slave/sub acts in the Real World - revisited (74)

I have to do some boring scene setting, the first of three times I will need to do so in fact. The UK may be chilly right now, but temperatures here in Germany have not been over zero since late 2009. Despite such arctic misery, I still cycle to and from work. Well, I take my bike on board a Regional train and then ride the last two miles to work.

Whilst I was working today, it snowed and snowed outside, and I came out of work to find my bike buried in snow. No problem, I wiped the seat with a glove (mine) and cycled off.

The German Regional trains are nothing like any train in Britain. For a start, they have seating upstairs, and each carriage also has an open area, about twelve feet long, with seats on either side, for bicycles, wheelchairs, and luggage, etc. That was my “scene setting” part two, by the way.

The open area only had two other passengers. A young man and lady were sat at opposite corners but chatting to each other across the compartment. They did not know each other and had clearly struck up a conversation a few minutes before I turned up.

The third and last, and possibly most boring yet, “scene setting” is coming up. You might remember from school that German has two words for “you”. Normally when speaking formally or with someone you don't know well, the German word for “you” is “Sie”. With friends, the word is “du”, but nowadays most younger people tend to use “du” when addressing one another.

I felt some sympathy for the young man sat opposite. He seemed a decent sort and had somehow struck up a conversation with a very nice looking lady, and they had even progressed to the “du” stage. The next thing he knows is some dripping wet English guy/abdominal snowman gets on with a bike still coated in snow to cramp his style. I took out a book to read and privately wished him all the best, but with their very informal conversation and use of “du”, I did overhear she was a twenty-two year old trainee teacher.

But then he announced the next stop was his! He bid farewell.

Alone at last. No, I don't make a habit of ogling attractive ladies in public, especially on a near empty train. I did notice, from the reflection in the opposite window, that she was sat cross legged with nice and shiny leather or PVC knee-length boots. With all the snow and grit on the streets here, she (or maybe someone else) had worked hard to keep those boots clean. Her bright red sports bag rested on the floor.

By now, my bike and I had warmed up. The snow was melting, and I was horrified to look down and see a huge pool of water had formed. Far worse, it was running along the train floor towards the shiny boots and sports bag. The unfortunate lady was sending a text message oblivious to the mass of melted snow now flowing her way.

What to do, being the respectful sub that I am? Throwing my jacket down to staunch the stream was probably the right answer; after all I had caused the mess. But such as action might have freaked the poor lady out. I had to speak. And what's more I had to speak in German (I am not fluent by any means), and mostly I had to speak politely, i.e. “Sie” not “du”.

“Entschuldigen Sie, bitte?“ (Excuse me, please?)

She looked up and across. “Ja?“ (Yes?)

“Es tut mir leid, aber Ihre Tasche wird nass geworden.“ (I'm sorry, but your bag will get wet.)

“Oh.” She looked down, put her bag on the next seat and moved her feet. “Kein Problem.” (No problem.)

I then moved my bike so that any remaining snow would melt and drip away from her. My stop was approaching. Now, it is the norm in Germany, if you at least speak one or two words with someone on a train, for the departing passenger to say goodbye. It is not creepy, and not to do so would be very rude.

I stood up, to partly sort out my bike, but mainly to address the lady correctly. “Nochmals entschuldigen und auf Wiedersehen.“ (Apologies again and goodbye). Very formal German.

She smiled up and crossed her legs. “Du bist nicht schuld. Machts gut.” (It's not your fault. Take care.) Very informal German.

-----

Now, no one can say this is me being creepy. If the twenty-two year old teacher was a 250Kg guy with warts on his warts, I would have warned him too about the messy stream of snow heading his way.

OK, the shiny boots mean that I am writing about it here. I also liked her use of informal words in reply to my formal German. I would appreciate the thoughts of any German speakers about that.

Edited Sat 30 Jan 10, 2:15 AM by Factory_slave

Just to play devils advocate here, if it had been the 250kg guy with warts, would you be posting about it on a BDSM website?

XxX

Friends help you move. Real friends help you move bodies.

I used to be terrified of the Abdominal Snowman when I was boy!

The thought of being chased around the Himalayas by a big, hairy, ripped Yeti still sends shivers up and down my spine to this day!

Imagine one coming for you, hungry for your end, all teeth, inhuman fury and six-pack!

Oh the horror!

I'm going to have to have a milky drink now to settle my nerves before bed.

Hello. My name is Inigo Kroenen. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

And here's me thinking that the abdominal snowman must be a lot like the Sta-Puft marshmallow man version of the abominable snowman - all big billowy belly and silly grin.

love the brave but avoid cowards, knowing the gratitude of cowards is small ~Praxilla of Sicyon

Good question. Never in a million years, not even if it were a wart-free 250Kg female.

You did ask.

I already know the answer for 90% of Brits. Nothing at all. Better to let someone's bag and contents get soaked than dare speak to a stranger on a train.

Anybody can be fabulous. You got a hump on your back? Put some glitter on it and have a party.

They that love not Tobacco & Boies were fooles.

And you've already admitted that you too would have let someone's bag and contents get soaked, if that someone hadn't appealed to your own selfish sexual desires, so don't even hint that you might have the moral high ground here.