The sequel to A
Third Class Dinner Conversation
Written by Chohong Choi
Based on some situation originated by James Cameron.
(The author
would like to thank Mr. Dave Gittins of
April 14, 1912, 8:17 AM
Jack had trouble sleeping the previous night, but he was not
tired. He had been thinking too long and too much of Rose – of the fun they had
down in steerage and the intimate conversation they enjoyed on the boat deck
afterwards, which was still fresh in his mind.
“What would you
wish for?” he had asked her.
“Something I
can’t have.” Then, like Cinderella realizing it was almost midnight, she
returned to the First Class section.
Yes, you can,
Rose, he thought. And I will see
you again. I promise.
Jack realized then and there that his attraction to Rose was not
calf love. It was not like a ship passing in the night. It was real, and he was
involved now – just as he had become involved when she was about to jump off
the stern of Titanic.
Today was going to be a good day; Jack was certain of that.
He rose from his bed. The Gundersen
Brothers were already washing up. He greeted them and went to wake up Fabrizio. “Hey, Fabri!
Want to go for breakfast?”
Fabrizio slowly stirred and rubbed his eyes.
“What’s the time?”
“About 8:20. Breakfast should be starting soon. Let’s hurry before
the tables are all occupied. I’ll wash up first and then go look for Tommy.
Maybe you can go look for Helga.”
They were soon interrupted by a knock on the door. Jack answered
it and found that Tommy had gotten up even earlier than he.
“Rise and shine, boyo! Are you two
ready for breakfast?”
“Hi, Tommy. I’m almost finished washing up. Fabrizio just woke up.”
Tommy saw Bjorn Gundersen in the
background. “Good mornin’, Bjorn!” He made a gesture
with his arm. “How ‘bout another go tonight?”
Bjorn accepted the challenge by reciprocating the gesture.
“I’ll be waitin’ for ya.”
Tommy turned back to Jack. “Why don’t we grab a table first, Jack?” He then
called out to Fabrizio. “Fabrizio,
are ya ready yet?”
“I must go defecare
first,” was Fabrizio’s lethargic answer.
“Yes, and so do a thousand other passengers at this time. Too bad
you’re not in First Class. If ya were, you’d have yer own toilet and maybe they’d wipe yer
arse for ya too!” mocked
Tommy.
Jack could not help but laugh at Tommy’s seemingly cynical remark.
“Who made you Third Class court jester, Tommy?”
“Once I start, it’s hard to stop,” admitted Tommy. “Anything can
be done for the right price, and they know that upstairs.” He turned back to Fabrizio. “We’re just jokin’,
right, Fabrizio?”
Fabrizio tried hard to mask a giggle, but
decided to play along. “Ma va fan culo,
stronzo,” he muttered in his half-awake state,
with the blanket that covered part of his face muffling his retort.
“Why, Fabrizio, my dear, I never knew
you fantasized about me like that!” said Tommy in the most effeminate
impersonation he could muster. “What will Helga think?” He blinked rapidly
while looking around the room. “What will your cabin mates think?”
Jack laughed so hard his sides ached, while Fabrizio
took his pillow and tossed it at Tommy, but missed. The Gundersens,
who understood almost no English, could only stare in confusion.
“All
right, quit it, you two,” said Jack, trying to play peacemaker as he tried to
keep his laughter in. “We’re going first, Fabri. See
you in the dining hall.”
*****
“I didn’t get a chance to ask you last night how your dinner was
with Rose and her circle of snobs,” said Tommy as he and Jack walked to the
dining hall.
“They weren’t all bad, Tommy. Aside from Rose’s mother and her
fiancé, most of the others were polite. Especially Mrs.
Brown, who lent me a spare tuxedo. As for the food and service, they’re
like nothing we’ve ever seen before, but don’t get me wrong. I’d rather eat
with you guys in steerage any day, and steerage food on this ship isn’t bad.”
Tommy became envious. “Ya really do have
the luck of the Irish in ya, Jack.”
“More like the luck of a lady – actually two ladies – in this
case,” corrected Jack.
“Could yer
lady be part Irish?” ribbed Tommy. “Her tresses are as flamin’
red as any I’ve seen among the girls in
“I’m not sure. Her full name is Rose DeWitt Bukater.”
“How do ya spell that?”
“Damn,
I asked her to write it down two days ago, and she still hasn’t done so.”
8:41 AM
Jack and
Tommy entered the bustling Third Class dining hall and secured a table. The
place was about two-thirds full, and many diners were dressed in their Sunday
best. Jack and Tommy placed their orders first without waiting for Fabrizio and the Dahls. The waiter
soon returned with two steaming bowls of oatmeal and hard-boiled eggs, two
plates of smoked herring and potatoes, and bread, jam, tea, and coffee. The
aroma of the food was too tempting for Jack and Tommy, and they attacked the
food immediately.
Third Class
Dining Hall on Titanic
As he was finishing his fish and eggs, Jack spotted Angus McKenzie
seated at his usual spot. “Hey, Tommy. Let me go see
Mr. McKenzie again. I promised I’d tell him about my dinner in First Class.”
“All right, boyo. You’d better not make
this a habit of walkin’ out on us,” said Tommy with
his mouth half full.
“Don’t worry. Fabrizio and Helga should
be on their way. Besides, we still have several days before we reach
Jack brought his bowl of porridge over to Angus’ table. “Good
morning, Mr. McKenzie.”
Angus, also dressed in his Sunday best but
devouring his food as always, looked up. “Jack, me boy.
What an expected surprise! Where’s yer lady?”
“Probably dining in First Class at this moment. We can’t expect
her to come down for a meal every time, can we?” winked Jack.
“The first time was a miracle already,” said Angus. “Come, have a
seat.”
Jack sat down across from Angus and resumed eating his porridge.
“So when did you get here?”
“I’ve been up since 6:30 AM. But they don’t serve breakfast that
early, so I read and took a walk ‘round the ship until the dining hall opened.
I’m usually the first here.” Angus spread some jam on his bread before
consuming half of it in one bite. “So, how was dinner yesterday?”
“It
went quite well. You told me to be myself, not what they wanted me to be, and I
followed your advice. I think it worked well. I was a little nervous, but I got
some help from Rose and Mrs. Brown.”
“What’d ya wear to dinner, then?” asked
Angus with interest.
Jack grinned. “Mrs. Brown came to the rescue by lending me her
son’s tuxedo. That reminds me, I still haven’t returned it to her yet.”
“Lady Luck smiled upon ya, laddie.”
“Yes, it did, Mr. McKenzie, but the real fun didn’t begin until I
took Rose down to the steerage party. Say, why weren’t you there?”
“Lad, me knees are good enough to walk, not to dance. I haven’t
danced a real dance since the middle of the war. After dinner I just go back to
me cabin to rest.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” said Jack.
Angus wagged a finger towards him. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I’ve
lived a productive life – longer than I thought. I’ve suffered enough to die a
dozen deaths. When God wants me to join him in Yankee Heaven, he’ll send for
me.”
“You’ll always be more disciplined than me, Mr. McKenzie. I treat
life as a game of luck, and I live it one day at a time. As I explained to my
dinner companions yesterday, I never know what hand I’m going to be dealt next,
so I’ve learned to take life as it comes at me and make each day count.” Jack
lapped up the remainder of his porridge and wiped his mouth.
