His special girl
Copyright: All Titanic characters belong to James Cameron. Not mine.
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, United States
Paris, Montmartre 1911
Southhampton, Hamshpire, England, 1912
Atlantic Ocean 15th April 1912
Jack Dawson from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, United States always wanted to be his own person more than anything else in the world; he was always to be quite independent and a free spirit.
Born in the spring 1892 to Joseph and Margaret Dawson (the latter had been nee Morris), both respectively a worker at the local factory and a saleswoman at the town only mercantile his childhood had been a modest but nevertheless a happy one.
He loved going to his grandfather farm and jumping into his uncle wagon while he was delivering the orders to his customers and he also helped lose color and charging them back and forth though what he enjoyed the most was when his uncle allowed him to ride the harnessing of horses across Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire.
Ha was a mischievous boy but never misbehaved too far off the mark having been taught young enough to never cross some lines and boundaries thanks to the strict but loving upbringing his folks providing him with the utmost attention and care their son being an only child and likely to remain this way according to Mrs. Dawson doctor.
The young lad with blond hair and blue eyes was never fond of school to begin with but his quite easy learning skills and a capacity for fast memorizing made up for it.
He was well liked in town and had quite a group of good friends he had built during his young years but never had a very best friend to confide to not that it bothered him too much. He didn't fear loneliness as he found he was quite a talented drawer and a fine artist. He would spend amount of hours up in the hills surrounding his home drawing landscape and nature eager to put on the paper everything he saw. He received a magnificent brown leather portfolio for his twelfth birthday gasping with surprise and joy as he was presented with the gift he promptly unwrapped while his parents laughing urged him to take good care of their endowment which he promised to, knowing too well how valuable and expensive the present was and the sacrifice his beloved folks must have made in order to afford it. His parents always taught him that money didn't grow on trees and that he shall be cautious but not grumpy with it. Being a gracious and loving son he fully intended to thanks them and shows them how much he appreciated and was grateful of them supporting and encouraging him in his endeavor to explore his art craft and talent which were both growing each day more.
He intended to draw them showing them even more than before to show their present was not going to be wasted. In the process he discovered that his skill at portraying largely outgrow his landscaping one.
He enjoyed and appreciated this quiet mid country lifestyle and wouldn't have it any other way.
His mother Margaret who he inherited his eyes and hair color from was always wearing hers tied in a bum while focusing on her cooking in her kitchen which smelled appetizing as soon you entered the welcoming home will always been a favorite memory of the young boy as well as watching his papa busy doing as a side job in his barn some which consisted fixing up of some sort of random broken items that people of the tow with some knowledge of Joseph repairing talent brought to him.
During those sessions Jack had been taught early on that he should be quiet and let his dad completely focus of his task. It never bothered him he just wished to remain at his side and observe him his blue eyes full of admiration as much as he possibly could.
The lad never paid much attention to girls before he turned thirteen on 16th May 1907. While he was attending the Sunday church service with his parents he was to meet the Johansson family, new locals in the small Wisconsinite community. The man was to be the new Chippewa Falls dairyman while his wife was a stay at home mother Their daughter Olivia was a brunette who almost instantly caught the young boy attention with her long mane dark hair but he never dare to speak to her fearing reject for the first time in his young and short life.
Around Christmas time Joseph Dawson decided to take his son ice fishing on Lake Wissotta and that when and where he asked something that had been bugging him for a while.
"Pa, how will I know I had found your special girl?"
The question came as a surprise to Joseph who clearly didn't except these kinds of questions so soon where time did go by? How it flew! Wasn't just yesterday that his little boy had turned three?
The man pondered a moment deep in thought no doubt reflecting on his relationship with his beloved time back from the time of their courtship to this very day.
"Jack my son; you'll know you had found your special girl when you're ready to do anything to for her. That 's how you know that she is yours."
"How does that happen?"
"You can't predict such a thing Jack; sometimes it does come quite unexpectedly and you know. It hits you like a bang. Sometimes otherwise it can take a while to notice what's in front of your eyes. It was certainly the case when I met your mother. Took me one year and half to realize I was in love with her. "
"Really?" The young boy asked in surprise.
"Really!" He confirmed simply. I didn't realize that I was in love with your mother till I tried to save her." The older man confirmed reminiscing when he first met Margaret. He didn't even acknowledge her. Fortunately the former Miss Margaret Morris always had been a very stubborn and capable girl who had her eyes and heart all set on the handsome Joseph Dawson very early on and for the longest of time.
