HOT
Fried Plaice, Broiled Finnan Haddie, Smoked Red Herring, Salmon Steak, Broiled Porter Kruse Steak-Maitre d’hôtel Butter, Broiled Rump Steak, Broiled Mutton Chops, Fried Cerealine Fritters-Maple Syrup, Grilled Cumberland Ham, Smoked Wiltshire Bacon, Fried Lamb’s Frys-Tomato, Broiled Chicken, Vegetable Stew, Poached Egg on Toast, Chipped, Mashed and Lyonnais Potatoes, Light and Hard Boiled Eggs, Fried and Turned Eggs, Scrambled Eggs on Toast.
COLD
Turkey, Corned Round Beef, Head Cheese, Epicurean Ox Tongue, Cumberland Ham, Roast Beef, Roast Mutton, Soda Scones, Cottage Cheese, White and Graham Rolls, Vienna Bread, Scotch Oat Cake, Griddle Cakes, California Honey.
AFTER
Radishes, Watercress, Preserves, Tea-India Tea Company Supplied, Coffee, Cocoa.
Grinning, Patty thought, Wonder if cholesterol ever bothered these people? His cigar was half finished and the hot water was now tepid so he clipped his cigar, grabbed one of the thick towels from the warming tubes and stepped out and onto the small rug and dried off. He put on the nightgown Matt had suggested that he bring, put out the light and slipped under the warm blankets. His plan was to go over the entire day but the slow rocking of the ship put him to sleep sooner than he had planned.
A low chiming coming from his pocket watch woke Patty at 6 am, and he was surprised at how energetic he felt as he stood and stretched. It’s the ocean air, he thought as he opened the window. The cool breeze entered and blew the menu and papers he left out around the cabin against the rear wall. Leaving it open he went to the washroom, washed and shaved. Taking advantage of the first-class amenities he placed the suit he wore yesterday in a linen bag marked, CLOTHING TO BE LAUNDERED and placed it on the bed. He dressed and checked himself out in the closet mirror.
“Well,” he said to the reflection in the mirror, “if I’m to be taken as a bohemian, then a bohemian I’ll be.” The outfit he chose was a tan tweed jacket with brown leather patches on the elbows over a dark brown, crew-neck sweater. His slacks were the same color as the sweater while his deck shoes were a tan canvas. He elected to not wear a hat knowing that the wind would probably send it overboard and he didn’t want to spend the whole day with one hand holding it in place. At the last minute he grabbed a dark brown cravat and stuck it in his jacket’s breast pocket. It was more out than in but it just added to the relaxed look he enjoyed.
7:15. Enough time for a walk around the deck, he thought as he checked his watch. He opened the cabin door and stepped out to be greeted by a beautiful, sunny morning with puffy white clouds on the far horizon. He walked forward and coming to the end of the cabins was stopped by the higher control room. Looking up he saw the crew walking about inside as they performed their duties. It seemed that the entire room was framed in thick glass giving outstanding visibility for the crew. A large man with a full, white beard looked down and seeing him looking up, smiled and did a slight salute. Patty smiled back and nodded before turning and walking towards the rear.
He walked the full deck twice before the same young man who so aptly played the triangle walked by proclaiming that breakfast would be served in fifteen minutes. The time traveler remembered the menu and quickly entered the dining room, once again walking down the Grand Stairway to table 570. Already seated were the Corbett and Muchin families.
“Good morning, all,” he said as he placed a napkin on his lap, “I hope you all slept well?”
“Indeed we did, Mister Gelardi,” said Jim Corbett as the other three nodded their agreement.
The room filled quickly but it was the entrance of the four young ladies of table 570 that made the room quiet down momentarily as they entered by way of the Grand Stairway. It seemed that they had decided to shake the establishment up a bit as their dresses were slightly tighter and a tad off the top of their shoe as a flash of instep attested now and then. The men stood as they sat and Patty clapped.
“Bravo, club members, bravo!”
The Corbetts and Muchins retreated to their menus, with grins on their faces. There would be stories to be told when they returned home.
As usual Jeanine was the spokesperson as she said with a questioningly look on her face, “Bravo? Pray tell, why would we deserve a ‘bravo’ Patty?”
