General Itching

A man woke up on the wrong side of the world. No one spoke the same language, which didn’t stop anyone from speaking, but it was harder for him to buy his ticket for the train. He could take it to the end and find a quiet place to sit and read. He still had his books. And he bought a piece of fruit for the ride. Fruit could be had by pointing and it tasted sweet. All his friends had settled in their careers, which meant they were still elsewhere, and he was alone. It didn’t matter, he felt rested. He changed his money and left with a pouch over his shoulders. From the train window he could see the hills and he leaned back in his seat with one eye open.