The Sation at B- by Richard Short

The Station at B-


Theodor Frings had taken the underground train from A- to meet his girl in C-, but the train stopped short at B-, a seedy part of the city which made Theodor Frings quite nervous. It had been raining and as Theodor stood alone on the platform a wintry shudder ran through the station. Theodor called the station intercom and a woman’s voice answered:
“Hello, how may I help you?”
“Hello, why did the train stop at B-, I thought it was going to C-?”
“That train was the last of the night sir, the last train always stops short at B-“
“Really, the last train, what time is it?”
“12.20 sir, thank you---”
12.20?! Thought Theodor Frings, I’m really late, Marianne has most likely left C- by now, what was I thinking taking so long in getting dressed?
As Theodor walked to the exit at the end of the station platform he was approached by a very young girl, who was immodestly dressed and wore lots of make up, mostly around her eyes. She had a white breast and dyed blue-black hair.
“Excuse me, I don’t know what to do” she said “I’m going from B- to F- but the last train has already gone and I’ve got no money to get a night bus, what do you think I should do?”. Theodor was perplexed; the girl could be lying, though she seemed genuinely stricken. Maybe she wanted money, maybe she wanted something else but was just awkward in her approach – after all, Theodor was a handsome young man, though he wouldn’t appeal to everyone he took care of himself and dressed well, he was neat and had nice eyes and straight teeth and –
“Excuse me!”
“Sorry, yes?”
“So what do you think I should do? My parents will be worrying about me.” Yes, she was dressed very immodestly, hardly a stitch on her young body, no wonder she was shivering. I wonder if Marianne has already left C- thought Theodor Frings.
“Where is F-?”
“It’s near E- and G-, but nearer to G” (Theodor thought it nearer to E- than G- but he didn’t really know)
“Can you not telephone your parents to pick you up?”
“Where from?”
“There are a lot of bars in B-, you could try one of those”
“But I have no money”
“Oh, yes, sorry … Well ...” It must be 12.30 thought Theodor, even if I leave now I won’t be in C- until 1.00, 12.45 if I can hail a taxi, which is highly unlikely at this hour. Surely Marianne will have left by 1.00; I think I arranged to meet her in C- at 11.30, or 11.00, Oh! I don’t know.
“It’s so cold” shivered the young girl as she stamped her little feet. She was standing quite close to Theodor, who had a bottle of slivovitz and some chicken at home, which now seemed quite appealing to him; he could be in A- by 12.50.
As Theodor continued towards the exit, thinking about the chicken and the slivovitz, the young girl called after him - “I don’t know anything” Theodor called back “I’m sorry, try the intercom”.