A journey full of music

Jacqueline Engelke / Kassel / Germany

"You mind if I listen to music", she asked Georg, who was making himself comfortable at the seat across hers. Georg shook his head. "Dearest Lily, I couldn't imagine you without your music. Do whatever you like."

Lily smiled at him. She appreciated him in a special way and was glad he came along. They had met through Brian and stayed in contact ever since. They were almost neighbours now and Lily took care of his garden. Somehow I like elder men, she thought. Probably because her father had died when she was eight.

There were not very many people in the compartement. A young man was sleeping and a very nicely dressed elderly lady with brown hair read "The Irish diary" by Böll. Lily got out one of the albums with Irish music. Altans "The Road to Durham" carried her away.

Irish music was like life. Spinning in permanent circles. Going up and coming down again. Fiddles, flutes, guitars playing a melody for a while, the Bodhran giving the rythm. Some instrument joined in and took eventually over, the melody changed slightly, eventually adopted by the other musicians. Like a river flowing She had heard rivers laugh. She had heard rivers cry. Had seen them dirty, tired, disturbed, silent, rushing along, calming down. "Changing by not changing" being water at all. Georg turned his head and looked over to the elderly woman. Appearingly very interested. Lily watched him and smiled. Looking for a flirt or what?

She closed her eyes, her thoughts carrying her away to her last trip to Ireland (The Twelve Bens). Things were changing fast there. But the different colours of green lasted. The Irish probalby put some light underneath the meadows to make the green shine like that. A constant source of amazement. Full of stories and mysteries. When she took out a book about Irish fairy tales, her hands touched a key and a little coin in her bag. A key given to her by Brian. She didn't know where it would fit but hoped to find out on this trip. What a great mystery life was sometimes, she thought while she started reading.

A voice in the speaker drew her back to reality after about an hour. "In a couple of minutes we will reach Frankfurt Main, Main Station" it said. She closed the book and took off the ear phones. The lady with brown hair, already wore her coat as if she was worried to be late. Georg had already left his seat. "Lily, I think I will help this lady", he said. "I hope you don't mind." Lily looked at him. "Well, I do mind. But I know darn well that won't keep you from doing it. So, good luck, old man." She emphasized the last two words, fully aware of the fact that George didn't like them. She got her Rucksack down, threw her poncho around her shoulders and waited for the train to stop in Frankfurt.



Start | Net.Train-Map | Stories overview | First sentence | Participate! | Project Information | Contact the team! | Meet us @ events! | Achill finale