All at Sea with Truffles Page 15

  It had been a late night, so our beds looked inviting. After I had thankfully used the litter box and she had eaten the bedtime choccies, we called it a day and sleep came very quickly to both of us!

  Our last full day on board the ship

  We awoke quite late the next morning and Sheila quickly went through her morning ablutions, cleaned out the trusty litter box, brushed me and gave me my breakfast of tinned turkey morsels and crunchies. I’ll have to get used to living out of tins again all the time now, I thought sadly. Then she went off to enjoy her own last mega cooked breakfast before it was back home to the usual unappetising dry bits of straw that she normally has. I was sitting gazing out at the C when Eduardo arrived. “It’s ze last time I see you in ze morning, Trufools,” he said. “You good cat - ‘ere’s last breekfest treat,” and he put a large and very plump sardine into my bowl. I purred at him in thanks and rubbed around his legs. He really had been such a nice man and had been very kind to me. I liked him. I polished off the sardine whilst he busied himself about the stateroom as usual. When he left I wondered who would be living in our stateroom for the next trip. I bet there wouldn’t be another cat! What would Eduardo do with all his excess prawns and sardines now? I mewsed. I supposed he’d have to eat them all himself!

  Sheila wasn’t too long and she told me to stay on the balcony out of the way while she did our packing. I was quite happy; it was still sunny, though not nearly so warm as it had been in the foreign places we’d visited. Well, I certainly hoped that the packing wouldn’t take half so long as it did before we came on the cruise, or she’d never get it finished before we got to Southampton - especially with all the extra handbags she’d bought, not forgetting the teddy bears! I forgot to tell you that she had bought another teddy from somewhere ashore, who wore a straw hat with ‘Roma’ on it! I dozed in my sunny corner, but after a while it got windy so I went inside.

  Finally Sheila snapped the last of the large cases shut and at… att… attac… fixed on the labels. “Still lots to carry,” she groaned. “Oh well, I suppose it’s my own fault for buying so much! Still,” she brightened, “at least all that money I won in the casino will help pay off my credit card!” She dragged the cases over to one side of the stateroom and told me she was off for a late lunch. Dropping some crunchies into my bowl, she left. To be honest, I didn’t feel very hungry at all, so for probably the first time on record I didn’t eat them!

  I continued to sit outside, and now I could see that in the far distance there was land in sight. There were also a lot of other ships around us - all shapes and sizes; mainly like the grubby ones I had seen in the docks all loaded up with whatever ships get loaded up with. I only saw two others like ours - people carriers - but I was pleased to see that we were still the biggest!

  Sheila returned and clipped on my lead, saying that we were going for a last stroll around, though not outside because it was very windy, and at the same time she could return her library book. We trekked over to the elevator. The unseen voice told us the doors were closing and then announced that we had arrived at the deck where the library was. I gave up wondering where the unseen lady was hiding - I guess it was just one of those mysteries I would never solve! When we arrived at the library I was amazed again at seeing so many books all in one place - shame mine weren’t among them! Sheila added hers to the shelf, saying that she’d not finished it; she never did on a ship, as there were too many distractions! So why did she bother getting it in the first place then? I thought uncharitably. I pulled on the lead - I was fed up with this library place already! “Okay, okay,” she said, and we left and went down several sets of stairs until we arrived at the shopping road.

  As we strolled along we suddenly came across Margaret, who was laden down with bags once more. Did she live in shops? I wondered. She and Sheila could shop for England, that’s for sure. They found some seats and sat down and I lay beside them and people-watched. It seemed very busy and there was a large crowd forming by a table, with crew people wearing matching white coats and hats standing behind it. They seemed to be cutting and chipping away at big blocks of stuff that looked like glass. Well, that wasn’t a surprise on this ship, I thought - everywhere you went there was glass! But I soon realised that it wasn’t glass, because as they cut away at it I could see what looked like drops of water coming out of it and collecting in little puddles at the base of the blocks. Then it hit me - the shapes they were making were something like Eduardo’s towelling animals! Eventually they finished and the crowd clapped their paws together excitedly. Standing on the table were a big dolphin, a horse’s head, a lion and an elephant. Very clever! Sheila and Margaret took out their little picture-making machines and took pictures of the animals. Then Sheila said goodbye to Margaret and told her she would keep in touch. Margaret patted me and we parted. She went back into the shop selling sparkly neck decorations and we continued on to the far end of the road. “That’s as far as we go, Truffles,” said Sheila, and so we made our way back again, past the shops and past the drinking places. When we reached the car with the giant teddy bears sitting in it, she stopped, lifted me up and placed me in between them, and then took our picture! Finally we arrived at the general store, where she bought some choccy bars (naughty, naughty!) and a pack of biscuits. Then it was back to the stateroom.

