The Book's Story

He was fascinated with the book, engrossed with its pages as the MRT moved along. He was standing, one hand stretched and holding the iron bar while the other was flipping a page with the thumb. The book wasn't that catchy at first, but as the plot reveals more of itself, the story began to unravel like a pearl hidden under a mediocre shell. His tongue would occasionally wet his lips as the heroine of the book exploits another witty adventure. Then the MRT stopped and suddenly people crowded the once silent train. An old lady tried to get pass through his left while a young man sink in to his right shoulder. As the train moved on, the crowd became agitated and the man hopelessly dropped his book.

It was a helpless incident seeing the book being pulled by gravity and then being thrown by the acceleration of the train. A stranger mindlessly tossed the book away from his foot as if nothing is more disgusting. The book rested in a spot for a moment, occasionally being moved by the savage railway motion. It rested on someone else's foot: a woman sitting silently amidst the turmoil of the train. She took the book from the floor, dusted the dirt from its cover, and looked up hoping for the owner's demand. But none came, so she studied the fragile book, flipping the first page.

Written underneath the title page was the name and address of the owner. She carefully read it even though the window light was distracted by passing shadows. The woman's face transformed from sombre to horrid surprise; She knew the owner by heart.

The Boni Station was the train's exhale of people. The man went looking for the book under the empty seats. He knew it was tossed away to his left by the annoying man in front him. Some of the passengers were staring at him as if he was a thief of some sort; some shrugged while others ignored him. He was turning impatient and hopeless as the train entered the tunnel providing short interval of lights.

He got tired, sat on one of the seats and for the last time scanned the floor. He was greeted sarcastically by empty plastic, candy wrappers and garbage left by the busy passengers. "Oh well, I guess I'll just explain to her why I lost it" he mumbled as he wrinkle his forehead and cover his eyes with exasperation.

"You're in trouble young man. You almost lost the book she lend you" a familiar female voice said. He slowly looked up at the source of voice as the MRT halted at the AYALA station.

He smiled and said "Finders keepers." He was happy thinking that sometimes people end up with its right owner. They sat together, held hands and decided to stay at the train for one more round trip before parting ways with their own affairs.

The book was left on the seat forgotten.