Strangers on a Train: Kate Donovan Me You The one you talk to. These are the guidelines for a constructed happening to take place on a train. Yes, it is almost like a script, but it must remain flexible & take into account the possible input of characters/other happenings in the situation. You will give instructions via mobile telephone to ‘the one you talk to’. You don’t necessarily have to also be on the train. Both You & ‘the one you talk to’ must be open to improvisation, yet these ‘instructions’ will form the backbone of the happening. Choose carefully ‘the one you talk to,’ you must make sure that they have these instructions before they even arrive at the train station: When you wait on the platform try to imagine that you are waiting in the wings to go on stage, but there should be no nervousness. Your outward appearance (expression, body language) should be one of quiet content, perhaps a smiley dreaminess. When the train arrives, board with the other passengers but remain in the aisle while everyone else finds a seat & settles. You should have a distracted love-gaze directed through the window at a non-specific person. All of your focus should be on this, out of the window, you have no intention of taking a seat. Maintain your focus out of the window if the train is still in the station. If convenient or appropriate, when the train pulls out perhaps even approach the window & press your face & hands against the glass with longing, smiling eyes. Once the train is out of the station, focus your attention upward, as though your were alone in a star-filled night. Continue this until your phone rings. Grab the phone with nervous excitement, & answer with joy & relief. You’ll then receive further instructions. When the ‘happening is over, & the phone line has gone dead, just take a seat & deal with the rest of the journey as normal. Your tone should not be like the stereotypical “instruction-givers” tone (stern, dictatorial, etc), you should be friendly & when it’s funny you are even allowed to laugh. It should be fun. The idea is to bring a burst of energy through this happening to the strangers on a train. The other passengers (strangers) should feel that they are the silent witnesses to an extraordinary little happening (or is that person just a bit mad?). This is what you should say into the phone. Remember it’s only the backbone, feel free to digress if it seems to flow in another direction & also feel free to help out ‘the one you talk to’ if they stumble on their words or are stuck for an idea. Hello there. Don’t say anything until I tell you what to say. Giggle a little bit, like a really pleased child. You should look around with wonder, trying to disregard any other passengers. Remain standing in the aisle. Keep looking up & around, still smiling with wonder. Emphatically promise me the first thing that comes to mind. Say it again. Say it louder. Now look at your feet. Notice the nearest empty seat & sit with minimal attention to the action. Still look around with wonder & smile. Still smiling, repeat after me I’ll do it! I’ll do it! Now look at your feet & say …of course I’ll do it. Giggle again. Explain in your own words exactly how you’ve fallen in love with the whole world since you’ve met me. Tell me exactly what it was about the world that you’ve fallen in love with. What else? Keep smiling. Tell me how exciting it all is. Tell me the details were making it obvious that we were supposed to be together. Give me examples of the details you found in everyday life that told you, perhaps you saw my name in graffiti in the lift.. Keep smiling. Hug your waist. Look up as though at the stars. Stand up & move around the carriage, up & down the aisle. Stumble over your words & try to explain how you feel like this is the most important thing in the universe. Say it again. Say it louder. Ask if I can hear you. Look at your phone & pretend we have a bad line. Say I think we’ve got bad reception. Look around all the time with no fixed gaze. Forget that the other passengers are there. Smile. Giggle to yourself. Hug yourself. Say Oh yes! Suddenly notice the nearest person & ask distractedly if they have a pen. Keep smiling without a fixed gaze. Ask them if they also have a piece of paper. Take it to a table to lean on Kneel down in the aisle. Hold the phone against your ear with your shoulder. Giggle. Ask me to say it again. Giggle again. Look out of the window with dreamy eyes. Look back at the pen Look back at the paper Start to doodle Giggle & sometimes say Yeah Yeah. Keep doodling. Smile. Smile & doodle & try to look like you are listening to a very beautiful story. Stop doodling. & describe what you drew. Say I haven’t drawn anything like that since I was a kid! Tell me the story of how we first met. Put down the pen. Continue the story, if you weren’t finished. Tell me how you didn’t even know my name. Stand up. Then remember the pen & paper. Think back to the place where you had your first kiss Now draw a map of the area where it happened. Draw in as much detail as you can remember, street names, random objects, etc. Explain the objects & the streets as though you are repeating my description. Give the pen back to the person. Stay standing in the aisle & start to talk about how everything that happened in the world happened so that we could be like this, in this moment & time. Ask if I feel the same. Say Hello? Hello? Darling? Pretend that the phone’s gone dead.