25.7.2007
The Next Railway Station-Heidi Soosalu
The Next Railway Stationby
Heidi Soosalu
(The author is a geology doctor from Finland living in Iceland at the moment.)
http://www.netsaga.is/media/files/Damn.mp3
Good morning!
Good morning.
Hey...
Ye?
Can I ask you something?
Well-ye.., but be quick. We´re about to close.
Alright. But can you tell me, where´s the next railway station?
Railway station? There´s no railway station here in Reykjavik.
Oh, there´s not?! I didn´t know that. But that doesn´t matter. I could as well use the one in Hafnarfjordur, or e.g. on Selfoss, if that´s necessary.
? But there isn´t any railway station in Hafnarfjordur or Selfoss either.
? There just aren´t any railway stations in this country.
? Oh! Are you quite sure? But perhabs on Egilsstadir?....
? No! They don´t exist on Iceland, none so ever!
? Not even any railway is here to be found!
? Not! That isn´t possible! Quite incredible! But...but what shall I do now? What shall I ?!
? No but... calm yourself, just stay absolutely calm! Do not cry! It´s not that serious.
? Sniff... Ye, but it is. Very serious. What am I to do?!
? But so, so! Everything will go well. Stop now, here´s a hantkerchief ... Perhabs I can assist you in some way?
? No..o. Or maybe... Sniff. Do you have a map? Or preferably an Atlas?
? An Atlas?! No. Or ye, just wait a... I do probably have one on the shelf in the storage-room, if I recall right. I´ll go and check. Wait a second!
? Yes! I was quite right! Here´s the Atlas! But how will we use it? Shan´t we just open it and look? If you´ll come a little closer I´ll put it here on the table? So!
? But this isn´t the right page. This is just a map of Iceland!
? But... What do you mean?
? Don´t be like a fool! You´ve just informed me that there aren´t any railways in Iceland. Therefore we won´t search for them in Iceland!
? Mmm... of course not...
? Yes, let´s see... Greenland... No, there´s nothing but a glacier there. But Norway... There must be railways in Norway, not true?
? Yes, I think so. My aunt lives there and I think she took the railway once from Oslo to Bergen. Or did she go with a bus...
? Or how about Scotland?
? Yes, there are supposed to be railways in Scotland. Definately.
? If we´ll search a little further... North-America!
We´ve quite forgotten about North America!
? Yes it´s true. You mean The United States?
? Yes of course The United States. Why?
? But isn´t it a fact, that Canada is a lot closer to Iceland than The States?
Let me see... Canada... page 149. Yes that´s right! And further more, Newfoundland is the closest.
? But isn´t that an island? Usually there aren´t any railways on islands, e.g. not on the island of Iceland, remember!
And just take a look, Canada is really a bit too far away. It must be either Norway or Scotland.
? Yes, that´s correct. Here we can see it closely. If we measure it with a ruler... There are approximately 850 kilometres between Iceland and Scotland,...and a thousand to Norway. Yes I state that Scotland is the closest place where there are railways to be found, and railway stations!
? Great! Marvellous! You´ve just saved my day! Thanks! Thank you very much!
? You´re welcome!
? But there´s one thing... Do you know maybe...
? No, what is it now?! Don´t you realize that we´re going to close up?
? I´m just speculating...Do you know when the next train leaves?