Finding Harmony: Stories Round the Table 2

Lily Cathcart December 09, 2025 0 0

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Read and listen to our next Advent Story Round the Table written and read by Lily Cathcart.

I don’t know what to do. We all heard it, the whole carriage heard him and it’s like we have all simultaneously forgotten how to breathe for an instant. As if breathing will give the sexist man’s words life, make them real.

The lady he shouted at, only just on the train, seems as shocked as the rest of us. 

But then she speaks: a cutting remark, a calm statistic, and a final dismissal. Honestly it takes all my control not to let out a laugh of relief at the man now reduced and quiet, under her determined gaze.

I make sure to stifle any trace of the smile as she turns. I see that her eyes are still wide, shocked, angry and she is heading straight for me. Not me precisely of course but for the other half of the coveted table seat that I have been guarding selfishly since I got on the train, spreading my things across it. The seat which meant I could enjoy the silence and solitude I so rarely get anywhere else. I needed it I told myself as I got on the train five stops ago, I deserved it after the day I’d had. 

But doesn’t she deserve it more? I can see my Aunty in my mind pointing to the sky and asking me ‘what would God say little one?’ Well she isn’t here to ask him anymore so I’ll have to guess. I expect the least my selfish soul can do is find room for her alongside me. Before I know it I am standing up. 

‘There’s a seat free next to me if you’d like it.’ I smile at her, hoping it is a welcoming and safe smile. Hoping that she isn’t about to bite my head off. Why did it only occur to me now that she might not want anyone to talk to her.

I wish belatedly that I had followed my instincts and stayed put, but here I am now, standing awkwardly on the train as it pulls away from the station and jostles me into the people at the next table who I had, until this point, been stoically ignoring. I glance down at them to apologise but they smile at me encouragingly.

That’s new.

The lady is coming towards me, fierce and quiet, away from that awful man, and puts her bag in the rack above us. In the background I can hear someone talking to him, the voices are blurred in my head. Angry? Defensive? I tried to block them out and focus on the person sitting down to share the table with me.

I clumsily tidy my belongings out of her way, embarrassed suddenly by the amount of space I had been so confident to take up moments ago.

‘I’ve got so much stuff’ I smile as I shove it into my bag, ‘let me move that.’

‘Don’t worry about it.’ She smiles too. ‘I’m Saffie.’

‘Emily.’ I smile again, not sure what has gotten into me and where all these smiles have come from but unable to help them coming. In the silence that follows we each look out of the window, and let the town turn to countryside beside us.

Perhaps, my journey will not be that all that different after all. Perhaps I won’t need to pretend to be sociable.

And then there is a bear in my face.

It has scruffy brown fur and a pair of red, slightly stained dungarees.

It is being held precariously, on the train’s tilting table, by a small hand which is attached to a small girl.

‘This is Honey!’ the little girl declares proudly and after a small pause I realise she is waiting for me to say something to her bear. I try to hold back a dejected sigh and dutifully say, “Hello."

The girl is unimpressed with my efforts at soft-toy communication. I can’t really find it in my heart to feel too bad about that, but I do feel happy that Saffie seems to be much better at enjoying it.

I wonder if she has children waiting for her at home, or perhaps a niece or nephew somewhere she loves. Perhaps she is just looking for a distraction from her day. I can’t blame her for that!

After a few more teddy introductions we learn that the girl is called Beth and I notice that she is now sitting down next to Saffie. Should I tell her to go away? Can you say that to children? Probably not. Anyway, I’ve already seen that Saffie can defend her own space quite well without my help.

So it is just me who will have to grin and bear it, no pun intended, with the latest seemingly long term guest at my table.

Over the next few minutes Beth’s mum, who introduces herself as Angela tries to recall her child to their table seat across the aisle. It doesn’t work. Instead she gives me the same sort of smile as when I almost fell on top of them a few minutes ago. There are smiles everywhere today.

Realising Beth has jumped ship Angela begins to lean further and further over towards us reminding Beth (and Honey) to use ‘inside voices' and then enthusiastically joining in when holiday plans are mentioned.

I sigh internally and raise my eyes to the sky, or in this case the roof of the train, to my Aunty, or God, or both. Ok guys I take the hint. Releasing my last tired and selfish hold on the table I move my bag and gesture to Angela to slide across.

‘Do you want to sit with us?’ I ask ‘If it’s easier.’

I’m graced with another grateful smile, is this a thing people do to me now? Have I become someone who deserves grateful smiles? I hope so.

And the train sails on, chatter flowing round me like water and the silence I was craving washed away entirely. I find it has been replaced instead by Honey the bear and her fantastical adventures to Honey-Land where she is the queen and the bees are in trouble and need our help. Yes even mine.

Eventually Honey the bear goes off on an adventure across the marshmallow sea but silence is not brought in on the tide. Instead there is a list of book recommendations for holiday reading and some book vetoes which are heartily endorsed by both Angela and Saffie. I dutifully agree never to try reading any of them despite now being tempted to.

Eventually we reach Saffie’s stop, and she says goodbye to us all, especially Honey the bear who reappears for the occasion, then off she goes, on her way.

Beth, Angela, and Honey the adventuring bear slowly drift back to their own seats.

I am left alone again, with my highly coveted table.

It feels a bit silly now, too big and too empty.

I don’t spread my things across it.

Instead I look out of the window as the scenery changes from town to field to town again.

I enjoy the silence I so craved, and it seems sweeter and deeper after the hum of conversations.

Until it is interrupted by a new voice asking me:

’Is anyone sitting here?’

The newcomer gestures to the empty seat opposite me. It’s easier now than it had been to reply:

‘It’s free, you’re welcome to sit here if you’d like to.'

Lily Cathcart

Music in the audio version 'Cold' by Borrtex and 'Chasing the Light' by Northern Heart, both licensed by Sanctus Media from www.Artist.io.