The free will ( eng)

26. The long road back....

After only a week from isolation in my shop I can feel how my body finally starts to get stronger. I have managed to sleep better also when Sven or my tenants didn't wake me up at two am and six am. There is also no rising sun in my window, its complete darkness. I decide to walk to the store to buy some food. It's only a five minutes walk but it takes me ages to get there, and ages to shop. When I get outside someone is calling my name.

- Anna?

- Hi Anton! I say surprised to see him there?

I had met Anton a few years earlier outside my shop with Calle. He had started talking about what a lovely dog he was and I had offered him to take him for walks. After that he had started coming to my shop every day, without walking Calle. He talked an hour every time. I had offered to help him with his accounting when he wasn't happy with his firm. Before I ended our partnership he had given me roses. I had wondered if he had feelings for me? I had a boyfriend. He met him one day and wasn't really happy about that. After that he complained about my work and I said thanks, but no thanks. My instinct told me he was trouble. If you want to succeed in business it's not only to say YES to good business but to say NO to bad. Bad customers take your energy, time and money and sometimes repuation. He was one of them. I already had those. No more. Even though my business was fair trade I did not run a charity for ungenerous people that didn't need it. Not once had he bought something in my shop. He wasn't the only admirer that came and talked without buying anything. Of course he was appalled and wondered why? I explained to him I didn't have the money or time to work for customers that didn't appreciate my work or had confidence in me. I thought I was rid of him, but no, he still kept coming.

- How are you? He asks when he sees I'm walking very slowly.

- I have been better. I have been ill all summer and haven't been able to stand up or walk without something or someone to lean on.

- Really? Do you want me to help you with your bags?

- Yes, please, I say with gratitude.

He helped me to my shop and told me he was going on a day cruise with a friend to get out in the archipelago.

- Sounds really nice. I have missed all summer and would like to go to the "FeatherIslands" before they close for the season.

- Me too.

- I would rather have had my motor boat repaired so I could rent it out and use it myself. I almost had it finished before the summer. Now I'm in such a bad shape I can't do anything. I have my guesthouse too to finish.

- Perhaps I could help you? I've had boats and I have a lot of time now when my coffee shop is closing.

- You are welcome to come and have a look and we can talk about it, I said and we said good bye. He looked very pleased when he left. I laid down in my sofa to recover and save energy.

After a few days I felt strong enough to open the shop. Olof came by to visit. We went down to the square for pic nic as usual.

- I would love to dance a tango just one time before they close at the amusement park. I should be able to with someone I know I can lean on.

- I can go with you Anna.

The following Friday we take the ferry and have dinner first at the restaurant next to it. The same one I sat with Rafael at. We have a lovely time and after dinner I go to the floor and ask Kristian for a dance. We had danced a lot before the summer and had a really fun one evening when I took him to a place for Kizomba after he drove me home from Tango in the park. We had been dancing a quick milonga to the semba music and everyone had stared at us while we flew over the dance floor.