Chapter 3: Jayne Learns the Ropes

Jayne sailed along keeping the boat nicely in the middle of the canal. When she judged she was close enough to the moored boat, she put the engine in neutral and let it drift. As she got nearer, she put the engine in reverse. Then realising she was going to stop short she put it back into forward. After a moment she put it back into neutral by which time they were passing the boat very slowly.

‘Well done,’ Lewis said. ‘You didn’t do it perfect but for a first time you were exceptionally close. Put it in drive now and carry on. You’ll improve with practice you’ll see. Now when you drive into the lock, if you don’t get it quite right don’t worry, if you bump into the lock gate you won’t do any harm.’

‘Relax now and I’ll take over. Do you want to go and ask your mum and dad if they would like a turn at steering or if they would like a drink?’

Jayne went through the boat, returning shortly followed by her dad. ‘Dad would love to have a go,’ she said, ‘I’ll make mum a drink. Do you want one?’ ‘I’ll have a coffee please,’ Lewis said, ‘Milk and two sugars please.’

Jayne’s dad took the tiller as Lewis explained the movements. He had driven a car for years so apart from getting used to going the opposite way he had no problem. ‘It’s like driving a car with a bonnet ten cars long,’ he said with a laugh. Lewis agreed. ‘I borrowed a boat recently that was twice as long as this one,’ he said, ‘That was even worse. I did pass one very long boat,’ Lewis told him, ‘That had a steering wheel in the middle so you could see the bow better.’

Jayne brought them their drinks then by the time they had finished, Lewis could see the lock up ahead. ‘As none of you have ever seen a boat go through a lock,’ Lewis said, ‘I think it might be best if you all got off before the lock and watched from the canal side.’

That being agreed, Lewis tied up just short of the lock and put the gangplank out. Everyone went ashore and moved up by the lock. The lower gates nearest to them were open so Lewis explained what would happen.

He returned to the boat, cast off and sailed into the lock. Climbing carefully up the wet iron ladder built vertically into a recess in the lock wall, his head suddenly appeared out of the lock making Jayne’s mum jump.

It was a single width lock with only one gate at each end. He closed the lock gate he had just sailed through and closed the paddle. Then he went to the other end and opened the paddle to let water into the lock. Jayne and her parents stood up and looked down into the lock watching the boat rising up from the depths. Once it was level with the higher canal, Lewis opened the gate. Helping everyone back on board, they sailed out and off along the canal. This time all four of them sat at the stern, Lewis and Jayne each side of the Tiller and her mum and dad on the outer side.

By two o’clock they had reached another bridge which was the disembarking point for Jaynes parents. Lewis tied up and insisted they stopped and had some lunch with them before they left. They sat at the dining table and had a ham salad that Ron had prepared for them that morning. They all had a glass of white wine and Jayne’s dad raised his glass saying, ‘Here’s wishing you a safe and happy voyage.’

Jayne kissed him saying, ‘Thank you dad.’ Finishing off with a cake each then a coffee it was time to part. They all went ashore where Jayne gave her mum and dad a hug and a kiss. Jayne’s mum gave Lewis a hug and a kiss. Then her dad shook his hand. ‘Have a good trip,’ he said. Then as her parents walked up onto the bridge, Lewis gave Jayne his hand to step back onto the boat.

At Lewis’s suggestion, they waited until Jaynes parents were up on the bridge, then Lewis cast off and Jayne steered the boat out into the canal and under the bridge. As they came out the other side, Jaynes parents looked down on them, surprised to see their daughter steering the boat and Lewis climbing up on the roof to stow the gangplank.

Going back to take over the tiller, Jayne could then turn and wave to her parents. Lewis turned every now and again to give a wave too. Then ten minutes later they sailed around a bend and were out of sight.

