On time as usual

     Krzysztof straightened his slightly askew service jacket and then glanced at the old, worn watch his father had given him.

"On time, as usual," he said to himself.

     The steady clatter of the train's wheels drowned out Krzysztof's lazy steps as he made his way toward the last carriage, peering into the mostly empty compartments. At this time of year, few people chose to travel by train.

     The next compartment wasn't empty. Through the glass door, Krzysztof saw a woman trying unsuccessfully to control two boisterous boys. They looked about six and eight years old, but Krzysztof had never been good at judging ages. A man sat opposite the woman, leafing through the back pages of a newspaper.

"I wonder if our guys will get it again, like they did last time away." A thought flashed through Krzysztof's mind as he read the title of the article, "Today's friendly match between Poland and Finland."

     Another man sat by the window, engrossed in a book. Krzysztof slowly slid the compartment door open and took a half-step inside.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like your tickets for inspection." He uttered a phrase he'd repeated for years, a phrase that had been on his lips even when greeting someone privately.

     Surprised by the appearance of a new person in the compartment, the boys stopped jostling for a moment, and their mother handed them three tickets.

"Thank you. Have a nice trip," Krzysztof said, handing back the tickets after a moment. "'Crime and Punishment.' An interesting novel," he thought as he noticed the book's title while taking the ticket from the passenger by the window.

     The man, who had just been browsing the latest sports news, nervously searched his pants and jacket pockets.

"I think I've been robbed!" he said after a moment. "I can't find the wallet I put the ticket in. I'm sure I put it in my back pocket.

" "Please calm down and check again." Krzysztof had heard similar lines many times before.

"Unfortunately. It's gone." The man searched his pockets again.

"In that case, I'll have to write you a fine," Krzysztof announced calmly.

"I'm telling you, I've been robbed. I don't even have the money to pay. All the documents...

" "So..." Zkrzysztof pondered, then glanced at his old, worn-out watch. "I suggest you leave the train at the next station. It'll be here in a moment...

" "Fine." The man agreed, then began to think aloud. "I bet that when I was coming back from the restroom, that brat who bumped into me whistled my wallet. Yes! That's definitely when..."

     During this monologue, Krzysztof escorted the man to the carriage door, then opened it and stuck his head out. A white station sign with the name of the town loomed in the distance. Krzysztof stepped back and, waiting for the station, leaned against the toilet stall. A moment later, the train pulled onto the station platforms. Krzysztof, with a quick, decisive move, grabbed the man by the shoulder and pushed him off the speeding express train from Gdynia to Warsaw, which didn't stop there.

"Damn fare dodgers!" he muttered under his breath. "That's the third one today, and there are still two more carriages to check."

     Krzysztof adjusted his slightly askew service jacket and then glanced at the old, worn watch his father had given him.

"On time, as always," he said to himself.