Excerpt
…because one switch was turned against the direction of the engines
and Mike hadn’t seen it. He felt as if that splashing of the stone in the
little pool sounded as if someone had slapped him on the face, and he
accepted it with forbearance and patience, like another lesson in the
work he was doing for the big train company. Mike suddenly felt the
need to hide somewhere so others couldn’t see him as he was leaving
with a lowered head as if he had been defeated in the afternoon battle
of survival.
Time flew, and eventually Mike went home, where he narrated
the event to his wife and son, who started laughing at the imaginary
sight of a train engine on the ground. Mike felt a little lighter, and he
too started laughing without knowing why.
Manolis Aligizakis 