I love travelling by train. The view shuttering past is the ultimate single take dolly shot, better than any movie. Real and gritty.
When driving a car, everyone’s best face is forward. The streets are groomed for the watchful eye of passing motorists, keeping up appearances. All trimmed lawns and washed windows.
But the train! Ah this is the voyeur’s dream, gliding along effortlessly with a personal view over every back fence.
Everybody hides from the world here, but by the same token nobody does.
The rusting bikes and the unmown lawns all tell a story of the occupants. Stories of misplaced dreams and long forgotten goals. Stories of compulsive hoarding and poorly timed washing. Stories of castles built with dirt and ill advised dares.
Stories that are never seen or heard no matter how many off ramps or rutted country lanes you force your self down. No matter how lost your Global Positioning System gets you, unless you can glimpse over that back fence, the front is aways A Front. The best face forward.