Passing through the airport one Saturday morning, I caught one of those trains that take travelers from the main terminal (航空集散站) to their boarding gates. The trains run back and forth all day long, free but boring.
At the front of the first car were a man and his son. After letting off passengers, the doors were closing again. "Here we go! Hold on to me tight!" the father said. The boy, about five years old, made sounds of delight.
"Look out there!" the father said. "See that pilot? I think he's walking to his plane." Then the son looked out of the window carefully.
As I got off, I remembered I wanted to buy something in the terminal, so I decided to go back. Just as I was about to get on the train again, I saw that the man and his son had returned too. I realized then that they hadn't been heading for a flight, but had just been riding the shuttle (区间列车).
"I want to ride some more!"
"More?" the father said, "You're not tired?"
"This is fun!" his son said.
"All right," the father replied, and when a door open, we all got on.
Where are all these people going, Daddy?" the son asked.
"All over the world," came the reply.
The father and son, were just riding this shuttle together, making it exciting, sharing each other's company. It doesn't cost a cent, yet it is the most valuable thing in the world.
The train picked up speed, and the father pointed something out, and the boy laughed again.
