Taylor hopped onto the train in the dark train station. Shouldering his full red Jansport backpack, he gulped and took a seat across from a girl who looked his age. He knew it wasn’t the smartest idea to run away from his problems, but the fame was getting to him. He was sick of all the attention and the pressure to be good. He couldn’t let his real self show through because he was known as the angelic, quiet Hanson. He couldn’t live up to the standards anymore. Taylor hated being misunderstood. That’s why he was on the 5:00 train from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. It wasn’t very far away, but it would throw people off for a while. With his hair tucked up into a hat pulled far down over his eyes, Taylor was dressed in pre-fame clothes--faded baggy blue jeans, a Milwaukee Bucks T-shirt, and a black jacket.
Taylor peaked out from under the brim of his Nike baseball cap at the girl across from him, praying he wouldn’t find a Hanson T-shirt. He couldn’t tell. Her head was leaning against the window with her hand partially covering her face. Her other arm cradled her own backpack, resting in her lap. Her eyes brimmed with tears that didn’t fall. As Taylor peered at her, he realized that it was exactly how he felt. He knew nothing about this girl but thought he understood. Getting an inspiration for a song, he unzipped his backpack and brought out his dictaphone. Never leave home without it.
When he pressed the record button, he said quietly into it, "Isn’t it weird. Isn’t it strange." The girl’s eyes flicked in his direction. Taylor met her glance, and she brought her hand from her face and stared at the ground. "Even though we’re just two strangers on this..." he paused, pondering. "On this runaway train." The words just kept coming. "We’re both trying to find a place in the sun. We’ve lived in the shadows, but doen’t everyone?" The forehead of the girl creased in concentration. Her chin began quivering. "Isn’t it strange how we all feel a little bit weird sometimes?" Taylor stopped the dictaphone, so he could think of more lyrics.
The girl looked up slowly. "That’s really good." It was probably the most sincere compliment Taylor had ever received.
"Thanks," he replied and finished the rest of the song.
