A small disclaimer: I don't own anything
The owner of the voice snuck up behind him as was customary, 'What are you waiting for?' it asked.
He let out a weary sigh in response to the question. 'The train, I suppose' was the reply. It seemed to hang in the air for a moment before being superseded by a new inquiry.
'Well, why are you waiting for it?'
He could feel the pull of small hands through the rough fabric of his jeans, and in the corner of his eye there was a messy mop of light brown hair. This time he bent down to look the child in the eye, 'Don't you have better things to be doing than bothering an old man like me…?'
The young girl wrinkled her nose in thought. Then she cried out, 'You can't be old. You haven't any gray hair like my grandpa, and I haven't seen you joining a game of bingo in the afternoons with all the other old people.'
He looked taken aback by this but put one closed fist to his chest, 'I may not show it but.. I'm old here. In my heart.'
She laughed aloud, 'That makes no sense!'
His hand dropped back to his side as a knowing smirk crept upon his face, 'Perhaps' he agreed.
'Well you didn't answer my question yet you know.'
'Hmmm..?'
'My question. Why are you waiting for it...? The train, I mean. Why are you waiting for the train?'
He pursed his lips, deep in thought, 'I...I don't know'
It seemed to her now that the man was trying to circumvent her earnest attempts to glean some information on his elusive habits. Didn't he know that the old train line was discontinued after someone was mistakenly pushed out onto the tracks and run over…? Emboldened by this line of thought, she again tried to satisfy her curiosity.
'What if the train doesn't come…? What if you have to spend the rest of your life just standing here waiting…?'
'Well then' he said 'I suppose I'll just have to keep waiting.' Peering intently down the railroad tracks, he continued, 'There's no rush anyway. I'm happy to keep waiting here because the train will come for me someday. I know it.'
He spoke this in such a passionate tone that she didn't have the heart to tell him the truth.
'Okay' she said, and the pair lapsed into a comfortable silence.