  As it was still windy, Sheila slid open the patio doors, just leaving a gap big enough for me to squeeze through to get to my box. She then went out again, saying that she was going to the internet café to send some messages. She had never mentioned this internet café place before. I know that in cafés people drink the brown frothy stuff she likes, but I wondered what a cup of internet looked and tasted like. I slipped outside, but not for long - I hate wind!

  The rest of the afternoon passed by and eventually Sheila returned, only a few moments before Marcello arrived with her last plate of canapés. She would miss those, I thought! She ate the lot herself this time, without offering me any! I suppose it was my own fault, because she’d seen that I hadn’t eaten the crunchies! She sat down on the sofa and drank the remainder of the bubbly whilst watching the moving pictures on the wall. I came and hopped up beside her. “Oh well, Truffles,” she said, “we must make the most of our last few hours on board. All good things have to come to an end. I’ve had a great time and I hope you have, too!” She raised her glass. We sat.

  The time came to order my dinner, so she turned to me and asked if I’d like the pigeon again one last time. Too true I would! And when it arrived I savoured every mouthful, as I knew I’d never eat the likes of it again unless by some million-to-one chance I managed to catch one of the errant pigeons that lived at the bottom of our garden. And, even so, they wouldn’t be cooked in such a tasty sauce as these! Sheila got washed and changed and went off for her last dinner, too. I wondered what she would choose. As I never went with her to eat, I really have no idea what she scoffed throughout the cruise. All I know is that, whatever it was, it must have filled her up, as she was now looking a bit on the fat side - although thankfully not in the same class as that Mrs Golightly!

  Eduardo came in later as usual and he was carrying one of those little picture-making machines in his paw. “‘Ello, Trufools,” he said, “I take picture to remember you.” That’s nice, I thought, and I sat up on the sofa, giving him my best pose - head up, ears pricked and tail curled neatly around me. I gave him my best Cheshire cat grin and he grinned back at me. “Zank you, Trufools,” he said. “You good cat!” He gave me a pat and produced a lovely chunk of steak. I fell on it eagerly. I would miss all these gourmet treats! Now I knew why Sheila liked the ship food so much, if it was to the same standard as I had been getting! She would feel as let down as I would be going back to tinned food when we got home, though in her case it would be back to a diet of slimming soups and straw biscuits! I sat and watched Eduardo for the last time as he went about his chores, humming under his breath. I noticed that he’d left two choccie
s on Sheila’s bed tonight but no towel animal. With one last pat from him and an ankle rub from me, we said our farewells and he went out, leaving me feeling a little sad. I had enjoyed his company over the past two weeks.

  Sheila returned much earlier than usual and she, too, was looking less than happy. She sat by me on the sofa and we looked sad together!

  Then she stood up and took off her evening outer coverings, slipping them inside one of the suitcases and covering herself with the ship’s robe. With great effort she hauled the three cases to the stateroom door and shoved them through it. “That’s it,” she remarked. “All ready to go now!” She made herself a large cup of frothy coffee. I bet she’s sorry she hasn’t got any Amorettoto put in it, I thought. We sat on the sofa side by side and she set the moving-picture machine going. She watched; I dozed.

