Many years ago when travelling through the South of France I split up with my boyfriend after an argument and found myself alone and waiting for a train at La Ciotat railway station
My intention was to travel to Nice where the father of my best friend lived
But I did not really want to bother the family
As I sat in the shade of the station building I soon became aware of a number of people enjoying themselves around a swimming pool which was half hidden behind some trees
I though little of it and continued waiting for my train to nowhere
At about two in the afternoon a couple who were roughly the same age as me joined me on the station platform
To my surprise they approached me and asked me a question
But they were speaking French a language I hardly understood
Sensing my confusion they both starting speaking English
They asked me when my train was due and where I was going
I told them my story and they suggested that I join them around the pool as I should not being wasting such a hot afternoon waiting for a train
Without really thinking I joined them and soon I was sitting on a canvas chair next to the pool
I was introduced to my new friends and was given a cool orange drink
A girl who introduced herself as Neli sat opposite me and handed me a book
It was called Aphrodite and had been written by a Pierre Louys
The book looked quite old and Neli told me that it was an early edition dating from 1896
I asked her why she was giving me such a valuable book
She explained that although quite old the book was a common edition and was not worth much
It was one of her favourite books
I explained that I read and spoke French very badly
She said it was my incentive to learn the language and when I mastered it and was able to read the book then I would share the pleasure that she had once experienced
After borrowing a pair of shorts I joined my new friends in the swimming pool and found myself being quite noisy
Later we stretched out next to the pool and soaked up the afternoon sun
As evening approached I was told by Robert that if I intended to travel to Nice then a train would arrive at the station at around eight in the evening
The group offered me board but I felt that I had to travel even though I had spent a memorable afternoon with Neli Robert and my other friends
I was given a very light supper and was accompanied to the nearby station by Neli and Robert who were actually twins
At just after eight on a beautiful Mediterranean evening my train arrived and I was soon on my journey to Nice
I had swopped names and addresses with the intention of keeping in touch but knew I would not contact Neli or Robert or any of the others again
I did not alight at Nice as I decided to travel to Italy
My boyfriend never contacted me again and soon had another lover in tow
For what it is worth I have travelled for most of my life since then never really settling anywhere
I finance my travel by translating articles and stories into English as I now speak a number of languages well
My French is fluent but I have never read the small book that Neli gave to me next to the swimming pool in La Ciotat
Quite why I am not sure as it travels everywhere with me
Maybe I felt that the beauty of the book was more hers than mine and that if I attempted to read Aphrodite I might be disappointed
It would spoil the memory of those few short hours that I spent at the swimming pool on that hot July day all those years ago