Go away

I do not understand what possesses some random people to simply go up and talk to others in non-social settings. While the trolley station is technically public, I don't think of it as a place to socialise. It is a place I go to finally escape from the drudgery of my workday; I'm sure many feel likewise.

Due to my schedule, I'm generally running to catch my train. If I time it out correctly, I can be home approximately half an hour after quit time. If I miss that train, I have to wait fifteen to twenty minutes for another one and then I end up home an hour or more after quit time.

So, I'm running to the platform like I usually do, expecting the train to be just pulling up and expecting to just make it on in time. This time, however, it seems that I am either early or the train is late. The former is good, the latter isn't as good. In any case, I've run to an empty platform.

Minutes later the train arrives. I prepare to board and as I do so, a bald somewhat elderly man standing nearby, out of nowhere says to me, "right on time!" One beat later he continues, "I saw you running."

I am confused. Who is this joker who thinks he knows when the trains are supposed to arrive? He's obviously wrong about the timetable - a quick look at the clock over the platform reveals the train to be slightly delayed, not, as he said "right on time." More to the point though, I looked at the guy, wondering if I'd met him somewhere before and no files were surfacing in my mental database. Why was this complete stranger talking to me?

I got on the train and picked a seat. The man walked towards where I was sitting and then quickly moved elsewhere. I refused to look up, becoming intently interested in whatever page of the newspaper I was randomly opening up to as I heard him say, somewhat gleefully, "wouldn't want to make you feel any more uncomfortable."

Creepy.