  Not too long afterwards we went to our respective beds. I lay awake for some time, going over all that had happened. I could now quite clearly see why so many of you like this cruising way of life. All the pa… pam… pamp… being looked after so well; and the best thing of all, the terrific food! I admit that I am looked after very well at home, and until I ate on the ship I had been quite satisfied with my food. I sighed. The steak, pigeons, lobster, etc., could only remain in my memory now, and I resigned myself to eating tinned food again! At least Sheila doesn’t give me ‘own brand’ tins any more. I had rebelled against them once and she cap… capi… capitu… gave in and has never bought them since! I turned over and went to sleep.

  Leaving the ship and going home

  We woke up to see grey skies. The sun had not bothered to come out and greet us at Southampton. Much earlier than usual, Sheila made me go outside and told me to hurry up with my toilet routine. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen this morning, so instead of taking my time and enjoying the procedure I thought I’d better do as I was told for once! Anyway, it wasn’t very inviting out on the balcony now. I looked out at the large grey buildings opposite and I could see right below us on the dockside lots and lots and lots of suitcases. I blinked. There were more suitcases heaped down there than there were books in the library! Dock people, looking not much bigger than ants from our lofty position, were sc… scu… scur… rushing about and lifting them onto strange-looking motor machines, which then took them out of sight into one of the grey buildings. “Come in, Truffles,” Sheila called. “I want to get on. Come and get your breakfast!” I went inside and ate the food she’d put into my bowl with little glee. Meanwhile, she emptied the litter box and rinsed it out and then packed the rest of my stuff away in my holdall. At least the catlit sack was finished now, so that was one less thing for her to carry - though looking at the pile of extra bags waiting on the sofa, I wondered how on earth she was gong to cope with it all. Still, not my worry! My bed and cushion now packed away, I curled up on the carpet and awaited events.

  She made herself a coffee and ate some of the biscuits that she’d bought the day before. I wondered why she hadn’t gone out for her usual breakfast. Perhaps it was too early? She then went all round the stateroom and the bathroom opening every door and drawer and even checking under the bed. What was she looking for? Anyway, whatever it was, she didn’t find it. Then she sat down, not looking too concerned, so it didn’t seem as if she’d lost anything. She finished the remainder of the biscuits and then went into the bathroom, and I jumped as I heard the sudden roar of the flush again. Well, I certainly wouldn’t miss that horrendous noise, I reflected. She came out. “Just one more check around to make quite sure I haven’t left anything,” she muttered, and then once again she repeated what she’d done not ten minutes earlier! She walked all around the stateroom, opening and closing the doors and drawers yet again! What a waste of time, I thought. We cats would only ever have to do a check once; we weren’t so stupid that we would so soon forget what we had just done! It must be her age, I decided.

  Sheila clipped my lead on my collar and put on her top outer covering, which had been lying on the bed. “How I’m going to carry all this lot I really don’t know,” she said. I wondered, too! Anyway, somehow she attached a couple of carrying bags to the long handle of her wheel-along suitcase and balanced her ship’s tote bag on top of it, which was now bulging - with the mysterious totes, I supposed. Then she slung two more, smaller bags over her shoulder and picked up her handbag and my lead. We staggered towards the door, only to be faced with the problem of getting it open with just her one free paw! After all that loading up, she then had to put everything down on the floor again, tutting as she did so! She then opened the door and leant the case against it, allowing us to wriggle through before slamming it shut. She then set about balancing everything again. People walked by, offering looks of sympathy. All they seemed to be carrying were just one or two small bags each, not the entire contents of a shop!

  We made our way slowly but surely to the elevator meeting point, where many other people were waiting. Looking at all the bags they were holding, which were taking up a lot of extra space, I reckoned we were going to have a long wait to get inside one! In fact, I decided that we’d probably need nearly a whole one to ourselves! Eventually we got lucky when two arrived together. We managed to get in one containing only one man with a small sack over his shoulder. He took pity on Sheila and offered to carry some of her stuff to the gangway, and she was relieved to take up his offer! She told him that we were not getting off just yet, but were going to wait in a special room that was reserved for certain passengers - ah yes, I drew myself up proudly, special, important passengers like us! My snobby side was coming out again, readers! Anyway, the kindly man accompanied us to the special room and then bade us farewell, wishing us a good journey home. Sheila thanked him effu… effus… effusi… very much.

