Enchanting

I felt inside my (oversized) handbag.  There is was.  Smooth and cool.  

My iPod was there, but the earphones weren't.  Somehow, it doesn't seem to matter how large the bag is:  I still manage to forget something.  

I sat down (with a disgruntled sigh), and became aware of the interaction between a mother and her daughter now beside me on the platform.

They, like I, had descended the escalator just a moment too late to catch the train and watched it hurry northbound into a tunnel.  The little girl looked perturbed...  

"Not to worry.  

It doesn't matter.  

It's not worth getting upset about.  

There'll be another along soon.  

You'll see."

- her mother said calmly.

I was mesmerised by the child's curiosity provoked by the novelty the scenario presented and, just for a moment, transported beyond my been-here-a-million-times-when-will-I-learn (this particular lesson: that from ticket gate to platform takes more than 1 minute).

I was reminded that, it didn't matter, and reassured by her statement, that another (albeit on the wrong branch meaning I would need to change) would arrive shortly.  

...Which it did.

We boarded together.  And took our seats.  She with delight and excitement.  Me with relief.  I started calculating how many stops I had ahead of me, and the chances of arriving on time.  I was soon distracted by the little girl's wonder.  It made for a far more pleasant journey.  After all, what did I think I was going to do having worked out I was now running late?

Regardless of whether I find the errant headphones, I may travel with my ears open more often.