The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton

  ****

  The train came slowly to a halt on platform three, on time. Being an electric train it would terminate here at Gosford. Work was underway to extend the overhead electric wires further north to Wyong, but for now, all electric services sat here at Gosford waiting to form their scheduled return to Sydney. Knowing this, William took his time to gather up his things from the seat beside him. It was a good journey, but he still preferred traveling in the older style, diesel hauled wooden carriages still in use between Sydney and Newcastle. He could remember riding in those same carriages years back when they were hauled by steam locomotives.

  William hadn’t even made it halfway down the aisle of the carriage when he heard his grandson call out to him. He looked up to see Simon charging towards him while behind, just inside the doorway of the carriage Doug stood with a grin, obviously amused at the spectacle his son was making.

  “Poppy.”

  “Hello Simon,” William beamed back at him. “How did you know I was in this carriage?”

  “We saw your train come Poppy and I saw you first in the window.”

  “Did you now?” He replied, taking his small hand in his and walking him to the doorway of the carriage. “Mind your step here Simon, we’re going to get off the train now.”

  “But I just got on Poppy, can’t I go for a ride, please?”

  “Not now Simon, we’ve got a birthday party to go to.”

  “Can’t I go for a ride first?”

  “Hi Son,” he said, laughing at Doug as he stepped forward and lifted Simon up before gently bringing him back down, this time on the platform.

  “Hi Dad, how was the trip today?”

  “Poppy?” Simon persisted in the background.

  “Simon enough already!” Doug intervened firmly.

  “Oh it’s all right Doug,” William brushed his remark aside before turning to Simon. “One day boy, I’ll take you for a trip on the Newcastle Flyer. Would you like that?”

  “Would I ever!”

  “They don’t still call it that do they?” Asked Doug.

  “’Course they do Son, ‘course they do,” he replied, his mind now trailing off with thoughts of old, brown wooden carriages being pulled by a sleek green steam locomotive before shaking himself back into the present. “Anyway, what brought you down to the station? I was going to call you as soon as the train was in. It would have saved you walking up all these stairs twice.” His voice was struggling between drawn breaths as they made their way up the overpass.

  “Ah, needed to get out for a bit. Thought I’d come down here early with Simon and wait for your train to arrive. Rowena’s family is already at the house, and she’s been in a flap all morning trying to get ready for Simon’s party. I think she said there were about 20 kids coming.”

  “I see.” There was a long pause of silence as they walked across the overpass and came out in the side street where Doug had parked the car not more than 30 feet away. “How is everything these days with you two? Last time we spoke all was well, still is I take it?”

  Doug came to the car and unlocked it. Ignoring his father for a minute, he opened the rear door and saw to it that Simon put his seatbelt on properly. Then closing the door behind him he looked up at his father.

  “Not really Dad.” There was touch of quiet sadness in his voice and he turned and walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat.

  William opened the passenger side door and slid inside. He still didn’t know what Doug had seen in her when they had married 7 years ago. She seemed a high maintenance choice back then for a son he’d raised to be level headed and goal orientated. She was an emotional roller coaster in his opinion. When she was up, she put herself above all others, but when she was down she succeeded in bringing everyone else down with her. He was getting tired of seeing his son like this. This visit it would appear their marriage was on the rocks, the next all would be rosy once more.

  Doug opened the driver’s side door and slid in behind the steering wheel. He put the key into the ignition and waited for the advice that without fail would come from his father.

  “You know Son, whatever you decide, it doesn’t mean you can’t be a good father. Always remember that.”