An eviction notice hangs on my golden door, no car in the driveway, every drop drained from the pool, my desk just sitting there. Empty. Evicted.

How could they do this? I literally run this state! How could they do this? Well, that’s there problem. I have plenty of money to last a lifetime. Good luck finding another manager to replace me. Their loss! What were they even thinking? Who could they have possibly gotten to replace me? I built the roof the stand under tile by tile. Tile by tile! Eh, I’m better off without them, anyways. Good luck with that.

But where am I supposed to live now? I have no second home. There is no nine to five for a man who can’t...never mind. Well, I guess I’ll be off, then. Goodbye forever, old town. Old, dirty-rotten no-good town!

“Sir, where you going to pay for that?” growled a station master, who, by the way, looked like he hadn’t earned a cent in years.

“Pay for what?” What was I supposed to pay for? I own these streets!

“No ticket, no train. Sorry, but you’re gonna have to leave.”

“What are you talking about? I’m THE Hudson Dane! I own this train station, and...and if you don’t let me on this train right now, I might just have to fire you. How’d you like to beg for a living, hmm? Then don’t cross me again.”

“Mr Dane, of course! But you haven’t worked here in weeks! Watson’ll have it out for you if he ever sees you here again-good luck finding a new job, by the way.”

“What are you talking about? This is my train! Let me...let me go on!”

“Sir, no ticket, no train. As simple as that. Now you could do this the easy way, or we could do this the hard way. Your choice.”

“Let me on the train and I won’t tell anyone how you...”

Three large security men drag him away by the ankles.

“Freak, there hasn’t been a train robbery in decades! Why in tarnation would there be one now? Get a brain and get back to work. You wouldn’t want to slip up now, now would you, Freak? GET BACK TO WORK!”

“Ye...yes sir...Mr Watson sir. I’ll get right to it.”

“Then GET TO IT ALREADY! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?”

It’s a mystery how he’s still here. What good does he even do? He better keep his mouth shut if he knows what’s good for him. Ungrateful pig. After everything I did for him! After everything I did to get him this job! I make his money, and this is how he repays me. Slacking off again. Meh, good a’ time as any to get rid of ‘em. Time to take out the trash.

“Hey Freak, guess what? You’ve been promoted!”

“R...r...really, Mr, Watson, Sir? Thank you, thank you thank you! I...I won’t let you down. I’ll get right to work! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Have a blessed day, sir!”

“Ahahahaha! No, stupid. Oh, I’ve been promoted to district manager! You know, you’re even stupider than you look! Have fun finding another job. There’s the door.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Do I LOOK like a man with a sense of humor?”

“But...but sir...you told me...I’m your best employee...”

“I said no such thing.”

“But...”

“What are you still doing here?”

“Pardon me, is this seat taken?”

“Wait what?”

I must have fallen asleep. Train engines are the best white noise, you know. Never mind. Doesn’t matter anymore. Whatever.

“Is this seat taken?”

She stood there like a princess, just standing there. Probably judging me. I don’t care. Nothing matters any more. Maybe I’m still asleep. Maybe nothing happened at all. Maybe she’s an angel. Am I in Heaven?

“Ummm excuse me, sir, is this seat taken?”

“No, sorry. You can sit there if you want to I guess. Nice cat, by the way.”

“Thanks! She’s an English tabby...found her right outside my door one day and here we are! I guess she sheds a little much and sleeps too much and knocks things over and growls too loud, but whatever! She’s great! Oh my gosh I love your shoes! One time my dad got on a train to Scotland for work and stuff and found a whole BUNCH of toads that wouldn’t stop spitting all over him, so that’s why we don’t have a toad, so, yeah! One time I...sorry, am I rambling again?”

“No way, you’re fine. What’s your name?”

“I’m Abby. Abby Weidemann.”

Abby. What a beautiful name! It suits her. Have I seen her before? She sure does look familiar, and why is she glowing? Where have I seen her before? She’s beautiful. What am I talking about? I just met her what the heck! She’s beautiful. Most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my life. Do I know her? How do I know her? Where have we met before?

“What a beautiful name! I’m Jack, nice to meet you! Where are you from?”

“Oh, ya know, around here. But not for long! I’m opening a Zumba gym in Spain! Just gotta get out of this town, first. Dumb old town, no good for anyone.”

“Wow! That’s amazing! I used to do Zumba! I have no clue in the world where I’m going, just not here. No, nope, never again, no way, nuh, uh.”

“That’s aw...hey what hap...oh my gosh what happened to your hand?”

“Ummm I don’t know.”

“Hey, tell you what, how about...this is crazy, but how’d you like to come to Spain with me?”

“Ummm...”

~10 years later~

“Honey! Come watch this!”

Abby rushed to the studio, smiling from ear to ear with a chocolate cupcake in hand.

“Jack...what is all this?”

“Happy birthday, Abby!”

“Hey Abby, is it true you and dad met on a train?”

“Yes, sweetie.”

“Ughh! That’s grody! I’m gonna meet MY Prince Charming at a royal ball.”

“Abby, I think Ava and Jaxson have something for you.”

“What’s this?”

“Now you can go to Paris!”

“Are you ready?”

“For anything. Let’s go.”

I saw her on the train.

“ABIGAYLE WATSON!”

“ABBY!”