Fountain Diving in Valencia(Dill McLain) It was a splendid day at sea. There was not a single cloud in the azure blue sky. The cruise ship coming from Southampton and heading for Portugal sailed gently, without noticeable movement through the almost flat waves of the slightly rippling water. A very gentle breeze caressed the passengers on deck pleasantly. Mara had retired back into a quiet corner away from the pool and occupied one of the four free lounge chairs. She enjoyed a view of the open sea on her right, and straight ahead from this sheltered place, she could also watch the colourful hustle and bustle around the large swimming pool. Mara had brought the guidebook with her and carefully studied the exciting information about the next two stops of the ship, first A Coruña in Spain and then Lisbon in Portugal. She had booked excursions with city tours lasting several hours in both places, and she was looking forward very much to discovering these destinations. A young couple passed by. They each held a drink in their hand decorated with a tiny paper umbrella and a fruit skewer. Mara decided to get a cool drink at the bar as well and got up.

While she waited in front of the bar until two other guests were served, she watched the cheerful crowd with amusement. Now another guest arrived and stood next to Mara. He was reading a little book and seemed absorbed in it. His outfit was so unusual that Mara almost shook her head vigorously and could hardly hold back. How could an adult man wear such stupid clothes? The stranger wore yellow three-quarter-length trekking pants, which obviously did not fit him properly and stuck strangely to his long legs in the middle of his calves. The top did not suit him either and looked more like a T-shirt of a motorbike driver with this large, greenish-black eagle in front. A tiny hat enthroned the top of his head, which could more likely be attributed to an older aunt. He wore a pair of half-tattered plastic slippers in an indefinable color on his feet that were at least two sizes too small. Mara suppressed a laugh and turned her head. Now it was her turn, and she ordered a mojito. The bartender was an incredibly nimble type who could prepare the drinks with elegantly practised gestures and broad smiles. And in no time, the mojito was ready in front of her. She went back to the quiet corner, her drink in hand, and nestled back in her deck chair.

After a long sip of the cool, sparkling drink, she gazed pensively out to the sea and thought to herself that life could actually be quite acceptable. One just has to know how to enjoy it. She took a deep breath and was about to take another sip of her drink when the strangely-dressed passenger appeared in front of her, holding a glass of white wine and asking cheerfully, «Hello beautiful woman, is this deck chair free?»
Mara choked, and her mouthful of mojito splashed into the air and over her cleavage. Then followed a coughing fit, and she had to cover her mouth with her hand.
«I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m just looking for a free deck chair!»
Recovering from her coughing, she nodded several times and replied,
«Yes, of course, the chair is vacant!»
Now the stranger came a bit closer, held out his hand to her with the words, «My name is Luggie. I just want to deposit my things here. I want to swim a few laps!»
Mara also introduced herself and tried her best to smile.

Luggie began to peel off the tight clothes with a particular effort. Finally, he stood there in the most impossible swimming trunks for his figure. Namely, very tight camouflage swim briefs that did not even cover half of his overhanging belly. Mara had to turn her head. When she looked straight ahead again, she just saw him disappear between the bathers in the direction of the pool. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

Mara was 46 years old and single. She was a chief buyer for fashion at a large department store group and was given this trip for her tenth anniversary of work. She had struggled with weight problems since puberty and suffered multiple bullying because of it. Nothing had helped. Neither did intensive sport nor the countless diets. The kilos just stayed. Maybe there were a few less when she chastised herself with extreme diets and long walks. But they always came back, usually as soon as she ate. For years, she had suffered from an inferiority complex because of it. And she had been terribly shy of even thinking about a relationship with somebody, let alone making any effort. She had considered herself a kind of ‘nobody’s interest’ beforehand. At one point, there had been a relationship. And even leading to an engagement with a hotel manager who had initially started his career as a chef. He also had a few pounds too many on his ribs. So this topic had not really been an issue there. Unfortunately, he had been predisposed to womanize, which caused Mara to eventually break up the relationship. After a few superficial encounters with the male species, all of which struck her as arduous, she had decided to fully concentrate on her own career. She completed an apprenticeship as a fashion specialist, a time that gave her great pleasure. Of course, she had been teased there, too, because of her curvy body. However, she was top of the class, and therefore no one could really hold a candle to her. Meanwhile, Mara had also learned to live in harmony with her body.

