Young man in a city, whose "real" life seems to him to be missing all his targets, boards a train to "anywhere" and jumps off it while it slows through a whistlestop station. Consequently he discovers the place is a colony of refugee immortals, and discovers what is immortal in his own life.

Thanks.

Amby

The first part is "The Town Where No One Got Off," by Ray Bradbury. Second part, absolutely no idea.

There is a partial similarity to "Somewhere a Band is Playing", one of two novellas in Bradbury's book Now and Forever.

Thank you both kindly! I apologise for my delay in responding. Yes, the story came in "Now and Forever", so it must be "Somewhere a band..."! I appreciate that Phil. Actually I thought my precis was pretty accurate and insightful!lol ;-))

You probably WERE totally accurate, but it's been a while since I read it. What sticks in my mind are some of the images (mainly the sunflower and the horse that always manages to find the correct route all by itself) rather than the plot!

haha! I read it maybe 6mo ago, and I remember the very feminine ambiance, and the old fashioned food (two of the main reasons RB wrote it I reckon!).

That would explain why I didn't get it. Way behind on my reading.

Well, you know, a lot of RB I can only sip and nibble at, like I would his favourite party fare - cream, honey and spices, with a secretive little lacing of dangerous, taboo, dark sherry! lol It had been a score of years for me between such treats. And I am right now again for a while, put on a top up of fat. I wouldn't be without RB, and it's comforting to have him there in the cellar, maturing... It's a certainty that he will be brought up to celebrate with again. And again. And finally, as a viaticum...