by Daniel Eggerding

t was a bright, sunny day in Sweden. I was traveling on a train full of Swedes taking yet another holiday. Much to my delight, a very pretty young woman carrying a large suitcase came on board and sat down right next to me. I decided to introduce myself.

“How long does it take this train to get to Kalmar?” My destination. Her eyes opened wide, “English?”

She recovered quickly with a big smile.
“Oh, about thirty minutes,” she answered in excellent English.

She continued, “Where are you from? We don’t have many Americans around here. I just came back from a year in New Hampshire, where I've been on sabbatical playing my tuba. I am a professional tuba player”

“Where was this Swedish reserve I heard about?”

Now it was my turn to be surprised. A tuba player! She was probably not much taller than 4 feet 10 inches tall.

I replied, “We don’t have too many Swedish tuba players out in California where I come from.”
She laughed.

I introduced myself, explained my presence in Sweden and told her I was on my way to Kalmar to tour the castle.

“Kalmar is where my parents live,” she said.
“We are having a reunion along with my brothers and sisters. We don’t all get along too well. They are so very conservative. I decided to go more than half way in getting reacquainted with them,” she continued.

Where was this Swedish reserve I heard about?

“Good idea.” I agreed. “I’m very lucky. My family and I have always been on good speaking terms. Traveling has been a common topic of discussion for us.”

I love traveling. It’s just so easy to “spill your guts” out to a total stranger!

“Why play the tuba?” I had to ask! I continued, “I played the French horn in high school, but I knew better than to make a career out of it.”

She laughed. “I was always fascinated by the large, deep sound produced by the tuba!,” she explained.

Whoa!

She went on, “I play in the military band here in Karlskrona. We play for the Swedish Navy, on big occasions, such as a ship being christened. We’ve even played for our king on state occasions!”
We both laughed.

“My band will be playing next Wednesday. Won’t you come?” I said, “of course.” I had to see this.

I attended the outdoor concert that Wednesday evening. My Swedish friend looked great in her military uniform. The band was composed of real professionals, playing some very specialized instruments, like a bass trombone, oboes and a bass fiddle. She ended up playing a solo on her F-sharp tuba, during a classical piece by Rossini. Of course, they played a medley from the Swedish rock superstars ABBA, and continued with melodies from American’s well-known composer, Irving Berlin. They ended the concert with “God Bless America,” also by Irving Berlin.

And this was how I met a very special tuba player on the way to a Swedish castlet— My Tuba Girl!

Dan Eggerding is a freelance travel writer based in San Jose, Calif.

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