Double Dutch Girl Puts Herself First

Vello and David arrive back at Corny's for dinner.

Smells good! says David.

How was the ride? asks Corny.

Not too bad, says David. It seems everyone here rides a bicycle.

Oh yes, the bicycles here are very popular, says Corny.

There was one part, all cobblestones, says Vello. And to make matters worse.......

Ah yes, says David, the cobbles with the letters. Very rattly. My teeth haven't recovered.

Have a bitterballen, says Corny.

Thank you, Corny, says David, biting into a hot bitterballen. Aaaah! Delightful.

(It is a small Dutch croquette).

Where is Terence? asks Vello, noting the all-too-peaceful absence of Terence.

I sent him back to the supermarket, says Corny. To return stolen goods. The rascal had stolen a packet of chocolate sprinkles.

Was that wise? asks David.

Of course not, says Corny.

Well, says Vello. All I can say is, it's lucky that Belle isn't here.

Surely by now she should be, says David. Has she sent you a message?

I should look, says Vello, getting his phone out. Oh yes... oh... she's not coming home until morning. She's met a book collector who is showing her his....

Bitterballen? smirks Corny, thinking he is making a clever double Dutch entendre.

But this goes down badly with Vello. No one makes sport of his daughter.

He chomps down hard on his bitterballen, and grimaces as if it were baked mud he was eating.

Terence, having waited outside in the street for ages, to convince stinky old Corny that he has returned the chocolate sprinkles, knocks on the front door.

Knock. Corny opens the door.

Good boy! says Corny. Honesty is the best policy. Come in now, and have some hachee and rode kool with appeltjes. But wash your hands first.

Terence goes to the bathroom.

If he were smart, he would now hide the chocolate sprinkles.

But he doesn't like the sound of what is for dinner.

So the sprinkles remain in his shorts.

He returns to the table.

Vello is waxing lyrical, in a bad way:

nennigeb netom snegre tluz eJ, says Vello. It is hardly poetic.

Which bit is it? asks Corny.

How should I know? says Vello. It's your endless poem.

Oh is it? says Corny. Just write it down will you.

Vello writes it down.

You were reading it backwards, says Corny. It's Je zult....( etc). It means you have to begin somewhere.

Well I've just proved that's nonsense, says Vello.

Corny doesn't know whether he should be insulted on behalf of his city's guild of poets.

He decides not to.

(be).

Meanwhile Terence is sprinkling chocolate hail over his bowl of hachee, while no one is looking.

If Belle were here, NONE of this would have happened.

But a girl has to put herself first.