"Good Luck"
I can reference obscure memories in my mind...I can remember esoteric things, I can remember what happened on April 4, 1968....I remember what we ate for dinner on June 12, 1975.... I remember September 3, 1982...Thank god for certain memories, I guess...The unpleasant memories tend to fade, which I suppose is a survival thing.
I remember a vague scene from a movie, like a WW2 movie, two guys shaking hands on a bridge, one American, one British.
"Well, I'm going this way"
"And I'm going that way....Good Luck" It seemed to me at the time, though it was just a movie, that these were two men who were walking off to their destinies in life...'good luck'
Geneva, Switzerland on that September 3rd, 1982...
I was traveling around, I hopped on the next available train, still in a state of wonderlust, but also there was that certain home-sickness, not to mention the lonliness....oh, sometimes I felt it bad, I missed my family and friends, and sometimes just wanted to go home.
On a train to Geneva, about 7 in the morning, I had made sure to catch that train...I was going to see the band Genesis...
I got on, and got a coffee and croissant, my breakfast, and sat in an empty seating area...one guy came in,
"Do you mind if I sit here?
"No, not at all..."
"Oh! you're American, hehe...sorry."
"nahh, it's okay"
I think by my appearance back then, with my long hair, my week-growth beard, I knew I looked swarthy...but all I had to do was just say something!
And from out of this dark looking vagabond came, "Wow! it sure is great to meet a guy who speaks English! My name is Dan, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"ohh! well yes of course, it's a pleasure to meet you too!"
At about 12 noon the train came in to the Geneva station....We had chatted for awhile on the train, his name was Vaughn, from Newcastle, England. He was a student 'on holiday' before he went back to school in about a week. I told him I was there to see the Genesis concert that night, he had no particular plans for the day, but needed to catch a 5:00 train to Italy, so we decided to have lunch and do a little sightseeing. We had hit it off and became fast friends, so it was never even discussed that we would hang out together for the day, we just did.
He spoke fluent French, the local language in Geneva, so that was convenient. He asked all about California, and was genuinely curious about all kinds of 'American' things, "Is it really true that people get shot at all the time?"
"well, not really, it does happen in certain areas, but it's not like the Clint Eastwood movies. It's really pretty mundane."
We went to the old part of the city, where the cathedral was. Many cities in Europe have a cathedral, old city walls, Roman ruins, etc. which are fascinating.
"To tell you the truth, sometimes I get 'cathedral burnout' like they all seem the same after awhile."
"Haha! yeahhh, me too!"
So we walked by a sidewalk cafe and decided to have a beer or two or three. It was past 4, so it almost time to catch his train.
"Well, guess I better get going."
"Where's the waiter? we haven't paid yet..."
We gave each other a look.
"You mean, should we be rogues and leave without paying?"
"Hmmm, nahhh...we better pay."
So we did, and headed back to the station, which was across the river. The Stade de Charle where Genesis would be playing was in another direction on the same side of the river.
as we got to the foot of the bridge I immediately thought of that obscure scene in that movie. So I said, "Well, I go this way."
"And I go that way."
"Good Luck"....just like in the movie.
We shook hands, and off we went in our own directions. We looked back one more time and waved.
Though we exchanged addresses, I never heard from ol' Vaughn again.
I remember a vague scene from a movie, like a WW2 movie, two guys shaking hands on a bridge, one American, one British.
"Well, I'm going this way"
"And I'm going that way....Good Luck" It seemed to me at the time, though it was just a movie, that these were two men who were walking off to their destinies in life...'good luck'
Geneva, Switzerland on that September 3rd, 1982...
I was traveling around, I hopped on the next available train, still in a state of wonderlust, but also there was that certain home-sickness, not to mention the lonliness....oh, sometimes I felt it bad, I missed my family and friends, and sometimes just wanted to go home.
On a train to Geneva, about 7 in the morning, I had made sure to catch that train...I was going to see the band Genesis...
I got on, and got a coffee and croissant, my breakfast, and sat in an empty seating area...one guy came in,
"Do you mind if I sit here?
"No, not at all..."
"Oh! you're American, hehe...sorry."
"nahh, it's okay"
I think by my appearance back then, with my long hair, my week-growth beard, I knew I looked swarthy...but all I had to do was just say something!
And from out of this dark looking vagabond came, "Wow! it sure is great to meet a guy who speaks English! My name is Dan, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"ohh! well yes of course, it's a pleasure to meet you too!"
At about 12 noon the train came in to the Geneva station....We had chatted for awhile on the train, his name was Vaughn, from Newcastle, England. He was a student 'on holiday' before he went back to school in about a week. I told him I was there to see the Genesis concert that night, he had no particular plans for the day, but needed to catch a 5:00 train to Italy, so we decided to have lunch and do a little sightseeing. We had hit it off and became fast friends, so it was never even discussed that we would hang out together for the day, we just did.
He spoke fluent French, the local language in Geneva, so that was convenient. He asked all about California, and was genuinely curious about all kinds of 'American' things, "Is it really true that people get shot at all the time?"
"well, not really, it does happen in certain areas, but it's not like the Clint Eastwood movies. It's really pretty mundane."
We went to the old part of the city, where the cathedral was. Many cities in Europe have a cathedral, old city walls, Roman ruins, etc. which are fascinating.
"To tell you the truth, sometimes I get 'cathedral burnout' like they all seem the same after awhile."
"Haha! yeahhh, me too!"
So we walked by a sidewalk cafe and decided to have a beer or two or three. It was past 4, so it almost time to catch his train.
"Well, guess I better get going."
"Where's the waiter? we haven't paid yet..."
We gave each other a look.
"You mean, should we be rogues and leave without paying?"
"Hmmm, nahhh...we better pay."
So we did, and headed back to the station, which was across the river. The Stade de Charle where Genesis would be playing was in another direction on the same side of the river.
as we got to the foot of the bridge I immediately thought of that obscure scene in that movie. So I said, "Well, I go this way."
"And I go that way."
"Good Luck"....just like in the movie.
We shook hands, and off we went in our own directions. We looked back one more time and waved.
Though we exchanged addresses, I never heard from ol' Vaughn again.
posted by Olias at 10:37 PM
2 Comments:
seems that perhaps you and vaughn were meant to be friends for just that one day. Funny how people come in and out of our lives like that... and then we never hear from them again because it just isn't meant to be. so. anyway, i can't resist. What did you eat for dinner on June 12, 1975?
Thanks Shawn! yeah that's true, I even googled him one time, but didn't find him. Anyway I remember my dad had barbequed some steaks and marinated them with red wine and mustard! also baked potato and green beans. I happened to recall it was June 12, it was the start of my summer vacation. :o)
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