9:00 PM. I alighted from the train at Dover, having slept for a better part of the hour long journey from New York Pennsylvania Station. It had been a long day, and I had been walking since morning. I got out of the train and stretched my legs. Oh! How they ached! Willing me to bed, they were. Willing them to walk, I was.
I walked across the length of the platform and down onto the road. I crossed the tracks to make my way home. Randolph is just a mile away. But the real problem is that my Gateways Apartments is halfway up a hill. I knew that, but I had no idea what was awaiting me. I started up the first ascent slowly half expecting my legs to give way any moment. I had no inkling how far up this was going. I looked up again and again failing to find the gas station where I was to take right. My thighs screamed in pain. I walked on. The road took a bend and levelled out. I reached the gas station and took the right.
My heart leapt with joy. A descent! What good fortune! I started walking down with fresh enthusiasm and pretty much worn out legs. The descent was pretty short lived. As I neared the base of the road, it started rising again. I felt my spirits sink. I reached the base and looked up. The sky and the road merged into one dark scenery. I wondered how high this one would be. Just then, a car passed by and started its ascent. I pitied the car, for it was dragging four people other than itself. I looked up again. Its tail lights went farther into the darkness. After another 30 seconds, I looked up again. I stopped walking and started in disbelief. The tail lights were visible, only far higher up than before and they still seemed to keep climbing and climbing. Finally after another 20 seconds, the lights vanished, going over the hill.
I had no choice. I started up again, more painfully this time. I kept to the side walk suddenly aware of the darkness surrounding me. The shrubbery sticking out from the compounds were making it difficunt to keep to the sidewalk. Each step was more painful than the one before. I stopped, yet again, to catch my breath. It was more than 15 minutes since I had started from Dover station.
In the distance, a dog barked, aware of my presence. Another shot out of the darkness toward me with startling speed. I froze. It was within a few feet. It took another leap. I was certain this night would be my last. As I awaited my destiny, it stopped in mid air and landed on the ground five feet from me. Then I noticed the chain, with relief. I started walking, still breathing heavily and not yet fully out of what had just happened.
I kept climbing and climbing now able to faintly distinguish the road from the sky. It was another 100 metres above.
I finally reached the top. It was another fifteen minutes before I reached my house.
And to think the Dover Taxi Company is 50 metres from Dover Station.
I walked across the length of the platform and down onto the road. I crossed the tracks to make my way home. Randolph is just a mile away. But the real problem is that my Gateways Apartments is halfway up a hill. I knew that, but I had no idea what was awaiting me. I started up the first ascent slowly half expecting my legs to give way any moment. I had no inkling how far up this was going. I looked up again and again failing to find the gas station where I was to take right. My thighs screamed in pain. I walked on. The road took a bend and levelled out. I reached the gas station and took the right.
My heart leapt with joy. A descent! What good fortune! I started walking down with fresh enthusiasm and pretty much worn out legs. The descent was pretty short lived. As I neared the base of the road, it started rising again. I felt my spirits sink. I reached the base and looked up. The sky and the road merged into one dark scenery. I wondered how high this one would be. Just then, a car passed by and started its ascent. I pitied the car, for it was dragging four people other than itself. I looked up again. Its tail lights went farther into the darkness. After another 30 seconds, I looked up again. I stopped walking and started in disbelief. The tail lights were visible, only far higher up than before and they still seemed to keep climbing and climbing. Finally after another 20 seconds, the lights vanished, going over the hill.
I had no choice. I started up again, more painfully this time. I kept to the side walk suddenly aware of the darkness surrounding me. The shrubbery sticking out from the compounds were making it difficunt to keep to the sidewalk. Each step was more painful than the one before. I stopped, yet again, to catch my breath. It was more than 15 minutes since I had started from Dover station.
In the distance, a dog barked, aware of my presence. Another shot out of the darkness toward me with startling speed. I froze. It was within a few feet. It took another leap. I was certain this night would be my last. As I awaited my destiny, it stopped in mid air and landed on the ground five feet from me. Then I noticed the chain, with relief. I started walking, still breathing heavily and not yet fully out of what had just happened.
I kept climbing and climbing now able to faintly distinguish the road from the sky. It was another 100 metres above.
I finally reached the top. It was another fifteen minutes before I reached my house.
And to think the Dover Taxi Company is 50 metres from Dover Station.
