Flight Ticket

This is
A Piccadilly line service
To Heathrow Terminals 4
And 1, 2, 3.

I am one of those usual travellers.
My mind pointing in a single direction,
Me headed to the usual destination,
I move along the dark blue route -
Harshly slicing through radial London,
Rarer and rarer zones 1, 2, 3.

The next station is Acton Town.
It is an accessible station,
Like a lot of others in Greater London.
I recall changing to a different line here before;
Newer, cleaner, wider trains -
The fresh green District line.

Trains.
There’s so many in London.
The zigzags intimidating,
The map so colorful.

Beep. Beep.
The sound of tapped travelcards.
People striding through the barriers out of habit -
Numerous personalities,
Thousands of gazes,
A million steps and
A billion connections not made.

This station is Osterley.
Another one of those stops
Where I will probably never alight.
Entire places remain in memory
As platforms crossed on the way
To somewhere apparently more significant.

1, 2, 3.
Counting down now -
That many stops to Heathrow Terminal 4,
The train will wait there a while
Catering to flight passengers,
Airport travelers, and not commuters -
The intimidating Piccadilly line
Now warming up to me.

This?
It’s a Piccadilly line service to Heathrow Airport.
The few people left on the train
Get increasingly flustered -
Which bag do I pick up first?
Where is the Oyster card thing?
Maybe I should use this set of doors.

Beep.
Right through the wide accessible gateway.
Departures is that way.

A train moves against the platform behind
As the Piccadilly line service to Heathrow Terminals
1, 2, 3 and back
Is forgotten once more.

May 29, 2017