At the age of 34, she fell head over heels in love. With all the suffering and turmoil that went with it. As she thought at that time, the man of her dreams was ten years older and a psychologist by profession. They met in the lido by the lake, and it seemed like a dream to her. He told her right at the beginning that he liked women with a rounded figure, and she ultimately began to blossom. But then it turned out that he was cleverly using a psychological tactic to turn the heads of women with hidden complexes – just like in her case – and play the big lover. And thus, he actually was enjoying a sneaking advantage because these women blossomed so much and did everything for him and overlooked certain other factors. For a while, this worked out. And then, he looked for a new victim. And so, one day, Mara had to admit that this was a complete dead end and by no means the romantic paradise with a great future that she had mistakenly meant at the beginning.

Realizing this bleak experience, she did not actually have to weep for days, mainly the case with others in such a situation. No, she suffered from nausea for weeks and hardly felt like eating. A fit of great anger spread in her too. She decided to see a specialist and examine the situation of her body again in detail. The result was short and clear: she suffered from a hormonal disorder which would never go away. And she had to live with it.
Now that she knew what was going on and that there was no way out, in other words, she would never be a slender woman, whatever efforts she would make. With time she strengthened inside so much that she was almost satisfied with her body. And sometimes even posed a bit in front of the mirror. She even bought new clothes and this time no longer looked to choose nothing conspicuous. No, now she wanted to enjoy life to the full and have a great selection of fashionable clothes. After all, fashion was also her job. The topic of men just fell entirely out of her plans over time. She had nothing against men in general and was very good with colleagues at work or her free time activities. But it was then simply clear to her that a relationship with a man was no longer an option for her. She then began her new work with great enthusiasm and commitment, which gave her great joy and satisfaction.

Mara woke up because the last rays of the setting sun were gently tickling her face. She looked around in amazement and realized that she had slept for over two hours. Most guests had left, and only very few lounge chairs were still occupied. In the pool – that had been crammed with swimmers before – she saw only two single people swimming their laps. Luggie’s lounge chair was empty. She blinked and enjoyed the sunset. Suddenly she remembered Lugggie’s words, clearly engraved in her head: «Hello, beautiful woman…» he had said loudly and clearly. A vague smile played on her lips, and she slowly inhaled the fresh sea air. Something seemed to be happening to her. Very pleasant, completely new, it was just there. Mara packed her things in her beach bag and strolled leisurely along the railing. When she got to the cabin, she stood in front of the large mirror and smiled, whispering, «How on earth can a man walk around in such impossible clothes?» Later, under the shower, she added in a loud voice, «It’s not really my business. He’ll definitely have his reasons!» While doing light makeup, she suddenly shouted at her reflection, «Why do you care about his clothes? Just leave this man alone!»

After a light dinner, Mara went to the piano bar and enjoyed a glass of wine in the pleasant atmosphere filled with beautiful music and the laughing and chatting of the guests around her.
«You slept like a goddess. With a wonderful expression of satisfaction on your face!» came a voice from behind her. Mara turned her head. Luggie stood there, still wearing these impossible pants but supplemented with a grey cotton shirt that he wore, not buttoned, like a jacket over the trousers. It was way too small too and revealed his flopping belly. Mara could not utter a word. Luggie bowed almost imperceptibly and said in a very sympathetic voice, «Beautiful goddess of this afternoon, I wish you a good night!» He waved briefly to her and disappeared between the guests.

Mara only saw him again when she was sitting on the bus for the city tour in A Coruña. Luggie got into a taxi – still in his impossible outfit, of course. Apparently, he wanted to explore the city on his own. After a short shrug, Mara turned back to her reading of the text to the highlights to be visited. The multi-hour excursion program was fully packed, and when the bus drove back towards the cruise ship in the late afternoon, many passengers were dozing in their seats. Mara looked at her photos and let the highlights pass by again. She had liked the Tower of Hercules and the Castillo de San Antón very much. But she especially enjoyed the great Aquarium Finisterre.

