At first I didn’t want to believe what he said. “Really? A forest fire?” That was just beyond bad luck, it was a mythological curse! I looked outside the train, and into the barren station in Marburg…
The year was 2006, and the Football World Cup in Germany was just begging. I saved for 2 years and with a little more help from my loving father I went backpacking to 8 countries and for a tiny German course in Berlin. I was happy. I was excited. But then again things didn’t come as planned.
It had just been one week since my arrival in Europe and the girl I was traveling with had manage to made me cry, abandoned me in the middle of Koln and made me feel more miserable then Jean Valjean. Rather than traveling with a friend it felt like a test in human relations in which I was battling to keep a smile and to be open to the new experience. After all it was my journey and nothing would prevent me from living it all. I was tough and ready for anything. Right?
So after an ugly episode in Koln (in which I'll give you no more details but to finally finding that my so call friend wasn't at all), and where we witness Mexico losing against Portugal on the big screens, I made some new friends, we drank, we yielded and we all agreed to meet in Leipzig for Mexico-Argentina the next day. Mexico had lost but still manage to the next round. Next match was going to be legendary, at least for me.Wait, I know what you’re thinking… a football match? Mexico-Argentina? We always loose! Never had a victory against Argentina before or after! Didn't matter! I was finally having fun, and I was meeting a high school friend in Leipzig, Julian. I was winning after all! I was about to... “I’m sorry miss, I don’t think you are going to make it to the match.”
My eyes filled with tears and I head back to my empty sit in an empty car of an empty stopped train. It wasn’t just the match, I have never felt so lonely before in my life, I needed to go, but once again life had manage to send me otherwise... So I sat with my big Mexico hat and waited to depart back to Koln. My most waited holidays and I couldn't help but crying. How awful it is to face struggle alone... just give me a break Universe!
The guy to whom I spoke, who was presumably french; walked by in a hurry checking something, but stopped at my side and looked at me with a nearly smile, I could only answered with a weak one. Five minutes later the train began to move and I hug my legs.
The french guy then returned, with a chocolate Magnum ice cream...
He handed the chocolate and I stared at it and then at him, he smiled as if saying 'you are not alone'.
I felt the warm back into my chest and accepted the ice cream, indeed was one of the nicest gestures anyone has had at me.
I looked at him with tears still in my cheek but I wasn't crying anymore; he smiled again this time saying 'right then...' and left.
And with a blink everything changed.
How miserable did I look to make the guy sympathize me? I dunno, but it wasn't the first or last time that a stranger had gotten close to me... those tinny little details that get you going.
So I say, thank you to all those unplanned friends.
