I look up from my magazine only to stare at those perfect set of whites. He had to be a dentist. Or a model for a toothpaste company. Judging by his suit and glasses, I had my money on dentist. I realise that I’ve just been ogling at him for the past five seconds. Five. Long. Seconds.

I brush my hair off my face. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Sorry to have bothered you. I just asked if that seat was taken.” He gestured towards the seat next to me. “It’s no bother if you’re waiting for someone.”

“No-no, I’m not waiting for anyone. No.” Shit. Now, how many NOs did I say there? I might as well have asked him to marry me. I grab my coat and purse that occupied the next seat. The bag slips from my hand I spill the contents all over the floor. Curse you Murphy. When anything can go wrong, it reaallly does go wrong. “Fuck. Sorry. I’m sorry.” I just had to say fuck! As if me being clumsy wasn’t enough. He must now think I’m foul mouthed as well. I am on a roll today.

“Looks like I’ve disrupted your peace.” He grins at my pathetic state. “Allow me help you .” He gets down and starts picking up the contents.

Disrupt my peace? Who is he, a spokesperson for the UN? That makes him a dentist who also part-times as a spokesperson for the UN. Something is wickedly wrong with me today.

I go for the cosmetics before the keys. Somehow it felt like the logical thing to do. No one wants a total stranger to know what lipstick I’m wearing, right? He hands me over the keys, the quarters and the dimes, gum, gum wrappers(!) and things I didn’t even knew I carried along in that old purse of mine. I’ve been saving to buy that Vuitton but now I feel I should have let go of this one long ago.

He pauses as he picks up my Asimov. Great! Now he’ll think I’m a nerd. He gives a look of admiration and says, “Ah, Caves of steel. Such a good read. Not as good as the foundation saga, which I’m sure you’d have read. But a very good read, none-the-less.”

“Yes. I have. Splendid series indeed.” And I can recite all the names in the series. Backwards.

“There’s something about his work that just leaves you in awe. He recreates this fictitious worlds with spaceships and robots; and yet makes you believe its all real. One can see his world as you read the book.”

I could kiss him right now. I want to.

We spend the next fifteen minutes discussing science fiction to fantasy. The books we loved and hated. The best fifteen minutes I spent on railway waiting lounge. Make that the best fifteen minutes ever.

I hear the announcement being made for my train.

“Yours?”, he asks.

The thought of missing it crosses my mind. “Yes”, I manage.

“Let me help you with this.” He takes my coat and starts walking with me.

“You’re boarding the same one?”, I ask… and wish.

“No. But I hope you don’t mind me escorting you? Its the least I can do for the nice conversation you’ve gifted me this evening.”

I reply with a five inch grin as I silently pray – God. Why don’t you more of these specimen?

He handed me my coat as I hopped on my car and waved my hand, “This is it then.”

“I guess”, he waves back.

“I loved the little talk we had. Thank you.”

“I wish it wasn’t so little too.”

Well if he thinks I’m a slut, then its his loss. I take out my pen and scribble my number on the first page of the book. It looked kinda funny right below – Caves of Steel. I tear it and throw it on the platform as the train starts moving.

I see him  pick it up and gives a short bow that makes my heart flutter.

I start to make my way towards my seat and… my cell rings.