ON THE A TRAIN, TO THE END OF THE WORLD

MARYANNE CHRISANT

Riding the A train to the end of the world I heard your voice— “I’ll never leave my wife. I’ve told you at least seventy-three times. Too many years, friends, funerals— It wouldn’t be fair to her or to me.” Your face reflected in the window. I looked at you but you looked straight through.

“What am I to you,” I said. “How would you call me and what would this be named?” But you were silent as the cars swayed. You searched for my hand—

At the end of the world when everyone had left the A train, I looked at you wearing your years, friends, and funerals, your face braided inside the rope of me— “Are you coming?” you said.

You waited for me on the platform, but I didn’t get off. Your panicked look as the doors closed. I came back from the end of the world alone. Weighing the swaying of the cars and your surprised face through the window.

I don’t know if this is fair—

Author Bio

Maryanne Chrisant, MD, is a life-long writer of poetry and prose. She has studied writing with Jericho Writers, The New School, and Tufts University; with poets Galway Kinnell and Denise Levertov; and with New York writing  coach, Lenora DeSio. Her publication credits include: 34th Parallel  Magazine, Apricity Magazine, Connecticut River Review, JONAHmagazine, Penn English, Freshwater, Open Ceilings, Platform Review, Spotlong Review, Isele Magazine, and the podcast Anamnesis: Medical Storytellers. Her story, "Dia de los Muertos", published by Shark Reef Literary Journal, is nominated for a 2024 Best of Small Press Pushcart Prize. She is working on a short story collection and a novel and teaches Narrative Medicine. Her writing is  influenced by her experiences as a transplant physician, single mother of  twins, and in medical relief work.