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Marbles in a Jar

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Loxuru

Loxuru

Graf von Kreuzigung
“Jenny! They treat these things seriously these days!”
“Come on Gerald! It is just a short leap!”
Jenny and Gerald stood on the railway platform. Their local train, they just left, drove away.
“If you insist, but wait until our train is far away enough so he does not block our view!”
“Sure, Gerald! I don’t want to risk my life! By the way, I did it tens of times a year when I was younger!”

Now here was the problem. Jenny and Gerald’s car was parked at the opposite side of the railroad. But in order to reach their car, they would have to walk down the platform, three hundred meters long, take the crossing, and walk back nearly three hundred meters. In order to go to a car that was parked only twenty meters away from where they stood. All they had to do was watch if the crossing would be safe. Visibility was no problem. In both directions, the railroad was running straight and flat for kilometers long. At clear weather, one could see a train approaching from many minutes in advance. Jenny had done it hundreds of times when she was younger. It saved minutes. Many people did, those days. It was strictly forbidden, one could get a big fine, but nevertheless…

Jenny was an average ‘woman next door’. Not quite tall, neither skinny, apparently not standing out, but with a determined look. Mature enough to know that life does not always keeps its promises, but not too old for giving up already. Life starts only at forty, right? And what else do you need for that start, than a mix of a little stubbornness, a good observer, pragmatic, the and with the heart on the sleeve. Practical! So why make a detour, when you target is just across the track?

“All right, Gerald, it looks safe! Come on!”
“Are you sure there are no….?”

Gerald, who had already conformed to accept life as it came, knew that there are occasions when resistance is futile. He had since long time accepted that it had no use to argue with his lovely Jenny about certain issues.
Jenny descended from the upper end of the platform, down to the railway level. With a few steps she was over the double track. Gerald reluctantly followed. He knew the railroad security took these offences more seriously, the last years. Meanwhile, Jenny had reached the other side, she stepped on the platform and moved to the exit to the parking.

It was only when they almost had reached their car, that they saw the railroad security guards step out of their van.
“Sir, Ma’am! Could you stop please!”
Jenny took her cell phone and dialed a number.
“Mom! Can you get Elisa from school please? We could be later! Don’t worry!”
“Can you put away that cell phone, Ma’am, and both of you come with us please!?”

(to be continued)
 
Loxuru said:
Jenny and Gerald stood on the railway platform. Their local train, they just left, drove away.
“If you insist, but wait until our train is far away enough so he does not block our view!”
“Sure, Gerald! I don’t want to risk my life! By the way, I did it tens of times a year when I was younger!”
Click to expand...
The opening made me expect she was going to be tied to the track :devil:
 
2.
A few weeks later.

That morning, Jenny and Gerald stood on the platform, waiting for the 06:05 a.m. train to town.
“Good morning, Jenny, early up today? Going somewhere?”
“Good morning Christine! We are just going to town, for some… business. We want to be in time.”
“Elisa is not with you?”
“No, no, that would be too early in the morning for her. She spent the night with Gerald’s mom.”
“They closed some parking places over there! Do you know what is the purpose?”
“Works, I guess!” Jenny replied.

The train arrived (on schedule!) and all three stepped up and took a seat.
“Sit down, Gerald!”

Christine arranged her handbags.
“Oh, you have the new ‘Ellegance’ magazine with you”, Jenny said. “I heard yesterday at the hairdressers’, there is an article on sex between young men and mature women.”
“I have read it! That seems to give real fireworks.!”
“Oh yes,” Jenny replied “It seems to be true, really, I was told yesterday!”
“Jenny, your hair looks beautiful. Have you done a balayage?”
“Yes!”
“Very cute, Jenny! It becomes you very well!”
“Thank you, Christine!”

The ride to town just took less than ten minutes. The train already slowed down.
“Gerald! We must get off! Have a nice day, Christine!”
“You too, have a nice day in town!”
“Thanks! Come Gerald!”

