My name is Marie - Marie Evans. I have arrived at the age where I like to travel a bit and can afford it more than in my youth. A while ago I organized a group of women to take a cultural tour in Eastern Europe. They were of assorted ages and nationalities, and as the organizer of the program, I became the unofficial leader of the group. We did have tour conductors and guides for portions of the trip. My story begins in the last country we were to visit before going home.
We were booked into a hotel at a group rate, and tours had been arranged for us. We were to have a city tour, and a day of shopping and attending some cultural events. The last day was to involve a tour into the countryside, where the hotel would provide a tour escort and some musical entertainers who would introduce us to some of the customs of the rural community and provide a program for us. A coach was to be provided through the hotel to take us on this last trip.
Unfortunately, the evening of our arrival, there was a bit of malicious mischief by an unknown group, which resulted in the destruction of some of the hotel property and minor injuries to several people. One of those injured was the person who was to be our tour escort for the day into the country, and part of the property damage was to the equipment of our musical group.
The morning after, I was contacted by the hotel manager. "I am most sorry, Mrs. Evans; but after the incident of last night we are unable to provide you the escort and entertainers you were to have for your last day. We can still do the city tour for today and the events for tomorrow, but the program for the last day must be cancelled, unless you want to just use the coach and driver to take you around. Of course, they can do this, but there will be no professional escort or special program for you. We deeply regret this, but you understand it was brought about by the act of vandalism last evening."
"Yes, I understand," I replied, not quite sure what we should do. "Have they caught those responsible?"
He went on. "The hotel called in the police, who gave chase to several persons seen fleeing the scene. Three persons have been apprehended, two of them local persons and one a foreigner who appears to have been just visiting the country. They have been charged with several offenses."
"You said one was a foreigner?"
"Yes. British, I believe. I cannot imagine why he would have been with such a group, but he was found running away after the event. Several people think he was part of the group that engaged in the mischief. Strange, though; he was scheduled to leave the country in a few days and he is making quite an uproar about his arrest."
"And of our program? We can still use the coach, but we will have no escort, and no musical program? Is that right?"
"Unfortunately, it is. Part of the trip was to go into the national park, where you would have had a picnic while the musical program was presented. If you wish, we can still load a picnic lunch for you, but you will have no organized program. It is, however, a rather nice outing, and I suggest you think about it. Let me know this evening."
I took it under advisement, and went on the city tour with my group, 26 women. As we rode on the bus, I took advantage of the situation to advise the group what had occurred and what our options were.
To my relief and amazement, they were not distressed.
One spoke out at once. "I have had just about all the culture I can soak up. I think a day of just fun would be great. Maybe we can organize our own party!"
"Why not?" another asked. "Let's see if we can find something completely non-cultural!"
"Maybe we can find some guys who will put on a dance routine for us!" one added.
"Or a strip show!" another commented. Others laughed at this suggestion.
Anyway, it was apparent that there would be no great disappointment at the change in our last day's program.
When we returned to the hotel, I went to see the manager. I told him we would take the coach as suggested, and the picnic lunch, and organize our own entertainment.
"I am so pleased. We will arrange it as you wish. Of course, we will offer a suitable financial adjustment because this unfortunate change in program."
I asked about the apprehension of the miscreants and their status.
"Three are in custody. The two locals seem to be clearly guilty, and will probably not contest the charge. They may even lead the police to others who were involved. The big difficulty is the Englishman, who insists he is innocent, although he was identified by several witnesses. He has an attorney, who is trying to negotiate a solution for him. In fact, the attorney has asked me if he might be able to offer some service to the hotel in exchange for a withdrawal of the charges."
"And," I asked, "Is there a possibility of that?"
"There is little we could use him for. He lacks the financial resources to pay any meaningful compensation, and, frankly, we have no place to use him. He may not have been the ringleader, but it looks as though he was involved, and both the police and ourselves feel he must be punished, though it need not be severe or lengthy. It is simply not right to overlook such an offence. There must be suitable punishment for him, and we are not in the business of punishment - we are a hotel!"
I learned the foreigner was Paul Anger, a visitor in the country. He had come as a tourist, and now was anxious to go home.
That evening, I discussed our plans with several of the women in my group.
One young lady, the same one who had laughingly suggested arranging a strip show for our last day, again jokingly made a proposal. "Why don't we offer to punish him? Let him come on our tour Thursday and he can be the strip show?"
Other women laughed at the joke.