Kickin' It on Route 66 ~ Chapter 2 - 12
Title: Kickin’ It On Route 66
State: Missouri ~ Chapter 2-12
Rating: PG
Pairing: adam/kris, OMCs
Summary: The Allen-Lamberts take a road trip along Historic Route 66
Disclaimer: I don’t own Adam or Kris. This story is fiction. Other major characters are fictional; the places they visit in this story are real.
Dedicated to adamluvr36_fic ~ just because ♥
Time for a Allen-Lambert universe mini series. Hannah is 12 years old, Josh is 7 years old. Mrs. Willowby comes along too! Get ready for Americana and nostalgia.
Overview map of The Mother Road ~ http://www.historic66.com/description/map.html
Retrace the trip ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/45756.html#cutid1
Masterlist of Allen-Lambert universe ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/21722.html#cutid1
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
ROAD TRIP DAY 19:
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI DAY 3
The family rose early with the sun, a long activity packed day ahead of them. If Adam and Kris … well mainly Adam … had told their friends they were spending the day in Branson, a city known for its mild mannered music, the Osmonds and Lawrence Welk, they would have thought the boys were pulling an early April Fools joke.
Kris had been the first to suggest it and when Mrs. Willowby heard the idea she nearly jumped in their laps with excitement, declaring she had to see Andy Williams perform not matter what. Adam was a little skeptical … way out of his comfort zone … but after checking out the city’s website, he soon discovered that even he could have fun there.
When they mentioned their plans to Clara and Bob, they started telling them about all the times they’d been there. The well meaning couple made it sound like it was nearly sacrilegious to be in Missouri and not go there.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
BRANSON, MISSOURI
The drive to Branson had been relaxing, lots of trees and mountains around them. If it weren’t for the vegetation and the sign announcing their arrival, it would have been easy to think they’d taken a major wrong turn and were entering the Las Vegas Strip. Huge lighted signs fought for their attention, trying to get patrons to choose their shows over the 100 offered. The rest of the city was calmer but still offered lots of entertainment, tourist sites and family activities both indoors and out.
The Titanic Museum in Branson was the world’s largest permanent exhibit dedicated to the ill fated maiden voyage of 1912. The building itself was a half-scale replica of the ship and even at that size the sheer scale was overwhelming, rising 100 feet into the air. Water surrounded the ship and at the bottom of the bow, it sprayed as if the luxury liner was still cutting through the North Atlantic. Inside visitors take a 90 minute self guided tour through twenty rooms containing over 400 artifacts, personal items, photo collections and hands-on activities.
The entrance to the museum was through an iceberg pressed up against the ship’s haul. Inside, they were each given a boarding pass with the name of one of the 2,208 passengers and crew from that voyage and whether they were first, second or third class passengers. The interpreter, dressed as the captain, told them to hang onto the pass and at the end of the tour, they will learn the fate of their passenger after walking in their footsteps.
“Who do you have kids?” Kris asked.
“I have Dorothy Winifred Gibson, first class,” Hannah replied, already curious about her.
“I got John Jacob Astor eye vee, first class,” Joshie answered.
“Well la de da!” Adam joked.
“Why do you say that Papa?”
Adam already knew something about Joshie’s passenger, just by his last name.
“You kids will find out soon. And I think ‘eye vee’ are the Roman numerals for ‘four’.”
“He was named ‘four’?”
“No Joshua, it means he was the fourth man in his family to be named John Jacob.”
“Got it. Who do you have Mrs. Willowby?”
“Oh my, this is a mouthful ~ Charlotte Drake Martinez Cardeza, first class. Mr. Allen?”
“John William Gill, second class. Adam?”
“Joseph Bruce Ismay, first class.”
“Poor Daddy, he’s the only one who’s second class.”
Mrs. Willow patted her laddie’s shoulder warmly.
“You’re first class with us.”
Everyone nodded and Kris blushed.
“Thanks guys.”
Boarding passes in hand and class distinction a non issue, the family began their tour. Sometimes it was like walking through the James Cameron movie set and other times the adults would swear ghostly figures watched them from the shadows, still connected to the belongings they’d left behind.
There had been 222 cabins for 700 Third Class passengers and while the rooms were small and plain, they were still an upgrade from what many immigrants left behind. Though crammed by modern standards, they had heat, electricity, fresh water basins and four bunk beds with blankets and pillows ~ all luxuries for those who had very little. Back then, daily baths weren’t common among most passengers ~ it was considered unhealthy ~ and a sponge bath in the basin sufficed. That being said, there were only two bathtubs available for use in steerage: one for men, one for women.
