With apologies to Alfred Hitchcock....this story ends a lot happier than the movie.
Back in the summer of 1981, I was 22 years old, and was taking what is now called a "gap year" off college. Back then, we who did that were just called drop outs, and instead of being spotted a summer backpacking around Europe, had to get a job. I found a job as a bank teller in Manhattan, but also, as what's now called a "side gig," would work for my mom, who was a trial lawyer for a firm on Long Island. This consisted mostly of gopher work-running things to the various court clerk's offices in the New York area, picking up witnesses in trials, process serving, and so on. Occasionally, it involved something farther afield, which is how I wound up on Amtrak's Montrealer, bound from New York to White River Junction, VT.
Mom was working on a medical malpractice case, and had prevailed on doctor at Mary Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, NH to testify as an expert in his particular specialty. Rather than have him come to New York, she was going to go there to take a deposition. This was going to happen around Labor Day weekend. She was driving up during the week, and I would catch up to her after work on Thursday evening, since I had managed to get Friday off leading into the weekend. The train departed Penn Station around 10 PM, arriving in White River Junction around 6 AM the next morning. Once I arrived, we'd drive over to Old Forge, NY, in the Adirondacks, where mom had recently bought a vacation home. We'd finish the weekend there, then head home to New York. I'd do most of the driving, which was fine with me, I always enjoyed a road trip, even if my mom was something of a pain in the ass to travel with.
The day came to depart for New England. I had dinner with my dad, who lived on the west side of Manhattan, a block from Penn Station, convenient to my trip and to work, which was on the east side. Dinner with dad was enjoyable, as it usually was. Dad was pretty relaxed and laid back; he also made a killer beef barley soup, and knew his way around a good steak. After a couple hours of quality time-good dinner and a half dozen Beck's-we left for the station, dad coming along to see me off. The Montrealer was announced, and dad came down to the platform to put me on the train. As it pulled in, he noticed a blonde sitting midway down the car that stopped in front of us. Dad never missed a good looking gal, and he was on top of his form that night. We made our farewell, and I boarded.
As I made my way into the car, I caught the eye of the blonde, a young lady with wavy, slightly longer than shoulder length hair, and a pretty face, in a white summery sleeveless dress. Her blue eyes met mine, and she started to move her bag from the adjacent seat. The open seat next to her must have been vacated on arrival at Penn Station, as there was a man getting luggage from the overhead rack when the train was pulling in. She had moved quickly to block the seat, perhaps hoping to keep it empty-not likely, I later found out the train was sold out-more likely to have some control over her seatmate. It looked like I was going to be the winner in that derby.
I took her moving her bag, and big smile, as an invitation, and sat down next to her. As I settled in, I could see dad looking on approvingly from the platform. I waved, and explained to my new companion who that guy was out the window. She waved and smiled at dad, a greeting he returned cheerily.
We started moving shortly, heading into the East River tunnel, then on through the yard complex in the Sunnyside section of Queens, and on up to the Hell Gate Bridge, during which time we introduced ourselves. She was Christine, from Wilmington, Delaware, and also headed to White River to spend a month or so with family there while she sorted out a troubled marriage.
"I'm Tom," I said, and explained my situation. She thought that was cool, that I'd get to spend some time with my mom, and she was looking forward to doing the same up in Vermont.
I mentioned to my new friend that the view from the bridge of the New York skyline at night was stunning, and to look out the window next to her as we crossed into the Bronx. She did, and was thoroughly impressed by the view of New York late on a Thursday night from the high up vantage point of Hell Gate.
"That was amazing," she exclaimed as we now moved on to the urban blight of the south Bronx. "I've never been to New York before. That was really pretty."
"Yeah, New York can be a beautiful place seen from a distance-and the skyline at night will make anyone fall in love with the city. Living here is a bit of a grind, though," I said, with all the jadedness of a native New Yorker.
We rolled on through the Bronx darkness, up through Hunts Point, and through Pelham Bay Park, then into Westchester's suburban splendor, and farther on, into Connecticut. Our conversation flowed easily as we shared life stories, how we got where we were in life, hopes and dreams. It seemed we were building as much of a bond as two people thrown together by circumstance can get in a short time. Finally, between Stamford and Bridgeport, Christine allowed she was getting tired, as she'd been up early getting ready for the trip, and it was now pushing midnight. I suggested she grab a nap for a little bit if she wanted.
Christine thought that would be welcome. I offered my shoulder to rest her head on, but that turned out to be a little bumpy on Northeast Corridor track, and she shortly wound up leaning against the window, using her bunched up sweater for a pillow.
"Too bad you can't get a sleeping car on here," she said, unaware such things existed.
"They do carry a sleeper on this train," I said. "Let me see if there's any space available."
"You'd do that?? Do you mind sharing??"
Well, this was a turn of events. I'd have ridden all the way to Montreal to share a sleeper with Christine.
"No, not at all. The question is, do you?? I mean, we just met here. It's not exactly like we know each other well."
Christine smiled. "I feel like we've gotten close, as much as we can in a 90 minute ride. I think you'd be fun to spend the night with."
Well, OK then!! I flagged down a conductor to inquire about sleeper space. He said to check with him after we left New Haven, so he could see if there were any cancellations or no shows. Christine nodded off, and we rode on into New Haven.