"An Encounter on a Subway Train"

I was on my way home from work and had just gotten on the subway train, settling into my usual spot by the window. To my surprise, a man sat down next to me, despite there being plenty of other empty seats around. We both kept to ourselves, staring off into the distance as the train picked up speed and began to move.

I couldn't help but notice the man's somber expression and the way he fidgeted with his hands. I wondered what could be going through his mind. As someone who usually kept to myself, I debated whether to strike up a conversation or to let him be.

Before I could make up my mind, the train jolted to a stop, causing us both to lurch forward. I noticed that the man's briefcase had fallen and his papers were scattered on the floor. Without thinking, I quickly helped him pick them up and handed them back to him. He looked at me for a moment with a hint of surprise in his eyes before nodding in gratitude.

As we resumed our journey, I felt a strange sense of closeness with this stranger beside me. We still didn't say a word, but it was as though we had connected in a small way. We rode the train together in silence, lost in our own thoughts.

When we reached our stop, we both got up and made our way to the door. Before he stepped off the train, the man turned to me and said, "Thank you for helping me earlier. Have a good evening." I returned his nod and watched as he disappeared into the crowd.

It was a simple encounter, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and comfort in the unexpected connection that had been made. Even though we never exchanged names or talked about anything meaningful, the brief exchange left me feeling a little less alone in the world.