Back in the day, there was a clear distinction between ‘the classes’ and the physical embodiment of that separation on this ship had been the Grand Staircase. It was a masterpiece of golden carved wood and statuary, the portal between the third class areas of the ship and the heart of society. At the top of those steps the wealthy mingled and dined and kept to themselves.
While the lower class passengers were given cabins that seemed like luxury ones to them, the truly wealthy passengers were given quarters to meet their status in society. These weren’t cabins ~ they were staterooms with rich furnishings, electric fireplaces, writing tables, and separate living areas. There were even separate rooms for their personal servants. A single first class ticket was $4,700; in today’s economy, that would be $50,000.
The ultra rich could stay in one of six parlors which came with private promenade decks. Rates could range from $15,000 to $22,000 for double occupancy, one way. Children and dogs traveled half price.
“Papa, was the cruise ship you worked on like this?”
The kids knew he had traveled the world on a cruise ship as a singer when he finished high school.
“It was a beautiful ship Hannah but nothing like this.”
From the luxury cabins, the visitors moved onto a re-creation of the promenade, the exhibits temperature set to the same temperature it had been that April night. They were in summer clothes and shivered. A star filled sky had also been re-created around them and the faint outline of the iceberg could be seen if you looked really hard. There had been no moon that night, making it nearly impossible to see what had been around them.
Quickly, the family moved back into warmer rooms. The viewed the Captain’s Bridge before moving onto the Marconi Room. It had been re-created with authentic 1912 telegraph equipment. This wireless room was the ships only link to the outside world and most of the operators’ time was spent sending person messages to the mainland. In fact, they’d been so busy sending these messages that they didn’t receive the six iceberg warnings that had been sent to them until it was too late. From here, they used Morse code to send out the SOS signals of a ship in distress.
The kids enjoyed some of the interactive exhibits. They had a chance to send their own Morse codes, and walk on the ship’s deck as it tilted. The most poignant exhibit not only for the kids but the adults as well was the chance to feel for themselves how cold the water had been in the North Atlantic for those victims in the water. Each of them stuck their in finger in a bucket of ice water that simulated the −2 °C (28 °F) temperature. Kris was able to keep his hand in the longest at three minutes and when he finally pulled it out, it hurt a lot.
Imagining their entire bodies submerged in that cold was terrifying.
The final space they entered was the Memorial Room, dedicated to preserving the memory of the ship and its occupants. There were panels on the wall engraved with the names of everyone on board, revealing their fates ~ only 705 survived.
There was also a Wall of Stories display, offering more information about each person. Taking out the boarding passes they’d been given, the Allen-Lambert’s looked for their passengers.
“Oh, I found mine!” Mrs. Willowby declared. She read through the story before sharing.
“Charlotte Drake Martinez Cardeza hailed from Philadelphia and was one of the richest passengers on board. She was divorced from the son of a Portuguese Count and had inherited her father’s fortune. She and her son stayed in the Titanic’s most expensive rooms. She also had her maid and his valet with them.”
“Did they survive?” Kris asked.
“Yes, all four of them. Afterwards, Charlotte sued the White Star Line for her lost possessions such as clothing, furs, jewels and shoes.”
“Did she win?”
“Doesn’t say. It does say she returned to her life of luxury but gave very graciously to the poor and needing, even providing for her servants and their families in her will. She was 58 years old when she was on the Titanic and she passed away in 1939 at age 85.”
Adam, in the meantime, had found his son’s passenger. He’d recognized the name right away as one of America’s richest families. Reading it through, he worried how their boy might react to the bad news and tried to come up with a way to soften the blow.
“Joshie, I found your passenger.”
“Where?!”
“Up here.” It was too high up for the child to read. “John Jacob Astor IV was the wealthiest man onboard.”
“Awesome!”
“He and his first wife Aya were divorced and he had a son and daughter. He fell in love with Madeleine Force and they married.” Adam left out the part that the bride was 30 years younger than her new husband and that she’d been a teenager when they met. The scandal forced them to leave the country for their honeymoon and they’d planned on staying there for a while until Madeleine became pregnant and they decided to return to the US on the Titanic. “After their honeymoon in Egypt and Europe, they were returning home to start a family.”
“Did he die?” the boy asked softly.
