"I remember that night, that cold night in the Atlantic, the night hundreds of people's lives would come to an abrupt end. The night they'd meet their watery grave…"
Southampton, England April 10, 1912
There was a soft gentle wind and the air smelled of the sea, salty but sweet, the kind of smell that is the most hardest to describe. People were everywhere, people in magnificent clothes who talked so importantly it just made you wonder if they were kings, queens, or another type of ruler. The Titanic loomed ahead of us, through the soft mist like something out of a dream, as my family took our first step onto those crowded paved streets.
"Papa is that it? Is it Papa is it?" my little sister Ruthie asked, her soft brown curls bouncing in excitement. She was only seven and was as inquisitive as they come. "Yes Ruthie that's it." said my father, William Becker laughing at Ruthie's face which had cracked into a wide smile, dimples and all. "So that's it! The Titanic! My Papa it's really as big as the pictures!" "That it is, Ruthie that it is" Ruthie skipped ahead on the cobblestone path, humming the tune of one of her silly made up songs. Don't get me wrong I loved my sister dearly, she was me and my father's whole world, it seemed that every day we'd wake up and continue with our chores just so we could see her face beam. She had many traits I admired, but mostly, I figured it was my little sister's courage that melted my heart. Ever since we had left our peaceful farm life in Ireland, America and the Titanic were the only to things that occupied her mind. Being 13 I wasn't as indulgent in answering all Ruthie's questions, but still the twinkle in her eye and the dimpled grin that she gave every time I did was payment enough. "Look Eva look!" said Ruthie slipping her hand in mine, "Do you think that it's really unsinkable like they say?" I gave her hand I light squeeze, "I betcha it is Ruthie."
We continued up the street, watching as the great ship came closer into view. As we approached the gang way, an officer was directing us third class passengers to get in line to be checked for diseases. Father had explained to me that they did this to ensure that no diseases were being carried on the ship, (I wondered why they didn't do this to the other first and second class passengers, but when I asked father he replied saying that it was just the way the world worked with the richer people on top and the poorer people on the bottom.) Thankfully we passed the inspection and proceeded up the plank and into Titanic.
The mazes of halls and corridors that met us were astounding. We found a map and tried as quickly as we could to find our staterooms for the Scottish couple behind us were shoving us forward. After some difficulty we found our room on A deck towards the front of the ship. Father put our bags down, as Ruthie and I ran into the room for a closer look. Ruthie's eyes were as large as apples, and her cheeks rosy red, for they were flushed from excitement. The room was small, but clean with two bunks and a wash bin right in the middle. "Wow," exclaimed Ruthie in awe, "It's perfect."
"Father lets go back up to the top deck and see it sail." I said unable to contain my anticipation any longer. "Alright" said father. Ruthie led the way up the stairs and back out onto the sunlit upper decks. People everywhere were waving frantically to the people by on the docks. My father lifted Ruthie up on his shoulders and she started to wave her hands to the crowd. The horn of the Titanic blew to signal that it was getting ready to cast off. Sailors on the land were undoing the ropes that held the ship in place. With one little whoosh the Titanic was released of the docks and out into the open sea. Clinging to my father's shoulders Ruthie yelled, "Goodbye! Goodbye! We're going to America!"