大象传媒

When i was a boy, near the end of the war my Mother took us on a little holiday to our aunt's house. We took the train from Derry out into the countryside. On the way back we were waiting at a wee halt station for our train - i was there holding my mother's hand - in the distance I could hear the sound of a train but I could also hear singing. It was like a choir singing a very sad slow song. as the train drw into the staion it slowed down and the singing got slightly louder.
I looked up to see faces of young German POWs looking back at me through the windows. Their faces were so young and yet so very sad.
My mother said to me - 'Don't look at them - they're Germans'
I couldn't help it. i caught the eye of one young blonde boy who was on that train he looked at me and our eyes locked for a moment - he smiled at me and I smiled back at him. I held his gaze till the train pulled away.
It was at once a perfect but tragic moment which Ive never forgotten

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