Cafè Express

Michele works the night trains, carrying a basket of vacuum flasks and sugar packets stolen from railway cafés. He moves from carriage to carriage, selling hot drinks to sleepy passengers as the train snakes along the coast. The cash he earns is meant to fund a future surgery for his ailing son, keeping him in a precarious but determined rhythm.

Beyond the daily grind, Michele clings to the hope that a costly operation could cure his young son’s congenital heart deficiency. He muses over every coin and every delay, turning his mission into both business and prayer. The pursuit of money is framed by love and urgency more than by greed.

Michele extols his own quick wit and generous offers, waking passengers for the stops they must descend at and sorting out the little annoyances of travel. He earns loyalty by listening, improvising stories, and sharing warmth in the carriage dimness. Passengers begin to trust him as a familiar, friendly guide through the journey.

To a young passenger with a playful gaze, Michele spins a tale of a once-celebrated pianist whose window of success closed suddenly. He wears the line about his own wooden-arm guise like a personal fable, using it to captivate and bond with his audience. The anecdote reveals his talent for tailoring stories to each listener.

Another stop brings a tale of courage and rescue, claiming Michele saved orphanage boys from a blazing fire. The story shifts as he segues into a moment of quiet heroism, trading boast for comfort in the minds of listeners. The audience revisits the glow of the imagined blaze as the train rattles on.

A WW2 veteran listens as Michele recounts how a freezing night on the Eastern Front cost him his arm. He uses the memory as a prop to explain the hand-wrapped glove and to emphasize resilience. The tale blurs the line between truth and fiction, revealing how he confects identity to fit listeners.

Midnight arrives with a soundtrack of clacking rails as a trio of conductors is ordered to end Michele's midnight business. They sweep through the cars, hunting for the man with the 'arm' and the makeshift warmth he trades at every stop. Michele must improvise to evade capture while keeping his customers calm.

During the chaos, Michele unexpectedly encounters his son, who has escaped from the institution. The reunion occurs among the rattling carriages, a brief, breathless moment that sweetens and complicates his mission. The boy's presence deepens Michele’s resolve to keep going despite the danger.

A trio of petty thieves crosses paths with Michele, recognizing his knack for turning danger into opportunity. They seem to believe his stories and trade a plan for using him in their misdeeds. The encounter adds another layer of risk to his already perilous night.

The thieves pressure Michele to act as their accomplice, leveraging his reputation and his need to protect his son. He weighs loyalty, survival, and possible consequences as the coach cars pulse with dread. The moment tests his resolve and his talent for improvisation.

As the night wears on, Michele uses wit and misdirection to slip away from both pursuing conductors and the thieves’ scrutiny. He maintains his calm and continues aiding passengers, keeping their trust intact. The balance between danger and care defines the tone of this sequence.

The story closes as the train rolls toward its next stop, with Michele still running against time and risk. His plan to secure surgery for his son is intact, but the night leaves his fate and choices unresolved. The final mood lingers on whether he will outpace the danger or pay a heavy price.