A LIFE SO CHANGED
Chapter Twenty
Andrews is striding along the boat deck, as
seamen and officers scurry to uncover the boats. Steam is venting from pipes on
the funnels overhead, and the din is horrendous. Speech is difficult adding to
the crew's level of disorganization. Andrews sees some men fumbling with the
mechanism of one of the Welling davits and yells to them over the roar of
steam.
"Turn to the right! Pull the falls taut
before you unchock. Have you never had a boat drill?"
"No sir! Not with these new davits,
sir," said a seaman.
He looks around, disgusted as the crew fumble
with the davits, and the tackle for the falls...the ropes which are used to
lower the boats. A few passengers are coming out on deck, hesitantly in the
noise and bitter cold.
In the sitting room, the group just stood
there, not knowing what to do next. From inside the sitting room they can hear
knocking and voices in the corridor. Cal went up to Pastor Walker.
"Why don’t ya’ll go into Dining room,
while I deal with Rose."
"All right." Pastor Walker turns
and tells the group the plan, and they exit. Ruth stays behind.
"Ruth, please go with them. This is
between me and her." Ruth leaves without saying a word.
Cal walks up to the door and looks out to
make sure that they have left, then shuts the door, and walks up to the
promenade doorway. He stands there with his arm leaning against the frame. Rose
is waiting for what is going to come. He crosses to her. He regards her coldly
for a moment, and then suddenly, he slaps her across the face.
"You little slut!"
To Rose, the blow is inconsequential compared
to the blow her heart has been given. Cal grabs her shoulders roughly.
"Will you look at me when I’m talking you?"
There is a loud knock on the door and an
urgent voice. The door opens and their steward, Barnes, puts his head in.
"Mr. Black?"
"Not now! We’re busy."
"Sir, I’ve been told to ask you to
please put on your life belt and come up to the boat deck."
"I said not now."
"I’m sorry about the inconvenience, Mr.
Black. But it’s Captain’s orders. Now please dress warmly, it’s quite cold
tonight."
Barnes persists, coming in to get the life
belts down from the top of the dressers.
"Now, may I suggest topcoats and hats.
It’s quite cold tonight."
"Good night!" Cal rolling his eyes.
Barnes hands a life belt to Rose, and sees
her reaction. "Not to worry, Miss. I’m sure it’s just a precaution."
BANG! A third class door is thrown open and
the lights are snapped on by a steward. The Cartmell family rouses from a sound
sleep.
"Everybody up! Life belts on!"
"What? What’s this all about?"
asked Mr. Cartmell.
In the corridor outside, another steward is
going from door to door along the hall, pouncing and yelling. "Everybody
up! Put your life belts on!"
"What’s the ruckus?" asked a man.
"Just put your life belt on."
People come out of the doors behind the
steward, perplexed. In the foreground a Syrian woman asks her husband what was
said. He shrugs.
Captain Smith is writing down the coordinates
to the position of the Titanic. Phillips is looking at him puzzled. "CQD?
Sir?"
"That’s right. CQD. The distress call.
That’s our position. Tell whoever responds that we are going down by the head
and need immediate assistance."
Captain Smith looks down and he leaves.
"Blimey," said Phillips.
"Maybe you ought to try that new
distress call. SOS," said Bride, grinning. "It may be our only chance
to use it."
Phillips laughs in spite of himself and
starts sending history’s first SOS. Dit, dit, dit, da, da, da, dit, dit, dit.
Over and over.