Chippewa Falls Mercy Ball was a yearly much appraised event in town for locals and traditionally was held in the reception room of the little city hall around Thanksgiving by the Mayor of the little but quite fast growing Wisconsinite city. Margaret took up the courage to ask him for a dance at the ball which he had agreed to almost shyly. Joseph didn't get to have to at least a kiss by his intended lady (as it turned the truth was that he was in fact the intended suitor) and that disappointed the kind but stubborn Margaret which name was shortened too Maggie by her numerous friends and family who remained. She decided to act on her felling but needed a good plan to convince Joseph Dawson it was time he put an end to his bachelorhood or so she has decided.
Two weeks after the ball she chooses to corner trick in order to definitively win his heart.
Margaret already knew that Joseph liked to fish the trouts by the river near his farm and so she decided to catch him at this place. As usual this Saturday morning Joseph Dawson was almost reaching his favorite fish spot when he apperceived a woman who seemed to drown.
He thought and feared that panic may take the best of him as his fishing pole fell on the floor while he saw a beautiful woman almost touching the bottom of the lake which seemed to him likewise as the terrible and unmerciful ocean floor.
He wanted to save her and run quickly all dressed up to the waters. Margaret Morris couldn't quite believe that her plan she carefully made up went so well and that her intended suitor fell for it. She had stick though a rope she tied in her right ankle attaching the other extremity of the shore on an underwater pillar of the pontoon, hoping God will forgive her this little trickery. She grinned when he came to her rescue. He was practically out of breath when he swam for her as quickly as he could in the water and that she was faking help (while untying the rope on her ankle) . When he finally took her in his big protective arms, so was she.
"You have nothing Miss, don't you?"
"I got you!" she replied promptly. At least able to kiss him all her might and having a self excuse for it.
They were lost to each other from the moment on.
Love as do Faith certainly work in mysterious ways. Mister Dawson and Miss Morris were now joined at the hips. The young man proposed to her only once month after the watery event and they were to be wed in June 1891.
Eleven months after on 16th May 1892 and after eighteen hours of laboring and pain Margaret delivered at home a healthy baby boy whom were to become known as Jack Dawson, the only child of the Dawson family. Despite the long hours of waiting and having tolerated as much as she could an amount of pain, it was clear for the moment the tiny little creature was to be held in her arms that she would provide for him with all the maternal care and motherly love a child could hope for.
And that's how this little boy grew up. It was crystal clear very early on that he inherited his mother physique and features. Margaret Morris had a long mane of blond hair and eyes as blue as the sea.
"Thanks for the advice Dad" said rather confusedly the puzzled newly teen who didn't fully understand what his folk meant.
The schoolboy always had the utmost respect for his elder but as the conversation and the tale of his coming to the world ended he was still perplexed as he was before.
Father and Son ice fished silently, companionably and contently for the rest of the morning. They were about to leave for lunch when Jack anticipating their imminent return ran too fast for his own good and felt thought thin ice.
His Dad panicked again and feared for the life of his only son.
"Help me Dad! Help me!" pleaded urgently Jack who tried his best to not disparate of the surface of the water so his Dad could see him still.
Joseph didn't hesitate to take the plunge and swim once again. His little boy was in danger and he vowed that he just wouldn't let him died at any cost be it his own life.
Jack was torn in the hole of water that created itself as the ice cracked taking with it the mere teenage boy who saw his last moment on earth coming.
He couldn't breathe, he couldn't see clearly and above all he couldn't think of nothing but the pain. It was like a thousand knifes stabbing on him all at the same time.
Jack finally reached a leafless branch of a tree he climbed with all his strength remaining still shocking for his watery adventure. He was holding to it for dear life. Joseph went on to swim on and on till he succeeded to finally reach his beloved son and at least pilot him to safety to the frozen riverside.
"Thanks Pa!" whispered still shakily the teenager who was at this moment looking more scary, scared, needy and boyish than ever.
"You see son, when you'll find a girl you willing to risk you life for the girl of your dreams the same way I did for you that for sure be your special girl."
The father and son duo came back promptly to their home, leaving their emptied fishing basement.
"Oh My Lord Jack!"
"Hi too there Mum!" The son mischievously exclaimed.
"How did you manage to get so wet?"
"Obviously I stand firmly on the ice ground and didn't fall but the problem is that the ice broke itself."
"Of course it is!" She said laughing sarcastically (almost admonishing him in a way) while yet she was on the ready to envelop him lovingly in a warn towel.
