Page 25 - The Spirit of Christmas 1940

The Spirit of Christmas 1940

something else that was bothering him. He was being ignored by
everybody, even those who he comforted. It was if they didn’t
know he was there. But she was different, So much compassion
and tenderness. She also seemed very wise above her years. But
when she spoke to him he was feeling the pain of many that had
just died very near to the station. The pain was overwhelming. It
was if he saw all of their final moments all at the same time. Why
would he bear such a curse? He felt very confused and afraid and
couldn’t help but cry for all of those people. But after the young
woman spoke to him, the pain seemed to subside. Maybe she
knew the answers to his questions.

For the time being though, he was back on Platform 1 waiting
for another train. He didn’t know anyone who was going to come
in on the train but he just knew he needed to be there. He felt so
tired though, he needed to sit down. As he sat on the bench on the
platform, he stared down the track, his mind wandering back to
France. He could see his friends falling as he ran forward, there
was so much noise from the German guns, so much confusion
but then the memories stopped. Nothing! Just this station,, just a
knowing that he had to be there.

* * * * *

Mary Thompson walked on to the station with young Jack in
tow. Jack was excited as he had not seen dad for almost a year
now. Mary was nervous as she hadn’t heard from her husband,
Harry for over a month now. He had been in action in North
Africa and, understandably, getting letters to home were not easy.
She knew that. But she also knew that no news was good news
so her hope and optimism remained. They walked past William
Snow who was still sat on the bench and stood by the edge of
the platform. In the distance, they could hear the inbound train
whistling, announcing its arrival. Then within a few seconds the
front of the green locomotive appeared slowing all of the time.
The train stopped against the buffers of the platform and almost
immediately, passengers began to pour out of the many carriage

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