Dutch

He stood up, the stiffness in his knees a reminder of the years. He wouldn't be saving any cities today, but there was a small leak in the shed that needed fixing. He grabbed his coat and stepped out into the rain. After all, that was the Dutch way: you don't wait for the storm to pass; you just learn to work in the wet. Dutch history for a child living abroad?

He looked down at his own hands, weathered from years of working the land. To be Dutch, Bram thought, wasn't just about living below sea level; it was about the collective "doe maar gewoon" attitude—just act normal. It was about the simplicity of life : a cheese sandwich for lunch and the quiet satisfaction of a well-maintained canal. He stood up, the stiffness in his knees

A flash of orange caught his eye as his neighbor, Guus, pedaled past on a bicycle. Despite the downpour, Guus was upright, pedaling with that distinct, tall posture the Dutch were famous for. He gave a short, efficient nod. No grand gestures, just a shared acknowledgment of the rain. After all, that was the Dutch way: you