“Dear ladies, your entrance down the Grand Stairway was nothing less than grand and I felt the need to applaud you and the club you found, as I do believe you four struck a blow for your recognition.”
The satisfied look on Jeanine’s face was matched by her three friends.
Breakfast was served less than fifteen minutes after their orders were taken and after coffee and tea, table 570 decided to walk the deck again. As they strolled along chatting, Peter Canali suddenly turned the corner and before Patty could greet him, the man sneered and stormed past.
“It, it is him,” said Jane Barlow as she cringed and was consoled by the three ladies of her club.
“Are you sure?” asked Marilyn.
“Y-yes, it is he. I’m positive.”
Patty stepped close and asked, “Is there trouble with Canali?”
The four ladies looked at each other and Jeanine said, “Yes. You see Jane lives in London and when she traveled to America, she bumped into Mister Canali and she feels that he took a liking to her as every time she thought to be alone, he seemed to appear from out of nowhere and now seems to be doing it again. Last night as she was in bed someone tried her doorknob.” She shook her head and went on as she hugged her friend, “She thinks he is following her as it is too big a coincidence to be on the same ship twice and in such a short timeframe.”
Patty shook his head and said, “Jane, you have my pledge that Mister Canali will not harm you in any way. I promise you.” He thought for a moment and said, “What cabin are you in?”
“104.”
“I’m in 107, who is in 106 or 108?”
“I’m in 106,” said Marilyn. If you want, I’ll switch so she can be in the cabin next to you.”
“Exactly what I was thinking. This way, Jane,” he said looking at the trembling girl, “all you need to do is tap on the wall and I’ll open my door and see if he is up to no good. Is that good with you?”
“Y-Yes . . . thank you ever so much.”
“No need to thank me, I’m a member of the club and we are all for one and one for all, are we not?”
All of the young ladies nodded.
“Now,” said Patty, “I say that we all give a helping hand and move our friends right now. Agree?”
All agreed and they attacked the move with relish.
The move was completed before lunch and all went to wash up before eating. Lunch went as did breakfast and Patty sat back and patted his flat stomach as he announced, “I plan on going to the gym and working all this fine food off and then taking a cold bath before dinner.”
Edwina nodded and said as she mimicked working out on a rowing machine, “A pity that the gym is not unified as men and women have different schedules.”
“I agree,” said Patty.
“Do you really, sir,” Jim Corbett asked.
“I truly do, Jim. If properly clothed, we are all of one thought: stay ahead of the grim reaper with good health habits. It bothers me not one iota that the person on the machine next to me is a man or woman.”
“Well said, Patty,” said Jane as Patty stood.
“See you all for dinner.”
“One thing,” said Jeanine as she stood, “Won’t Mister Canali now just be trying to open Marilyn’s door in his quest to see Jane for he knows not of our switch?”
Patty grinned, “Oh, Mister Canali will know by dinner time. I promise you.”
“Be careful of that man,” reminded Jim Corbett as he rose.
Patty left and picked up his gym clothes but sat and wrote a note before leaving his room. It said in block letters: MISS BARLOW HAS BEEN SWITCHED OUT OF HER ROOM AND IS NOW UNDER MY CARE. PATTY GELARDI.
He folded it and put it in his pocket.
At the gym he smiled
inwardly after changing into the gym suit of the day, a long and itchy sweat outfit covering everything from his ankles to his throat and wrists. Boy, he thought as he headed towards the rowing machine, a guy could lose weight simply by scratching as he sweated in these outfits. He sat on the bicycle-type seat and grabbed the handles of the long wooden oars and started to pull back. He was on the second backstroke when he smelled cigar smoke and stopped to look around. Patty was shocked to see a very overweight man sitting on another rowing machine smoking a cigar as he took a break. The time traveler looked around and saw that there were at least two other men doing the same as was the man in charge of the ship’s gym.
Patty went to another machine next to a window and opened it a crack before resuming his personal attack on obesity. He could only shake his head and wonder how mankind ever made it up to 2013.
Thirty minutes later he was about to leave when he spotted Canali entering. He went to greet the man, but once again got the cold shoulder. Patty went and took a cold shower and after dressing went to the young man in charge of the lockers and said, “I see that Mister Canali is here and since I do not wish to disturb his workout I wonder if you will be so kind as to put this note in his locker for me?”
