Riga Newness
Riga had a new boyfriend. It was a guy she just met. He was a soldier. They'd just met on the train. He was going on leave. Both got talking. Riga took the chance and asked him out. His leave was just three days. That included a five-hour train journey either way. Riga was to get off at the north station. The soldier was to alight at the central station. She stayed on the train with him. They talked about themselves. He was due to be posted to Spain in three weeks. Riga acted. Let’s go eat somewhere now. I'm hungry. Come on. I know a place he replied. By the canal. It sells nice fried fish and kebabs. Ok that's good for me. Riga liked both fish and kebabs. What about a fish kebab? She would ask. This was their first date. On their first day meeting. They got on so well. Was it fate on a date? The soldier was younger than Riga. She was 34 and he was 23. A big gap but it was fine. He was adult for his age. His knowledge extended from military things. He was a keen swimmer and cyclist. Riga liked hiking and Martial Arts. They swapped phone numbers and addresses. It was like they both wanted a continuation of this. The soldier was called Samuel. He took Riga to his sister's flat where he was staying. A soldier's salary was good but rents were high in West Berlin. How sister wasn't always there. All Samuel needed to do was pay the electric and buy food. They stopped off at the store to buy provisions. Riga said she would cook. His sister was in Bremen working just now. Riga only had the clothes on her back. She wanted to stay with Samuel till he went back. She called her parents and daughters and said she was staying with a friend. Samuel would lend her some t shirts. Life often put you in new situs. Riga was good at thinking fast. This guy was one to keep hold of. His Spanish posting would be three months. Riga knew Spain well. She would visit him. She was getting far ahead. That was fine. It felt right. As long as she did her job of a copy editor there were no issues. She could even do that in Spain. The manuscripts could be mailed or faxed over. Samuel asked her if she liked films. He had a big collection of horror films. His sister moaned his films took up space. Riga was thrilled! Can we watch?! That's why I'm telling you. They viewed twelve different ones. Eighties horror videos had never been so good. It was while Halloween was on they made love. The small gal and soldier that met on a Berlin train. Oh for young love and Cold War Times...
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