It broke Adam’s heart to tell him. “Yes, Joshie Bear, he did.”
“What about Madeleine?”
“She survived.”
“That’s sad.”
“It is. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it was a long time ago.”
Adam ruffled his hair and kissed his head.
“Hey, I found Dorothy,” Hannah called from the far side of the exhibit. She waited till her family joined her before sharing.
“Dorothy Winifred Gibson was a silent-screen actress. What does that mean?”
“When movies were first made, they didn’t have sound. You watched the stories and the actors’ mouths moving and then the words were put on the screen to tell you what they said.”
“Like closed captioning?”
“Exactly.”
“She was dating a married man ….”
“That’s shameful,” Mrs. Willowby declared.
“She was on vacation and he wanted her back home so she and her mom were given first-class tickets on the Titanic. They survived and she married the guy but they divorced.” She read on in silence. “Daddy, what’s ‘an alleged Nazi sympathizer and intelligence operative’ mean?”
Kris came over to her and read the plaque. “She was accused of helping the Nazis and spying for them but she ended up joining the resistance to fight them instead. It’s hard to explain Sweetpea without going into a full history lesson. Let’s just say, she ended up being one of the good guys.”
“Mr. Lambert, I found your fellow. He was quite a character.”
Adam headed that way but Kris jumped in front of him.
“Please lover, allow me.” Kris read over the story. “Ooooo, history calls Joseph Bruce Ismay the villain of the Titanic.”
“What?! Let me see!”
Kris nudged him away. “Nah-uh, I’m telling it. He was the son of the White Star Line’s founder and when his dad died, he was in charge. He came up with the idea of building giant ships to compete against his company’s rival, Cunard.”
“Cunard’s still in business I think. Is White Star?” Adam asked.
“No idea.”
“The White Star Lines survived for a while but eventually dissolved,” their nanny explained. “Cunard is still going; they built some of the most famous ships on the waters, like the Queen Mary.”
“What else does it say?” Joshie asked. “Why was Papa a bad guy?”
“I’m not a bad guy son,” Adam replied in his own defense, “Ismay was.”
“Shall I continue?”
“Sorry baby, go ahead.”
“Where was I? … Right, here we go. He was having dinner with the captain and convinced him to speed up the ship despite iceberg warning. Ismay wanted to make headlines for a record crossing. He got himself into a lifeboat and survived and was villianized for saving himself and letting others die.”
There really wasn’t anything to say after that so they continue on, looking for the last passenger, John William Gill. Adam was the one to locate his story and though Kris wanted to read it, Adam jumped in saying it was his turn; Kris would have to wait. Adam read the story and got a lump in his throat. He coughed to clear it away before sharing this story.
“What’s it say?”
“John livede in Wisconsin, keeping in touch with friends and family back in England. He and Sarah Hodder ended up getting engaged and he returned to England for the wedding. After the wedding, he headed back to the USA alone to make things ready for his new wife’s arrival.”
“But he didn’t make it, did he?” Kris asked softly, knowing this wasn’t going to end in a happily ever after.
“It was on their second month anniversary that the Titanic went down and he … he died. He was buried back in England and their wedding picture was hung in the church. Sarah never remarried and it’s claimed she didn’t speak for a long time.”
The silence and reverence of the room hung over them. Kris said a prayer for all of those lost, feeling it more personally after hearing these stories. Mrs. Willowby took the children to see a couple of models of the ship, giving the men some time alone. Kris noticed his husband’s eyes glistening and gently led him behind a display for privacy.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Is it their stories? Maybe we shouldn’t have ….”
Adam reached out and drew his lover into an embrace. “No Kris, we were right to come here. Learning their stories helps them live on. It’s just … reading John and Sarah’s story … I don’t know how I’d go on if anything happened to you.”
Kris hugged him back tightly. He couldn’t imagine his life either without Adam … and Hannah and Joshua … and Mrs. Willowby. Every time they were reminded of how lucky they were, Kris felt his heart and his love for his family grow larger.
Celine had it right … ‘Near, far, wherever you are … I believe that the heart does go on’.
(A/N ~ the stories of the Titanic passengers are all true … found their bios on the Titanic Museum website, randomly selected for the family.)
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The elegance of the Titanic was left behind for the down home charm of The Cracker Barrel for lunch. The restaurant had a large porch that spanned the entire front of the building and it was lined with wooden rocking chairs, all of them available for sale. Inside, as they waited to be seated, they spotted the store. Before the kids could open their mouths, they were reminded that they only had time to eat before heading off to their shows. Mrs. Willowby was going to see her crush Andy Williams and the boys were taken the kids to see an amazing cirque style show.
