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