Mr Blue Jacket by Roberta Beach Jacobson
Oh, great, my compartment-mate is a dead guy. This sort of thing would be frowned upon in air travel, but the train is cheaper and I’m always broke. So here I am.
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When the conductor comes by to punch my ticket, I ask him why he’s not checking on the other passenger.
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“He boarded a few stops before you,” he answers. “His ticket is punched.”
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“Was he alive then?” I inquire.
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“What do you mean? Of course. Everyone on our train is living and breathing,” he assures me without any hesitation. With a tip of his cap before heading to first class, he pauses to add, “Hey, we probably just woke him.”
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Unlikely. Why should I believe the conductor that no dead souls are parked here among us? I’m stuck with one of them, clad in a blue jacket. A guy deep in his final sleep, but not snoring. Not moving, not even breathing. It feels too intimidating to reach out to touch his chest to verify. Besides, there’s no reason to verify anything. He’s in the jacket he’ll be wearing to eternity. It’s obvious, at least to me.
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Just before my stop, Mr Blue Jacket’s phone starts ringing. I shiver. Is it a sign from beyond?
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Out of respect, I mouth Rest in peace as I leave our compartment.
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Roberta Beach Jacobson (she/her) is drawn to the magic of words–poetry, song lyrics, flash fiction, puzzles, and stand-up comedy. Her latest book is Demitasse Fiction: One-Minute Reads for Busy People (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). She lives in Iowa, USA.
Photo – Roberta Beach Jacobson
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