The dining room was large with red and white checkered table clothes, a large fireplace currently unlit and antiques on the walls. Chicken and pork were on the menu at the dinner show so Mrs. Willowby advised the children to select something different. The restaurant also offered an all day breakfast and that presented some other options. Perusing the Cracker Barrel Specialties on the menu, Hannah and Joshie decided to share a plate of country ham on buttermilk biscuits with fries and Kris selected homemade beef stew with coleslaw and corn bread. Mrs. Willowby had tasked a little of Kris’ catfish the day before at Lambert’s Café and liked it so she ordered her own catfish sandwich platter. Adam chose a grilled Reuben on rye.
When lunch was over, they hurried back to their SUV and headed towards the theatres. There was an accident ahead and traffic was at a stand still.
“Will they still let us in if we’re late?” Kris asked.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” Adam replied, sticking his head out the driver’s side window and trying to see ahead. “It doesn’t look too bad. We should make it on time.”
Mrs. Willowby looked out her window and spotted the Moon River Theater sign not too far away. Perhaps ….
“There’s a side street a few feet ahead. If I get out here now, I can walk to the theater and you can take another route to your show.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. It’s no trouble at all,” she replied calmly.
“Kris, what do you think?’
“If she wants to, let her.” Kris turned in his seat to face her. “Wait for us by the front doors after the show and we’ll pick you up.”
“I will. Enjoy your acrobats.”
“Enjoy Andy Williams.”
“I intend to. Children, behave for your parents.”
“Yes Mrs. Willowby.”
The nanny slipped out of the vehicle and once she’d made it safely to the sidewalk, Adam maneuvered out of the line and onto the side street. Ticket clutched tight in her hand, she speed-walked down the street.
“Andy love … here I come!”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The family got to the New Shanghai Theatre with fifteen minutes to spare. Adam and Kris had taken the kids to see Cirque du Soleil twice in Los Angeles and they were fascinated by it. The Acrobats of China were just as fascinating; in fact, a case could be made that modern circus acts were based on Chinese acrobatics.
Over two thousand years ago, the first acrobats, magicians and jugglers appeared in China. During the winter months when they weren’t working, farmers and craftsmen in the villages started honing these amazing skills, hoping to advance their station in society. Using everyday objects found around their homes, they created acts so daring and creative that the tradition has continued since 700 BC.
Programs in hand, they took their seats and looked through the booklets full of stunning pictures and information on the troupe.
Originating in Shanghai, the Acrobats of China perform in Branson for six to seven months out of the year and the remaining time is spent back home in China, reuniting with family and friends and performing as the Shanghai Magic Troupe at the Shanghai Magic Circus. As China is thirteen hours ahead, the performers each have a computer so they can keep in touch daily with the folks back home after each performance.
“Some of them look my age,” Hannah commented.
“It says here the acrobats are ages 13 to 45. Most of them started training with the troupe when they were 9 or 10.”
“What about school?”
“They fax or email their homework back to China and they have tutors when on the road. When they’re home, they go to regular school.”
“Do they speak English?” Joshie asked.
“Some of them do. They can take English lessons if they want.”
Kris spent a few more minutes reading about them until the lights went down and the show began. The performances were unreal; how on earth can a human body do some of those things. The contortionist made his body ache just watching how they seemed to transform themselves into various shapes. He would have sworn they had no bones or were double jointed; the program said many of them are just extremely flexible from years of training. Each performer practices 3 to 4 hours a day, even when they aren’t performing, to keep themselves in shape.
There were plate spinners ~ at one point it looked like they were spinning an entire tree of dishware; jar jugglers who used their hands, heads and feet; nose balancing; hoop jumping and spinning; pole climbing, chair stacking; bicycles; basic but mind-boggling acrobatics; and magic. All this, along with the beautiful stage lighting, props and costuming, and Oriental music, made for a fantastic show.
The aisles filled up quickly and Adam suggested they stay where they were until it cleared; they’d already been in a traffic jam that day. Hannah and Joshie talked with their Papa about the performers and since Kris couldn’t seem to get a word in, he went back to his program.
