Fun Aboard the Ship

No one slept late that first day. Maria and Georg had barely said good morning to the other and shared a kiss before they heard a voice.

"Georg, that sounds like Franz's voice."

"It most certainly does. I'll peak out the door and see what's going on."

When he did; he couldn't speak he was so surprised. Franz saw him and he did speak.

"Georg, Stephan, Phillip and I woke before sunrise. We walked topside and walked the tract which goes all the way around the ship. When we returned everyone was awake and dressed. Now the children want to go to the dining room and have breakfast."

"You can take them there; Maria and I will be there shortly."

Georg then told Maria. "Everyone is already dressed and Franz will take them to the dining room."

"I suppose we should hurry to join them before Kurt gets too vocal about his stomach."

The couple did hurry. They also discovered all the others were there also.

Georg spoke to Hugo. "Did your children wake you?"

"Yes, Andrew did. He's always been an early riser; his voice woke the others. Now they want to eat so they can play some games."

"I'm sure our children want to do the same; we better join them so Kurt can eat."

The couple did join their children. The waiter had already heard the others breakfast selection. He waited for them to do the same. And just like yesterday, everyone drank their juice and ate breakfast bread.

Their menu selections were served promptly and also eaten quickly. Now everyone heard Kurt.

"Now I'm ready to play some games."

Tony was there to hear him. "I have just the game for you to play. It's not a real active game. Follow me everyone."

He took them inside a room with tables which had a short net across the middle of the table. These tables are for a game called Ping Pong."

Tony explained the game and they watched him and another steward play. After they volleyed the ball back and forth a couple times, they stopped.

"Now find a partner and play for fun."

Even Georg and Maria played. They laughed as they hit ball after ball so hard they went everywhere. Only Stephan and Phillip were able to do better.

Soon everyone stopped and Tony told them. "Let's move on to the next game."

The next game was in a large room with long wooden platforms which had a depression on either side. Here Max spoke.

"I know this game. It's called Bowling. It uses large balls with three holes for your middle two fingers and your thumb. You swing the ball and release it. It travels down the alley towards the objects at the other end which have the name Pins.

"The object of the game is to knock down as many as you can. If you don't knock down all of them, you get another chance to do so."

"Uncle Max, why do the alleys have those rounded things in each side?"

"Their name is a gutter. If people twist their wrist too much the ball will go in one of them."

"Sounds difficult, Uncle Max."

"It does take practice, Louisa."

Tony then asked. "Who wants to play?"

All the adults and the older children raised their hands. Tony helped them find the correct size ball and told them. "Just play for fun later you can learn how to keep score."

Marta and Gretl sat and watched. They laughed at all the gutter-balls.

Tony had one more game to show them before lunch. He took them to a deck with strange markings. And people playing a game with unusual sticks trying to hit an object with the name Puck.

"The game has the name Shuffleboard. Even I don't know how it got its name. The object of the game is to score points by making the Puck land on a number. These people are practicing for a tournament to be held on our last day at sea."

"Is it lunch time, Tony?"

"Yes, Louisa it is."

When the group arrived at the dining room they discovered new items on the menu. A waiter was close by to tell them.

"Since you will be arriving in America soon, our chef has prepared foods like you will find in America. Americans eat their big meal at dinner; lunch is usually sandwiches or a large salad with pieces of cooked chicken. Your choices today are a Grilled Cheese sandwich with tomato soup, a Hamburger which is a beef patty grilled on an open flame on a piece of bread named a Hamburger Bun served with strips of potato which have need fried in hot oil. There's also a piece of meat named a Hot Dog which is a long piece of meat served on long bun. It's served with potatoes which have been sliced thin and cooked in oil; they have the name Potato Chips.

"All are served with a drink from America with the name Coca-cola. Are you ready to order?"

The little girls were sitting beside Maria."I'm going to order the Grilled Cheese with tomato soup. Shall I order you the same meal?"

"Yes, mother."

Several waiters took their orders and in about twenty minutes everyone had their meal.

Maria heard Gretl. "The tomato soup really tastes like tomatoes and the sandwich is good too."

"I'm sure Katia can learn how to make the sandwiches. The soup may be something she will need to buy."

Tony noticed everyone had finished their meal. He told them. "It's raining, a perfect time to watch a movie."

"Mother, what's a movie?"

"I don't know Marta. I'm sure it will be fun."

After everyone had used the bathroom near the dining room, Tony led them to the theater with the padded chairs. When they arrived there, the doors were open and the lights were on. Tony found them seats far enough from the screen so they weren't looking up but directly at the screen. Tony told them.

"The theater is showing a new movie made by an American movie producer, Walt Disney. It comes from a story written a long time ago by two men from Germany. Its title is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It has suspense, a scary part, a happy ending and enjoyable songs."

The movie room grew dark and Maria heard Gretl. "Mother I'm scared. Can I sit on your lap?"

"Of course you can."

Maria hugged her and together they would watch this movie. It was exactly like Tony had described. Near the end Gretl asked. "Is Snow White going to wake up?"

"I'm sure she is." And Maria hugged her tighter. Gretl didn't move until the Prince kissed Snow White and she woke. Now she relaxed as the dwarfs danced in glee and then saw Snow White in her beautiful wedding gown. And everyone saw the wicked queen run into the forest never to be seen again."

The applause was loud and long as the theater lights came on. Many left singing the song, Someday My Prince Will Come.

It wasn't quite dinner time so Tony took them to deck with all the stores. Here Liesl spoke.

"I never expected to see so many shops. Father, you can but almost anything."

I see you can, Liesl

Then Maria asked. "Do Americans really dress this fancy?"

"No Maria. Fancy clothes are mostly found in the big cities like New York City and Philadelphia. The ship sells them mostly to people who want to pretend they're rich while on the ship. There are a few shops for ordinary people."

Even those shops had clothes no one had ever seen before. It was now the dinner hour. Their tables were waiting for them. The menus were distributed and the waiters quickly had their selections to them.

After dinner, everyone enjoyed watching a gorgeous sunset from the top deck. And the day concluded with a musical performance performed by a church choir from New York City in the movie room.

Maria and Georg said prayers with their children before retiring to their fancy cabin to enjoy their marital activity.