The place is the big city. Carl is sitting in a seat looking out the window as the train was pulling out of the big train terminal. He has wanted to see the country by train. He knew that the flight to the opposite coast was faster, but he was tired of being in a cramped seat seeing nothing but the interior of a plane for six hours. He saw the buildings and the grade crossings and, finally, the countryside.

Hours later, the train pulled up to a small town. He looked outside and saw a beautiful lady with a backpack and her shoes in her hand. The conductor helped her on, and the train pulled away.

Carl looked at the houses as the train pulled out of town.

“Is this seat taken?”

He glanced back and saw the lady standing in the aisle with her shoes in her hand…