TRAVEL BECOMES US

The heavy mist outside turned into a torrential downpour and the hour grew later and later.  Eight p.m. and our normal arrival time in Venice came and went.  So did 9, 10, 11 and midnight!  Finally our train arrived in the darkened station at 1 a.m. in the morning.  The few passengers quickly scattered while we were getting our luggage together.  A short, wiry man wearing dark glasses came up and told us he would take us to our hotel in his boat.  He insisted “just follow me” as he turned left toward the darker part of the platform.  The thought hit me.  Arthur said “GO RIGHT!”  Lorraine agreed with me and we turned to the right carrying our luggage.  The man kept pace with us, arguing and insisting almost up to the dim lights of the dock.  We kept replying, “No! No!”  Just at that moment the vaporetto slid up and we quickly jumped in with our luggage.  Were we ever grateful for “Uncle Arthur” telling us about the public motorboat transportation system!  That man probably would have charged us a much more expensive price for the ride, we thought to ourselves.  Leaving the fuming “dark glasses” far behind on the darkened platform, we traversed the silent canals of Venice and landed on the very doorstep of our hotel.  We rang the night bell and were escorted to our rooms. 

The next morning we were telling the concierge of our midnight arrival and the man with the dark glasses who had wanted us to ride in his boat.  The concierge got a very strange look on his face and called over an official-looking gentleman.  They rapidly conversed in Italian and then this official asked us many questions about the man with the dark glasses.  Shaking his head, he muttered that we were very, very fortunate women.  Then he told us in plain English why we were so fortunate.  We were in shock!  Arthur had not merely saved us a few dollars, he had saved our lives!  Did we send up fervent prayers of gratitude to heaven!  We were two very sober people at breakfast that morning.