Picture at the frontier stone of a group of rally drivers from Dusseldorf (Germany) who are driving around the sea
A “Brooks” seat!
Frontier Norway-Sweden
Felix pees from Sweden on Norway
Swedish Felix and Daniel drop me off at airport Mo I Rana (Norway) and afterwards go fishing at midnight in the sun.
Eh eh, this was quite a day. Now 4:37 pm. in the service- and gas station of Hemavan (Sweden). The day started very promising. Getting up this morning, packing my back pack, checkout, waiting for David, who at 10 o’clock would come to pick up the first half of my payment for hosting Tosca and next trying to hitch hike to Mo I Rana, Norway, 100 km. from here. Because it’s really cold, I still went to a store to look for a coat, but I found nothing that I liked. There he was, David, with Tosca. Tosca had gotten a toi from her provisional boss. Good sign. I gave David the blanket that Tosca had ripped apart, so she could lie a little warm. Fine, said David, but not really necessary, because she slept with me in my bed! Then you probably will not have a girlfriend, I thought. David also had provided a blanket for Tosca. I handed him the money.
On the way to my place for hitching, I met three people who had been helping me looking for a place for Tosca to stay. No longer necessary, I informed them. But they already knew, two by the tam tam gossip and one by facebook. I had already seen on facebook, that I was invited to become one of the 200 or 300 facebook friends of David. Well Tosca, stay fine.
I’m looking for a spot at the end of the village for hitch hiking. It is a few degrees above zero C., but the harsh, wet Northern wind makes it feel much colder. Half past ten in the morning. Let’s see how fast I get out of here. Occasionally a shower with cold rain. Very cold fingers, and hardly any traffic. Trucks can not take me because of the passenger insurance. After a few hours of shivering I saw a Norwegian car parking at the adjacent supermarket. Now or never, I thought. I dashed to it. Could you please give me … Of course they must have seen me standing there at the side of the road. No, we stay here a long time, the Norwegian said. Yes, I might as well, I thought! Indeed. At 2.30 p.m. I was not yet quite frozen, still trotting up and down not to become a snow man. Come on, time for coffee. At the gas station, 500 m. away, where I was known to everyone through the dog, facebook, I did complain about the poor hitching capabilities. I ask very stupidly: How much is a taxi to the Norwegian airport? The people in the gas station called for me, but I knew the price already. One has to be smart! Boooh, that expensive! One of yesterdays candidates for hosting my dog, says, tonight I want to go fishing with a friend. For half of the taxi fare we take you 100 km. further, to the airport in Mo I Rana, Norway. Jeeeh! O.K., fixed.
Finally Felix finished working. He took me to his house. On the floor lay a piece of Tosca’s belt, bitten in pieces. So Tosca has been here too with her new boss David. Good, at least she gets attention. In front of the house was a bicycle with an antique Brooks saddle, with two of those big metal curly springs behind it and usually one in front. Jeee! Photo. During my student days bicycles could be compared to ball pens. Almost ready for cash and carry. I’ve had as many as 10, like many of my fellow students. We were all small cobblers. When, if walking in the woods, or under a bridge, I saw a discarded old, apparently thrown away bike, I usually put a lock to the wheel. If the bike was still there after a week, you knew he was a res derelicta (discarded thing) and you could give it a new life. Similarly 45 y. ago with my rusty old bike with Brooks saddle. A year later or so someone rang the door bell at my student house and said: my bike is at your door. I answered that anyone can say so. I tell the guy my story, tell him he can have the bike, but I want to keep the saddle. Agreement. I put the Brooks saddle on my next bike. A year or so later, living elsewhere in Nijmegen, I leave my appartment, see my bike, but without antique brooks saddle. Stolen of course, by an unholy plebeian. Yes, these were beautiful. Well, here also a Brooks, only less beautiful than mine. Photo. I got food and drinks offered and we had fun until Felix’ friend Daniel arrived after an hour or so. He has dark curly hair, brown eyes and is more than average tanned. Therefore they call him the Pole, Felix explains to me. Daniel could borrow the car of an above average pretty looking girl. Hi, she says, when she came to bring us her car. This afternoon I went jogging with Tosca. Oh, it was you who ran beyond the gas station? Some chatting. When she was gone I pointed Felix out that she was the prettiest girl, I had seen lately. He thought so too and so did David, yesterday’s dog sitter. Well, for me was just important that we could use her car. At the outside of the car there were flames painted, inside the dashboard was stained with curling tendrils, around hearts and many were rimmed with beads. On to Mo I Rana. Candy bars passed, cans of cola. The Wall of the Doors was playing, may be for me, Aint No Sunshine When She’s Gone by Bill Withers, something of Metallic, and the atmosphere was good again.
Felix, Daniel and I had said goodbye already , because they wanted to go fishing and although it doesn’t get dark throughout the night, I found that I couldn’t let them wait any longer. Maybe you also want to pick up Han and me here in two weeks and bring us back to Hemavan-Sweden, I suggested. Yes, but please get in touch, said Felix. A selfy and they were gone. And now I’m at my stopover, half the agreed price again and tomorrow night home in the Netherlands, a week earlier than planned. Ha, ha, ha, ha.
And everyone else really, really thank you for the contribution to Mama Alice, because we have crossed the magic threshold of 10,000 E. Wow!
And now it’s already 11:37 pm. Time to lie down in Morpheus’ arms.