Sitting each side of the tiller, they were able to relax at last. ‘Well, you’re stuck with me for a week,’ Lewis said smiling at her. ‘Tell me a bit more about yourself.’ Jayne looked glum, ‘Not much to tell,’ she said. ‘I’ve lived in the village all my life. Half the kids I went to the local school with have left to get jobs elsewhere. I get some work in the café when Mary is off, and I do some casual work at some of the local hotels and shops.’

‘I spend most of my spare time at home with mum and dad. We go to my aunts in Cornwall for a fortnight every summer and that’s about it.’ ‘How about boyfriends?’ Lewis asked. ‘There was a boy I liked,’ she told him, ‘But once he left school he wanted to be an engineer so he went to stay with some relations up north so he could work in a local car factory. He rarely returns to the village and last I heard he was married with a child.’

‘When you say you liked him,’ Lewis said, ‘Where you a couple?’ Jayne blushed, ‘Oh no,’ she said, ‘I don’t think he ever knew I liked him that much.’ ‘Did you dream about him a lot?’ Lewis asked. ‘When we were at school I did,’ she answered, ‘But once he left the village it seemed a bit pointless.’

‘Do you go into the local towns to the cinema or clubs and such?’ Lewis asked. ‘No,’ Jayne said. ‘I’m a bit on the shy side and I have no one to go with. The idea of going on my own would terrify me, even if mum and dad would let me go.’

‘Are they strict with you?’ Lewis asked. ‘No not really,’ Jayne said, ‘They’re lovely, they’re just perhaps a bit overly protective.’ ‘That’s understandable,’ Lewis said, ‘Especially with a daughter.’ ‘But why should that make a difference nowadays,’ she said. ‘Because it’s usually girls who get attacked and raped.’ Lewis replied. ‘Plus, it’s the girl that gets landed with the baby.’

‘I suppose so,’ she said. ‘Do you know I’ve never had a conversation like this with anyone before.’ Lewis grinned at her, ‘Well you’ll have to make the most of the week,’ he said. ‘Everyone tells me I’m a good listener.’

‘So how come they let you go off in a boat for a week with a boy they had never met before?’ Jayne smiled, ‘That was Evelyn, she told them you were Ron’s best mate and she thought you were a real gentleman. Then when they actually met you, I could see they liked you right away.’ ‘What it is to be so popular.’ Lewis said with a grin.

‘It’s three o’clock now,’ Lewis said, ‘So I suggest we sail on for a couple of hours which should bring us to the next town. We’ll tie up and have a look round, perhaps get something to eat whilst we’re there. I don’t think we need any shopping until Monday.’

‘That sounds fine to me.’ Jayne said. ‘What’s life like where you live?’ ‘I live in an urban area,’ Lewis told her. ‘There’s always a lot going on, although its much busier, noisier and more built up than your lovely village. I’m still at school. I like fishing, I live with my mum and dad and two younger brothers. Oh, and I have a Saturday job at a local video hire shop.’

‘Should you be there today?’ she asked. ‘Yes, I had to get my best pal Peter to stand in for me.’ he answered. ‘He’s done it before so it’s no problem.’ ‘What are you going to do when you finish school?’ Jayne asked. ‘I don’t know,’ Lewis said. ‘I’ve actually been offered an apprenticeship in an engineering factory already, but I don’t really know if that’s what I want to do yet.’

‘Did you have any ideas when you left school?’ he asked. ‘I did think of nursing.’ Jayne answered, ‘But I’m a bit squeamish.’ ‘I’m sure many nurses are when they first start.’ Lewis said, ‘Like most things it’s something you get used to.’

‘Do you have a girlfriend?’ she asked. ‘No, not yet’ Lewis told her, ‘The girls at my school tend to go for the more muscular types and out of school I haven’t really met anyone.’ ‘Have you kissed any.’ Jayne asked blushing. ‘Oh yes,’ Lewis said. ‘I mean properly on the lips,’ she added. ‘Yes, properly,’ he told her grinning. ‘How about you.’