The performers were paid very well each time they performed. If they were in more than one act, they got paid for each act. It was like an incentive for them to continue developing new skills, thus earning more money. When they are no longer able to perform, they usually stayed with the troupe, some becoming coaches to younger performers, or involved in stage production, or even entering the business aspects of the troupe. They truly were a family for life.
“I think we can move out now.”
The family got up and walked unheeded to the lobby. Much to their delight, the performers were lined up, greeting the audience. Hannah noticed some people had paper Chinese umbrellas and the acrobats were signing them. She asked her parents and both thought it was a great idea.
As they moved down the line, the boys noticed some of the performers pointing at them and giggling. As they approached one group of teenaged girls, they started talking all at once and the translator had to calm them down. One girl said something and it was relayed:
“Pardon me. They wish to know if you both are Kris Allen and Adam Lambert?”
Kris rubbed his neck, “Umm … yes we are.”
The giggling flared up and their kids took their hands, silently declaring their connection. Another teen spoke and it was translated:
“They wish to know if they might have autographs and pictures. They are fans.”
How could they turn down such a request after entertaining everyone so wonderfully? Hannah and Joshie continued moving down the line for their own autographs … promising to stay together and come back as soon as they were done … while their parents posed and signed. The kids were used to this but it still annoyed them a little when it interfered with their time together.
Before they left, the manager of the troupe came out and thanked them for being so accommodating. As a token of their appreciation, the kids were given Chinese Dragon and Lion puppets and the men were given silk fans.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The Moon River Theatre blended beautifully into its surroundings with waterfalls, ponds, and greenery native to the Ozark Mountains. Mrs. Willowby had time to walk around outside and enjoy the fresh air. Andy Williams named the theatre after his hit song from the movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, starring Audrey Hepburn. When he opened in 1992, he was the first non-country act to have his own theatre in the country dominated town. Back in California, he was discouraged, colleagues telling him it wouldn’t work. Well, it did work and soon other non-country acts followed his lead.
When the doors opened, she entered the lobby, also full of trees and other greenery. The floors were oak and the walls were covered in pictures from the Andy Williams Television Show and some of his extensive art and sculpture collection. Inside the auditorium, the 2,054 seats were laid out stadium style. The seats and carpets were in shades of forest green, magenta, gold and blue and Japanese Kimonos were on display. He often had guests perform with him and on occasion, the theatre hosted other independent acts.
Mrs. Willowby took her seat and hugged her program, toes tappy and knees jumpy. She simply couldn’t believe she was finally going to see him in person. As a young girl, she’d discovered him and the love affair had lasted all these years. Though he was 83 years of age, she thought he was still handsome and sounded amazing.
He began his professional career in 1938 at age eleven singing with his brothers and went on to become an accomplished singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Andy had spanned many genres, including Traditional Pop, Jazz, Country, Pop and Easy Listening. Mr. Lambert was like him in that respect, enjoying many styles of music and trying his hand at many disciplines.
Andy had also acquired many nicknames over the years ~ A Voice of National Treasure, The King of Hearts, The Golden Voice, The Emperor of Easy, The Emperor of Class, The Crooning King, The King of Easy Listening, Mr. Moon River and Mr. Christmas. One title that made her chuckle was ‘The American Idol’ and she’d wondered what Mr. Allen would have thought of that. She supposed there has to be an original in everything and her Southern laddie was following a grand tradition.
His TV program ran from 1959 until 1971 and then continued yearly with specials, mainly his popular Christmas shows. She looked forward to them every year when Andy reunited musically with his brothers and they would collaborate with the young Osmond Brothers; Andy ‘discovered’ them and they frequently guested on his shows. Both groups had the ‘family blend’ that made for extraordinary harmonizing.
The lights lowered, the orchestra began and the audience cheered.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Mrs. Willowby was in dreamland still when her family picked her up. The kids giggled at the wide smile plastered on her face and Adam and Kris wondered if they could buy Mr. Williams and have him gift wrapped as her Christmas gift.
Since they had a little time to kill, they drove around the city, stopped and explored a few shops, and enjoyed a hand rolled soft pretzel, enough of a snack to settle a hungry stomach but not enough to ruin their appetites.
“Are we going to a rodeo?” Joshie asked, dipping the end of his pretzel in some mustard.
“No, but there will be horses and other amazing animals. It’s going be lots of country entertainment,” Adam replied, not exactly sure what that meant but Kris seemed excited about it so it had to be good.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Clara was passing the dining room window of her B&B when she noticed a taxi pull up and a man get out with a backpack hanging in his hand. As he walked up the pathway, she couldn’t help but wonder who he was; they weren’t expecting any new guests today.
