Winter, Kensal Rise near Paddington. It’s dark windy and raining. I’ve been messaging a lady from USA on Airbnb who has booked 2 nights in the hammock inside the main cabin by the piano. It’s possibly the cheapest “bed” in Bath – particularly one including a hearty breakfast – at only £30/night. She tells me she has never left the USA before this is her firs trip and she is coming to England for 8 days. Flying into Heathrow and heading to Paddington. We establish that she will need to get a bus because she tells me she has a lot of luggage and Freedom is not moored near a tube station. I arrange to meet her at the bus stop because it’s about 300m walk along the towpath in the dark.

“You have a lot of luggage for 8 days” I say as we manage two 40kg suitcases a ruck sack and holdall between us.

“Oh that one has all the correspondence I intend to deal with on my trip” she said indicating the suitcase I’m wheeling through the mud of the towpath.

We arrive at Freedom, I open the sliding hatch and unhook the doors inviting her to step down into the galley. She freezes…..”Why is that hammer there”? I move the mooring pin hammer inside the storage step and sbhe tentatively descends.

“I don’t feel safe” she freezes again. I realise it’s a knife on the draining board by the sink. This is also moved and I reassure her, take her coat and persuade her to sit at the breakfast bar as I put the kettle on the gas hob.

She seems very nervous glancing around at the various objects. I ask if she’slike to choose a music track. “I don’t know any music” she says. There’s a deep sadness and untrustuing look in her eyes unlike any guest I’ve hosted before.

“How about something by Diana Ross”? I optimistically suggest. The wind is causing movement in the boat and I realise when I ask a question he hands come up in a gesture which appears to mean don’t go there. However she intriguingly says “I’ve never been allowed to listed to music or watch TV all my life”

The hammock is in the saloon by the grand piano. So her luggage was in this shared space lying horizontal on the floor. She first opened the suitcase referred to on the walk, it was indeed packed with what looked like letters leaflets junk mail and assorted papers. There was nothing else in it. Then as she prepared for sleep she opened the other suitcase which was partitioned with one third occupied by a bathroom bag and a few neatly folded garments, and the other two thirds had a male torso – at first sight he seemed real but of course had nothing below the waist. His eyes were crystal clear and his hair neatly combed. He had a shirt and tie and jacket. I said “Ooooh…..who’s that”? once again she raised her outfacing palms and simply said “That’s Stanley he reminds me of something from my past”.

With hammock guests I normally ask if they are comfortable with me coming through at 7am to make coffee even if they are still asleep. WIth lady being quite nervous I decided not to ask. In the morning I waited until I heard her visit the bathroom and guessed she was already up and dressed. When I came through into the saloon she said she would like a refund for the 2nd night. “There’s nothing wrong it’s just that I found somewhere cheaper”. It transpired she had found a hostel for £28. I pointed out this was a shared mixed dorm, conscious of her mistrusting nature.