Unknown friend ( part 1)
We reached Zurich Airport station in the morning from
Lausanne. I had always wanted to visit the Schwarzwald (Black Forest),home of the cuckoo clock, so my dear husband had booked a tour to Black Forest. Since it was an online
reservation, we had carried a printout of our booking.
We had just enough time to keep our bags in our room, as
we rushed to get to the place from where the tour began. It was already 1030 hrs
and 1215 hrs was the departure time of our tour bus. As we left we had taken
directions from our hotel reception to reach this place.
We boarded a tram to the train station and got on a train.
After getting off the train, we had to walk for another 5 minutes to reach the
address. As we reached there we saw that our bus wasn’t there and the office was
also closed. It was 1145 hrs by then.
Oh my God!…”did we
get cheated”…was my first thought. We were about to ask the people staying in
the vicinity to reconfirm the address, when we saw this beautiful lady in her
fifties, elegantly dressed walking towards us. She smiled and wished us “Morgan“.
We smiled back and wished her good morning. We explained her everything and
showed her the printout. She came with us to the office. It was still closed .
Once
again she, went through the booking voucher. After reading it carefully, she saw
the watch and quickly removed her phone from her purse and dialed the number
on the printout. We couldn’t understand what was wrong… It was 1205 hrs and I
had already given up!
After finishing the call she
told us to follow her and further
elucidated that the office address was right but the buses depart from the bus
stand near Zurich HB, she then added “I have requested the person in charge to
wait for 15 minutes“ and suggested us to go by cab. She then immediately made a call and arranged for the cab. Within two minutes we were in the cab. The lady briefed our
ordeal to the driver and requested her to hurry. We thanked her and waved her
goodbye. She said “Let me know once you reach. I hope you get the bus”.
We managed to reach at 1225 hrs. We quickly got into the bus
which was waiting only for us. We apologized for keeping everybody waiting and
relaxed in our seats. We were not even out of the city when our tour guide came
to our seats with his phone and said “there is a call for you”. My husband
attended the call. I could hear him thanking again and again. I had already
guessed who it was on the other side, but wanted to confirm.
After the call was over I asked him. He replied “yes, it
was same lady “she wanted to know if we got the bus and wished us happy
journey”.
I leaned back and started thinking of the adventurous
morning. I was thankful to my son, for cooperating with us and soon the thought
of that lady occupied my mind….Who was she? What was her name? Was she free or
was she going out for some work, but decided to help us first? Why did she help
us…?
As I stared out of the window, I realized my husband was clicking
pictures of the scenery. So engrossed, I was in her thoughts that I didn’t even
realize, we had reached Black Forest!!
Black Forest has picturesque valleys, canopy of evergreens. We had our lunch in a quaint town of Titisee-Neustadt. Later we took a lakeside stroll.
On our way back we visited the spectacular Rhine falls. We enjoyed our tour and returned to the hotel with beautiful memories of the day.
On our way back we visited the spectacular Rhine falls. We enjoyed our tour and returned to the hotel with beautiful memories of the day.
Before
going to sleep that night I closed my eyes and once again thanked that lady, an
‘unknown friend’ without whom my
wish to visit the Schwarzwald would have remained a wish. God bless her.
I can’t explain her presence. However, ‘Her
selfless act has engraved her image on my heart !!!
