TotW 148: Back down south - WINNER

**Robin de Bodemloze** · July 24, 2012, 09:46 AM

Back down south

Confederate Jeb makes it twice in a row as he storms to a convincing victory over worthy foe. Is this the start of a prolific run? Congratulations to Jeb and a big well done to all of our participants!

The Winning Tale The sound of other human beings entering my car awoke me from my deep sleep. A young couple, British tourists, took their seats at the table across from my location, not noticing my presence. The woman was spouting such nonsense as "Oh darling, Rome was simply beautiful, I wish we could have stayed another month or two! But I found the locals to be simply unwelcoming" and "The hotel was simply marvelous, but the service was simply dreadful." Simply this, simply that. Insults about Italia, her king, and her people. I felt the need to tell her to "simply" leave Italia and go visit other countries, but my good manners prevented me. Sadly, she continued on with her complaints for a good fifteen minutes.

"And this train! Darling, it is simply not to my liking. The train is simply of poor design, and the cars are simply too old to be used to transport vacationers around this country."

"The locomotive is state of the art, a model 4-6-2. Or a Pacific, as most people call them." I blurted out sharply, as if on reflex.

"I beg your pardon?" The woman appear quite flustered to learn that someone else was in their car. Their car, ha!

"I know a great deal about locomotives, madam. I worked on the railroads in my youth, serving simply wondrous visitors such as yourselves with simply delightful food."

"Are you making fun of me? You have some nerve." Her face was turning a very vibrant red.

"No, madam, you have some nerve for visiting Italia and insulting her good people. I suggest you simply leave my car and simply make your way back to Britain." I couldn't stop myself, it simply felt too good.

"Your car? Why on earth is this your car? I don't see your name engraved anywhere."

"Madam, let me be straight with you. Tomorrow I will board a boat to Tripolitania where my days will be spent dodging bullets and praying to God that artillery shells do not land on my head. If this is the last day that I will ever have in Italia, then I will not spend it listening to your complaints about Italia or her people."

The woman stood up, appalled by my remarks, and had begun to open her mouth when her man leaned over and whispered something into her ear. A look of confusion and rage overtook her face as she made her way outside of my car. Presently the man slowly headed towards the door, but not before staring deep into my eyes and saying those words. Words I would never forget.

"I know your pain. When I had one day left until my deployment to South Africa, I felt a hollowness inside me that could not be mended by words or time. Only my return to Britain would cure me. So I resolved to live and return to my native lands. Do not lose faith; rather, endeavor to see your beloved Italia once more."

You can see the submission thread and poll thread here and here respectively.