Runaway Rose's Adventures
April 10, 1912 - 9:00 A.M.
Rose mingled with the crowd of ordinary passers by and stared up at the towering black hull of the mighty Titanic and with a quiet sigh of relief , was grateful that she wouldn't be on that slave ship.
She was unsure, however, of what she would do and how she would make it in the world alone. Rose was a daughter of luxury and wealth and had been waited on and pampered all of her life. Well, she chided herself mentally, now was the time to find out her true mettle.
She knew that she could do it too and furthermore she wanted to. The life of idlesome wealth was tiring to her. She just knew that she could be someone. Someone more than just Rose DeWitt-Bukater, a decoration on some man's arm. And at least, she thought wryly, it won't be with the insufferable Caledon Hockley.
In fact she got a good laugh as she thought about what would be going on at the hotel now. For surely by this time she thought, her mother and Cal would both be up and Ruth would be knocking down the door to Rose's bedroom to fetch her for breakfast. She stood for awhile watching the ship, then turned and headed away from the ship and the docks.
Rose suddenly realized that she was feeling quite hungry and hadn't had anything to eat. As she wandered the streets she came across an inn and the door was partially open. Umm she thought to herself, she could smell something delicious being cooked inside. The thought of food made her stomach churn anxiously and she chided herself for not having eaten before now.
Taking on the new role of commoner she stepped inside and looked around for a moment, then took a seat clutching her purse tightly. An older woman approached her and said in a soft Irish lilt, " What can I get for ya dearie?" Rose said, " I would love whatever it is your cook is making for breakfast. It smelt so delicious from the street." The woman laughed and then said, " Oh so ya smelt my Georgie's ham and eggs did ya? And fresh made biscuits with butter too if ya like. How about a cup of hot tea?" Rose murmured her thanks appreciatively and the lady went to see that her meal was prepared.
As Rose was sitting there waiting patiently for her breakfast, the door opened and a young gentleman stepped in as well. He looked around and then took a seat at a table not too far away from Rose but with his back turned. Rose studied him and noted the blonde hair that looked rather shaggy and unkempt but the color was beautiful.
The sun shining through the window bounced off his hair making it bright gold. Oh Rose wanted to see what his face looked like. With hair like that he surely must be good looking as well. The woman returned moments later and set her plate before her, along with a fresh cup of hot tea to replace the one that Rose had already finished. Then she left the girl alone to have her breakfast.
Rose finished her breakfast and after paying for the meal she turned to leave and when she did so, she reluctantly ran into the young man and saw him face to face. Rose stared at his face and it was only when the young man excused himself that she realized she had been staring at him.
She murmured an apology and the man said, " I am sorry miss. I should be more careful. Do accept my apology." Rose said that it was quite alright. Then he held out his hand and said, " The name's Jack Dawson. And you might be?" Rose wasn't sure of what to call herself anymore so she quickly stammered out, " I'm Rose Baker." He then smiled and turned to leave. Rose hoped that she would see him again but doubted that.
She left the inn and stepped back outside into the brilliant sunshine. Glancing at her watch she saw that it was only 10:30 in the morning. Titanic wasn't set to sail until noon and she had to stick around long enough to see from a distance of course, her mother and Cal boarding that ship. Then she would be safe. Suddenly from up the street she could hear a commotion going on and it was coming from the direction of the hotel.
Rose suddenly felt fear and knew that she had to get out of here for she was sure that the commotion had to do with her so called 'disappearance' and that it was surely mother and Cal looking for her.
She turned hurriedly and ran right into the shaggy blonde haired man. The man smiled at the pretty red haired woman and said, " Well we run into each other again and so soon." He could see the fear on the woman's face and said, " Come with me Miss Baker. Let's take a stroll down towards the waterfront and watch the brand new ship that's to depart soon." Rose pulled away and shook her head then turned and ran in the opposite direction.
Now that, Jack thought, was positively the strangest experience he had ever had with a woman. He wondered what could have frightened her so and sent her scurrying away? Well he would just have to find out. And so he set out after her, determined to not let her get away so hastily.
Rose kept glancing back over her shoulder periodically as she continued her frantic pace away from the waterfront, sure that mother and Cal must surely be hot on her trail. And she could not, no she WOULD NOT go back. There was no turning back now for Rose..Rose Baker.
She stifled a laugh as she realized that she couldn't even come up with a decent last name for herself. Why had she called herself Baker? Because she had been thinking about the baker at the inn who had cooked up her fabulous breakfast.
She heard footsteps quickly approaching and she was becoming more frightened by the moment. As she rounded a corner in the street she ducked into an alleyway and flattened herself against the wall hoping that she wouldn't be seen. As the person passed, she could see that it had been the shaggy blonde gentleman who had introduced himself as Jack Dawson back at the inn.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she moved out and called to the gentleman in a soft voice. Jack turned around when he heard his name and he saw the beautiful red headed woman standing there looking at him with big brown eyes that looked sad and scared. Once more he wondered what could have frightened her so.
