I met an old man on the train today
Well, he sat across from me
And had a contagious, glowing smile, of epic proportions

A smile that pushed through it all
Through heartaches hardships and falls
A smile that was truly happy, persisting on with grace

And after years, a lifetime, of smiling
It seemed as if his smile
Was permanently plastered to his face

It was a genuine smile
Of sheer satisfaction
Satisfaction of life

Truly content with existence, of what he is and
The life that was
Maybe the man was me from the future

Traveling back in time to ensure
I stay on a path free of torture
I could only hope to be so lucky

Contently awaiting to stop at his station
He seems to enjoy every second on the train
I bet he is the type to appreciate the rain

“I don’t want him to get off,” I thought with apprehension
And secretly hoped we shared the same destination
I suppose
In a sense
When we reach the end
We all share the same stop

Still 10 stations to go when
a frazzled, disgruntled, mess of a man
unfortunately sat next to me

He threw his hands in annoyance, was visibly distraught
he paced in his seat
And lasted only one stop

Eight more to go

Me and the old man are still in it together
Toughing it out for seven more
That is, if he gets off with me

Maybe I’ll ask for a picture
I’ll explain how he looks just like
Someone I want to be

West 4^th Street
And the old man got off the train car
In a flash, he was up and gone

Before I finished thinking, writing these lines

He gripped his bag and ventured on
With a greater sense of purpose
Than I care to describe right now

However for now I cannot bear
to look at who replaced him across from me
I am thankful to be three stops from home

I pray to the train gods
“Do not allow this imposter to get off at the same stop as me!”
Thankfully, they answered my prayers with two stops to go

His seat is empty
And will remain, forever, to be
Maybe I’ll see him again

And he can teach me his secret
How he was so happy
For the entirety of the journey

Maybe I’ll never see him again
And one day will learn that already
I am the old man across from me