Angus’ eyes widened. “It appears ya held
yer own up there, Jack. I’m impressed. I’ve never
dined with so many wealthy individuals before. Rose was the first, but she was
only one. Here I must salute ya.” He finished
everything on his plate and bowl and washed it all down with coffee before
wiping his mouth.
“I owe part of that to you,” said Jack.
Angus
stretched out. “I’d like to go for a walk before services start. Care to join
me?”
“Sure.”
9:17 AM
It was too fine a day to remain indoors, so Jack and Angus made
their way outside to the poop deck, where many adults were already enjoying the
sun while their children played nearby. For Jack, this was a familiar place. It
was where Rose entered his life two days earlier. He stopped to take in all
that had transpired since then.
“Somethin’ interestin’?”
asked Angus.
Jack pointed up to the A-Deck promenade behind them. “There.
That’s where I first laid eyes on Rose two days ago. She was leaning against
the railing looking unhappy and I just sat here staring at her, although I
didn’t speak to her until later that night over there.” He pointed to the
stern, to where they both walked.
“I remember ya mentioned it yesterday,”
said Angus. “So why’d she go there?”
Jack intended to keep Rose’s real reason for ending up at the
stern a secret, so he repeated the lie Rose had told
“You were at the right place at the right time, lad. Fallin’ into water that cold is not something I would wish
on anyone, especially a lady. And out here, ya won’t
be rescued.” Angus could not help but relate to his Sultana experience.
They arrived at the aft railing and looked beyond it, studying the
large wake Titanic had left behind.
After staring at it for five seconds, Angus turned his eyes away.
“Are you all right, Mr. McKenzie?” asked Jack, ready to brace
Angus in case he lost his footing.
“I’m
fine,” answered Angus. “So much water so close will always bring back bitter
memories for me. When you’ve conquered your fears, the memories will still
linger. That’s what you must manage.”
“That’s true,” said Jack. “I still can’t forget when I fell
through the ice in
“Yes,
you are, and that dinner in First Class was the experience of a lifetime,” said
Angus.
*****
They sat down at a bench – the same bench where Jack was
stargazing that night before Rose ran past him on her way to the stern. The
wind was blowing towards them, but Jack lit a cigarette anyway and offered one
to Angus, who declined.
“Rose doesn’t belong up there,” declared Jack between puffs.
“She’s a steerage girl trapped inside a First Class lady’s body.”
“Why do ya think that?”
“She told me about her dreams of being an actress, and how she
wants to ride horses and the roller coaster in
“I see ya have an attraction to her.”
“I do.” How could I not,
she’s so beautiful.
“But she’s engaged. How ya
goin’ to deal with that?”
“I don’t know yet. All I know now is that Rose shouldn’t go
through with the wedding. She doesn’t want to either.”
“How can ya be so sure? Maybe she has a
case of the willies.”
“I
don’t think so, Mr. McKenzie. She regarded her wedding with grim foreboding.
When we walked on the boat deck last night after the party, we saw a shooting
star in the sky. She said that we should wish on it, so I asked her what she
would wish for.”
“So what did she wish for?”
“Something she can’t have.”
“What do ya think is that ‘something’?”
Jack knew what that “something” was; it was evident in Rose’s eyes
right before she thanked him and returned to her part of the ship. But he did
not want to sound so vain, so he came up with another wish that was probably
just as important to Rose: “More personal freedom.”
Angus was not impressed. “Freedom doesn’t come just by wishin’ for it. It must be earned. I should know.”
“Right,” said Jack. “And I want to help Rose earn hers. I know
there’s only so much I can do, but I want to try.”
“But does she want to try?” asked Angus. “I fought a war to make men free,
but that wasn’t its original aim. We enlisted to preserve the
Jack inhaled the remainder of his cigarette so intensely that he
almost burned his fingers. Then he put it out on the sole of his shoe. It was
hard for him to hear Angus be so candid about Rose, but he realized Angus had a
point.
“Ya can’t save Rose from her destiny even
if you were a Rockefeller, Jack. She has to save herself. You may be there to
prop her up, but she has to take the first step.”
Jack
gritted his teeth. “You’re right, Mr. McKenzie. But I still need to talk to her
– to push her to take that first step.”
“You can do that, but I suggest ya don’t
push her too far. The final decision is still hers.”
“Yes, it is,” admitted Jack, even though he was barely hiding his
impatience to see her and do what he could to spirit her away from her dilemma.
“It’s time for mass,” said Angus. “Are ya
comin’?”
“No thanks, Mr. McKenzie. Never did care much for the religion.”
Jack went over to the railing and flicked his cigarette stub into the ocean.
“So where ya goin’
now?”
“Maybe to find Rose.”
Angus knew
Jack was determined to see Rose. “All right, then. But be careful, and don’t do
anything rash.”
10:10 AM
As Angus descended to the Third Class General Room for services,
Jack needed to know where Rose was at that moment. He located a member of the
crew and posed a hypothetical question to him: “Where and when are services
being held for First Class passengers?”
The crew member looked at him quizzically, but dutifully answered
his inquiry. “They’re almost ready to start in the First Class Dining Saloon,
sir, but you won’t be allowed in.”
“Thanks for the information,” said Jack, who quickly returned to
his cabin, where he fetched the tuxedo Mrs. Brown had lent him. It would be his
pass to the First Class section of Titanic.
He went back up to the Third Class dining hall on F-Deck, in the middle of
which was a flight of stairs that led up to E-Deck. He ascended the stairs and
turned right, finding himself in the middle of a long corridor. He walked down
this corridor towards the forward part of the ship until he passed the familiar
elevators, which he had taken with Mrs. Brown the previous evening when she
took him to her cabin to fit him in her son’s tuxedo for the First Class
dinner. So far so good. Turning right, he walked
towards the starboard side of the ship until he reached Mrs. Brown’s cabin. He
knocked on the door, but no one answered.
“Whom may you be looking for, sir?” asked
a voice. It belonged to a steward who cautiously eyed Jack’s pedestrian
appearance.
“Mrs. Brown,” replied Jack, showing the tuxedo. “I’m returning
this tuxedo to her.”
“You shouldn’t be in this part of the ship,” said the steward
sternly.
Jack remained cool. “I know that, but Mrs. Brown wanted me to
return it to her personally.”
“She should be at services right now. You can give the tuxedo to
me and be on yer way.”
“If I
can’t hand it to Mrs. Brown in person, she wants me to hand it to the purser
for safekeeping. Where can I find him?” asked Jack in his most assertive tone.
The steward, fearing potential trouble with a First Class passenger,
gave in. “The purser’s office is on C-Deck. Take the lift up two levels, make a right, and then another right. You’ll see it
on your left – facing the stairs.”
“Thank you,” said Jack. He went back to the elevators to signal
for one. “C-Deck, please,” he told the operator. When the operator hesitated,
seeing that Jack was clearly not a First Class passenger, he showed him the
tuxedo. “Mrs. Brown wants me to personally give this to the purser…and to tell
her about anyone who tries to stop me from doing so.” That worked, and he was
very quickly transported to C-Deck. That
was fast, he thought. Certainly
faster than going up the stairs from my cabin. I’d sure hate to part with this
tuxedo. It’s brought me so much luck.
