The Year is Almost Over

Sleeping City

"...he began to talk of more trivial things, as if he was embarrassed at having told such personal matters to a stranger."

I stayed in Zurich for two weeks, and enjoyed the many museums and art galleries it had to offer. There was so much to experience of the monumental history and culture of Europe - in a short time I saw centuries of mankind at its most God-like, and its most despicable. It was also when I was seeing the sights of Zurich that I began to spend some lengths of time distracted from my grieving...

But I found that when I was done with the adventures of the day, and had returned to my hotel, I would think of her. So often I would leave the hotel again, and wander the streets in the dark. Where had the years gone? We were so happy for so long, our contentedness was almost like sleep. Then the doctors told us what was happening to her, and our lives fell to pieces. And after she was gone, the pain came like a storm.

So I went from city to city, like a fugitive. The organisation of travel and accommodation was time consuming and often complicated, but I almost looked forward to the difficulties. Although I often changed my mind about where I went, I had decided even before I left England that a visit to the Cathedral in Cologne was something I couldn't overlook. Most of my travelling was done by train, and this time I had spoiled myself and booked a first class sleeper car for an overnight journey. Before boarding the train I was having a light supper at Zurich Main Station, when it was announced over the tannoy that there was an unavoidable delay in departure, for an unspecified time. Needless to say, the groans of most of my fellow passengers were to be heard along the platform. I didn't welcome the news, of course, but it wasn't the first time I had encountered travel disruptions. I had no specific commitments, so as long as the delay was not too long it was merely an irritation.

But as time passed, it began to appear that the problem was more protracted. Conductors and engineers were moving briskly back and forth along the platform beside the Cologne train, and their inclination to answer the questions of the passengers was rapidly disappearing. I kept looking up at the large railway clock, as the hours passed.

Eventually the officials had to face the inevitable. The tannoy announced that there had been certain mechanical problems with the rail apparatus, and there would be no departure that evening. Arrangements would be made with all possible haste. The announcement was made in English, German and French, and each time different parts of the crowd would react with angry words and gestures. I vaguely took note of which passengers were my fellow Englishmen, wondering if I may need to make an ally for any reason.

The rail company made it clear that they could not provide hotel accommodation for an entire complement of passengers, but an offer of per diem was made, and a list of suggested coffeehouses and hotels provided. I decided to spend the time at one of the cafés, as I did not have any urgent need to sleep. It was already past three o'clock in the morning, and we were assured that the train would be on schedule for the next evening. My cases remained on the luggage van, and all I took was my spectacles, passport, travel documents and a small amount of money.

I wandered the empty streets until I found a small café, not too far from the station. Inside it was warm, and smelled of freshly roasted coffee - they assured me they would remain open all night if I wished, so I took a seat, chose a two day old newspaper from a pile on the counter, ordered a café au lait, and prepared myself for a long sitting.

I had not been there for long when another chap entered the café. I recognised him as one of my fellow Englishmen from the Cologne train - he was wearing a homburg that seemed too large for him, and this had stuck in my memory. He carried a battered leather satchel, and was wearing a slightly shabby astrakhan coat. He was short, with a moustache that was so fair it was almost invisible. I could not guess his age.