Episode47: Kiitos!

  I bought a Helsinki card valid for 48 hours. However, I couldn’t use it at Suomelinna Museo the next day. My card’s bar code couldn’t be read by the scanner. So, I thought I had gotten the wrong ticket, maybe it was only valid for 24h. If so, then I had only 15 minutes until its expiration time. I hurried to the port to catch a ferry, but I missed it a slight difference. Just then I gave up and was about to buy a single ticket from the ticket machine, someone spoke to me from behind in nonnative English, “ a ticket, give you this”. I was surprised and turned back, a Finnish girl handed me a ticket. “ But, it’s yours…”, while I was hesitating to receive it, she said pointing forward, “ no, I go now”. So, I thanked her and took her ticket.

 Then I realised why she gave it to me. Because its validity time had only 30 minutes left. She was going sightseeing from now with her boyfriend, therefore she couldn’t use it for her return. This was why she gave it to me. What a rational way of thinking! This episode became my most impressive and unforgettable memory.

  When I went back to Eteläsatama, I had to change my plan for that day, for I couldn’t use my Helsinki card any more. Instead of visiting several museums, I spent the afternoon at Akateeminen Kirjakauppa and then read my book sitting on the sone wall in Esplanadi.

  I found it very pleasant. In the evening, as I returned hotel and checked my Helsinki card again, I noticed I hadn’t made a mistake. I certainly had bought 48h card. Finally, it was the Museum scanner that had something wrong with 

※毎月1日、15日に掲載予定です。
※この記事は、The Traveler’s Time vol.3に収録。

第47話　キートス（ありがとう）！

48時間有効のヘルシンキカードを買った。
はずなのに、翌日、スオメリンナ博物館で使えないときた。スキャナーがカードのバーコードを読み取れなかったのだ。もしかしたら、24時間のカードと間違えて買ってしまったのかもしれない。もしそうなら、有効期限まであと15分しかない。私は急いで船着場まで行ったのだが、タッチの差で乗り遅れてしまった。諦めて券売機で片道切符を買おうとしたとき、後ろからだれか非英語圏の人に英語で話しかけられた。
「チケット、あげる」