He quickly located the purser’s office and approached the clerk on
duty. “Good morning. I have a tuxedo here belonging to Mrs. Brown. Since she’s
attending services, she told me to leave it with you.”
The clerk, surprised to see the likes of Jack delivering a tuxedo,
honored the request nonetheless. “Yes, sir. And who,
may I tell Mrs. Brown, is leaving this tuxedo?”
“Jack
Dawson from Third Class, and he thanks her for her help.”
*****
That was easy, Jack
concluded, as he did an about face and descended the Grand Staircase to D-Deck,
where Rose and the other First Class passengers were attending services in the
huge dining saloon. Now to ask Rose to
join me for a walk again, just like yesterday.
On the way down, Jack bumped into Thomas Andrews. “Hello, Mr.
Andrews.”
Mr. Andrews looked up from his notebook – the same notebook
containing many of his technical observations on Titanic, which Rose curiously studied during dinner the previous
evening – and was pleasantly surprised. “Hello, Jack.”
Such a hard
working man, and on a Sunday, marveled Jack at Mr. Andrews’
industriousness. Always
great to see a familiar face. He reached the base of the stairs and
saw the First Class dining saloon up ahead.
Ah, now here’s another one. It was the steward who admitted him into First
Class yesterday. Great, my luck is
holding even without the tuxedo.
He
approached the dining saloon in a calm, confident manner, expecting to be
recognized and allowed in…
10:43 AM
…But his luck had run out.
As instructed by Lovejoy, the two stewards, each twenty dollars
richer, escorted Jack back down to Third Class and left him in the Third Class
dining hall. He was literally back to where he started. With a long face, he
slowly trudged back to his cabin on G-Deck, hopped into bed, and tried to nap
his sorrows away. It was hard at first to fall asleep, so he just lay there
with the blanket pulled over his head while he reflected on what went wrong.
Before he knew it, his despair and lack of sleep from the previous night
combined to induce drowsiness, which led him to doze off.
Some two hours later, Fabrizio returned
from services. “Jack!” he exclaimed as he tried to wake Jack up by tapping on
his leg. “Why you so sleepy today?”
Jack was roused from his slumber. “Fabrizio?”
he answered lazily. “What time is it?”
“Almost one PM. Where’d you go after breakfast?”
“I tried to see Rose, but they wouldn’t let me,” Jack responded
indifferently after opening his eyes entirely, fully revealing the
disappointment on his face.
Fabrizio sat down next to his friend. “So what now?”
“I don’t know yet. All I know is that I have to see her.”
“Jack, I know Rose is bellissima, but she has husband already, no?”
“Not yet, and she doesn’t want to marry him.”
“How
you know?”
“Because she told me.”
“Plenty of buona donna in Third
Class, Jack,” said Fabrizio in his most convincing
tone, but Jack was not swayed.
“Rose belongs in Third Class. You may not believe it, but she
does.”
Seeing that Jack was not going to be dissuaded from pursuing Rose,
Fabrizio decided to join his cause. “Jack, you are innamorato. But
so am I right now. You need my help?”
“I don’t want to involve you, Fabri. You
have your dream to follow when you get to
“Nonsense, Jack! We are amici per sempre. You help me, I help you. How long do we know
each other?”
“About three months.”
“Right. Remember we slept under a bridge. It
was so cold, but you gave me some food. I never forget that. You were so generoso! It was
one year ago I promise my mother I would go to
America’s swell,
but it’s not always the land of milk and honey, Fabri. In happier
times, Jack never harbored such a thought about his own country in Fabrizio’s presence, much less shared it with his friend.
But at the moment, he was not feeling so charitable, although he continued to
keep the thought to himself. “Yes, I remember,” he said after rising from his
bed. “You left your village outside of
“But you still so triste, Jack. You won tickets in poker match for us
to get on Titanic. You are my salvatore.
I owe you my life, so please let me repay you. I won’t be happy until I do.” The
look in Fabrizio’s eyes was sincere.
Jack was touched by Fabrizio’s offer to
help, but was still hesitant to enlist him. “Well, I don’t know. It could be
dangerous.”
Fabrizio would not be dissuaded. “Jack! We’ve
been in and out of danger for last three months! We are both survivors.”
Survivors. The word held
special meaning for Jack, who had been making his way mostly on his own for
five years now. During that half decade, Fabrizio –
the brother he never had – had been with him the longest. It would be imprudent
of him to decline Fabrizio’s offer to help now after
they had been through thick and thin together. “You’re right, Fabri. I’m sorry.”
Fabrizio patted him on the shoulder. “Eccellente!” He felt his stomach growl.
“Jack, are you hungry yet? Let’s go to dinner. Then we eat first and talk
later.” He pulled a still unmotivated Jack from his bed and the two friends
went to find Tommy so they could all go to dinner.
1:18 PM
The three friends entered the Third Class dining hall to the
familiar sounds of people chatting in their many languages and dialects over
dinner and the mouth-watering smells of hot, scrumptious food being served,
which even whetted Jack’s appetite. They found Angus already sitting at a
table. “Let’s sit with Angus this time,” suggested Jack. “I’ll introduce you to
him.” Besides, I have to tell him about
Rose.
They walked over to Angus’ table, where he was gulping down his
vegetable soup. He had changed out of his good clothes, and so did not have to
worry about ruining them with his sloppy eating habits. “Hi again, Mr.
McKenzie,” greeted Jack. “Can we sit here?”
Angus did not even wipe his mouth before he started to speak.
“Well, Jack. So at last I get to meet yer other
friends.”
“Same for us,” said Tommy. “I’m Tommy Ryan. We saw ya at mass today, Mr. McKenzie, and down here many times.
Glad to finally meet ya.”
“Fabrizio. Nice to meet you.”
Angus shook both their hands. “I think I’ve met everybody now,
right, Jack?” Jack could only offer an impassive nod. The three placed their
orders with a waiter. While they waited for their food, Angus decided to get
better acquainted with them.
“So, Tommy, me laddie. I heard ya goin’ to
“
“Ah, just next to me
“That’s right. And look at me now. I’ve traveled farther in these
last four days than I ever did in my twenty-one years in
“That’s why it’s called the Emerald Isle,” said Angus.
Tommy
decided to change the subject before he became too sentimental about his native
land. “Mr. McKenzie, I heard ya fought in
“That I did.”
“Then ya must’ve seen people die. My
apologies if this isn’t the right place to talk about this.”
“No apologies needed. In answer to yer
question, I’ve seen more death than you’ll ever see in several lifetimes, lad.”
“Did you ever…kill somebody?” asked Fabrizio
curiously.
“Unfortunately, I have.”
“Up close?” asked Tommy.
“Fortunately, no, but I almost did. I was sent with my platoon to
raid the enemy one night in The Wilderness. We had to probe their positions for
weaknesses. I came upon a Reb who was in the middle
of his shite right outside his trench. I didn’t know
who was more surprised to see who, but lucky for me, his rifle was too far away
and he was so shocked he fell backwards into his freshly-dug latrine.” Angus
laughed. “I was ready to shoot him, but he begged me not to by shakin’ his head and agreein’ to
surrender to me. So I let him pull his pants back up, and he did it so fast he
forgot to wipe his arse!”