"Jack said the truth Maggie. A bit more time in the water and it could have been dangerous."
"Oh Lord, I'm glad you're both all right". Margaret didn't hesitate to let her concern know.
She was repeated the same gesture of care she made on her son towards her husband. Always being a patient and gentle woman
"I always wanted to take a trip near the seaside because I've never see the ocean but I must say that we should think twice about it according to your recent antics with water"
The happy family laughed all together before Jack and Joseph both went to change.
After the peaceful Holidays season, Jack decided to act on his feeling for Olivia too.
They had cross path at the Midnight mass and the way she smiled shyly to him came back as his most unexpected surprise. He did also receive an invitation for her birthday party during the recess once school toke back over their Christmassy vacations. For then now the pair became quite the inseparable pair always visiting each other. Here it is the drawing boy and the dairyman daughter was saying town when they were passing across the bridge and crowd.
The late light of winter taken their bow leaving gracefully but still the sunset always came early in Wisconsin and as the two teenagers were playing happily in the Dawson's barn when a strong twisted wind opened the little window turning off the light of the lamp with oil which was their only source for clarity. Jack and Olivia running four legs tried to reach the lamp with their hands but as they keep the heads advanced while still searching they instead caught each other lips and in this cold little Wisconsinite city both young people were unseemly blushing brightly suddenly no caring for the darkness so much.
That's how Jack Dawson got his first kiss.
Two years went by quite happily but quite uneventful too. Jack and Olivia as sometimes life lead to this amicably parted way. She was not just his special girl and that was all left to say.
Nevertheless as live move on Jack went on his merry way. Only came a night he would never forget, the night fire caught the barn with the horse, the mare and the foal locked inside.
Hs Dad and Mom kissed him for what was to be the very last time as they ran to their death to try to save the animals for their horrible fate which horrendously was theirs to meet as the yet ignite framework stumbled upon them taking their life forever out of this earth..
They were laid to rest in the little cemetery of the town. As fifteen years Jack Dawson was facing drama the best he could as saying goodbye to his Pop and Ma and decided that he should take the road and see the world. Not without his dear portfolio obviously as well as other obligatory items and few belongings which were one his parents treasured objects.
Life was short he realized and he indented to make each day count. He had no sister nor brother nor any kinship in this part of the country. He was fifteen years old and he was free.
He saw many great things as he spread his wings looking for his future he intended to meet head on but also many ghastly situations he learned to face day after day.
He found work to do among the road he carried. As he saw his Dad do years before he learned to be the perfect young handyman to make money. But it wasn't enough to make him completely and utterly happy: his portfolio. He still did sketch his folk so he could still see them talk to them and remember their faces. He didn't have much but still life was quite good and he was happy to go thought the horizon whenever he felt like it without a care.
After five months working as a farmer in Oregon he arrived in California and liked the place instantly. He knew quickly he would settle there for a while. He worked as a fisher in a squid boat in Monterey. He quickly discovered Santa Monica and it renowned pier Santa Monica when he went down to Los Angeles, and drawing took yet again the best of him s he began to draw portrait for 10 cent each.
He getting up in the morning not knowing what was going to happen, who he was going to him or who he was going to wind up. You may call him a thimbleweed blowing in the wind.
When he collected enough money he decided to leave for Europe in Europe to continue his learning of Art. He wanted to learn about Dadaism and Cubism to ultimately found he didn't like them so much. There were cold and there were just no heart to it. And as art was concerned that was somewhat problematic.
He departed the tramp steamer which he crossed the Atlantic on and visited the Normandy especially the town of Giverny famous for its garden which belonged to painter artist Claude Monet whom Jack Dawson admired greatly. Sadly for him the great painter wasn't at his hometown residence this day. Nevertheless just walking by this fabulous landscape was enough to make him understand was Claude Monet never fell out of inspiration.
He swore that he would be able to sketch anything in these settings of only he belonged to him which will never be.
He went until he reached Italy where besides learning a bit of the language, he met Fabrizio De Rossi, a young man around his age hopeful of a better life in America but was afraid to leave his mama. Jack told him he should go first and that she will join him later. It sounded like a good plan to his impetuous dark haired Italian friend.
Back his France with his joyful new travel companion who found a job as a waiter in a café and was on the contrary out of work. That's where he met a girl in the street who called herself Dorothée who asked him if he could draw some of "her girls". He was coming back to a walk by the Seine and was sitting on a city dock drawing random things to no end.
