The Christmas lights twinkled to the cadence of holiday music as newly retired teacher and future writer Sandy Putnam finished packing her large suitcase. Wafts of evergreen filled the air from the flickering candles. While checking her list, she saw a text from Kendall and called her at once.
“What do you mean, you can’t go?” Sandy yelped.
“Work, what else?” Kendall explained, “but don’t worry, I’ll be in New York for the
crossing.” Bound from Sacramento to New York on Amtrak’s famed Zephyr line, Sandy and Kendall’s extended vacation included a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2 and a Christmas Market River Cruise from Amsterdam.
“What am I gonna do for three days on the train alone?”
“I don’t know, get some rest…maybe meet some mysterious stranger and have a
romance.”
“Right…I’m 56, hardly mysterious stranger romance material!”
“Well, write one then, you’ll have the roomette all to yourself…. I’ll see you on the 27th.”
Once at the train station the excitement of her trip kicked in. She breathed in the sense of adventure and made her way to the platform. As she struggled to get her suitcase onto the sleeper car, a nearby train blasted its whistle. Startled, she fell backwards into the arms of a handsome older man.
“I am so sorry,” she apologized profusely while getting herself up.
“Not a problem, Miss,” was the stranger’s kind reply.
Sandy settled into her cozy roomette while train began its journey east. As it wended its way through the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, Sandy grabbed her camera and went to the observation car. It was packed except for one seat, the seat next to the handsome stranger she tumbled upon.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” Sandy asked. He shook his head and returned to his
binoculars.
“Isn’t Donner Lake beautiful,” Sandy admired. He leaned toward her and replied, “Good thing lunch is over.”
“Did you make a Donner Party joke?” she whispered. He nodded mischievously.
“OMG,” she said. “What are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for bald eagles.” She noticed an accent but couldn’t place it.
“Yes, there are some here…” she responded, “German?”
“Close…try again,” he said while looking at the mountains.
“Austrian?”
“Again?”
“Swiss?”
“Nope.”
Glaring she asked, “Argentinean?”
“Nein…” He looked at her sharply.
“Okay…Wo?” Sandy said, remembering her college German.
He smiled, “I’m from a small town in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France where we
speak German. Close to Strasbourg.”
The handsome stranger explained that he was French who not only spoke German,
French and English, but also six other languages.
“Wow, what are you, a spy?”
“Of course not,” he winked.
“Ich sprechen keine languages, but English,” Sandy playfully confessed.
He laughed at her answer. “My name’s Jurgen, Jurgen Schilling.”
“I’m Sandy. Sorry again for almost toppling you over earlier.” She shook his strong hand and became entranced with his clear blue eyes until she blushed and quickly looked away.
“Look…there’s an eagle,” successfully deflecting her self-consciousness.
They spent dinner together talking about their jobs. Jurgen told Sandy about his position as a professor of linguistics at the University of Strasbourg. After visiting his daughter, he decided to take the train instead of flying so he could see the United States. He showed her photos of his newest grandchild. Having just retired from teaching, Sandy shared that she and her friend were going to the Christmas Markets in Europe.
“The Christmas Markets are wonderful, especially the one in Strasbourg.” Jurgen announced. When she returned to her room, she gave in to temptation and googled Jurgen. His impressive bio not only revealed his position at the University, but also that his wife had passed away years earlier. She felt guilty for snooping but wanted to make sure he wasn’t a serial killer, as if that would come up in a Google search.
Throughout their trip, Jurgen and Sandy got to know each other. Sandy felt very
comfortable with him and enjoyed his witty sense of humor.
After they arrived in Penn Station, Jurgen asked if she’d like to have one last dinner
together.
“I’d love to, but could my friend come along? She’s waiting for me at the hotel.”
“Of course,” he replied.
They met Jurgen at a restaurant near their hotel and before they parted, he invited them to his home near Strasbourg.
“It’s just a small chateau,” he confessed.
“Chateau?” Kendall exclaimed, “We’d love to, we’ll be there on the 6th,” ribbing Sandy and mouthing the word “Chateau” with her eyes bulging.
“It’s a date then. Text me when you arrive.”
“We will,” Sandy said. Taking her hand, Jurgen tenderly kissed it. “I had a wonderful
time on the train, Sandy, auf wiedersehen.” He jumped into a cab and waved goodbye.
“See you in Strasbourg.” he yelled as the cab drove away.
AI Images created in Canva