Everyone, including Jack, sniggered at this humorous wartime
anecdote. “That must be the best moment in the war for ya,
Mr. McKenzie,” remarked Tommy.
Angus shrugged. “I reckon the poor Reb
was more ashamed to be caught with his pants down than to be taken prisoner,”
he went on. “So I had no trouble marchin’ him back to
our lines. The first thing he asked for was water – to wash his dirty arse. Then he was sent north to
“You’re
a good man for showin’ mercy, Mr. McKenzie,” commended
Tommy.
“Am I?
The table became silent for Jack and his friends to digest the
grim ending to Angus’ tale. “Do ya think there’ll be
another war as terrible as yours?” asked Tommy. “Things are a stirrin’ on the continent right now.”
Angus shook his head. “I don’t think so. The major European powers
sent attachés to
“Let’s hope so,” said Tommy. “I fear for my people if
Everyone nodded in agreement. “A rich man’s war and a poor man’s
fight – that’s how all wars turn out,” said Angus.
“Right, and that’s why I boarded this ship,” said Tommy. “To
escape the wars the great powers have a habit of startin’.
But I won’t feel safe until I stand on American soil. I fear the English are goin’ to be the death of me. Let them fight for their
empire. I’ve no desire to help ‘em.”
“Let’s hope
“I’ll seriously consider both,” said Tommy.
Angus turned his attention to Fabrizio.
“So you were the other lad howlin’ like a Reb at the bow of this ship that day. I heard ya goin’ to
Fabrizio was so eager to tell his story that he
began it before he had swallowed all his food.
“I left home a year ago because I want to go to
Angus quickly detected Fabrizio’s
naiveté, which was all too typical for a would-be immigrant. “You can always
try, lad, but just remember that most of its people have to work hard for
little pay. Especially immigrants.
The look on Fabrizio’s face changed to
that of a man who had been gut-punched. He looked to Jack for support, but Jack
could only offer a slight concurring nod. “What is pre-judice?”
asked Fabrizio, obviously never having heard the word
before.
“Prejudice is when someone you don’t know hates you for no good reason,”
said Jack, trying to keep the definition simple.
Fabrizio was a little bewildered. “I don’t want
enemies. I just want to be good American and make money and have big famiglia.”
“I hope ya succeed, I really do. But be
careful,” cautioned Angus. “There’s as much villainy on
“Thank you for advice,” said Fabrizio,
whose elation was somewhat, but not entirely, dampened.
Seeing that he had deflated Fabrizio’s
optimism, Angus tried to raise his spirits. “But I promise ya,
lad, you’ll eat better.” He patted his ample belly as proof. “Almost as well as
you’re eatin’ now. Few people starve in
“That’s very good!” exclaimed Fabrizio,
his mood rejuvenated. “I miss my mother’s cooking.”
“Maybe Helga can take care of ya – if
you two tie the knot,” suggested Tommy with a wave of his left ring finger.
“If her
mother and father allow it,” said Fabrizio. “Right
now they disapprovare.”
*****
Jack and his friends were getting hungry, and the waiters returned
just in time with bowls of vegetable soup, plates of roasted pork, green peas,
and potatoes, and a basket of bread and cabin biscuits. Complementing the food
were cups of tea and coffee. The food seemed to take Jack’s mind off Rose for
the time being, but not for long.
“So, Jack,” said Angus as he finished off his dinner and began to
munch on his customary cabin biscuit. “Have ya news
to report on Rose?”
Jack was hesitant to talk at first, but he finally decided to
release his frustrations. “I came close to seeing her, but her fiancé’s valet
stopped me,” he said after finishing his soup.
“Did she tell him to keep ya away from
her?”
“No. It’s her fiancé and mother who want to keep us apart. They
even tried to bribe me to stop seeing her, but I refused.”
“Then it’s over. Ya went, ya saw, and you were conquered. Don’t feel so bad. Ya did whatcha could.”
“Give it up, boyo,” added Tommy. “I know
you two had fun together, but the fairy tale was too good to last. Rose has her
world, you have yours. The two don’t match.”
Frustrated, Jack stopped eating. “We match better than you think.
She’d rather be poor and free. She told me herself!”
“Bein’ poor and free is no picnic,”
replied Tommy with his mouth half-full. “How will ya
provide for her if she runs off with ya?”
“She’d rather use her hands to provide for herself.”
“A rich girl workin’? Do ya think she can?”
“I know she can.”
Tommy swallowed his food and gulped down half his glass of water
before resuming. “I’m not against women workin’,
Jack, because our women have been doin’ it for a long
time in
“Her hands aren’t her only gifts, Tommy.” Jack tapped the side of
his head to indicate Rose’s other talents. “She’s also educated, so she has
knowledge and skills she hasn’t tapped into yet.”
“She’s very good ballerina,”
chimed in Fabrizio. “Maybe she can use her feet to
make living.”
“Well she better start practicin’ more,”
said Tommy derisively, “because it was painful for her to stand on her toes
last night.”
Jack could only groan as he picked at his food.
Angus had been sitting back watching the three spar over Rose
before weighing in. “Jack, now I understand what that ‘something’ she couldn’t
have is.”
Jack realized his slip, but saw no sense in hiding his feelings
for Rose now. “Mr. McKenzie, Rose’s future husband can satisfy any material desire she has. But if she
can’t satisfy her soul, she’ll be miserable for the rest of her life. She’s
better off trying and failing than not trying and wondering for the rest of her
life what could have been. You said it yourself yesterday. I know she wants to
make each day of her life count like I do, but she won’t if she remains with
him.”
“You have a point there, lad. I almost forgot.”
“I just need a way to talk to her again – to try to convince her
to leave her world.”
“How ya goin’ to do that?” asked
Tommy.
“That’s the problem. Or rather her fiancé’s valet is the problem.
Her fiancé’s not very attentive, so I don’t worry about him. But as long as his
valet is around her, I can’t approach her. The man is vigilant. I wonder if he
used to be a detective. Even if he’s not, he’s probably warned the entire
ship’s crew about me by now.”
The table became quiet, with all four dining companions
contemplating what to say next. Tommy and Fabrizio
were unconsciously engaged in a speed eating contest, with Jack lagging far
behind. Angus finally broke the silence. “Jack, have ya
ever heard of Finn McCool?”
“Who?”
“Finn McCool!” interjected Tommy. “It’s an old Irish legend. My
mum and pop used to tell me stories about him.”
“Right,”
said Angus. “Finn McCool was an Irish warrior chieftain. There have been
numerous accounts of Finn, but all of them agreed he gained a magical power
after eating the Salmon of Knowledge.”
Finn McCool
“A salmon?”
“Salmon is a popular fish in
Tommy finished his meal ahead of Fabrizio,
and just in time, as the waiters returned with dessert – plum pudding and
oranges. The four men resumed their eating, with Angus now taking the lead. He
continued to talk between bites.
“Finn used his new power to become leader of his clan. Its members
were great warriors and poets, and their job was to defend
“So what happened in the end?” asked Jack.
“Oh, Finn eventually forgave the two lovers, but the point of this
story is that even the sharpest of people can be fooled. That valet may be
vigilant, but he can’t see everything or be in every place. This is a nine
hundred foot ship. If ya really want to see Rose
again, you’ll have an advantage because he must react to yer
moves…unless his employer tries to keep ya in sight
by havin’ the master-at-arms lock
ya up by bringin’ false
charges against ya.”
