters. As she stood isolated from all the chaos, a man came up to her.

“It was a good idea you had back then”, he said. “I'm sorry, what?”, Alice frowned at him. “That day I asked you, what you would change if you could only improve one thing. You said to make the trains go on time. It was a good idea. It's ruined now. Though, I hope not. I mean, we've seen it now haven't we? We've seen that it can be done. So maybe, they'll make it right again. I only had the one chance...”, then he turned and walked away.

Later that week tired, frustrated and in drone mode, Alice found a seat on a train. She read an article about the attack. Apparently the men responsible had been shareholders of the company that owned all the station kiosks. Without the delays, sales had dropped. People didn't spend as much time hanging around platforms so they didn't buy as much as before.

“It's just as I always thought”, said the old lady sitting next to her. “What is?”, Alice replied. “Well these delays didn't happen when I was younger. We didn't have any shops in the station then. It just goes to show doesn't it? It's all to do with money.” Alice sighed and longed for the days when all trains ran on time.