Before the young man could reply yes or no, Patty placed a dollar bill in his hand and quickly left.
Dinner was another culinary delight and Patty and the girls were happy that they had used the gym. The girls laughed as they heard of the fat man smoking and said they were alone in the gym when it was their turn.
“Well,” said Patty as he lit a cigar during their after dinner walk, “I had the opportunity to let our friend Canali know of the change of address for Jane. Of course he’ll probably try again, not believing me.”
“Then,” said Jeanine, “we should have a songfest this evening in Jane’s old cabin to keep him at bay. What say you all to that?”
They all agreed and thirty minutes later the five of them sat in Jane’s old room with the cabin door open and sang together.
“Jeanine,” asked Marilyn after a bit, “you have a beautiful voice, will you sing something for us?”
Jeanine dropped her eyes and shrugged her shoulders, “I feel ashamed singing alone as I am usually with a choir.”
“Now, now,” quipped a smiling Patty as he feigned shock, “one of the ‘Women With A Future’ pleading shyness? This will never do. Not in any club I’m in.”
Jeanine rolled her eyes and said, “Should I perform, I demand that Mister Patty Gelardi perform after me.”
“Hear, hear,” from the others showed all to be in agreement and Patty shrugged his shoulders and nodded in agreement.
Jeanine started off in a low tone of voice that grew as she gained confidence. Soon she was back in her choir hitting every note and remembering every word her choirmaster had told her. When she finished the applause was much louder than could ever come from the other four and she turned to see a crowd at the open door clapping and asking for more entertainment. The only way she could hide was by pointing at Patty and saying, “He is next.” The crowd continued to clap and Patty, used to singing alone, stood and did a slight mock bow.
“The song I’m going to sing is sung by a top entertainer friend of mine, Johnny Mathis. The words and music arrangement are by Paul Vance and Leon Carr. It’s called, ‘Gina.’” He mentally crossed his fingers as he thought, Well as Bill said ‘a little white lie might come in handy’ and I did once meet Johnny Mathis.
Patty looked down at his feet and clasped his hands in front of him as he did at the beginning of every performance since he sang in his church’s choir when he was ten years old. He slowly looked up past all inside and outside of the cabin as he looked out of the door at the full moon over the horizon. His half open, blue eyes reflected the orb as his voice took on the melodic tones that came naturally to the singer as he started the slow ballad.
Gina, Gina, I kissed you once and then
I felt so wonderful, so very wonderful
Let's do it over again
Gina, Gina, I can't remember when
I've ever felt a kiss that made me feel like this
Let's do it over again
Look at you, oh, look at you
So warm, so sweet, so shy
Look at me, oh, look at me
I can't believe that I'm such a lucky guy
To have Gina, Gina all for my very own
It's much too wonderful, so very wonderful
To know that Gina is mine alone
Oh, look at you, oh, look at you
So warm, so sweet, so shy
Look at me, oh, look at me
I can't believe that I'm such a lucky guy
To have Gina, Gina all for my very own
It's much too wonderful, so very wonderful
To know that Gina is mine, Gina is mine,
Gina is mine alone.
The silence was deafening as Patty refocused back on where he was. He looked around at the quiet crowd as he thought, Wow, this is a tough crowd.
There was a sudden clapping from one person that broke the spell his audience was in and, as they all joined in, the crowd parted and the figure that had started the clapping entered the cabin. It was the same man who smiled down from the ship’s control room that morning. The big man’s white beard parted to show his great smile as he stood before Patty clapping strongly. Patty saw that the girls in the cabin were crying as they clapped feverishly.
“Sir,” said the man. “I am Captain Roberts at your service and I applaud your fine voice as never have such beautiful sounds ever floated across the Atlantic as I piloted a ship. May I ask that you and your friends join me tomorrow evening for dinner?”
“Y-Yes, sir Captain Roberts. We shall be there and thank you for your kind words.”
The large man patted him on his shoulder and left. The crowd outside the door hoped to hear more but Marilyn, who knew to leave them wanting more, said as she slowly closed the door, “Come by tomorrow evening and perhaps Mister Patty Gelardi will entertain us all once again. Good night, now.”
The door closed and the four ladies screamed like teenagers as they hugged Patty.
“Lord, Patty, you are good,” said Jeanine. You must give me voice guidance.”