“True,
but he doesn’t have to guard the entire ship, just the First Class section.”
“First Class is still very extensive on this ship. There are many
ways to access it from below. The valet can’t guard ‘em
all, as long as ya don’t try what you did this mornin’. Don’t employ the frontal assault. Attack from another angle. Even if the valet has help, you
can use deception. It evens the odds in any contest between two unequal
opponents.”
“What kind of deception should I employ?”
“Do ya still have that tuxedo?”
Jack sucked his teeth. “I returned it in the morning.”
Angus was not discouraged. “You can still try to pose as someone who
has access to the First Class section.”
“What do you suggest?”
“Some crew quarters on this ship are poorly-manned. Maybe some
have spare uniforms you can ‘borrow’ for a little while.”
Jack frowned. “That’s almost like stealing.”
“Yes, it is, and I normally wouldn’t advise it. But ya seem hell-bent on seeing Rose, and we can’t talk ya out of it. So how far are ya willin’ to go? Gettin’ her to
leave her fiancé is the easy part. He’ll use every asset at his disposal to
make sure ya don’t get away with it.” Angus finished
his dessert and began munching on his customary cabin biscuit.
“I’m
willing to risk my life to save hers, and that’s no lie. You said when
something matters so much to you, you’ll do it no
matter what. And when you got nothing, you got nothing to lose.” Jack winked at
Fabrizio. “It’ll be easier if Rose joins me on her
own free will, so they can’t accuse me of kidnapping her,” he conceded.
“That’s the point,” said Angus. “All right, Jack. You’re about to
cross the Rubicon, and ya have my support.” He then
looked at Tommy and Fabrizio. “Now
what about yer friends?”
Tommy was still unconvinced. “Are ya
that crazy to gamble it all for her, boyo? You’ve a
life to live too.”
“I am, Tommy,” Jack said adamantly, “and I understand if you don’t
want any part of this. You’re still my friend.”
“Jack, we are amici per sempre, remember? I’ll help you,” announced Fabrizio.
Tommy rolled his eyes. “If only Finn McCool were here. He’d just
knock down those gates that divide us, beat up the valet, whisk Rose away, and
deliver her to ya. That’s if he doesn’t fall in love
with her first!”
“Now what would ya like me to do?” asked
Angus, downing his coffee after finishing his cabin biscuit.
“You’ve done a lot already, Mr. McKenzie. Now let us handle this.”
Jack turned to his friends. “Fabri, Tommy. Follow
me.” He quickly walked out the dining hall without looking back, but somehow
knowing that his friends would follow.
“I have a bad feelin’ about this,” said
Tommy, as he reluctantly rose from his chair and left with Fabrizio.
He bid farewell to Angus. “I hope I return for supper, Mr. McKenzie.”
“I
think ya will,” said Angus. Seeing that they had not
finished their dessert, he claimed the remainder of it for himself.
2:24 PM
The three friends returned to the poop deck, where Jack and Fabrizio first met Tommy and, of course, where Jack first
saw Rose. Jack felt a special connection to this part of the ship, and he
thought it best to plot his course of action from here to get to Rose.
They looked around for Rose or Lovejoy, who Jack thought would be
watching over Rose like a sentry, as ordered by
“I have
an idea,” he told Tommy and Fabrizio. “But I need you
guys to boost me over the railing to A-Deck. Come on.” They crossed the well
deck, went up the stairs, and entered B-Deck after Jack boldly unlatched the
gate that kept Third Class passengers out. They had entered forbidden
territory, and so far, their luck was holding.
Infiltrating First Class
Tommy was still uneasy about Jack’s scheme. “She’s a goddess among
mortal men, there’s no denyin’. But she’s in another
world, Jack. Forget her. She’s now closin’ the door.
Just forget her.”
Jack ignored him and climbed on a box-like structure, and saw that
the coast was clear on A-Deck. He motioned for Tommy and Fabrizio
to give him enough lift so that he could make it over the railing.
“He’s not bein’ logical, I tell ya,” said Tommy, even as he acceded to Jack’s request.
“Amore is a not
logical,” said Fabrizio.
Through his friends’ efforts, Jack was able to easily scale the
railing, and it was just in time, for a passing steward spotted Tommy and Fabrizio and ordered them back down to the Third Class
section of the ship. Jack, however, found himself on the A-Deck Promenade. A
little boy was nearby playing with his top under the supervision of his father
and another man. All three were oblivious to Jack’s presence, and he took
advantage of this to help himself to a hat and coat that were lying on a deck
chair behind them. He put on both items and used spit to grease back his hair.
Once again, he was able to pass for a bona fide First Class passenger, and he
used this disguise to look for Rose without being challenged.
He could not find her on A-Deck, but from afar he saw Lovejoy, who
fortunately did not see him. Lovejoy was also alone, which meant he was not
with Rose. He’s probably on his dinner
break. So here’s my chance. He ascended to the Boat Deck to see if she was
there.
He
found Rose there walking with her mother, Cal, and Mr. Andrews. As they neared
him, he turned away from them, pretending to admire a lifeboat, which happened
to be the subject of Rose’s conversation with Mr. Andrews. The disguise was
holding up better than he expected. As the entourage passed him, with Rose
lagging behind, Jack fell in behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She
turned around and was surprised and speechless to see him in this part of the
ship. He motioned her into the gymnasium and then made his pitch to her.
3 PM
Jack walked glumly back down to Titanic’s poop deck, not even bothering to cover his head after
Rose had ostensibly rejected his pitch. Since he was returning to his section
of the ship, none of the ship’s crew tried to preclude him from doing so. This
was the part of the ship where he met Rose for the first time, and now he
wondered if he had come full circle after having seen her for what appeared to
be the last time.
He did not even notice Angus standing at the railing just a few
yards away from him. Angus had been peering at the ocean, whose waters
stretched out as far as the eye could see. There was no land for hundreds of
miles in this part of the
He was trying to redevelop some admiration for the water, which he
had lost forty-seven years earlier.
So he stood at the same spot and forced himself to come
face-to-face with the
Angus thought about the contrasts of water. It was so peaceful,
yet so deadly. At
It had
taken Angus almost half a century to overcome his fear of the water. It had taken
him less than a month to love it again. Today was a good day to rekindle that
love.
*****
Angus snapped out of his infatuation with the ocean for the moment
and turned around. He saw Jack sitting on a bench smoking and looking forlorn.
Jack still had not noticed his presence. Angus guessed what had happened, and
went over to Jack to try to cheer him up.
“I take it Rose didn’t warm to yer
request.”
Jack was at a loss for words, but he finally mumbled something.
“She said she’s fine. She loves her fiancé and she’s marrying him.”
Angus remained expressionless. “Anything else?”
“She told me to leave her alone.”
“Do ya believe that?”
“Not a word of it.” Jack took one last puff of his cigarette, put
it out, and tossed it over the railing. “Her mouth said one thing, but her eyes
said something else. It was so painful for her to say that because I know she
didn’t mean it.”
Angus patted Jack’s back. “Ya did all ya could.”
“Maybe,” sighed Jack. “I held her hand
before she left me and felt the conflict inside her. I know she wanted to come
with me, but I wasn’t strong enough to make her take that final step.”
