Sailing Away from Trouble

Sailing Away From Trouble

Georg sipped the drink, took a tighter grip on my hand.

“Are you happy, love?”

I sat back in the deck recliner. The ship moved easily through the English Channel on its way to Belgium. This trip was becoming quite interesting.

“Well, yes. Yes, I seem to be quite happy.” I said and squeezed his hand in return.

Georg appeared at dinner last night, I looked up and there was this man beside me.

“Pardon me, but do you mind if I join you? I seem to have nowhere to sit.”

I was raised to be polite. “But of course. Please.” I indicated the empty seat. The rest of the table seemed too busy talking to care.

“Thank you ever so much. I am Georg.” He had amazing eyes.

“And I am Suzanne. Pleased to meet you.”

We talked all the way through dinner, through dessert, after dinner, on the deck. We talked all the next day.

He talked his way into my life. Well, let’s say, I opened the door and in he walked.

“So, Miss Suzanne, what are we doing once we get to Brussels?”

“Oh. Well, I guess we could do the walking tour. I read about it. It takes about five hours. It also includes a canal tour. Then I want to get some of that Belgian chocolate. Perhaps some of the famous handmade lace. What do you think?”

His amazing eyes gaze into mine.

“What if we just stay on the boat?”


“Um. Well, I did pay a lot for this. I really want to go onshore, Georg.”

He pouted. “Very well, then the tour we will do. When do we leave?”

“Right after breakfast. Wear your walking shoes.”

The next day promptly after breakfast we joined the onshore tour group. Georg took along his briefcase, for the souvenirs, he said.

“Why aren’t you wearing your walking shoes?” I asked.

Georg’s shoes were fine leather, black and shiny, dressy. Beautifully made.

“Do you like them? They’re Italian. I like to look nice.”

“I feel like a peasant beside you.” I wore my Birkenstocks, heavy socks, hiking pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a sun-blocking hat.

“You are beautiful. Don’t worry.” He kissed my nose. Then wiped the sunscreen off his mouth.

The tour group wandered the streets of Brussels for a few hours, we took a canal tour.

I found a chocolate shop. Georg said he wanted to find a souvenir shop. We planned to meet at the corner in a few moments.

My bag of sweets in hand, I made my way to the corner. Avenue Fonsny. The station for a train - the Thalys - stood in front of me. I wandered over, checked the information. This was a high-speed train to Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Interesting. But no time, I had to meet Georg.

Waiting as long as I dared, and still no Georg. Rejoining the tour group we made our way back to the ship.

I stood on the dock and thought. He came with the Norwegian Dream and left with the Thalys.

A little wind came up. Gray clouds threatened rain. It blew my hair around. I lost my hat. I remembered a line from Sophocles. Seems it was Philoctetes that said “The weather’s always good when sailing away from trouble.”

W/C 553