My story 21

Late 1959 I was in Holland, and I had a scratch pad full of people I wanted to see. After my dad and I had this "prophetic" conversation, I continued with my schedule. And this day I had written down to visit 59 Jansstraat. In earlier days I had lots of fun with my brother Henk. Often we would go out together for an evening of "Ritselen", a home made word meaning clean fun in whatever form you can find it.

Most of the time we would end up at 59 Jansstraat, where Bertha lived. Lies (Lisa), her best friend at the time, was there often as well.

I wondered who still lived there at this address now. I rang the bell, two rings , which indicated that I was calling on the people upstairs. Downstairs was a wholesale business, that would have been one ring. Upstairs I met a lady who introduced herself as Mrs. Brussee. That made me think for a minute. What happened in fact, the Mrs. Brussee I knew had passed away and Mr. Brussee was remarried. I introduced my self as an old friend of the kids, and I wondering if anybody still lived there. Kees had moved out, Bertha had moved out, but, she said: "Truus still lives here. Oh, there she is now!"

I turned around and instantly I knew I had stepped into the rest of my life. What my dad had prophesied came to pass. Everything inside of me calmed down, and I suppose we stared briefly at each other, before I found the right words to say:"Wow! Have you ever become beautiful .....!!"

I HAD to meet her again. How in the world would I add that to my scratch pad. I had to cancel somebody. We got a little help from Truus' sister Bertha, when she invited me to come to her place on Friday. First I said no, because I wanted to meet with Truus instead. Then she said "Truus is coming too"." In that case my answer is yes". That evening I was supposed to visit Mrs W. and I went to the nearest phone to cancel. When Mrs. W. started calling me names I just knew I had made the right decision. I don't need any more of this!

The following Sunday was my last day in Holland. Truus and I spent most of the day together. In the evening I would board a train, as planned, and start on my trip back to Canada, via London. I had promised Truus I would write her three letters. In the third letter I would ask her to be my wife. When I said that, she had jumped up and planted a kiss on my cheek, the first kiss, if you need to know!

In London I wrote the first letter. Upon arrival in Winnipeg I wrote the second, and when I woke up the next morning I wrote the third.