Mr. Personality
As they walked the streets Niels kept up a constant barrage of historical detail about the city and its history. Crowded sightseeing buses passed them at regular intervals with the monotone voice of the tour guide giving them snippets of the tour they were on before they passed out of hearing range. It was only as the busses passed with their associated noise Neils patiently paused his historical delivery to listen and add these brief snippets to his store of knowledge.
The young women watched him in action smiling. It was obvious he'd spent long hours memorizing his spiel and now and then they glanced at their brochures to check him out and found his spiel was almost identical to the brochures. They found Niels as interesting to watch in action as the historical attractions they were passing in turn.
Amelia observed her cousin study their guide with more than casual interest and this caused Amelia to observe him more closely as a personality. There was something magnetic about him that roused her curiosity and she determined to find out more about him. Perhaps she could learn more about the culture of this country by looking into his background and the kind of society that shaped him. Learning about people was important in the real estate trade so you could gauge interest and close a deal. In London it was a melting pot of cultures and increasingly the whole of the UK was becoming multi-cultural in nature. She desired to know enough to do business within the context of how these different cultures could be motivated to a sale.
It was on the boat trip to Djurgården Niels limited tour guide experience became apparent. Amelia who'd been listening attentively and watching him in action finally spoke.
"Niels you haven't done this boat trip before have you?"
Niels face coloured in embarrassment, but he replied quickly.
"I do not lie and no I have not done this trip before. I suppose that means no money for me at the end of the day."
He laughed nervously and Amelia felt sorry for him.
"No Niels we will pay you for your time today but I'm rather curious about you seeing you are in a business you have no experience in. But you've done an acceptable job up to now as I've been checking your dialogue out with the brochures. You've obviously memorized well. When we get back to the hotel, I'd like to talk with you about the experience of people growing up in this country and what motivates them. I'll pay you for that time too. Are you able to spend time with us in the evening?"
Niels nodded his head, and they all became aware there was someone who just appeared and stood facing them.
"Well, well! Sophia Jones and Amelia Thomas. The last time I saw you two was high school and you were both in school uniform just as I was in those years. Don't know if you remember me from high school so just in case you don't, I'm Sidney Claridge. You know the same guy who almost got sent home from school for releasing rotten egg gas in the classrooms. I was doing science and quite interested in the different chemical compositions we were being introduced to and quickly saw the possibilities of this liquid."
He laughed and extended his hand all around.
"And who is this gentleman you are with young ladies?"
The two young women were struggling with their memories of high school, but the story of the rotten egg gas soon helped to identify Sidney in their minds. Suddenly Sophia transferred her attention from Niels to Sidney. She spoke first.
"I remember you for several reasons. The gas trick pushed you to the top of everyone's admiration list apart from the teachers. You were the football hero of high school, and you asked me to accompany you to a high school dance in our final year there and dad put you through the inquisition when you came to pick me up. I think my brother Adam shadowed you that evening to see you behaved well too. I was quite embarrassed about that. Incidentally the gentleman with us is Niels Larsen and he is our guide today.
Sidney laughed and nodded to Niels acknowledging the introduction and Niels stood to greet him. He turned to Sophia and Amelia.
"Mind if I tag along with your group? I'm exploring by myself on this trip."
Amelia spoke watching Sophia's sudden interest in this former high school student they shared the experience with.
"I think it would be nice to have you accompany us Sidney but first we need to frisk you to see you're not carrying one of those tiny gas bottles in your pocket. What do you think Soph?"
Sophia nodded enthusiastically.
Sidney took out everything in his pockets and showed he was not carrying anything lethal, and they gave him the thumbs up and indicated he should sit with them. He indicated Neils should continue his dialogue and sat silent smiling at Sophia who smiled back invitingly.
After they returned from the boat trip they sat watching activities around the harbour. Sidney spoke to Sophia.
"I thought you were the best-looking girl in high school Sophia. Meeting your dad was a scary experience and having Adam hovering around us at the dance was intimidating too. He's quite the muscle guy."
Sophia giggled.