  When we entered the special room I saw around another ten people sitting there with their luggage in comfy chairs and drinking frothy coffee or those - sickly sweet but not necessarily naughty - fruity drinks. A pretty young lady crew member greeted Sheila and asked if we’d enjoyed the trip, and Sheila told her, of course, that we had! “So this is Truffles,” smiled the lady, stroking my head. “I hope she’s going to say some nice things about us!” “I’m sure she will,” replied Sheila. “Are you being met at any particular time?” asked the lady. “You can get off at any time you want, you know, you don’t have to wait until they call your luggage group.” “Yes, I know,” responded Sheila. “We’ll just wait here until 8.30 and then we’ll go. A taxi is coming to take us back to Cornwall.” “Fine,” said the lady. “Let me know if there’s anything you want.” Then she went off to greet another two passengers who had just come in - carrying their one small bag each!

  Sheila, the heap of luggage and I sat down for a while and she drank some of the horrid sickly fruit juice. Ugh, it turned my tummy just to smell it! Then she got out her little talking machine and I heard her speaking into it to Tony. “Come on, Truffles,” she said, “he’s nearly here, so we’ll get off now.”

  We got up and she loaded up again. The kindly lady crew member opened the door for us and said she hoped she’d see Sheila again on her next trip. We started to make our way slowly along the passageway and then suddenly, of all people, Sheila’s friendly hossifer appeared. “Oh, let me carry some of that for you!” he smiled. “You’re a godsend,” she replied, offloading most of the bags onto him! We all made our way, at a much quicker pace than before, towards the hole in the side of the ship where everyone was leaving. Sheila and the hossifer were chatting away and I heard him saying that he would look forward to seeing her when she came on board next May. I bet he says that to all the lady humans, I thought to myself! When we got to the entrance Sheila put our stateroom cards into the machine that pinged and we stepped out onto the long, sloping, zig-zag pathway that led down into the dockside building. Sheila’s hossifer went with us all the way to the entrance of the building, wished us a safe journey home, patted me and then went back onto the ship again.
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br />   We carried on until we reached an enormous space, where there were hundreds and hundreds of people looking amongst thousands and thousands of suitcases, trying to spot theirs! The noise was horrific. I shrank back nearer Sheila. It sounded as if yet another not very pleasant new experience was awaiting me. Sheila bent down. “It’s okay, Truffles,” she whispered in my ear, “we shouldn’t be too long in here. I just have to find a porter with a trolley and get our luggage. I promise I won’t let you go - don’t be scared.” Well, I wasn’t scared exactly, just taken aback once more by the sheer number of people, the noise they made when all talking at once (or shouting more like) and their many, many suitcases. I think what has struck me the most about my cruising adventure is that everything, just everything on the whole trip, had just been so BIG! From the mountain with windows that was the ship itself to the mountain that was Mrs Golightly, and everything in between!

  Sheila spotted a line of porters leaning against narrow platform things, which I presumed were their trolleys, and one of them came over. He was a cheery-looking man with lots of pale yellow fur on his head. “Blimey, madam,” he said, scratching the aforesaid fur, “is that a blooming cat? Did you get it in Catalonia - or maybe the Cat and Canary Islands?” He laughed at his own joke. Sheila laughed, too. “No,” she told him, “this is Truffles, my own very special cat, who has been on a very special journey!” He looked blankly at her and she briefly filled him in. Then he piled all our bags onto his trolley. “Does the cat want to sit on top?” he asked. “No thanks,” replied Sheila, “I don’t think she’d be very keen!” No, I jolly well wasn’t. After travelling in style in motor machines and giant luxury ships, no way was I going to travel on some rusty, rickety old trolley! Sheila started wending her way up and down some of the lines of suitcases and very quickly found two of hers, which the porter loaded onto the trolley, but there was still one case missing - the one carrying all her paw covers and handbags apparently. Heaven help us all if she didn’t find that one, I thought! After a few more trips up and down the lines of cases, Sheila eventually spotted the errant case and the man got it onto the trolley, which was now groaning with all the weight. There were whole families passing by with less stuff on their trolleys than Sheila had on hers!