“Jack, ya lost this battle, but you may yet win the war. Be
patient. You’re askin’ Rose to make the biggest
decision of her life, and she’s not someone who’s made big decisions before.
That’s how society women are. All their lives they’ve had someone else decide
for them. Give Rose some time. Ya gave her that push
already, now the rest is up to her. She has to do it when she’s ready, or else
she’ll never live down her decision.”
“I hope she doesn’t wait too long, because the longer she waits,
the more her fiancé’s grip will tighten around her, and then she won’t be able
to break free.”
“There’s still a few days before this
ship reaches
Jack knew Angus was right, but he was still frustrated. “It’ll be
the longest few days of my life – and probably hers too.”
“Then all the more time for both of ya
to make them count, as you’re so fond of sayin’. If
Rose isn’t happy with her situation right now, she wouldn’t want ya to be unhappy too. If she doesn’t end up with ya, you’d want her to be happy wherever she goes, right?”
“Yeah,” said Jack halfheartedly. But I think she’d be happiest with me.
Angus looked at his pocket watch. “It’s almost four. Two hours
till supper. Want to join me in the general room first? You may find yer friends there.”
“All right.”
4:03 PM
When Angus and Jack arrived in the Third Class general room, they
found most of its patrons in a merry mood like they have always been. Despite
the absence of the latest gym equipment, Turkish baths, or a swimming pool, the
steerage crowd knew how to pass the time cheerfully, even if that meant chasing
the resident rats around the floor, which a few of the boys had been doing for
days. Fabrizio was sitting with the Dahl Family, as
usual, while Tommy was tinkering with the piano. Fabrizio
continued to get better acquainted with Helga, despite her parents’ stern
looks. The Cartmell Family was there too, and Cora
was the first to see Jack.
“Jack! Want to play with me?” Cora was holding her doll.
At least she can
snuggle up to something, thought Jack. “Maybe later, Cora. Right now I’m not
feeling so well.” Jack sat down at a bench with Angus.
“Are you sick?” asked Cora.
Yes, I’m
heartbroken. “I don’t know. It’s just one of those times when you don’t feel
like doing anything.”
Cora had a look of disheartenment in her face.
“It’s all right, Cora,” said Angus. “Jack’s had a very long day.
He’s not angry at ya.”
“Cora, have you met Mr. McKenzie?” asked Jack.
“No, but I always see him eating in the dining hall.”
“Cora, why don’t we let Jack rest while ya
introduce me to your mum and pop?” suggested Angus. “Then I can tell ya a little about myself.” He reached his hand out to her.
“I
haven’t forgotten you, Cora. You’re still my best girl,” said Jack, trying to
reassure her.
Cora took Angus’ hand and led him back to meet her parents.
Jack was by himself again. He looked around the room and saw that
almost everyone else was with at least one other person. Angus seemed to be
getting along well with Cora and her family. Fabrizio
and Helga were definitely attracted to each other. Tommy was enjoying his
friendship with the piano. Even the rats, those perennial pests, had more
suitors than he. Jack suddenly felt like the loneliest person in the world.
Tommy soon noticed Jack’s presence, signaled to Fabrizio, and they both went over to him. “The plan didn’t
work, I reckon,” said Tommy in a consoling tone.
“No, it didn’t.”
“So what now, Jack?” asked Fabrizio.
“I wait.”
“Wait?” asked Tommy incredulously. “And how long would that be, boyo? Just a few more days before this ship docks in
“I did all I could. Now it’s up to Rose.”
“Jack, I know how much ya don’t want to
hear this. But as yer friend, I have to be honest
with ya. Rose may love ya,
but she’s bound to stick with her class. Ya can’t
fight it.”
Jack gave Tommy an ambiguous stare. “You’re right. I can’t fight
it because it’s not my fight. It’s hers.”
“All
right, it is, but please be realistic, Jack. Don’t bet too much on her changin’ her mind.”
“A few more days, and if Rose doesn’t come, I’ll give up.” But
Jack’s words lacked conviction.
“If Rose comes back for ya, I’ll eat my
hat,” said Tommy, trying to lighten up the atmosphere a little. “I’m not teasin’ ya, Jack. I really hope
she comes back – if only to return a smile to yer
face.”
“I hope it comes to that, ‘cause I’d like
to be there to see it,” said Jack with a very weak smile. He got up and headed
for the stairs.
“Where you going now?” asked Fabrizio.
“To try to be King of the World again.” Only I'm not
feeling too kingly right now.
Angus and Cora also caught sight of Jack as he was leaving.
“Jack!” yelled Angus, as he and Cora ran after him. “Can ya
believe an Irishman holdin’ court with an English
family? The Cartmells can’t stop askin’
me questions about me life!”
“Do you know Mr. McKenzie was a soldier, Jack?” asked Cora. She
simulated a march with her doll and made it salute with its hand.
“Yes, I do, Cora.” I hope
you didn’t tell her about the horrors of war, Mr. McKenzie. Jack was
reassured when Angus gave him a smile and slight shake of his head.
“Jack, do you have to leave again?”
“I need to be by myself for a while. But I promise you I’ll see
you again, Cora.”
“Cora, my dear. Can ya go
back to yer mum and pop? I need to talk to Jack
alone,” requested Angus. “I’ll come back for ya
soon.”
Cora
walked back to her parents.
“Jack, where are ya headin’?”
asked Angus.
“To where you saw me howling like a Reb.” Jack let out a
slight grin.
“Will ya be joinin’
us for supper?”
“I hope so, and I hope to bring along a friend.” Jack knew the
chances of that happening were very slim, but “even if we only ever just talk
about it,” as Rose would say, it kept the hope alive.
“Good luck to ya, then. Just remember
you have friends down here. You’re not alone.”
“Thank
you, Mr. McKenzie.” Jack lethargically trudged up the stairs.
5:12 PM
“Oh, look what I have done,” said Rose calmly after she
intentionally spilled tea on herself.
Ruth interrupted her conservation with the Countess of Rothes and Lucile Duff-Gordon to admonish her daughter.
“Rose! How could you be so clumsy?”
“Sorry, Mother.” Sorry to ruin
your favorite dress.
“Are you all right, Rose?” inquired the Countess with concern.
“Yes, Countess. Thank you.” At least someone cares more about me than about my dress.
A waiter who noticed the incident came over with a towel to help Rose
clean up her spill, but she politely waved him away.
“You are very fortunate that it is a dark-colored dress,” said
Ruth. “Now please go to your room and change. Have Trudy take care of the
dress. Remember the Wideners have invited us to a party in Captain Smith’s
honor at the Ritz tonight, and you must look your best.”
“Yes, Mother.” Rose got up and apologized to both the Countess and
Lady Duff-Gordon. “I will see you later, Mother.” Much later.
After
leaving the lounge, Rose headed below decks to find Jack. Jack’s heartfelt
speech to her inside the gymnasium had moved her, and although she did not have
the courage to act on it then, she worked up enough of it now after the little
girl in the lounge reminded her of the regimented upbringing she had undergone
for seventeen years. That gave her the impetus to decide that she would not
remain a little girl whose life would be controlled until the day she died. She
now prepared to cross her own personal Rubicon.
