This refers to the letter ‘The quiet cost of losing trust’ (GDN, October 4). I could so relate to it as it brought back memories of an incident that happened way back in 2003 on a visit to Italy.
I took a solo day trip to Venice from Bologna where my husband was attending to business. It was a three-hour-long journey, I think, which somehow felt like a lifetime as seated across me was a dashing, dapper Italian dude (they all are) whose face, I can still visualise.
The entire journey he kept staring at me with a half-smile, chatting nonstop, in Italian, with his friend, seated on my side of the carriage. I could tell they were trying to figure out my nationality and get me to interact. I refused to make any eye contact. Oh well, maybe just enough to notice his dapperness and then kept staring out of the window.
Those were the days sans fancy phones: no roaming, no WhatsApp, cameras or any mobile access in an emergency. All I knew was; I had to keep my wits about me and stay alert to stay out of harm’s way while travelling alone.
Then, halfway through the journey, the dude pulled out a small pouch from his duffel bag and politely offered it to me before popping something into his mouth. It was probably fresh mints or candy. I declined. Why? All kinds of thoughts were racing through my mind. What if it was laced with drugs? What if, what if? It was perhaps a friendly gesture from one traveller towards another, yet fraught with suspicion.
It wasn’t like this before. I have happily married friends who, met their life partners just by chatting up complete strangers on a train/airplane.
How I miss the spontaneity of interacting with others especially while travelling!
So, now I look for body language, expressions and subtle signs before letting my instinct guide me. No, not to find a life partner but to make travelling a bit more interesting.
Sheela Pai
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