I was on the Metro in Athens travelling to a meeting
To my right was a woman reading a cheap magazine
We were oblivious to each other as travellers often are
An inspector of tickets suddenly appeared behind us
I showed him my short term ticket without a word
But I had a feeling that the woman was travelling illegally
My assumption was correct and she began to look alarmed
She had raven saucer eyes
Which were beginning to moisten
May I see your ticket
I do not a have a ticket
Do you have any money for your fare
No my purse as stolen
I was going to report it
The inspector looked at her sternly
I know that is a lie
The first tear ran down the woman’s face
Do you have any money at all
No
What happened next greatly surprised me
As the inspector reached into his wallet
He handed the woman two high value notes
There was look of total astonishment in her eyes
I cannot
I insist
It is so much
The money belongs to the railway
They have enough already
Fuck the Metro
The woman took the notes and placed them into her wallet
She was smiling inwardly
There was an application of brakes
We were approaching a station
The woman rose from her seat
This is my stop
Thank you so much for the cash
She then leaned forward and kissed the inspector on the cheek
He smiled into her glowing eyes
Thank you so much you are my angel
And with a minute glance the woman alighted from the train and hurried away possibly out of embarrassment
The inspector moved up the car as more people had joined the train
It was then that I noticed that the woman had left her cheap magazine behind