In the train

The morning train was bloated with people. It slowed to crawl, then lurched foward suddenly, as if to save power for full speed. The train's brief diception jolted passengers. At once, an announcement from the overhead speaker apologized for the abrupt braking in the weird nasal voice in the tone of conductors' special. I wondered where they'd learned to speak that way. Maybe at training school I concluded. It's ok. I like it. The voice from his nose also announced that there had been an accident that had caused the delay and this jam.
I held on to the overhead railing, propped up securely within the crush. Another jolt. The mass of the crowd moved when I felt someone's elbow knock one of my books from my hand. It stayed between my leg and someone's leg for a brief moment and then fell as the man moved his leg to get relieved of his discomfort. I tried to bend to reach for the book. It was impossible. An elderly woman next to me noticed what happened and look at me with a vague smile and shook her head slightly as if to say it's no use. I smiled back. It was embarassing moment which continued until the train got to the next station. Some passengers moved toward the door. I pretended to follow them and then stopped. Small space was created in front of me. Just as I bent down to pick up the book the pressure from the passengers behind me increased by my sudden stop. I wobbled forward but managed to picked up the book. It was impossible to move backward against the pressure. I was forced out of the train. Then I caught my breath and went back into the car following entering passengers, as if nothing had happened. A few people away, I found the old lady smiling at me and nodding as if to say "you made it, boy."