In Lisbon, too, she saw Luggie get into a taxi again. Just as she walked down the gangway towards the bus for the sightseeing, he recognized her, lowered the window and waved briefly to her with a warm smile. Mara also raised her hand briefly and smiled back before she quickly walked to the waiting bus. She went all the way to the back and sat down on the window seat in the last row of seats, hoping that the next seat would remain vacant. Sighing slightly, she looked out through the pane of glass and whispered by herself, «One would have to clothe him from scratch!» For a moment, she closed her eyes in shock. What on earth did she just say? Why should she, of all people, take care of this neglectfully clad man? No, no, no, by no means, load yourself up with such arduous tasks! She pulled her shoulders up to her ears, let them fall again and said softly to the windowpane, «So now, stop this rubbish immediately. You’re not in social service here, but on a vacation trip!»

The bus drove off, and the guide’s voice rang out over the loudspeaker. For this beautiful, vibrant city with its many exciting quarters, buildings, churches and great history, one would actually need several days. Having to pack everything important into one day was challenging and did not do justice to certain aspects. One should definitely sit longer in the Alfama in one of the bars with a great view and dream of old times. The fabulous ceramic tiles of 5 centuries in the National Azulejo Museum would demand a more extended visit. And to sit down on the Tagus River, remembering the times when those big sailing frigates had set out with the famous circumnavigators – Ferdinand Magellan or Vasco da Gama, and others - to discover the world, was beautiful and gave the feeling of grandeur with the smell of great history.

The next day was at sea, and the passengers enjoyed the many onboard activities or took a rest around the pool or reading in a deck chair along the side of the ship. Mara explored after breakfast all decks extensively and watched a while the ongoing paddle tennis competitions before heading for a cool drink in the bar midship. When she got there, a group of passengers were gathering for a basic introduction to flamenco dancing. Mara decided spontaneously to participate. Two flamenco dancers gave instructions, and a simple sequence of steps was practised. The participating guests were challenged immediately, and all tried their best with a highly concentrated expression on their faces and proudly tense posture. Tripping over one’s own feet, turning on the wrong side, forgetting the arm movements or cutting a grim face from concentration, all of this was normal for beginners. Mara was not untalented in dance, and she loved it. But she would never have participated in anything like this at home. Here she was far away among strangers, and she had immediately seen that several of the participants also had no ‘model’ figure. She felt great. The lesson was over in a flash, and to finish the course, they danced through the learned sequence several times, guided by the two professional flamenco dancers.

Meanwhile, numerous passengers had arrived to watch what was going on, and the dancers received applause.
«I knew goddesses were good at dancing!»
Mara turned around and saw Luggie, as usual in his curious outfit and smiling all over his face. Then he added, nodding several times, «Compliments, dear beauty, you did a good job!»
After a bit of bow and a short wave, he walked away. Still wearing those much too small plastic sandals.
Mara was a bit confused now. Her cheeks tingled, and she was still a little breathless. Was it the flamenco dance from just now or something else? She got herself an ice tea and went out onto the deck. There she stood at the railing, sipping the cool drink with relish and pondering over the seemingly endless sea. There was something about this man that captivated her. She could not quite place it yet. Or she did not want to. It was just an impossible thought that he would find anything in her. For many years, she had finally put something like that out of her mind. And so it should stay that way. And anyway, as a respected fashion consultant for a well-known fashion company, how was she supposed to have the idea of having something in common with such a curiously dressed man – however nice he may be? There was really something extraordinarily amiable about him.

Her musing was interrupted by the captain’s announcement. The vessel would soon dock in Malaga for the evening according to the schedule. Mara decided to rest a bit before getting ready for the evening shore leave for a ‘tapas dinner’ followed by a flamenco show.

