Myers is on a train heading toward Strasbourg, France, where his estranged son is a student. The last time he saw his son was eight years ago, when the son had attacked him Myers as he fought with his now ex-wife. A man enters Myers’s compartment and immediately goes to sleep. Unable to fall asleep himself, Myers is jealous. He walks to the bathroom to wet his face and thinks about the letter he unexpectedly received from his son. Much to Myers’s surprise, the son signed the letter “Love.”

Myers wrote back, also signing his letter with the word “Love.” His son encouraged him to come to Strasbourg, and Myers took all of the six weeks of vacation time that he accrued at work. However, Myers realizes now that he has no interest in spending that much time in Europe and looks forward to going home as “he was tired of trying to make himself understood to strangers” (53).

Upon returning to his compartment, Myers realizes immediately that someone moved his coat. Though he still has his passport and wallet, someone took the expensive watch he purchased as a gift for his son. Annoyed, Myers attempts to question the sleeping man, but he clearly does not speak English. He exits the compartment and walks through first class to second class, certain that one of these people must be the thief. Myers realizes, however, that there is nothing he can do to recover the watch, particularly because he cannot communicate. Back in his compartment, Myers feels a wave of anger at the man who is asleep again.

Myers suddenly realizes he no longer looks forward to seeing his son. With no desire to see him, Myers feels ridiculous for having made this trip. He remembers the way his son looked at him with hatred the last time they saw each other. Moreover, he blames his son for turning his mother into an alcoholic and asks himself, “Why on earth […] would he come all this way to see someone he disliked?” (56)

The train pulls into the station at Strasbourg, and Myers decides not to disembark. He looks surreptitiously to see that his son is not on the platform and wonders if he also changed his mind. Myers watches other passengers and feels relief when the train begins to move. But the train stops again shortly, and Myers worries about whether the train really goes on to Paris. He leaves the car and walks down the train aisle but can’t bring himself to try to communicate again. The train moves again, and Myers tries to return to his compartment only to realize that it is no longer there, having been uncoupled from the train with all of his belongings. In another compartment, a group of men wave him inside and he sits down. Myers decides that he is no longer concerned about his destination and falls asleep.