1962, October, the Cuban Missile Crisis was happening, the SS France was only six months old, “The Music Man” with Robert Preston was playing everywhere, and they all came together for our family in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in a magnificent storm with thirty foot waves.
Oh Life.
We were due to head back to India in early October after two months in the States, but were delayed because of what was brewing in Cuba. The SS France finally decided to sail on October 26th (WHY? As Cuba was happening then!), and then a mighty wind blew across the water and mayhem in the ship.
We were lunching, French style, with rollmops as an appetizer, in the formal dining room, and suddenly tables careened across the floor and chairs flew, people screamed and threw up, and my sister and I looked at each other and vamoosed.
We ran through first class up to the top deck and ventured out into the wind. Margaret was scared and waited inside, holding the door so that it didn’t slam me out permanently. The waves were crashing up over the lower decks and furnture was sliding away. I could barely stand. I spread my arms like a mighty bird and thanked the earth and sky for this wild wild wild moment and then became human again and joined my sister.
She had been fascinated by the first class exercise horses, which we were not allowed on as we were not first class. She made hay while the sun shone and spent the next few hours riding these while the water in the swimming pool sloshed up and flooded the entire floor.
I had been wanting to see ‘the movie’ but my mother had thought it was a waste to do such a thing while on a ship. I snuck off and watched “The Music Man” SIX times…memorized every line, every movement, and to this day sing “Goodnight My Someone” to my grand children.
Where were my parents you might ask? We had grown up in boarding school and they were used to us being captains of our own boats, so to speak, plus my brother was seasick for the entire day, and so the Universe once again, fulfilled minor dreams for Margaret and I and then? The next morning? All was calm, back to lovely luxurious French sailing before jumping on a plane back back to India.
And my grand children will one day know the impish story behind this favorite lullaby.