He turned around and sauntered towards her slowly as if she might dart and run away again. She reminded him of a frightened deer. He then said, " Miss Baker was it not?" She nodded and upon hearing footsteps nearby she began to cry and said, " Please help me will you? I have to get away from them." He didn't have a clue as to who "they" were but he made an instant decision that he would help the beautiful young woman who was obviously in quite a bit of distress. He held out his hand and said, " Hold my hand Miss Baker and follow me."
She grabbed on to his hand as if she were hanging on for dear life and to Rose she was. He walked at a fast pace and Rose was having a hard time keeping up with him for he was practically pulling her along behind him.
From a distance she could hear her mother and Cal's voices as they were questioning people if they had seen a beautiful young woman with long flaming red curls. She could also hear Cal cursing that they would miss the ship if they didn't find her and soon. Rose could feel her heart skip a beat. Surely they would sail anyway whether she was found or not. She couldn't bear the thought of them staying in Southampton. Well if she thought that they would stay in Southampton, she would take her ticket and board anyway. Then she would go to America and probably head west somewhere.
Jack finally stopped in front of a rather run down looking building and inside and up a flight of rickety stairs and into an even more run down looking apartment. He closed the door behind him and said with a wry sense of humor, " This is home sweet home. I know it's not much but you're welcome to whatever I have here. In the meantime why don't I fix some tea for us? Then perhaps you can sit and tell me what it is you're so frightened of."
Rose glanced at her watch. It was now 11:00 A.M. She had to get back down to the docks before noon and see if her mother and Cal would be boarding Titanic or whether they were staying. If they stayed, she would board. If they boarded, she would stay. It was just that simple.
Rose wasn't sure of how to tell a complete stranger the even stranger facts of her life, but she decided that she must be completely honest and truthful if she were going to get him to assist her any further in her new and independent life away from mother and Cal. So she took a deep breath and quickly tried to sum up her life as it had been so far.
Jack stared at Rose and let out a low whistle and said, " I just knew that you didn't seem to belong down here with the likes of us. You have an aristocratic bearing about you that even your simple clothes couldn't hide. I'm sorry that your family has made life a hell for you. I can understand why you would want to escape. Hell.. oh forgive me for my language Miss Baker.. I wouldn't want to live that way."
Then Rose reached into her purse and pulled out a first class ticket to board the steamship Titanic and said, " I have to get back down to the docks and I should be able to view the passengers as they board. If I see my mother and Cal board the ship, then I'm safe although I'll stay out of sight until the ship leaves. But if they do not board then I have to get on board that ship and get back to America and then from there well.. I don't know about that. Probably I'll head west."
Jack said, " Go to California Miss Baker. It's just beautiful out there. I've been there before." She stared at him and then said, " You do get around don't you? Will you go with me on Titanic if I do go? I'll buy you a ticket." Jack stared at her as if she had gone completely mad and said, " Well.. well. I'm not sure if I should get any further involved in this than I already have. I'll think about it."
She sighed and then said frantically, " Well you don't have long to think about it Mr. Dawson. I say let's head back down to the docks." He nodded and said, " Yes we had best go then, for it's a good ten minute walk down to the docks and it's already 11:30 now." So she followed him and as they left the building, he offered her his arm and she clung to him.
April 10, 1912 - 11:40 A.M.
Rose could feel her heart pounding fiercely inside her chest as she watched with much trepidation as the passengers walked gaily up the gangplanks and onto the ship. She stood just close enough where she could watch the first class passengers board and all the while she clung tightly to Mr. Dawson's arm.
Jack could understand her fear and her deep desire to escape and he wanted to help her but he couldn't let her pay for his ticket on the Titanic and so if she boarded, he knew that she would board alone. And as he watched the scene around him, he said quietly without even looking at Miss Baker, " I have decided not to board with you Miss Baker on the chance that you should decide to go. I have a home here and I've no desire to go anywhere else or see any more of the world. I've seen enough and been enough places to last a lifetime. And furthermore I don't want to cause you any embarrassment or pain. I'm a poor man and you've admitted you come from a first class family with wealth, power and prestige..."
Before he could continue she started to cry and he said, " Oh I didn't mean to make you cry Miss Baker." She shook her head and said, " I don't see my mother or Cal on board and I'm afraid that I will have to sail anyhow. I just wish that you would please change your mind and go." The ship's whistles blew as it was nearing departure and she had to hurry and so she turned and with tears in her eyes, said goodbye to Mr. Dawson and headed for a new life in America.
