‘Ted?’
‘Abe’s dog. He used to live on my houseboat. His owner was the person who had the boat before me. He died, and Abe took Ted. He’s such a cutie. You’d love him.’
‘That’s kind of Abe.’
‘Yeah, he’s a lovely guy, or so he seems to be, as far as I know. Do we truly know anyone, though? Look at Adrian. He was a pillar of the community until he got caught, and everyone thought he was a good neighbour.’
‘You do have a point. I hope I can trust my Nigel. I wonder what he’s up to right now?’
‘Oh, I’m sure he’s sat there watching a shark documentary or something. You’ve nothing to worry about with Nigel.’
‘True. He doesn’t move from that blasted telly. Now you’ve really put me off going back,’ says Debbie, laughing at the thought.
As we laugh and joke and I enjoy Debbie’s company, it hits me how quiet it is going to be again when she leaves. No matter how independent I am, I realise that I like being around people. I enjoy the company of others but then I also don’t want to be committed to anyone. Whenever you’re in a relationship, it seems there is usually one person who is more serious about it than the other. Is it truly possible to find that balance between having company and not committing? In the longer term, I don’t know that it is and so there really is no point starting a relationship with anyone, not even lovely Abe.
Chapter Twenty-One
I knew exactly which cruise I would take Debbie on for our last day of exploring. I have seen it passing the houseboat enough times to know that it looks great fun. I can’t wait to see Debbie’s face when she sees the boat. We make our way down the canal and, sure enough, when Debbie spots the boat we are going on, she is delighted.
‘Am I hallucinating or does that seriously say unlimited pancakes and prosecco?’ asks Debbie, pointing to a sign on the side of the boat.
‘Yup, I’m taking you on the pancake and prosecco cruise!’
‘I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Did I tell you how much I love this place?’
‘Now you can see why I moved here at the drop of a hat.’
‘I must say, I’ve never seen anything so perfect for us two,’ says Debbie, grinning.
I am also chuffed that I can finally go on the boat as Debbie being here gives me the perfect excuse. It is a little awkward to go on something like this on your own when you are a resident. I love having the excuse to be a proper tourist while showing Debbie the hot spots. Normally, when I have seen the boat pass by, it has been full of holidaymakers, but today it seems a large group have cancelled at the last minute, which means we can have our own private tour. The super-friendly Dutch host takes our money, and we set off down the canal as she pours us a welcome glass of prosecco before starting to cook us fresh Dutch pancakes. The cold wind bites at our cheeks as we set off, and we are both grateful for the cosy blankets that are provided as we wrap them tightly around us. It’s yet another reminder that my first Dutch winter will soon be upon me, and that will be the real test of my endurance on board the houseboat.
‘Did you want fresh fruit, cheese or Nutella on your pancakes?’ asks the host. Of course, there is only one answer to that, and both Debbie and I reply at the same time.
‘Nutella!’
As we bite into our steamy-hot pancakes, the host turns into a knowledgeable tourist guide. She starts by telling us all about the old-fashioned window tax that I knew about, and then tells us why the Dutch often leave their curtains open. Something that I have been most curious about.
‘So, it dates back to the war when families of soldiers could keep an eye on each other. If they left their curtains open, neighbours would know if the people inside the home were okay or not. There are some stories about it being because the Dutch are open and have nothing to hide, but that is the true history of it. Nowadays, people don’t really expect you to stare in, as it’s not good manners.’
‘That’s so good they looked after their neighbours like that. Almost sounds like home,’ I say.
‘Yup, it does. People trying to have a nosy inside your home. Sounds just like our street,’ says Debbie, giggling.
As we cruise further along the canal, we reach my houseboat. It is exciting to see it from this angle. Although it still stands out next to the other homes for all the wrong reasons. It is easy to spot the one that looks worn and shabby. I promise myself that the minute Debbie has left I will sort out the exterior paintwork. The paperwork will hopefully have gone through for the name change and the exterior modifications soon, then I can paint the new name on it too. I look up at my place and realise there are so many jobs that need doing when I compare it to others. But who cares? I am not in a competition with anyone any longer. Although it doesn’t look quite as loved and homely on the outside as I would like, I try not to be too hard on myself by remembering that it’s still early days. In the short time I have been here, it has come on in leaps and bounds. While it is missing the pots of flowers that the neighbouring houseboats have, with the winter incoming, that will be a job better saved for spring.
We soon drift past my home and move next door to Abe’s. As we run alongside it, I can see into his bedroom, a room I have obviously never seen before. I find myself staring in, suddenly oblivious to what the guide is saying about the district. No matter how much I try not to look, my eyes are fixed on the man inside who is removing his top. His body is well-built and firm, just as I expected, as I’ve seen it in my imagination when I can’t sleep at night. I am horrified with myself for not averting my eyes. What has become of me? I have stooped to becoming a Peeping Tom! I am about to turn away when Abe looks out the window and catches me. He looks directly at me, surprised. I am mortified but, then again, if he keeps his curtains open with all the canal cruises going past, what does he expect? Perhaps he thinks people will be polite enough not to be nosy and look inside.
I wave and then quickly look away. I have been caught gawping and there is nothing I can do about it.
‘You alright?’ asks Debbie who, fortunately, seems not to have noticed what has just happened since she was looking at the other side of the canal and listening to our guide, like I should have been.
‘Yeah, where were we? What was she saying?’
‘Oh, were you daydreaming? She was just telling us that the buildings here are narrow because the government wanted to fit in as many properties as possible. So, they’re narrow but tall.’
‘Ah, that explains all those steep and scary stairs in the buildings then.’
‘Yeah, I wouldn’t fancy going down those to use the bathroom in the middle of the night when you’re half asleep.’
