All Aboard

In the summer of 1938 (82 years ago!) my mother took me to Europe for the first time.  I was 13 years old.  She was 42, a young woman, permanently separated from her husband, and a practicing lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA.  We sailed on a small Dutch liner, the Volendam, from Hoboken, NJ.  We left at midnight on July 8, traveling 1st class.  I was very excited about the trip since she had taken me on an ocean liner once before when I was 11 years old. She and I, my Aunt Rita and cousin John sailed on a big, white “Banana Boat” from NYC to the Canal Zone, (Panama) to visit my Uncle Speed and his wife, Lucile.  He was a Naval Officer, stationed there.  That was my first ocean voyage and I loved every minute of it. Everyone else got seasick.  I brought them chicken sandwiches and broth, as they lay in their deck chairs, moaning.  I looked forward to this trip to Europe with great enthusiasm.  I was not disappointed.  

On board the Volendam we had lots of fun. The first thing I saw when I entered our cabin was a bowl of ripe apricots and other fruits.  I immediately ate a few apricots, which were very sweet and good.  I still remember Peter, our cabin steward.  He had a 14 year-old son at home, so he was used to young people.  He played lots of tricks on me, like making a “pie-bed” which he did several times.  He folded the sheets so I couldn’t get into the bed. He tied up the pant legs of my pajamas, and other things. I played tricks on him, too. Once, in the beginning of our trip when Mother had received two large bouquets of flowers, Peter gave me a bunch of flowers, which I thought was a nice, unexpected gesture. 

On board I played a lot of ping-pong, which Mother and I had played a lot at home.  I stated in my journal each time I won.  I played with her and my new friends, Christina and Jane Binney every day.  I also played deck tennis. (I didn’t realize that my love for tennis began so early.)  Also, chess with Mother occasionally.  Once I beat her, but my friend “Chessy” (a steward) was helping me. 

I reported on the weather each day in my journal, which I still have, although the penciled notes are hardly legible now.  Some days were warm and sunny, calm sea.  Other days were squally and choppy.  Every day I walked the deck at least once.  Since it was a small ship, I was able to walk all around the ship each time.  I felt very much at home at sea, happier than I usually felt in our apartment in Pittsburgh, (without Daddy.)  

I attribute my love of the sea to the fact that all of the men in my family were Navy men.  My father, a Lieutenant in the US Navy during WWI, my Uncle Arthur, a graduate from Annapolis, and my Uncle Jack who ran away from home in Cambridge, England at the age of 15, to join the British Merchant Marines.  He later became the Radio Officer on American ships.  In later years, as a radio celebrity he had a 40 foot cabin cruiser with flying bridge which I loved.  He took me with his family several times on one-week trips, around Long Island and up to Lake Champlain.  I would have liked to be a boy, who sailed the high seas, or better yet, a seagull.  

The Volendam docked at Plymouth, England. I cried when we left the ship, waving goodbye to all of my friends who came out on deck to see me off.   We made our way to Paris.