Margarete Mizera by Nigel A JAMES
A Night in
the Hay!
When
travelling back in our thoughts to long, long ago, it is,
more-often-than-not, that the nice people of then are the ones who
come right to the front of our minds! And once upon a time, there
was a friendly policeman who deeply impressed a very young lady. And,
50 years later, Margarete Mizera – for she was that very same
person – still remembers him well!
The day was
coming to a close, and Margaret and her husband had just completed a
strenuous 7 hour climbing tour. They were not only exhausted, but
tired and hungry as well; and, of course, they were looking for a
bed for the night. But it was summer and very high season, and, in
the beautiful Austrian mountains of Styria where they had gone for a
week there wasn't a bed to be found. They had tried everything. They
had knocked on every door, and they had even considered sleeping
under the bridge, but, with a storm coming up they were desperate. A
night in the mountainous open with no shelter at all was not such a
very good thing!
But then,
through the darkness of desperate thinking came shining a light. In
front of them, and not far away, was the village police station.
And, why not?
And the
policeman was an angel. Although his police station cell was full,
he knew of a way! And then, before they knew what was happening,
Margarete and her husband were in the back of a police car, a very
small VW Beetle, and being taken to a farm on the side of a mountain.
And their luck was still in.
The farmer
was their second angel of the day, he had no rooms, all were taken,
but, what he had to offer was not only a night in his barn, but also
a delicious evening meal! And they needed it, and they were thankful.
And, as
Margaret and her husband lay wearily down to sleep in the hay, they
could hear from outside the rain and the storm in all its great fury.
They were warm and they were safe, and, as they peacefully dreamt the
morning gradually came, and with it another surprise.
The farmer
and his wife had prepared an unimaginably fantastic breakfast – the
best they could offer! And, so it was, that the next mountain was
climbed with not only a very full feeling, but, also a heart full of
thanks! The policeman and his friend will never be forgotten!
