It Just Won't Stop

On the commuter express train, *hic*...

A sudden case of the hiccups in a crowded train car.

*Hic*...
*Hic*...
*Hic*...

The eyes of those around me turn toward me.

All I can hear is the sound of the train running and music leaking from wireless earphones.

And then,

*Hic*...
*Hic*...
*Hic*...

My hiccups.

They just won't stop.

Twenty more minutes until the next station.

There's nowhere to run.

*Hic*...

Two elementary school boys sitting in front of me started whispering while looking at me.

Before long, one of them took a smartphone out of his school bag and began operating the screen with a serious expression.

Then, for some reason, the two of them started playing rock-paper-scissors.

The boy who lost said,

"Miss, if you take a deep breath and hold it for ten seconds, it might stop."

I appreciate the advice, but...

I wish they would just leave me alone.

Even as I thought that, I couldn't refuse when they looked at me with such clear eyes.

I try doing as they said.

I take a deep breath, hold it in

One, two, three, four, five...

*Hic*...

They won't stop.

"I guess it didn't work."

The boy looked genuinely disappointed.

The two of them peered into the smartphone again.

I have nothing but a bad feeling about this.

"Apparently, putting your fingers in both ears works."

"But you're holding onto the strap, so that's impossible."

*Hic*...

"Drinking cold water seems to stop them."

"Do you have any water?"

"I don't."

*Hic*...

In a packed train, I can't even get to a vending machine.

*Hic*...

*Hic*...

Just then, one of the boys said,

"Is it true that you die if you hiccup a hundred times?"

"What number are we at now?"

The two of them started counting.

"Thirty-one!"

*Hic*...

"Thirty-two!"

*Hic*...

"Thirty-three!"

At first, it was just the two of them.

But strangely enough, the passengers around us also started listening in.

"Thirty-four!"

"Thirty-five!"

"Thirty-six!"

Before I knew it, everyone was counting along in their hearts.

*Hic*...
*Hic*...
*Hic*...

I am incredibly embarrassed.

But when I imagine the reaction of these kids when the hiccups reach 100, I start to find it funny.

Even though the hiccups won't stop, laughter is welling up inside me.

Meanwhile.

The salaryman standing next to me was worried about something else.

Inside his bag is an unopened plastic bottle of water.

It's cold water.

It might help with the hiccups.

But.

Would it be a nuisance if I suddenly offered it to a stranger?

Would she be wary of me?

Would it be meddlesome?

He opens his bag, then closes it.

Opens it, then closes it.

He just can't make up his mind.

*Hic*...

"Seventy-eight!"

*Hic*...

"Seventy-nine!"

The atmosphere in the train had become one.

Just then.

"Mister, do you have any water?"

The elementary school boy suddenly spoke to the salaryman.

The train car went quiet.

The salaryman's eyes went wide.

"How did you know?"

The boy says,

"You've been opening and closing your bag's zipper for a while now, so I was curious and watching, and I saw the cap of a plastic bottle."

The train car watched the situation unfold.

With the help of the elementary school boy in front of him, the salaryman naturally takes the plastic bottle out of his bag.

"If you'd like."

I am hesitant, but encouraged by the beaming smiles of the children in front of me, I accept the bottle.

And take a sip.

*Hic*...

Another sip.

...

And one more sip.

...

They're gone.

I cautiously take a breath.

They're gone.


"Yay, they stopped!"

The boys jump for joy.

A warm air was flowing through the usually heavy train car.



I can't help but smile.

The hiccups had indeed stopped.

But.

The things born in this train car...

The curiosity of the elementary school boys,

The kindness of the salaryman,

And the warm feelings of the passengers that spread because of it...

They just won't stop.

As I get off at the next station, I bow to the boys and the salaryman.

"Thank you very much."

The doors close.

On the other side of the window of the departing train, the boys were still laughing while talking about something.


The only thing that stopped was the hiccups.

Human kindness, however...

Just won't stop.

#AmanoWritingClub
#ItJustWontStop
#Hiccups