"Yeah sure I will!" The young fellow said sounding a little unenthusiastic but nevertheless he needed this job at the moment.
"Come to me early afternoon, rue des lilac. You may have some good times there too" She said mysteriously and full of old mischief as she always was, smiling though and though despite her yellow tooth.
With a skeptical shrug of shoulder Jack let made his doubt know as the older woman was leaving taking her way further longing the road near the river before finally disappearing like a shadow at light.
The piece which he was first received at convened time, then sited in was noticeably and worrisomely dark. The old lady of the pier was sporting a long mane hair tied in a bum as Jack mother's once did but Dorothée seemed not as kind for one she have unsavory way of living that the late Mrs. Dawson would not have appreciated. She was far more tolerant with morals standards and behavior when money was concerned.
"Where am I?" asked Jack.
"You're in a brothel. I'm the holder of this place" she was frank.
"And what can I do for you here" He said quietly in disbelief of what he should do here.
"I'm always checking for new customers and you'll draw a catalogue of all my girls available for them. The girls need to be naked of course. Customers need to see what they can get".
"All right" He conceded uncomfortably at such thought.
"How much you will pay me for this?"
He was not an idiot he knew how the world works and that he better started if he wanted to be paid. How in the hell he shall do to tell a girl to get naked? Especially more so as it came clear that he had yet to see one in such a way.
"You start immediately" was the answer of old Dorothée.
He reluctantly waited a few more before going the next step with consisted of knowing the girls. He began to draw a few of them. One was Mathilda Lazard and she was a one legged prostitute.
Fortunately she had a good sense of humor. She laughed along him when he blushed red as a tomato while she took her clothes off.
She positioned herself on the sofa as he ordered, longing her right arm across her leg and her left one behind her head. She was smiling broadly, profusely.
After the job has been done, Christine, a petite blonde kind of go ahead madwoman girl always the temptress and the most tempted to go along with the men games was willing to gat amused a bit more with the Wisconsinite and was eager to get acquainted, offering him seductively to play with her as he wanted. But he declined he was to treat a woman right and she was not his special girl he wanted to find.
He moved out the job when at the same time he moved on to new horizons and joined England with Fabrizio on March 8th 1912. He first reached London and then went for the Southern East as he joined the busy fluvial port of Southampton. He was missing the United States of America and was searching a way to get back and show his birthplace to Fabrizio who was equally longing to see the new and free world.
10th April 1912 and Titanic the greatest ship ever built was departing for her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, America. Crowd of curious were growing at the Southampton pier to salute the unsinkable ship cruising departure as first class passengers boarders and hopefuls immigrants waited their turns. The siren calling the passengers could be heard at a far long distance. Jack Dawson life was about to change as he pronounced those very same words. A game of cards was taking place in the bar he was in and he was always lucky at poker not quite as he was today and was beyond his most astonishing expectations he never even dreamed of. He had decided to compete against Sven and Olaf when they decided to put the third class tickets they hold in the game. He knew Fabrizio got nothing before he even said it. He got a full house, boy. He was going home.
But sadly Jack Dawson was never mean to return home because he found his special girl on the boat. Rose was her name by the way. She had red hair, a beautiful smile and an infectious laugh. She was clever but had above all things a free spirit and a fire in her eyes he cherished so much. They went thought a lot of things during this couple of days. A girl he ended loving so much that on the doomed ship that fateful night he sacrificed his happy life so she could switch her unhappy one to fulfill her dreams and be happy. Before closing his beautiful deep blue eyes forever his last thought were for her for her survival and ultimate happiness.
"See son, when you'll find a girl you willing to risk you life for the girl of your dreams the same way I did for you that for sure be your special girl."
Those words echoed in him much harder than the frizzing water. As this ancient conversation he had with his father echoed with him still reasoning so strongly to his very last day on earth so long after still filled him with pride, making him soar with delight even if it became clear he was going to die this night.. He was still the king of the world, he could close his eyes forever; he knew he had found his special girl.
"Promise me Rose and never let go of that promise."
"I'll never let go Jack".
He knew she never would, she will move on, make a lot of babies and live a full and interesting life as he did. The could hage gotten married and lived happily ever after but as he expired unseen of Rose he heard her singing "Come Josephine in my flying machine" and decided that their story was much better.
They were still to meet under the clock at the same place 84 years later.
Thanks for reading and I apologize for any mistakes as English is not my first language. But well that was a starter at least. I may try for another one shot later in the beginning g of the New Year. Thanks again and don't forget to let me know what you think. It'll be helpful.