Of Queens and dreams....

Every time the train passed by her house, the noise murdered her sleep and left her shaking. Fire trucks and police cars filled in with their sirens when the train was away. She tossed and turned forcing herself to sleep. Some drunk men were cussing and quarreling at each other below her bedroom window. She had been planning to do something with the window insulation for the past one year but she still hasn’t found the time. It was expensive anyway and it was a pain to talk to her landlord. It was 4 am in the morning and she had to get up in another hour. She came home late from work last night and she hasn’t slept a wink.

She had considered moving out but it was impossible. She had to commute two good hours to work and living further away from the subway meant she had to walk more. She did not mind walking the distance, but it was difficult. Crazy men prowled in the night and the papers were full of rape stories. And come Fall, everything freezes... walking long distance was impossible. Finding another place also meant compiling endless papers for the lease. Bank statements, tax returns, employment letters.. she had non.

Her roommate was snoring soundly across the hall on the sofa. Somehow, it sounded soothing. She wished she could sleep.

She had a long day ahead. Getting the kids ready for school. Doing the dishes, making the beds, cleaning the apartment and shopping for dinner. Her employer was going away somewhere for the day and asked her to attend the parents’ meeting at the kids’ school. She decided she would stay late tomorrow and finish up the laundry as it was piling.

She felt a tear drop escape her eyes and cool off as it rolled down her temple. This has been her routine. Every night, she laid on her pillow and cried. Then she felt the small bulge in her mattress. It was there as usual. It was her secret comforter. She felt the bulge on her mattress every night and gained the strength that she had everyday. With this week’s pay, it would be seven thousand dollars that she had been secretly stuffing under her mattress.

The alarm clock blared off. She sprang out of bed in a cat-like reflex, jumped into the shower and she was ready in 30 minutes. She had a train to catch and a long day ahead. Her roommate took her turn in the shower. She said goodbye to her through the bathroom door and rushed out...........