One Brief Moment

One day while riding home from work on the subway, a woman boarded. In her hand was a bunch of balloons. I was standing right by the doors so I gave her a glance and went back to reading my book. All of sudden this little voice utters, "Happy Birthday, It’s your birthday". I put down my book and smiled and saw the most amazing thing was happening in the subway train. People also put down their books, their newspapers and turned around smiling, trying to find who this adorable child was that saw the balloons and wished the woman Happy Birthday. For one brief moment we all seemed to be as one,somehow lightened and delighted by the voice of a child. I have had some not so nice experiences on the subway, but I will never forget that one brief moment when the humdrum routine of the commute home was utterly transposed.