The Magic Train
Sam was 16. Every day, he took the same train to the city for his summer job. The train was old and grey. Every day, Sam sat in the same seat and looked out the window at the same buildings.
One Tuesday, a train conductor with a kind face came to Sam. “Good morning,” the conductor said. “Do you want a different view?”
Sam was confused. “What do you mean?”
The conductor smiled. He touched the window. The grey buildings outside started to change. Sam saw a green forest with tall trees. He saw a river with blue water. He saw a mountain with snow on top.
Sam’s eyes were wide. “How… how is this possible?”
The conductor laughed softly. “This train goes to many places. You just have to ask.” He pointed to Sam’s book. “What are you reading?”
“A book about mountains,” Sam said.
“Ah,” said the conductor. “Then today, we travel to the mountains.”
Sam watched the mountains get closer. He felt a strange feeling. It was like he was really there. For the first time in weeks, he was not bored. He was excited.
The next day, Sam sat in his seat. He was reading a book about the ocean. The conductor came by. “The ocean?” he asked. Sam nodded. The conductor touched the window. Outside, the train travelled beside a wide, blue ocean.
Every day that week, Sam travelled to new places. He felt like he was growing up. The world was bigger than just the city.
On his last day of work, Sam said goodbye to the conductor. “Thank you,” Sam said. “You helped me see that there is so much to explore.”
The conductor smiled. “The world is big,” he said. “Now, go and see it.”