Lokettist translates to "ticket agent" or "clerk at a ticket window". It's a somewhat old-fashioned and specific word that you don't encounter in everyday conversation or many songs.
In the context of the song, it appears when the protagonist and Annabel are buying train tickets to Paris. The use of this particular word adds a touch of classic charm to the scene, highlighting the specific interaction at a ticket counter rather than just saying they bought tickets. It's memorable because of its specificity and slightly vintage feel.
“Annabel” whisks us into a spontaneous, cinematic romance that begins with a simple favor: giving a stranger a lift to the station. When Annabel misses her train, the narrator seizes the moment; one magical night later, she slips away at dawn, leaving him wide-awake, lovestruck, and utterly adrift. The upbeat melody masks his growing obsession as he spends days in bed, roams the city for a glimpse of her, and even talks to himself on a bridge—all because, in his mind, “het wordt niets zonder jou” (“it’s nothing without you”).
Fate finally reunites the pair at a tram stop, and this time he refuses to let her vanish. He buys two one-way tickets to Paris and vows to follow her to Barcelona, Prague, or the ends of the earth. Hans de Booij’s lyrics capture the exhilarating rush of instant connection and the haunting emptiness that follows when it is lost. It is a playful yet poignant reminder of how a brief encounter can rewrite our entire map, turning a missed train into a lifelong journey of hope and longing.