Finnish Reflections (Part III)...

The Scene: Monday, June 27, 2005 - Buffet breakfast at the Hotel Kämp/Helsinki

The Actors: TBF and Big Daddy TBF

TBF and his father are finishing breakfast and will soon be taking the 1 p.m. train from Helsinki to Kauhava. The train station is about a five minute walk from the hotel.


BDTBF: "I'm going to go to the outdoor market for a little while before we leave."

TBF: "Great, I'll finish packing and then I'll arrange for a taxi to the train station."

BDTBF: "What? Are you kidding? The train station is only a couple of minutes from here."

TBF: "Yes, but by car its only a matter of seconds."

BDTBF: "Don't even think for one second that I'm going to get into a taxi and tell the driver that we're going to the train station. The humiliation...really!"

TBF: "Well then, I guess that means that you won't feel bad when you're wheeling your luggage over those cobblestones and I'm waving at you from the taxi that's whisking me to the train station."

BDTBF: "You do what you want, but there's NO WAY I'm getting into a taxi for a thirty second drive."

TBF: "But dad...I'm supposed to drag my heavy luggage over a bunch of cobblestones? Haven't the Finns ever heard of smooth sidewalks?"

BDTBF: "You know, I think living in Switzerland has made you a bit soft. You know, I was doing a man's work when I was seven years old."

TBF: "What the heck does that have to do with the fact that I don't want to drag my heavy luggage over a bunch of cobblestones, arrive at the train station all sweaty, and then sit on a train for four hours in a damp shirt."

5 minutes later they are walking through the lobby. BDTBF says to the receptionist:


BDTBF: "Imagine, my son wants to take a taxi to the train station."

Receptionist: "But...it's only a five-minute walk."

TBF: "Yeah, but I have heavy luggage...cobblestones...oh, what's the use?"

About an hour later, TBF and BDTBF step out of the elevator and into the lobby with their luggage...

Receptionist: "So then, shall I call you a taxi?"

5 minutes later, TBF and BDTBF arrive at the train station. TBF is sweaty from rolling his luggage over a bunch of cobblestones, and BDTBF is obviously elated over the fact that he saved his son from spending three Euros on a taxi.

TBF: "You may have won the battle, but I'll win the war. We're going to go First Class, and I'm buying the tickets. No questions asked!!!

BDTBF: "That's fine with me."

TBF: (thinking to himself...) "...wait a minute. What just happened here?"


PLEASE NOTE: This is pretty much how things took place, but a few embellishments were added.