The platform was crowded with late-night revellers anticipating the arrival of the last train home.
Remarkably, the information board indicated that St. Anley's homeward-bound train would be on time.
It also recommended that passengers intending to alight at Fishbourne, Bosham, Nutbourne etc. should travel in the front SEVEN coaches, owing to short platforms at these stations.
St. Anley noticed a woman.
She had shapely legs and a comely face.
He guessed that her male companion was her partner as he repeatedly caressed her buttocks.
The lady didn't seem to mind.
("He's on a promise tonight," thought St. Anley!)
The train pulled in and St. Anley boarded coach number SIX, as did several other people, including the shapely-legged lady and her man-friend.
St. Anley squeezed down the central aisle to occupy a seat which, by pure chance, afforded a view of the aforementioned legs.
Eye contact was made.
The lady smiled.
Indeed, she had a very pleasing countenance in a mature sort of way.
The lady remarked sympathetically, "You seem to be heavy-laden."
St. Anley was carrying his mandocello in its gig-bag, and another large, soft bag.
St. Anley just smiled back, wordlessly implying, "It's OK, I don't have far to go."
"Good evening," snapped a disembodied voice.
"This is your on-board supervisor. Welcome aboard this Southern train bound for Portsmouth Harbour, calling at Fishbourne, Bosham, Nutbourne [etc.]"
"Please be advised that passengers intending to leave the train at Fishbourne, Bosham, Nutbourne [and others] can only alight from the front FOUR coaches, owing to short platforms ..."
"What coach is this?" people asked anxiously.
It was unanimously agreed that we were two coaches further back from where most of us needed to be.
In unison people rose from their seats to surge forwards.
Well, it was almost in unison ...
St. Anley was delayed by struggling with his mandocello, the shoulder-strap of which had become wound around his left ankle.
He struggled.
"Let me help you," said the smiling lady with shapely legs and pleasing countenance.
St. Anley was obliged to politely avert his gaze from a generous display of cleavage as she leaned over to assist his disentanglement.
"Thank you so much," he said in some embarrassment.
"That's alright," she replied, "I always like to demonstrate the milk of human kindness!"
(Did she know precisely what St. A. had been thinking a moment ago?)
The lady extracted the musical instrument in its bag and slung it over her shoulder. She grabbed the other bag from off St. Anley's lap and tossed it to her gentleman friend.
"Here, take this," she commanded.
"Now, follow me!"
St. Anley, impressed by her authority, had no choice.
"What is this?"
St. Anley explained that it was a mandocello, a musical instrument.
"Cello coming through!" she announced as she barged her way through the other passengers.
St. Anley followed after, his heart full of joy.
Soon this procession arrived in coach FOUR, just as the train departed Fishbourne.
At the first vacant aisle-seat the lady turned.
"You sit there!" she said.
She deposited the instrument on the adjacent window-seat, and her gentleman friend handed over the other bag.
"Thank you, so very much," said St, Anley again.
The lady bent over once more, with another, full-frontal display of human kindness.
Then she kissed him fully on the lips.
This time, St. A. kept eyes open.
"Ah, you've made my day!" he exclaimed.
The smiling lady with shapely legs found seats for herself and her gentleman friend a little further up the carriage.
She continued to smile.
The gentleman was now stroking her inner thigh.
A few minutes later the train pulled in at St. Anley's home station, Nutbourne.
St. Anley rose, with no difficulty this time, hoisted his belongings on to his shoulders and stood waiting at the door.
Eye contact was resumed.
Smiles were shared.
The door opened.
The entire company waved and said, "Good night."
The lady's gentleman friend gave a thumbs-up sign.
The smiling lady with shapely legs, pleasing countenance and other comely bits blew a kiss.
Saint Anley turned to wave before adopting a kneeling posture on the platform.
The on-board supervisor was very concerned.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I am simply thanking the Almighty for the milk of human kindness!"
