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