“That’s fine with me,” answered Patty as he poured a glass of wine.
“And,” added Edwina, “tomorrow we dine with the Captain!”
Once again squeals of delight emanated from the cabin and even Patty chimed in.
The small party didn’t break up until about two in the morning and Patty enjoyed his soaking in the tub as he texted Bill:
HI AGAIN BILL. ALL IS GOING AS PLANNED. I AM PART OF MISS LARSEN’S CLUB SO I WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP AN EYE ON HER. CAN YOU DO ME A FAVOR AND DO A BACKGROUND CHECK ON A PETER CANALI. HE LIVES IN ENGLAND AND IS ABOARD THE SHIP I’M ON. HE SEEMS TO BE A BIT OF A HAUNT AND I WANT TO KNOW IF I NEED TO WATCH MY BACK. BEST FROM HERE, PATTY.
Satisfied, he pressed the send button and was rewarded with a beep and a red light signaling the message went through. He closed and put the unit away, grabbed a warm towel and dried off. Once again his time to reflect on the happenings of the day were cut short by the rocking motion of the ship.
He woke at 6 am to the soft chime sounding from his pocket watch, washed and as he started to put his clothes out for the day remembered to check his communicator. Flipping open the secret compartment he saw a small flashing red light. “A message,” he said to himself as he put the device on the flat table and pulled the chair over. He made sure that the window curtains were still tied and hit the ‘read’ button. Immediately Bill’s message from 2013 appeared.
HI PATTY. HOPE YOU ARE HAVING FUN AND IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU ARE SET TO STOP THE RIPPER FROM CLAIMING MISS LARSEN’S LIFE. ABOUT PETER CANALI, I SENT YOUR INFO UPSTREAM AND GOT THIS BACK WITHIN AN HOUR.
FROM THE TIME WATCHERS GROUP TO BILL SCOTT: DEAR BILL. WE ENTERED YOUR QUERY INTO OUR COMPUTERS AND IT SEEMS THAT MISTER PETER CANAL
I LEFT ENGLAND ON NOVEMBER 9, 1888, THE SAME DAY THAT JACK THE RIPPER’S KILLING NUMBER 5 TOOK PLACE. MR. CANALI TOOK PASSAGE ABOARD THE SHIP, CITY OF LONDON, WHICH ARRIVED IN AMERICA NOVEMBER 17, 1888 AND ATTENDED A MEDICAL CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK. HE PURCHASED A TICKET ON THE CUNARD SHIP, SERVIA, WHICH SAILED ON NOVEMBER 25, 1888 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON DECEMBER 3, 1888. MISTER CANALI WAS AT ONE TIME A SURGEON PRACTICING IN AUSTRALIA BUT QUIT AND MOVED TO LONDON. AFTER ARRIVING BACK IN ENGLAND HE SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED AND WAS NEVER HEARD OF AGAIN. END.
SO, PATTY, THAT’S ALL I HAVE ON YOUR MISTER PETER CANALI. HOPE IT HELPED AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE JUST TEXT. CHEERIO, BILL.
Bill sat back on the bed, his eyes glazed, as he said to himself, “Is it possible? Could Peter Canali be Jack the Ripper?” He shook his head and took a sheet of writing paper and started to do calculations as he mumbled, “Jack the Ripper’s last killing was on Nov. 9, then Canali hopped aboard a ship that took him to America. Aboard the ship he saw Jane Barlow and for some reason started following her. His next victim? Possible. He returned on the same ship as she did (and so are we). The ship docks in England on Dec. 3 and according to the computers of the future the killer strikes again the very next morning.” He scratched his chin and thought, And he was a surgeon too, as many people thought that Jack the Ripper was.
He closed the communicator, stood and put it away then returned to getting ready for the day.
After breakfast as table number 570 did their deck walk, Patty maneuvered next to Jane.
“Well, Jane as there was no knocking on my wall last night I assume that you slept peacefully?”
She looked up and smiled as she fidgeted with her glasses. “Yes, I did. And I thank you for your kind assistance in this most dreadful affair.”
Patty just shrugged his shoulders but asked, “Tell me, Jane, did you happen to see Mister Canali while you attended the Medical Conference?”
Time Travel Adventures of the 1800 Club Book VIII Page 15