"Amelia was the one all the boys had their eyes on, but my cousin wanted nothing to do with any of them. I was hoping you'd brave my family and ask me out again Sidney, but they obviously put fear into you. What kind of football hero are you to let a little thing like that scare you off?"
Amelia and Niels found the interchange between Sidney and Sophia amusing and waited for his response.
"Well, you know I was in trouble with the teachers over that gas event and they were considering not letting me sit for the final test which would have meant I repeat the year, so I poured the rest of my time into study and behaving well. Then after that I transferred to pre-med in another school getting ready for a medical career. I'm now studying to be a doctor."
"What career choices do the both of you have now you have the undergraduate years behind you?"
Amelia responded first.
"I've always known from elementary school what career I'd follow. I'll work full time with my father now and eventually take over Thomas Travels. It's been in the family since the time of my grandfather and has expanded around the UK. That lifestyle is my passion. I'd be interested to know if you've made up your mind yet Soph."
Sophia looked at Sidney and smiled.
"I think I've just decided to make the health industry my choice. Probably hospital administration so I need to start looking at where I can pursue that I suppose."
Sidney raised his eyebrows at this announcement.
"We could make a good team. Now I've found you again would you consider keeping in touch with me. My course is demanding but I'd consider it an honour if you'd let me write to you."
Sophia quickly reached into her purse and took out a notebook writing her address and telephone along with her social online account link contacts handing it to Sidney. She was flushed with excitement as she handed it to him. Amelia taking it all in looked at her watch and saw it was time to sample some of Stockholm's best at a good restaurant. She turned to her cousin.
"Soph, I wonder if you and Sidney would like to spend the evening together and I'm happy to spend time with our guide getting some background on how people are raised in Sweden, their attitudes and lifestyle. I like to study different cultures as I find it helps with our business in a multi-cultural nation the UK is developing into. I don't think you two would find that very interesting."
Both Sidney and Sophia nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion and Sidney spoke turning to Niels.
"Niels do you know a good restaurant that opens nearby of an evening?"
Niels consulted his photographic memory and picked at random reciting the promotional as he'd read it. He could never afford to go there on the pittance he earned and lived on the leftovers from hotel kitchens he cleaned when the evening activities had been bought to a halt.
"Gastabud. They serve everything from flatbread with various toppings, beef goulash, grilled Polish sausage, salmon, game kebabs and coffee. Take the opportunity to listen to medieval music with the group Falska Gäss, or Fornfela and Johan Rask while enjoying a meal. Be amazed by Arcadia's amazing tricks and fun with Putte, Kalle and Niki."
Sidney nodded in appreciation.
"Thank you Niels I appreciate the suggestion. Come on Sophia, let's go get some good food and catch up on what has happened since our shared high school experience. Do I need to be alert for your brother Adam?"
Amelia laughed as she waved her cousin and reclaimed friend off and turned to Niels.
"Now you agreed to spend time with me this evening giving me a lesson on Scandinavian culture. Let's go to the hotel. I've paid for all the tourist sites entry costs, transport, and meals today for all of us and will pay you when we get to the hotel for your time guiding us around today. Dinner is part of the deal tonight."
When they returned to the hotel Niels nervously sat across the beautifully presented table facing his benefactor. She took her purse and counted out Krona in her lap out of sight of the diners at other tables. She'd carefully selected her table for that purpose in a corner. She handed fifteen hundred kronor across the table to Niels who studied the money as if hypnotized and tears came to his eyes. He went to hand it back thinking it was too much, but Amelia put up her hand to prevent him returning it. She spoke softly to him.
"Niels, I think you need that money so keep it. I've looked at the tour offers and that's a reasonable amount for your time today. Now I'm going to order food for both of us as I think you need a good meal too and then we will go to the lobby, and you will begin to tell me the story of your life and the lives of people who live in this country and I want you to tell me everything. The good and the bad."
The waiter who came at Amelia's beckoning looked at Niels in surprise. Wasn't this the country boy who cleaned their kitchen for half the night? What was he doing with this foreigner enjoying the best of their cuisine?
To be continued.
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