*****
Figuring that Jack was in the Third Class general room, Rose went
there first. Again, she became the center of attention, although most
passengers were less adverse to her presence this time after she joined their
party the previous evening. But her ever-changing wardrobe always commanded enough
pairs of eyes to raise her self-consciousness.
Cora spotted her first. “Look. She came back for Jack,” she told
Angus and her parents.
Tommy and Fabrizio also saw Rose, and
rushed over to her. “Let me guess, you’re lookin’ for
the artist,” said Tommy.
“I am.”
Tommy’s expression was a mix of relief and disbelief. “My God! He’s goin’ to be ecstatic
to see ya! What made ya
change yer mind?”
“I finally saw the wisdom of his argument.”
Angus also came over. “Good day to ya, milady. Welcome back to steerage.” He held out
his hand, and Rose took it with a lady’s demeanor.
“Hello, Mr. McKenzie. It is great to be back.”
Angus stopped to admire Rose’s velvet and silk dress. “You’re lookin’ lovelier than yesterday.”
“Thank you.”
“So how long are ya stayin’
this time?”
“For good, I hope.”
Everyone’s
eyes lit up. “Then I hope you’re ready for our world,” said Angus, speaking on
what he supposed was everyone’s behalf. “I’m not doubtin’ ya, but I don’t
want ya to harbor any illusions.”
“No illusions harbored, Mr. McKenzie. But you also said I would
rather try something and fail than regret it when I am your age. Well, here I
am.”
“Did ya tell yer
mum and fiancé yet?”
Rose’s face turned serious. “No, I have not. That will be the
difficult part. I will have to handle it myself. If I want to enter your world,
I will have to prove I am tough enough to handle these problems.”
“That’s brave of ya, Rose,” said Tommy.
“I don’t know if I can do that if I were in your shoes.”
“If I have even half the courage Mr. McKenzie had in surviving the
challenges in his life, then I should be fine.” Rose smiled at Angus.
Tommy, however, had lost none of his comedic wit. “Then here’s the
first test of your courage, Rose.” He pointed to the foot of her dress, with
which a rat had quickly become enamored as it probed the exotic fabric with its
snout. Rose jumped back and screamed at the same time, and the rat ran off,
followed by one of the boys who had been chasing it. Everyone else stood there
laughing, and Rose joined them at her own expense.
“Ya did well, Rose,” said Tommy
mischievously as he clapped his hands. “I don’t know who was more frightened –
you or the rat.”
“You’re learnin’ fast, milady,”
commended Angus.
It might have
been some of the tea I spilled that trickled down there, especially since I
added sugar to it. “Maybe too fast. So where is
Jack?”
“At front of the ship, I think,” said Fabrizio.
“You know how to go there?”
“You
mean the bow of the ship,” corrected Tommy.
“Yes, I do,” said Rose. “And please allow me to tell Jack about my
decision. I think he should hear it straight from me. I will see all of you
later…I promise.”
As Rose went back up the stairs, the three men looked at one
another in amazement. “That Jack must’ve been born with a four-leaf clover in
his mouth,” said Tommy.
“Hope your hat taste good, Tommy,” said Fabrizio,
reminding him of his promise if Rose came back for Jack.
Angus was more cautious. “Now comes the hard part. Will they leave
this ship holdin’ hands?”
Tommy and Fabrizio looked at him
perceptively, but neither had an answer.
Angus
looked at his watch again. “It’s almost supper time. Care to join me in the
dining hall?”
6:26 PM
Jack had been standing at the bow of Titanic staring at the ocean ahead of him for over an hour. The sun
was about to set, and the air began to feel colder as a result. It was made
colder still by his involuntary solitude. As the sun prepared to descend into
the horizon, the chances of Rose rejoining him in Third Class seemed to be
fading along with it.
Four days earlier, before he had met Rose, he was overjoyed to
have won a trip back to
If Rose were with him, his decisions would be easier to make, if
not to carry out. As much as he hated to hear Angus and Tommy give him an
honest assessment of their prospects together, he knew that they were right.
First, he would have to help Rose get past Cal and Lovejoy. If they could do
that, he would have to help Rose adapt to a proletarian life. Assuming they
ended up together and did not start a family, they would each have to work. His
wandering days would be over, and this trip across the ocean would likely be
the last one in a very long time. They may yet go to
None of this meant anything if Rose was not coming with him. She
was the only thing on his mind now. Mindful of his own motto, he knew better
than to stand here right now not making the most of his time until he was back
in his country. If Rose was not coming back to him, she would not want to see
him waste the rest of his life not making it count. It’s easier to give advice than to take it, he realized.
“Ya have the
luck of the Irish in ya,” Tommy had told
him twice, and despite his recent streak of failures, Jack had been extremely,
even impossibly, fortunate in life ever since his parents died, having survived
five years mostly on his own and traveled around a good part of the Western
World during this time. His good luck culminated in the winning of tickets for
himself and Fabrizio for Titanic in a poker match and saving Rose from her attempted
suicide, which resulted in an invitation to dinner in the First Class dining
saloon of Titanic. He had taken
advantage of the serendipities life had presented to him in his young life.
But Lady Luck had decided to spread the wealth, and so had found
someone else who was just as deserving to champion. Jack felt abandoned at the
worst possible moment. It just isn’t fair,
he thought bitterly. Rose deserves better
than
Being King of the World seemed like an experience from another
lifetime.
“Hello, Jack,” a familiar voice called out from behind him.
Jack turned around, and to his pleasant surprise, the object of
his affection was standing there – this time with an entirely different look on
her face.
“I
changed my mind.”
Rose Changes Her Mind
Jack was relieved. Rose,
you’re a sight for sore eyes! It was as if his prayers had been answered
without him having to pray. God, thank
you!
“They said you might be up here—”
Jack silenced her by putting a finger on his lips. “Give me your
hand.”
Rose slowly walked towards him, gradually closing the gap between
them until they bridged it by reaching out to each other. This touch of hands
was definitely more pleasant than the one they shared in the gymnasium. “Now
close your eyes,” Jack instructed her. “Go on.” This isn’t an order, Rose. Please don’t treat it as one. You’ve heard
enough of them already.
She did as she was told. Good,
Rose. Good. Just keep coming. Just trust me, Rose. I won’t let you down.
“Now step up,” he told her, and she felt him guide her to where
the railing curved around the bow of Titanic.
“Now hold on to the railing. Keep your eyes closed. Don’t peek.”
“I’m not,” said Rose.
“Step up onto the rail.”
With her eyes still closed, Rose carefully stepped onto the first
available rung of the railing. It was no small effort for her, for it was complicated
by her lack of sight and high-heeled shoes. Moreover, on this section of the
railing, the first rung had been removed, so she was actually stepping onto the
second rung, which elevated most of her body so high above the railing that she
had to let go of the top rung, which she had been holding onto, and grab
anything that felt sturdy enough to support her. This turned out to be one of
the huge chain links that connected the rigging from the crow’s nest to the
bow. Okay, Rose. Just keep it steady. You’re
doing it. Not bad for an indoor girl.
His comforting presence behind Rose helped brace her against any
slips. “Hold on,” he said twice. “Keep your eyes closed. Do you trust me?”
“I trust you.” The words came out of Rose’s mouth almost
automatically.
Thank goodness
you do. Now be prepared for the experience of your life. Jack helped Rose
extend her arms, making her appear like a human cross. Then he told her to open
her eyes.
