Friday Night Series: A Way To Start The Weekend

{Friday, December 24th, 2010 6:12 pm Toronto} "Ah, Friday night. The sweet relief of the weekend is finally upon us. The prospect of a 12-hour slumber in the comfort of my own bed is tantalizing. But for now, I'm going to bask in the freedom that comes with knowing I don't have to work until Monday." As Taye Idowu awaited his train, he plugged in his earphones and lost himself in the melodies streaming from his iPod. He leisurely observed his surroundings, his gaze landing on a woman struggling to untuck her blouse from her skirt near a telephone booth. A smirk played on his lips as he muttered, "Classic downtown Toronto." His eyes then wandered to an elderly man, sitting on the cold floor, cap turned over in silent plea. Taye dropped a few coins into the man's cap, his heart aching for his plight. Across the platform, a pregnant woman caught his attention. Her dark skin mirrored his own, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if she could be his long-lost twin sister. But he quickly dismissed the thought; his sister had disappeared seven years ago in a different country. As he watched, the woman found a seat and began to weep. His heart twisted with concern, but he reminded himself, "Everyone has their own battles to fight." Suddenly, his attention was drawn back to the woman as she stood precariously close to the platform's edge. Alarm bells rang in his head, but before he could act, his train arrived. He boarded, but a nagging unease forced him to disembark. As his train pulled away, he saw the woman still teetering on the edge, ignoring the pleas of a younger woman urging her to step back. The distant rumble of an incoming train filled the air, and the woman moved closer to the tracks. Panic surged through Taye as he desperately tried to get her attention. His pleas fell on deaf ears as the woman glanced at him before looking back at the tracks. Tears welled up in his eyes as he frantically searched for a way to reach her. But before he could make a move, she jumped. Later that night, the somber headline on CBC News read, "27-year-old pregnant woman commits suicide by jumping in front of the Yonge-University Line. Identified as Mrs. Kehinde Badmus. No suicide note found." Taye was left with a sinking feeling and a haunting question, "Could she ... ?"