I sipped my beer as I sat at a table in the bar, casually looking out over Loch Lomond. I had some documents in front of me, on the table, but I was rapidly getting bored. I knew what I was going to talk about when I met my clients in the morning. I had my power point presentation ready and I was confident I could deliver it. I put a paper down and looked out the window again.
I was in a hotel sitting on the banks of bonnie Loch Lomond. I always stay here when I'm in this part of Scotland. They know me here and I always buy the receptionist a drink. Courtesy and friendliness is always matched with an above average level of customer care. If it's available, I often get an upgrade to one of the suites and I was lucky this time.
I was deep in thought as I admired the view out of the window. I was so far away with my thoughts that I didn't notice the man walking from the bar over to my table. 'Do you mind if I sit here?' he asked.
'Sorry, you startled me. Of course you can sit down, we're the only ones in the bar tonight,' I replied.
In the instant I looked at him, I had read him. He's about my age, in his fifties, a bit overweight, like me, a friendly well groomed man. A salesman, I thought. He just looks like a salesman, confident and chatty. He introduced himself as Ian and sat down across from me.
We sat there, enjoying our beers, the scenery outside and the quietness around us. We chatted away like old friends. He was a very interesting person. I was right in my guess, he was a salesman, of tractors, of all things. He was up from England meeting farmers all over Scotland. This was just one night out of forty and he would be on the islands tomorrow night. 'Gosh, a forty night sales trip, that must be so tiring after a while. What does your wife think?' I asked.
'She's okay with it, used to it after all these years. I miss her and the kids when I'm away but it pays well,' he replied.
He asked me how my family cope with me being away, I explained that I was single and left it at that. I did wonder when I saw him, could he be gay or bi? Difficult to tell but I guess the fact he has a wife and kids suggests he's straight. Nonetheless, he was good company, I liked him. If I had a farm, I would buy one of his tractors, I joked.
The night wore on and we had a couple of beers as we chatted. Neither of us intending getting drunk. We needed to be relaxed and sober when we met our clients. Eventually, I thought it was time for bed. I drew our chatting to a close. I joked that I had the sauna in my room turned on and that I'm right in there as soon as I get up the stairs. 'You have a sauna in your room? How did you manage that?' He asked, amazed that I had a sauna.
'I managed to get an upgrade to a suite as I'm here quite often. I keep the receptionist sweet and she gives me the suite if it's available,' I explained. His room was just along the corridor from mine and he was in the standard rooms. 'Bad luck,' I joked.
We left together, bidding the bar man a good night. We reached my room and, just as I was opening the door, I asked him if he would like to see it. I held the door as he walked into my suite. He stood there amazed. There was the sauna, next to a needle shower. I showed him the lounge and the bedroom off to the side and he was stunned at the size of the bed, it was like two double beds together. Even for my size, it was a huge bed.
The best part of the suite was that the windows slid apart to reveal the loch. Floor to ceiling windows slid easily as I exposed the view to Ian. Better still, nobody can see in unless they are on the loch. You get complete privacy. I often stand here, naked after a sauna and enjoy the cold air coming in from the loch. It's really relaxing.
