[At that, he lightens up at the offer]

You don't have to, but...can you really do that? I don't know people here well enough, so I don't know how to ask. [But he is trying] I have only been on the train for a month now.

I didn't know this train has bamboo in the garden. But a bamboo does sound like a good idea. You can certainly make it like a walking staff out of it. I think it could be used as a weapon, but I mainly use it to feel my way around the train by tapping the floor or feel for obstacles in my way.