Chapter 2 April 10th:Alex Johnson, 2nd class passenger
Mornin', folks! How ya doin'? The name's Johnson, Alex Johnson. In case you're wondering what a relatively poor "Yank" is doing here in England, I managed to save up enough money for a trip to Jolly Old England. I've always loved the works of Dickens. In 1909 I thought to myself, "If I save up enough money working for my Ma and my old man over the course of a couple a' years," (My Ma and Pa own a convenience store in down in Kahoka, MO) ", I could buy a two-way ticket to England."
So I worked day in, day out for over almost three years for a second class, round-trip ticket to England. Fortunately I saved up enough to buy me a very cheap hotel (Hard, dirty bed, dirty rooms, and watery food, but hey, I didn't have much money). Anyhow, I don't mind, because I got to get a look at the home of Charles Dickens. Wait 'till Ma and Pa see what I bought 'em. On my last day, I bought Ma some nice cotton laces for the shop windows, and for Pa, I got a new pipe, as well as some pipe tobacco and some fine cigars. Cost me the last cent I had (aside from the money I put aside for the trip from New York to Missouri), but now Pa will look nice and classy on poker night.
I couldn't believe my luck, getting to sail home on the Titanic. I try to see if I can get up to 1st class, but no such luck. One thing strange, though. As the Titanic was leaving dock, the mooring lines holding another ship called the New York snapped, nearly hitting us. Fortunately, some tugboats arrived just in time. Some people say that us nearly colliding was bad luck. I only believe in good luck. If, however, I was superstitious, I'd say the strange part would be us coming extremely close to something bearing the name of our final destination, almost as if to say, "You won't make it."
To soothe my nerves, I decided to take a walk on deck. After I was settled in and the ship had left port, I met a relatively young science master (English, naturally) named Lawrence Beesley. He was quite the smarty. One thing I love about talking to intelligent people is that it makes me feel smarter as well. I look forward to the rest of the journey.
One thing I'm glad the ship has is a library. It's a small one, but a library nonetheless. I wonder why second class has a library and not third class. Oh, well, we got the long end of the stick on that one.
I meet a fellow passenger. I like to read, as you can tell. I was reading once, about these fellas by the name of Orville and Wilbur Wright in Kitty Hawk North Carolina in 1903, who built a self-propelled flying machine. I asked another passenger, a smart, pretty young thing named Charlene Long, if she thought we'd ever start flying all over the world. She says "No."
I disagree. I tell her "I think we will start flying across the world, but I doubt anything will ever be as opulent," (I love to use big words around the ladies) " as all this, at least in first class anyway."
We strike up a conversation so long, we even continue it over dinner. I really think there's something between us. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I guess I'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.