The buses brought the passengers from the cruise ship to the famous restaurant El Pimpi. There were long rows of tables outside reserved for them, offering a breathtaking view of the Roman Theatre and above it on the hill the impressive Alcazaba built by the Moors. Both sites were illuminated and provided a stunning backdrop. The waiters poured wine and kept bringing large trays with new varieties of the delicious local tapas. Later, the whole group walked from there to a Taberna Flamenca in the old town, where they sat down on these small, wooden chairs with colourful cushions typical of Andalusia. Sangría – a drink best known in Spain – was served, and the flamenco show started, immediately captivating everyone. It was a wonderful evening and everywhere happy faces. When Mara watched towards the entrance during the performance, she spotted Luggie leaning against the wall and watching the show. Obviously, he had long since discovered her in the crowd. Because now he raised his glass and toasted her with a charming smile. Mara raised her glass too and smiled back. Then she turned her head back to the stage, but now she was somehow distracted. Now her thoughts ran a bit wild in her head. They all returned to the ship long after midnight. Mara did not discover Luggie anymore. He must have gone back separately beforehand.

Before going to sleep, Mara sat leaning against the wall in bed for a moment and let the evening pass. Luggie would actually be a handsome man – he had a well-cut face, seemed to have excellent manners and an infectious smile - If only he were better dressed. She just could not understand it, and it bothered her, even though she wanted to put it all off. It was really none of her business. She shook her head vigorously and finally whispered into the dark,
«Why is this haunting me now, the hell again! What’s the matter with me all of a sudden? So now - done with it!»
And with a loud sigh, she let herself fall into the pillow and soon slept like a marmot.

The next shore leave was in Valencia. Mara took part in the extensive city tour and was very happy to finally get to know this beautiful and interesting town with a great past. In the afternoon, there was free time for shopping before returning to the cruise ship. Mara was a bit tired from the many impressions she had taken in and the prolonged walking. She decided to rest at the main square by the large fountain and watch the hustle and bustle. She found an empty spot on the wide rim of the fountain and sat down. For a long time, she followed what was happening in the vast square. Then she pulled her mobile phone out of her bag to take a few coherent photos. Finally, she wanted to take a selfie and leaned back in a pose. She lost her balance, wanted to hold on to something, threw the cell phone away and intuitively clutched the person’s arm next to her. It all happened very quickly and in one go. Both persons fell backwards into the fountain.
Mara felt two strong arms embracing her and helping her to stand up in the water. She first had to spit out water and then coughed vigorously. Only then did she look up to find that she was in Luggie’s arms.
«What a wonderful dive!» he exclaimed happily, still grasping her tightly. And while Mara was still speechless, he went on bravely, «May I invite you to dinner tonight? I will be the happiest man if you say yes!»
Mara was not quite herself anymore. She was floating on a cloud somewhere and just nodded.
«Well, let’s get out of the fountain!»
With these words, Luggie helped to move her up to the rim and then followed. They sat there for a moment, soaking wet. A boy held out her mobile phone to Mara, which he had apparently picked up from the ground. Now Luggie held a 100 Euro note in front of the boy’s nose and told him to run over to the big booth for tourists and buy two of the largest tablecloths. And come back quickly. The boy nodded and left. Soon after, Mara and Luggie were standing in front of the fountain, both wrapped in decoratively embroidered tablecloths. Photos were taken from all sides, and Mara asked the boy to shoot some pictures with her mobile phone. He then got a nice tip from Luggie and disappeared happily waving and smiling all over his face.

Mara and Luggie took a taxi back to the ship, where he accompanied her to her cabin. They agreed to meet in the bar at nine o’clock, so they could rest beforehand.
The unintentional dive in the fountain had not done Mara’s hairstyle any good, and her hair was now somewhat unruly. After intensive brushing, she decided to put a strand back on both sides and hold it together with a small, exquisite hair-clip studded with rhinestones. While she carefully put on her makeup, she tried to classify these new feelings, which – she had not realized – had been developing latently for days and now were flourishing. And she accepted it after all – it would have been foolish not to do it either. Happen whatever happened. Now she stood in the turquoise blue evening dress made of wonderfully flowing fabric in front of the mirror and examined her appearance. Yes, chubby or not, it all looked pretty good, even attractive.

