I met a stranger on the train the other day
An American visiting her cousin
We chatted happily, Shared a joke
And then suddenly silence……
She saw my card, and looked quite shocked
And silence hung in the air
I said how I’d just been to Cheltenham festival
On stage not in the audience
And suddenly her demeanour changed
Wanting to know more
Her parents both had dementia
I wasn’t like them at all
I then proceeded gently
Her listening…. acutely
She wrote down the name of my book
We shared a common surname
As she left she smiled
“It was lovely to talk to you”
“I’ve learnt so much”
I’m going home…..
To talk………