Accommodations

Amtrak. Moynihan Train Hall.
The Pennsylvanian 43. On time.
Track 14.
"No Quiet Car today, ma'am,"
with a smile.

In each pair of seats
one person next to the window.

Brown-skinned man,
bushy black head, sweatsuit.
Plump, gray-coiffed granny.
Young, thin, sandy-freckled guy.
Heavy-set, middle-aged white male.
Spare woman, sparse pageboy,
opens a book.
Asian man keyboards,
laptop on fold-out tray.

I walk the length of the car.

Last pair of seats on the right
vacant.

I sit next to the window.

Everyone is silent.