The Other Reader

Mary takes the same train to work every morning. One Tuesday, she finds a book on seat 14. The book is old. The train is almost empty.

She opens the book. There are pencil marks next to the words. Someone writes small notes in the book. Next to a sad part, a note says: “This part makes me cry.” Mary smiles.

She keeps the book for a week. Then she takes a pencil and writes: “This part makes me laugh.” On Friday, she leaves the book on seat 14.

On Monday, the book is there again. There is a new line in pencil: “Seat 14 is lucky.” Mary laughs.

For three weeks, they write to each other about the story, the weather and the coffee at the station. Mary never sees the other reader. Then, on the last page, she finds a message: “Look for my grey scarf tomorrow.”

The next morning, Mary looks at every person on the train. A young man by the door has a grey scarf and a pencil. He looks at the book in her hands and smiles.