An August memory from Stockholm archipelago
It is hot on board the bus. Quite a few people going out to the harbor, although it is a Monday morning. I had gotten up early to take a few days off. I've been retired for several years, but started studying at the university when I stopped working and now, I'm finishing my master thesis. I finished the first version yesterday, now I'm heading out to an island in the archipelago and my little cottage there for a few days of relaxation. Well, okay, I have the laptop with me, I will read through and correct, review the notations and references in my thesis.
The August sun is really hot this morning. In front of me in the bus are two young women, maybe around twenty years old. They are so cute and beautiful in their little tank tops and tight shorts. As an old man, I can't help but notice how their bodies and, especially, their tits move under their thin tops. They are laughing and talking to an older woman. They seem to be enjoying themselves. I wonder if they are also going out into the archipelago by the ferry.
The heat makes me close my eyes and I almost nod off for a while. Thinking about how it felt this morning, I was ready with my thesis, and it felt so good. Now only the finishing touches. A liberating feeling when I stepped out into the street. The city had just started to wake up and the air felt crisp after the night. It smelled of warm asphalt and was it was quiet. The morning rush had not yet started. I had packed what I need for a week alone in the archipelago. Not much clothing, more food, and a few bottles of wine. And the laptop, of course.
I take the ferry, which is like a bus with several stops on different small islands, one of which is the island where I have my cottage. When I got on board, I saw that the three women are also on the boat. The younger ones are more friends, the older woman seems to be more of an acquaintance, someone they have met before, but do not know closely. When I get off the boat, so do the three women. They stand and continue talking on the jetty. The weather is warm and pleasant. I take my backpack and bag and follow the road to my house.
The house is only 15 minutes by walking but very secluded. There is only one other house nearby, old man Petterson's house. He hasn't been in his cottage for a long time, so I'm looking forward to a week on my own, with no one around.
Arriving at the house, I unlock the door, go inside, and put down my luggage. The house feels stuffy, I open several windows to let the air in. The house is old, my parents' summer house which I have inherited. There is only cold running water from a well and a simple drain. A total of 55 square meters, large living room, kitchen and two bedrooms. The house is only about 50 meters from the water, where there is a pier with a small boathouse next to it. Petterson has his jetty just on the other side of the boathouse. Even when we are there at the same time, we don't see each other, which creates a nice sense of privacy.
It's hot, I need something to drink. I take off all my clothes, so nice to just walk around naked, without having to think that someone might take offense or think I'm weird. I have always liked the feeling of the wind caressing my bare skin. I take out a beer, warm but still okay. I sit down and just enjoy the warmth and the wind.
The sun is warm, and the flies start buzzing around me. Probably need a bath. I go down to the jetty and dive in. So nice. The water is probably at least 23 centigrades. I swim around a bit and go up. Get a deck chair from the boat house and sit on the jetty, looking out over the water. I doze off a little from the silence. Everything is nice and quiet, not even any boats out on the bay. Suddenly I hear something splashing next to me. I look up but see nothing. Yes, there, someone is swimming just off the jetty. I only see a curly head, looks like a woman. I stand up to get a better look. Then she suddenly looks at me. I'm about to say something, but she says "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt". She has a nice voice. I see that it's the older woman from the boat. How has she come here? This is private. She swims over to the jetty on the other side of the boathouse. It looks like she is also naked.
"Well, you can either look or you can look away while I go up. I'm as naked as you are. If you're not ashamed, I won't be either. I thought I was alone here," she says, stepping onto the dock and disappearing behind the boathouse. Well, so much for privacy, I think. But where does she live? With old man Petterson?
I go up to the house again. I can be here without getting disturbed, I hope. I go into the kitchen to make some lunch, that is boil two eggs and make a couple of sandwiches. I bring my lunch out in the garden. Well, maybe not so much garden, mostly everything is overgrown. Probably must do some gardening, cut the grass. But I want to rest for a while first. I'm very good at procrastinating, that is, putting things off until tomorrow - or later.
I sit down and close my eyes. Fall asleep. Wake up. Wow, it's already four o'clock in the afternoon. Better get on with the day. I take out the lawnmower, fill it up with gas and it starts nicely after only two strokes. The lawn is not that big, it only takes 30 minutes and it's done. Smells like freshly cut grass. I rake away the worst of it. Looking at my work. Looks good, almost neat. Need to clear some bushes too - will have to do it tomorrow.
I take a book, nice to sit and read for a while in the afternoon heat. Insects buzzing, birds chirping a little, not like before midsummer but they are there, new little birds that have just learned to fly. Mother and father bird look on and bring a mask or fly to the youngsters. Ohh, such peace, just what I need.
"Hi, can you help me?" the woman in the water comes towards me. She has something in her hands. "My name is Birgitta, I'm borrowing the house from my uncle, August Petterson. He said everything is in the house, no need to bring anything. But something as simple as a corkscrew is not there. And I was going to have a drink and enjoy the day with some wine before dinner. Can you help me? Please."
When I get up, she becomes aware that I have no clothes on. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to just walk in like that...." She blushes, I think. "But we saw each other before too...."
"Wait, sorry, just have to put something on," I say embarrassed and hurry in. Swimming trunks, no, I don't have any. I find a pair of old shorts and a t-shirt. I pull on my clothes and then look for the corkscrew.
"Here," I say, smiling. "Would you like me to help you open it? My name is Nils, by the way. Saw you on the boat, nice to have a neighbor."
"Thanks," she says and hands over the bottle. "Nice to meet you, it was just a bit hasty in the water. I apologize for coming here unannounced, a bit embarrassing."
"I thought I was alone on the whole island," I joke. "I like to walk around naked, when I think no one will see me, but now I'm a bit more decent, I hope."