16. Getting Lost on Purpose

I didn't know the city at all and what is more, I couldn't speak a word of the language. After having spent my first day sight-seeing in the town-centre, I decided to lose my way deliberately on my second day, since I believed that this was the surest way of getting to know my way around. I got on the first bus that passed and descended some thirty minutes later in what must have been a suburb.

The first two hours passed pleasantly enough. I discovered mysterious little book-shops in back streets and finally arrived at a market-place where I stopped and had coffee in an open-air café. Then I decided to get back to my hotel for lunch. After walking about aimlessly for some time, I determined to ask the way. The trouble was that the only word I knew of the language was the name of the street in which I lived—and even that I pronounced badly.

I stopped to ask a friendly-looking newspaper-seller. He smiled and handed me a paper. I shook my head and repeated the name of the street and he thrust the paper into my hands. Seeing that it would be impossible to argue about the matter, I gave him some money and went on my way. The next person I asked was an old lady who was buying vegetables. She was very hard of hearing and I repeated the word several times. When she finally heard me, she seemed to take offence and began shouting and shaking her walking-stick at me. I hurried away quickly and was relieved to see a policeman on a corner. He certainly would be able to help me. The policeman listened attentively to my question, smiled and gently took me by the arm. There was a distant look in his eyes as he pointed left and right and left again. He glanced at me for approval, and repeated the performance. I nodded politely and began walking in the direction he pointed. About an hour passed and I noticed that the houses were getting fewer and green fields were appearing on either side of me. I had come all the way into the country. The only thing left for me to do was to find the nearest railway-station!