A few minutes later, she sauntered skilfully down the wide stairs that led to the piano bar in the middle of the ship. As she hovered down the stairs - almost as if on clouds - one hand on the railing, her eyes searched for Luggie among the guests seated there. He had to attract attention immediately with his unorthodox clothes. For a brief moment, Mara grinned to herself. They will make a couple like those in a cabaret production. She paused on the second to last step and was a little confused not to see him. Maybe it was all just a strange dream! She decided to cross the bar and take a seat somewhat in the back. She definitely needed a nice cocktail now. Come what may!

«Wow, you look stunning, really like a goddess in turquoise. I’m blown away!» Luggie stood in front of her in a perfectly fitting midnight blue evening suit, a white shirt with a small, striped silk bow tie and expensive velvet moccasins on his feet with tiny knots of cord. Mara was speechless, and her eyes focused on him several times from top to toe and vice versa. She opened her mouth but could not utter a syllable. He beamed at her, gently took her arm and said, «I’m so glad that the surprise succeeded. Come, I will show you to our table!»
Mara floated beside him as if in a dream, and she noticed the admiring looks of several guests as they passed the tables. Her heart was pounding wildly, and she wanted to just fall into Luggie’s arms. Arrived, finally, despite everything, so it’s true, there is love for everyone! One just has to accept it when it comes.

The two toasted each other with champagne, smiling happily. Luggie explained to her the reason for his mysterious attire in the last few days: He was the victim of a suitcase mix-up. He received the one suitcase of a hiker with the surname Ludwig, travelling to Genoa on another ship, with a detour to Casablanca, and who had a second suitcase. Luggie was the abbreviation used in Bavaria for the first name Ludwig. The Polish porters in Southampton had misinterpreted the labels. Unfortunately, Luggie’s luggage was left there outside the hangar at the port. When Luggie contacted the hiker by phone, he was offered to use the hiker’s clothes and then deposit the suitcase for Genoa at the information desk. Unhappily, the hiker’s clothes were about two sizes too small and of a strange taste in color and style. The shipping company promised Luggie to bring his suitcase to A Coruña, at the latest to Lisbon. And so he did not buy new clothes because he found it pointless. Regrettably, a chain of unfavourable circumstances followed: His suitcase did not arrive in A Coruña in time, and also not in Lisbon. In addition to this, the zipper of the pants he wore on the journey failed. In trying to fix this, Luggie manipulated a little too vigorously, and the small teeth of the zipper bent in all directions. Furthermore, the leather loafers he wore on the trip did not go with the skimpy hiking clothes at all… So the only solution was the wanderer’s clothes and the plastic slippers. Even if he just looked like a simpleton. His suitcase did then not arrive in Malaga because the driver in charge had a car breakdown. However, this evening – when he came into the cabin after the fountain dive – his beloved and longed-for suitcase stood there, hooray!

The two went to the small, fine Italian bistro, where they tasted delicious ravioli with white truffles, followed by an exquisite zabaglione. They stayed with the champagne and told each other the most critical stages in their lives. Luggie was an architect, specialized in building country houses. He confessed that he had seen and liked Mara from day one, just like that. However, there were approach barriers: He did not know whether she was travelling alone or with a partner, whether there was one at all. And then there was his absolutely gruesome outfit because of the idiotic mix-up of his suitcase. So he stayed in the background but watched her every day. He had already fallen in love with her when she dozed in the deck chair next to him. It was just a great feeling to imagine they were actually a couple. And he confessed to having watched her closely for over half an hour at the time.
Finally, Mara could not hold back, and she asked straightforwardly,
«And my Rubens figure doesn’t bother you at all?»
«What an exotic question! I am a real Bavarian and love Rubens and everything that looks like it!» Luggie countered, smiling like a cockchafer.
Then he looked at her with a serious face, took her hand in his and explained, «I like you exactly the way you are, don’t worry! And I hope you can accept me as I am – including my belly that is a little overflowing.»
Mara nodded with happiness in tears.
They went out on the deck, where they hugged and kissed. And the two remained a harmonious couple forever.

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