Revelations and Daniel (January 1995 )

Last night I sat next to this guy from Long Island—over six feet tall, two-hundred pounds plus, friendly and eager to chat.  I was out of sorts, but bantered with him, trying to distract myself.  While I tried to rest my eyes he listened to his headphones, singing.  When we tried to sleep he cast such a presence we couldn’t help but touch in those little train seats, and though strangers there was comfort in it.  He got up a couple of times but I was on the aisle side so he hopped over me so I could sleep—pretty agile for his size.  Some time during the night I noticed he hadn’t returned to his seat—he’d found two vacant seats where he could stretch out.  In the morning he came back and read in his Bible, bits from Revelations and Daniel.  Then he sang to himself, again.  When I got up to leave he shook my hand and bid me a safe trip.