Elvis on the Titanic

Chapter 4 - Meeting the Astors

Thank you all so much for all the views so far! I'll try to get out new chapters as fast as I can. It's kind of fun, having Elvis on the legendary RMS Titanic.

~ ~ ~

It occurred to me after my performance in the dining hall that all those people loved the songs that I sang and played, songs that were nothing like the songs that they had heard before. I knew something about old music, the kind of stuff that my parents and grandparents liked to listen to: Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton, Maurice Chevalier... Their styles were more jazzy, not rock 'n' roll like my style. Of course, I looked up to those singers, like the singers who came after them like Jimmy Walters, Ted Lewis, Luis Armstrong, on to Frank Sinatra. I loved listening to gospel singers, too. They all had something to contribute to my music, or more, they had something for me to learn from. People had said I improved their styles, but really, I just added to their genius.

Right now, though, now that I would be singing for these people, I had to think more along the lines of those early singers, the ones who focused on jazz. If I had any hope of moving up the classes, I had to be someone the people liked and were impressed with.

"What are you thinking about so intently, boy-o?"

I looked over at Wendell as we both stood at the railing on the main deck on the bow side of the ship, and as the others were back in our room getting settled. There was vast blue everywhere around us, and a cool salty, fishy wind blew. It wasn't strong enough to do anything with my hair, though. Thank goodness. I needed to find some sort of hair product that would work on my hair. No doubt this ship had a barber shop somewhere and would have something for me.

"I'm just thinkin' of singin' tonight, among other things," I told him. "Those people really liked me, didn't they? Even though my style of music is nothin' like they've listened to before."

"They didn't just like you, they loved you. And I think your style of music is really... jumpin'."

I smirked at that, at his description of the rock 'n' roll genre. I looked back at the ocean. "Yeah, it is, isn't? That's just what I do."

"Well, keep on doin' it. You'll make it to 1st class in no time."

He turned around and leaned his back against the railing so he was facing the rest of the deck. I did the same thing and saw people walking around, some at the railing looking out at the sea, and some kids playing with a little spinner top. From the attire of the people, I would guess that there was a mixture of all the classes. I noticed one older man sitting on a bench, holding an instrument with a bag and pipes. I smiled and pointed.

"Hey, would ya look at that?" I said. "Bagpipes."

"Indeed. They're a popular instrument in Ireland and Scotland. Me fadder has one like that."

I watched the man fiddle with the thing and then start playing it. People around heard and started coming up to him. I grinned and went on to watch him like those people. Wendell followed me.

I came up to the small crowd, watching and listening. This older man, looking like he could be around sixty, and with white hair underneath his hat, and in brown trousers and vest over a billowy white shirt, played a beautiful melody. I stood there, entranced by it, by watching the man's fingers moving over the holes of the bottom pipe of the instrument. It was one of five pipes coming out of the bag, three were placed near the man's shoulder, while one he was blowing into. I was transfixed by the whole thing.