WERE RECOVERED
AFTER THE
DISASTER TO
THE "TITANIC"
APRIL 15, 1912
There were many more.
ALMA PAULSON
AGED 29 YEARS
LOST WITH FOUR CHILDREN
Some were just names with their ages.
TOBURG DANDRIA AGED 8
PAUL FOLKE AGED 6
STINA VIOLA AGED 4
GOSTA LEONARD AGED 2
Others were just numbers.
DIED
APRIL 15, 1912
227
A small headstone marked J. DAWSON had the largest number of flowers--bouquets of flowers dwarfed the headstone, almost obscuring the oddly familiar name. Charles told Jack why the name was familiar. The character Leonardo DiCaprio played in the Titanic movie was named Jack Dawson.
"You don't mean he was real," Jack said.
"I have no idea," Charles said.
The J. DAWSON on the headstone could have been a different Dawson. Jack Dawson, DiCaprio's character, might have been invented. But since the movie had been released, visitors to the Titanic grave site put flowers on J. DAWSON's headstone because they believed he was that character. Worse--whether or not Jack Dawson in the movie was related to J. DAWSON on the headstone, the young girls bringing flowers thought there was someone in that grave who had once looked like Leonardo DiCaprio.
"Movies," Jack said with disgust. Charles laughed.
But Jack saw it then--this was where that hair-faced novelist and screenwriter had gotten the idea to make a love story out of the Halifax Explosion. It was a bad idea to begin with, but it hadn't even been McSwiney's idea. He'd stolen it from the Titanic movie; he'd ripped it off from a graveyard full of children!
"Does Doug McSwiney come from Halifax?" Jack asked Charles Burchell. Since Charles was a bookseller, Jack knew that Charles would know.
"Born and raised," Charles said. "He's an awful man--he's always punching people."
The Titanic grave site gave Jack additional grounds for wanting to kick the crap out of McSwiney, and Jack still had a headache. (As cheap shots go, a blow to someone's temple is asking for trouble.)
Jack went back to the hotel and took a short nap. He probably did have a concussion, mild or not, because he wasn't feeling well. He was wondering why Michele Maher hadn't called him--just to say she was looking forward to lunch or dinner, or whatever. Maybe she was shy; probably she was busy. Jack didn't sleep very soundly, or for long. At the first ring of the wake-up call, he sat up too suddenly and saw stars. The stars continued to twinkle while he brushed his teeth.
A separated shoulder would be a justifiable injury to inflict on Doug McSwiney, Jack was thinking. Given that McSwiney had hit Jack with a left hook, he was probably right-handed; if so, a separated right shoulder would be a good idea.
Jack called Dr. Maher's office and once again got Michele's nurse, Amanda, on the phone. "Hi, Amanda--it's Jack Burns. I'm calling to confirm breakfast, lunch, and dinner."