The Same Morning Train

Sienna takes the 7:42 train into the city every weekday morning. For the past two months, she has noticed the same man boarding at the second stop. He always carries a paper cup of coffee and a folded newspaper he never actually reads.

Sienna naik kereta pukul 7.42 menuju pusat kota setiap pagi hari kerja. Selama dua bulan terakhir, ia memperhatikan pria yang sama naik di perhentian kedua. Ia selalu membawa cangkir kopi kertas dan koran terlipat yang sebenarnya tak pernah ia baca.

They started talking almost by accident, back in October. His coffee spilled slightly as the train lurched, and she handed him a napkin from her bag. Since then, they've claimed the same two seats near the door most mornings. They trade small talk about weather, weekend plans, and whatever news is in his unread newspaper.

Mereka mulai mengobrol hampir tanpa sengaja, kembali pada bulan Oktober. Kopinya tumpah sedikit saat kereta tersentak, dan Sienna menyodorkan serbet dari tasnya. Sejak itu, mereka hampir setiap pagi menempati dua kursi yang sama dekat pintu. Mereka bertukar obrolan ringan tentang cuaca, rencana akhir pekan, dan berita apa pun yang ada di koran yang tak dibaca pria itu.

His name is Wesley, she has learned. He works at an office three stops past her own. He does something with graphic design, and he explains it more enthusiastically than she expected. She has never given him her number, and he has never asked for it. Neither of them wants to disturb this comfortable, unplanned routine.

Namanya Wesley, begitu yang ia ketahui. Ia bekerja di sebuah kantor tiga perhentian setelah kantor Sienna. Ia mengerjakan sesuatu di bidang desain grafis, dan ia menjelaskannya dengan lebih antusias daripada yang Sienna duga. Sienna tak pernah memberinya nomor ponselnya, dan Wesley tak pernah memintanya. Tak satu pun dari mereka ingin mengusik rutinitas yang nyaman dan tak terencana ini.

Then, one Tuesday in March, Wesley doesn't get on at the second stop. Sienna waits, glancing at the doors each time they open, but the train pulls away without him. She tells herself it's nothing, probably just a late morning or a doctor's appointment.

Lalu, pada suatu Selasa di bulan Maret, Wesley tidak naik di perhentian kedua. Sienna menunggu, melirik pintu setiap kali terbuka, tetapi kereta berangkat tanpa dia. Ia berkata pada dirinya sendiri itu bukan apa-apa, mungkin hanya terlambat atau ada janji dengan dokter.

He isn't there Wednesday either, or Thursday. By Friday, Sienna has started to wonder if she'll ever see him again. She realizes, with some discomfort, that she doesn't actually know his last name or where exactly he works.

Rabu pun ia tidak ada, begitu juga Kamis. Pada hari Jumat, Sienna mulai bertanya-tanya apakah ia akan bertemu Wesley lagi. Dengan agak tak nyaman, ia menyadari bahwa ia sebenarnya tidak tahu nama belakang Wesley ataupun persis di mana ia bekerja.

The following Monday, Wesley finally reappears, looking apologetic before she can even ask. "New schedule," he explains. "I've moved to an earlier shift. I almost didn't recognize the platform without you on it."

Senin berikutnya, Wesley akhirnya muncul lagi, tampak menyesal bahkan sebelum Sienna sempat bertanya. "Jadwal baru," jelasnya. "Aku pindah ke shift yang lebih pagi. Aku nyaris tidak mengenali peron tanpa kamu di sana."

Sienna laughs, relieved more than she wants to admit. She decides the routine has clearly run its course. "Can I actually get your number this time?" she asks. "I'd rather not depend on both of us keeping the exact same train schedule forever."

Sienna tertawa, lebih lega daripada yang mau ia akui. Ia memutuskan bahwa rutinitas ini jelas sudah sampai pada ujungnya. "Boleh aku minta nomormu kali ini?" tanyanya. "Aku tak mau selamanya bergantung pada kita berdua yang naik kereta dengan jadwal yang persis sama."