Chapter Text
A flash of yellow, a shriek (his own) and a continual tipping sideways.
That's all he can remember about the accident but that doesn't matter because that was then and this is now and John Joseph Jacobs can see clear across the tops of the heads of everyone on the platform to see the train approaching.
Another good thing about being tall, especially in crowded spaces, is that to his surprise people tend to move. He likes to pretend it's politeness but it's more likely the imposing shadow he casts. Mama always said he'd scare people. Either way it means he gets to the front, and the good seats, before anyone else.
4.30 PM every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday the train westbound home. The third carriage. The double seat at the front with the leg room. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are self imposed pie days and well, he can't very well miss pie on pie day, especially when there's extra pie, hence the having to journey home. Only this time there's a problem; it's Tuesday, it's the train westbound, it's the third carriage and someone's in his seat.
"You're in my seat." Oh. He said that out loud.
Oh he's tall. TALL, tall. Like has to duck his head tall, all legs and looming above her tall, redwood tall. Climbable .
"Excuse me?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just.. it's four thirty, and I sit there."
"It's four forty-five."
"What?"
"It's four forty-five."
He looks at his watch just as the train shunts into motion sending him stumbling into the handrail. Four forty-six. Oh. The extra pie.
"You should sit down before you fall down." She pats the seat next to her "Plenty of room."
He folds himself into the seat as best he can, he likes to sit here because there's more room but usually he still has to turn sideways a little for comfort. Usually he has space to. Today he has to decide whether to twist himself toward the aisle or lift his knees upward to face forward. Deciding both would look ridiculous he sits with his legs open and knees spread, the right one knocking against his new travel companion who seems to be trying her best to mold herself against the window to give him more room.
"I'm sorry, I have horse legs."
She's quiet for a moment before erupting in a burst of badly concealed laughter "Oh, I wouldn't say that, just a little more leg than average maybe." she smiles at him, she likes a man with a sense of humour.
"Oh no, I really do. Xenograft transplant, Zeen-Oh-Graft." He enunciates.
Oh god, abort mission. He's a weirdo.
The silence is definitely uncomfortable. Olive always tells him, start with the little things; the weather, his name. Don't go jumping in talking about murder and Mama and horse legs straight away. Those are things to build up to. Truth is he wasn't too good at talking to people before anyway but since? Well. It hasn't gotten any easier.
"I'm sorry. I'm being weird aren't I?"
Well. At least he's honest.
"A little? Over sharing maybe."
"I tend to do that and it makes people uncomfortable."
"Yeah, I can see how it might." A smile curls small at the corner of her mouth. OK, a friendly weirdo then.
He holds out his hand then, wide palm and long fingers, "I'm John Joseph Jacobs, the sun's shining but it's still a little chilly and it looks like we could be in for rain."
"Ok?" She shakes his hand for the absolute least time politeness allows.
"Small talk."
"Oh? Oh !!" She doesn't hold back the bark of laughter this time. "God you really are bad at this huh?"
John just smiles. "Yeah, I might get better though?"
John gets off the train exactly two stops past his own, crosses the platform and then takes a train two stations back again. It's raining but he doesn't mind because the conversation was worth it. He'd told her about his museum trips and the places he's visited so far, all on his list of things to do and see now that he's out and about again. She'd told him about her weekend and suggested the best places for days out, ones not local but still not too far. "Maybe stay over someplace, a hotel by the coast, live a little". He'd liked that idea.
He's pleased with himself and he can't wait to tell Olive, maybe he'll call her later, tell her how he had a conversation, a real full conversation, and remembered all her advice, even the bits about staying on topic and not talking about being fake dead or living in a basement. She'll be so proud too he imagines, what with her knowing how hard it is for him sometimes. How hard it has always been he figures, talking to people, especially pretty girls.
Oh.
Five thirty-two, eastbound, third carriage and on the seat at the front John Joseph Jacobs realises she was pretty.
.
It's all he can think about Friday. All the way to the park. The library. The lake. All the way around the places he likes to go, on his own, just to say he's been there. All the way to The Pie Hole even though it's not pie day and that should be indication enough of how bad the situation is.
Olive is enthralled. "So tell me again," she says, leaning on her elbows across the table all eager "you told her about your little list? and the weather?"
"Oh yes! And she's been to the history museum but not the toy one because the dolls give her the creeps but she's never been to the zoo and she'd like to try it one day."
"Have you done the zoo yet?" Chuck calls from somewhere over near the counter out of sight but not out of hearing distance it seems.
"I have!"
"You could go again though right?" Olive suggests more than asks, brimming with enthusiasm and throwing a look that definitely means something over to where he guesses Chuck to be.
"I mean, I guess."
"Maybe it would be good for your new friend to have someone there who already knows his way around?"
"Go together?"
"Yes! What a good idea!" Olive shoves him on the shoulder. "See you, John Joseph, are full of good ideas."
He supposes he would like it, and he thinks she would too because she did seem all kinds of excited about the monkeys. And yes she is ever so pretty but he's certain he could invite her because she already knows he's weird so it won't even be a surprise this time.
There's only one problem. He'll have to find her first.
.
After a weekend of freshly scribbled notes; Best Things To Talk About With Friends, Fun Animal Facts For Conversations, Twenty Five Remarkable Types Of Monkeys, John Joseph lingers over his pie on Tuesday and makes it to the platform westbound six minutes after the departure of the 4:30 PM train. He waits patiently, eyes never leaving the tracks in the distance and finally, after what he is sure is far longer than nine minutes the 4:45 comes into view. When he boards the train his seat is empty.
Wednesday is not pie day but that doesn't mean it can't be visit Olive day. On the 4:45 PM train home he sits alone until he is joined by an elderly lady who decides he must be interested in the pictures of her grandson she takes from her purse. He doesn't mention that the photos are actually store receipts and gets off a stop before his own to escort her home to her family who thank him kindly before he walks home in the rain.
Thursday IS pie day and although it's not his favourite (rhubarb) he takes an extra slice and arrives at the station at a nippy 4:43 PM and travels home alone.
Friday he decides can be shake day because shakes have always been his favourite drink and now that he doesn't have to worry about keeping the weight down, you know, for the races, he thinks well why not. Live a little.
4:30 PM. He's early but that's fine, he can wait a little. Just because a train is in the station it doesn't mean he has to get on board. He's sure Olive would have some such similar wisdom.
He lets the bustle pass him, the push and the shove, he's in no rush, it's fine, everything's fine. He has fifteen more minutes to wait and it's fine anyway because from his vantage point, above the heads of everyone else, he can see someone's already in his seat on this train anyway. They're sat in his seat with their bag placed down next to them and they're…oh, it's…OH! heavens!
John Joseph finds that not everyone moves out of the way for tall people but honestly that's not his problem and he's sure the nice man with the briefcase and the angry scowl wasn't hurt too much when his bottom hit the ground as John launched himself through the already closing carriage doors just in time.
When she looks up, all the way up, a wide grin breaks out across her face and she moves her bag from the seat beside her. Judging by the people standing it seems as though she was saving the seat for someone and he only feels a little bad that he's taking the space instead of whoever she was waiting for.
"Zoo!" Oh dear. At least his smile feels like it should look friendly on his face.
"Yes!" She says excitedly, all animated and glowing, "I went at the weekend! It was as good as you said it'd be!"
Oh.