Jenny stepped on the platform, followed by Gerald.
“Gerald! Couldn’t you behave a little bit more social towards Christine? You completely ignored her!”
“I said hello to her, didn’t I!? But I was in thoughts. After all we are not going ‘just to town’!”
“I know, Gerald, and it is early in the morning, and the day will be long for me too! But please pretend all is normal, and let’s act as a couple. We shouldn’t draw attention by behaving anxiously.“
“But I…”
“Gerald, please do me a favor and let us stick together in this! No objections, will you? Now, let’s see, where do we have to go! Oh! Right! The entrance is on platform one!”

Through the pedestrian tunnel under the tracks, they reached platform one and went to an entry, marked ‘staff only’.
“Let’s wait on the platform until Christine’s train has departed and the travelers have dispersed!” Jenny said.

Two minutes later, there were only a few people left on the platforms. Jenny ringed the doorbell at the staff entrance.
“Hello!?” a man’s voice sounded through the speaker.
“Mr. and Mrs. L." [notice from the author : for privacy violation concerns, the railway company preferred not disclose Jenny and Gerald’s surname]. "We have to report at seven to the security officer for….”
“Come in! Take the stairs to the first floor!”
A buzzer sounded and the door unlocked.
“Come, Gerald!”

The stair to the first floor was immediately behind the entrance door. Like the station building, it was a typical late 1940’s, late art deco staircase. Lots of tubular metal works. Buff terrazzo steps and floor tiles. Grey shiny wall tiles with a black layer on top. Original iron window frames.
Jenny and Gerald reached the first floor. From the door on the right of the stairs, a man in railroad security uniform greeted them.
“Good morning! I am Deputy Station Master Sleeper, head of the station security. You are well in time! Thank you for that! Can you follow me please!”
“Gerald! Follow that man!”
He led them into the corridor he had come from.
“Could you wait on these chairs, please? Meanwhile, can I have your convocation form please? I shall already process the confirmation that you have presented yourselves.”
“Sit here, Gerald!”

Jenny and Gerald took a seat on the railroad dark grey tubular office chairs in the corridor. On a small table lay brochures about train travel. And about the do’s and don’ts concerning railroad safety. ‘Do not cross the tracks than on designated places. Outside these places, crossing the tracks is strictly forbidden. If caught, the railroad company has legal authority to implement sanctions to trespassers.’

Time went by. Outside there was the rumble of arriving and departing trains and sounded the announcements for travelers. Inside it was quiet, the only sound heard being the ‘tick’ of the clock, on every minute sharp, as all railway clocks did, simultaneously, everywhere in the country. An office door opened. A man in railroad uniform stepped through the corridor, ignoring Jenny and Gerald, and went out.

At the far end of the corridor, two railroad security members, a man and a woman, joined in a room and started talking. Apparently they were holding a coffee break.

At 06:49 a.m., a group of railroad security crew entered the corridor. They did not wear the ordinary duty uniforms, but a dark grey, heavier company jumpsuit, with lots of pockets, and a tool belt around their waist. Over their uniform, they wore a yellow fluorescent jacket. They were six, four men and two women. One of them, carrying a suitcase, entered the office of Mr. Sleeper. The others went to the coffee room and joined those already present for more chat among colleagues.

At 06:54 a.m., two more people entered. A woman in a more formal uniform of the railroad security, a grey skirt, a grey jacket with four golden stars above the breast pocket, flat shoes. A man in a railroad uniform, also rather high ranked, judging from the two golden stars above a bar on his jacket, and the number of stripes on his ornamented kepi. They too entered the office of the station security chief Mr. Sleeper.

At 06:59 a.m., the three visitors left the office of the station security chief Mr. Sleeper and went into another room further down the corridor.

At 07:00 a.m. sharp (punctuality is sacred for the railroad, remember!), Mr. Sleeper came out of his office and addressed Jenny and Gerald.
“Can you both come into my office please!?”
“Gerald! Stand up!”

(to be continued)
 
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