“I’m flying! Jack.”
With the wind blowing at her and Jack behind her, Rose felt like
she was suspended in mid-air. Jack grasped her hands like a protector and
slowly sang to her. The moment felt right, and she turned her head and her lips
met Jack’s. It was their first kiss, and for Jack, it was the most romantic
experience of his life. I hope it’s as
good for you as it is for me, Rose. I love you.
I’m still King of the World.
7:25 PM
At the Ritz, the party in honor of Captain Smith was proceeding
jovially, with the first courses already having been served. But the atmosphere
in Ruth and
“Where is she?”
“I did tell her, Mr. Hockley. Trudy said she never returned to her
room to change, so I have no idea where she is. So I sent Trudy to look for
her, but that was twenty minutes ago.”
“If she can’t locate her soon, and I mean soon, I’ll have to send
Mr. Lovejoy again,” warned
Ruth
was not eager for a former detective to go look for her daughter again. It made
Rose seem too much like a fugitive. But she assented to
*****
“I tell ya, they’re not comin’,” said Tommy, as he, Fabrizio,
Angus, the Dahls, and the Cartmells
ate supper together at two tables in the Third Class dining hall. “No food can
replace the kisses they must be givin’ each other by
now.”
Fabrizio was more patient. “Jack never miss a meal. I think he come with Rose like yesterday.”
Angus was worried about a more serious problem. “Let’s pray they
didn’t run into her fiancé or his valet.”
He need not have worried, because as soon as he finished speaking,
Jack and Rose entered the dining hall. Again, Cora was the first to spot them.
“Jack! You’re back!” Cora ran up to Jack, who picked her up and
gave her a hug.
Most of the people in the dining hall stopped to look at Rose again,
but only briefly, as she was becoming a familiar sight. Rose was so happy that
she seemed oblivious to the stares.
“How’s my best girl?” asked Jack.
“I miss you,” said Cora. She looked at Rose. “Is she eating with
us?”
Rose tickled Cora’s nose. “I would love to, Cora. Do you have a
seat for me?” Cora led Rose and Jack to their seats – to the claps and cheers
of their friends.
“I can’t believe ya came through, Jack,”
said Tommy, standing up to pat him on the shoulder. “I’ll never doubt ya again!”
“Jack, grazie a Dio!”
cried Fabrizio. “You’re safe!” He gave Jack a hug.
Angus, having already finished his meal, went up to shake Jack and
Rose’s hands while holding a cabin biscuit in his other hand. “Congratulations
to both of ya.” Turning to Rose, he smiled and said,
“Milady, I believe ya conquered one of your fears
today.”
“That I did, Mr. McKenzie. And thank you again.” Rose looked at
what everyone was eating. “That looks good. I think I would like to try it,”
she said to Jack.
“So would I. I’m starving,” said Jack. “It’s great to see all of
you again,” he said to everyone else. “I feel like I’ve been gone for years.”
“Cora was worried about you, Jack,” said Mr. Cartmell.
“But luckily she made friends with Mr. McKenzie. He’s been a real interestin’ character.”
A waiter came over to take their order. “We’ll have everything –
for two, please,” said Jack. The waiter eyed Rose curiously, but said nothing
and went to place their orders.
Tommy knew it was time to pay up for losing the bet he made.
“Jack, as I promised…” He took off his hat, sprinkled some salt and pepper on
it, and was about to take a real bite out of it, to almost everyone’s
disbelief, when Jack stopped him.
“Forget it, Tommy. All that matters is we’re friends.” He gave
Tommy a pat on the back.
Fabrizio, however, was less forgiving. “What you
mean forget it?” He grabbed Tommy’s hat, hastily poured some of his leftover
ragout of beef and potatoes into it, and handed it back to a shocked and
speechless Tommy. “Now eat your hat!”
Everyone burst out laughing, and even Tommy could not help but
join in. “Ya stupid bastard!” he playfully yelled at Fabrizio. The two were about to start a food fight when the
waiter returned with Jack and Rose’s meals.
“Better
get used to this sort of behavior,” he advised her.
Of food and drink ending up where they
do not belong? she thought. I have seen enough of that today! They dug into their food.
8:06 PM
“It’s past eight,”
“Trudy is doing her best, Mr. Hockley,” said Ruth, trying to sound
hopeful.
“That’s not good enough, Ruth.”
Eleanor Widener saw the budding altercation between Cal and Ruth
and came over to try to calm them down. “I’m so sorry Rose couldn’t attend,”
she said softly, so as not to disturb the other guests. “Will either of you be
requiring anything?”
“I am all right, Eleanor. Thank you,” said Ruth.
“My apologies, Mrs. Widener,” said
Mrs. Widener seemed satisfied with their answers. “All right,
then. Let’s try to make this party a memorable one for Captain Smith. It’s his
final voyage to the
Ruth could not look at
Five
minutes later, Lovejoy appeared before
“Yes, I did. Excuse us, Ruth.”
“And if I find him with her?”
*****
The Third Class dining room became quieter as supper wound down.
Most of the diners, including Jack and Rose’s friends, had proceeded to the
Third Class general room to dance, drink, or watch Tommy’s second go against
Bjorn in arm wrestling. The two lovers and Angus were among the few who stayed
behind.
After finishing all of his supper, Angus proceeded to consume any
untouched food remaining on the two tables where he and his friends sat. Jack
and Rose stared in disbelief at his appetite and with admiration at his refusal
to see food go to waste. “Relax, Mr. McKenzie,” said Jack. “I count seven or
eight more meals on this ship before we arrive in
Angus shook his head as he replied between bites. “Such good food
should never be thrown out. If either of ya were in
my shoes, you’d treat each meal like it’s yer last.”
Jack and Rose looked at each other, shrugged, and smiled.
Rose had been entertaining an idea since the previous day – one
that required the use of Jack’s artistic skills. “Jack, where is your sketch
pad?” she whispered.
“In my room. Why?”
“Could I hire you to draw something for me?”
“All right, but when and where?”
“How about right now in my room upstairs?”
Jack’s eyes brightened. “Sure. But what about
your mom and Cal?”
“Oh,
they are attending a party in Captain Smith’s honor. I believe that will occupy
them for a while. And
Finally, even Angus had had enough and decided to retire for the
night. “Jack, I’ll be returnin’ to me cabin to rest.
You two enjoy your time together.”
“Actually we should be leaving too, Mr. McKenzie. Rose wants to
hire me to draw something for her,” said Jack. He got up to shake Angus’ hand.
“Thank you for all you’ve done these last two days, Mr. McKenzie. I’ll see you
again tomorrow.”
Rose also shook Angus’ hand. “Mr. McKenzie, I do not know where I
would be now if it were not for the help you and Jack have given me. Thank you
once again.”
“And thank you – all of ya. Two days ago
I was alone, and tonight I just finished eatin’ with
a company of friends.” He shed a tear. “Rose, there’ll be plenty more
challenges for ya in the future. I hope they’ll never
be as bad as mine. But if they are, then stay strong.”
Rose was touched by Angus’ gratitude. “I will remember that, Mr.
McKenzie.” She gave Angus a hug. “See you tomorrow.” They parted ways.
But
Jack and Rose would never see Angus again.
Continued in The Education of Rose Dawson: Part I.
