3 Men That Made Me Happy in One Day

Finally Prague and out of metro for Florence Bus Station. A man is selling books right outside the metro. He stands with his back looking for something for two customers. Two Activias lie on the shelf next to the books. Maybe it's not worth asking and I can look around myself and find the bust station. I look around. No particular signs. He turns and I say excuse me, bus station? He tuns back and gets a piece of paper. Comes a step forward and hold the paper explains - 'go there', shakes hand meaning straight 'and then...' looks into the paper and says "right" ... "and then..." shakes hand meaning straight and looks into the paper again and I notice he has marked down several words and bellow the word "right" it's an arrow showing the direction of right and bellow the word "left" there's an arrow towards left. After a long journey with couple mistaken directions this makes me feel good even though I have to wait another couple hours at the bus station.

The bus arrived late in Jihlava, some time after 11.00. Several people got off and I had to ask direction since I had no desire to call taxi. broke. One woman said she had no idea where my hotel was. Three men stood nearby. Looking like boddies hanging around stations at this time. Middle aged men. I asked them. They started talking in Czech and I could only gather words. It seemed they were saying the place is somewhere close. A girl stood nearby. She asked if I spoke English. I said, yes. She said they are saying it's somewhere very close, that direction. Then her taxi arrived and the man said something like 'I will take you'. This was what I got and I said ok. He rolled my suitcase and we crossed the bus station. Getting out at the street he was talking things but we could not understand each other and there was nobody around. Suddenly he crossed that very street and turned ito a dark park corner. What I understood here he was saying don't worry, don't be afraid. something related to 'ne boysia'. I followed him thinking that he probably a shorter way and encouraged myself saying out loud half joking 'strashno'. He noticed an inconvenience and at the very first lit building he indicated: '.... (some kind of) institut'.

Finally out on another street, again nobody and the place which he thinks should be the hotel turned out to be a closed down restaurant. He had missed it by two buildings and we made it to the hotel. He took of his black glove from his shaking hand. We shaked hands, I expressed gratitude in all the possible jestures and then I met the porter. I said my name. He repeated my name and Anna's name, saying Anna Pshpshpsh. I laughed and said she will come in two days. He said 'if your friend not here, I will be your friend'. We laughed again and as I went to my room behind the door he waved his hand and said "Chusy".