It was almost dark when I stepped out of the train at Richmond station. I hoped I didn’t have to wait long for my connecting train. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something dark flying towards the train.

“THOCK!”

It rebounded off the train window. I looked down. It was a large rock, dark grey and angular. It was big. I wouldn’t have been able to wrap my hand around it.

“THOCK!”

I recoiled as another rock flew by. A man staggered past me. He stopped some distance ahead. He wound up his arm again and this time I saw him hurl another rock at the departing train, throwing his entire body forward in the effort. The train passengers inside ducked back away from the window.

Alert and alarmed, I walked casually towards the downward ramp. As soon as I passed the rock-thrower, I began jogging to the ticket barriers, where I knew there would be train staff.

“Excuse me,” I called to the two staff members as I approached thee exit. “There’s a gentleman on platform 5 and 6 throwing rocks at trains. They’re big rocks.”

“Really?! What does he look like?” asked the woman.

“He’s wearing a dark blue t-shirt with white writing on it. He’s got dark hair, I think.”

The male staff member began speaking rapidly into his radio. “There’s a man throwing rocks on platforms 5 and 6…”

I waited for a short while then looked back towards the platforms. And there he was, leaning against the wall about five metres away. The rock-thrower stared balefully at me. I stepped a little bit away from the people talking into radios.

“There he is,” I said in a low voice. The staff stopped talking and looked at the still man.

“That’s him?”

“I think so. Yes.”

The male staff member passed through the ticket barrier and walked up to the man. “Hey mate. Where are you going?”

The rock-thrower exploded into action. “I’m going home!” he shouted, stumbling away from the wall. “I wanna go home! I WANNA GO HOME!” He looked at me again then ran up the ramp.

The staff member whipped out the radio again. “He’s on platforms 3 and 4 now. We’ll need help…”

“Don’t worry,” said the woman. “We’ll take it from here.”

I nodded and walked backed to my train platform.