He came up onto the porch and looked in the screen door, knocking softly.
“Hello?”
She headed for the door and welcomed him in.
“Can I help you?”
He smiled and she experienced a little déjà vu.
“I hope so. I’m looking for the Allen-Lambert family. Are they staying here?”
“I’m afraid I can discuss who we have as guests. May I ask why you’re asking?”
The stranger introduced himself, even showed her his ID, and it all fell into place.
“Are they expecting you?”
“No, I thought I’d surprise them. Are they here?”
“They’re out for the day and not expected back until later tonight.”
“Okay, well then I guess I need a room for the night. Do you have any available? If not, could you suggest someplace?’
Clara checked her registration book. There was one room free ~ the guests weren’t expected until tomorrow afternoon and they could have the room re-cleaned.
“I have one room free in our Cottage Inn. It’s two doors down to the right.”
“Thank you so much, I really appreciate this,” he replied kindly, signing his name.
“Breakfast in the morning is here in the main house from 7am to 10am. They’re leaving later in the morning so I suggest you come over as soon as you can.”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Everyone was looking forward to the promised spectacular and Dolly’s declaration that her Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction was ‘The Most Fun Place to Eat in Branson’.
As suggested on the website, they arrived at least an hour before the main attraction was scheduled to begin so they could enjoy the entire experience. Turning into the driveway lined with a white fence and seeing the columned Southern Plantation, it reminded Mrs. Willowby of the 80s TV show ‘Dallas’. She half expected JR Ewing to walk out, demanding to know who shot him.
Parking in the back of the building, the unmistakable smell of livestock reached their noses and Hannah’s excitement level grew, especially when she saw the sign directing guests to the stables.
“Are we going to see the horses?”
“Yup,” Kris replied, just as excited as his daughter but more subdued.
While there were lots of fantastic human performers in the show, the horses were truly the stars. Walking through the open-air building, they got a close up look at the magnificent horses ~ Quarter and Palomino, Appaloosa and Paint breeds. One horse came right up to them and the handler said they could stroke his nose as long as they were gentle. Adam lifted up their son so he could reach and Hannah stroked the smooth hair.
“He feels like velvet.”
It was hard to tear the kids away from the four legged creatures, especially Hannah, but eventually they made it to the lobby and got the tickets they’d reserved online. Southern Belles asked everyone to follow them into the two level Carriage Room Saloon for the Opening Act. With popcorn, peanuts and fruit drinks in a collectable Boot Mugs, they spent nearly an hour watching and laughing at the jugglers and comedians that entertained them.
From the Carriage Saloon, they were ushered along with 1,000 other guests into the 35,000 square foot arena. Creating a horseshoe around the dirt performance area, the family took a seat on a bench with tables before them. There was a catwalk on each step of seats and they guessed that was where the servers walked when bringing their meals. Before the show began, the emcee told them the arena was divided into two halves for a friendly rivalry ~ the North verses the South ~ and they were encouraged to cheer on their ‘champions’.
The Allen-Lambert’s found themselves in the rooting section for the South. It didn’t really matter which side they ended up on, it was still the same show, but Kris felt a little extra pride at cheering on his heritage.
While the show went on, their four course meal was served by servers dressed in North and South-inspired uniforms. Sure enough, the catwalk was for the servers and they flew by, depositing some of the food on the guests’ plates from steaming buckets they carried. Everyone received a small but whole rotisserie chicken, barbecued pork loin, creamy vegetable soup, homemade biscuits, hot buttered corn on the cob, herb basted potatoes, unlimited drinks, and a specialty dessert.
The kicker was ~ there were no utensils. It was bowl slurping and finger linkin’ dining for all with plenty o’ napkins.
The Main Event had everyone cheering and flag waving and clapping between bites. Beneath the special effects and production numbers laid a great deal of talent and fun. Each side competed in challenges for bragging rights, including carriage racing and barrel racing. There were acrobatics on horseback, including a rider standing astride two horses and jumping through a ring of fire.
The Old West was represented with loggers displaying their skills at log rolling, tree climbing and log sawing; and covered wagons circling in procession. Probably the most unique sights were the herd of long horn steer and an actual buffalo stampede. Few people ever see a real buffalo and it was an awe inspiring sight.
On the lighter side, and rather unique, was square dancing done on horseback ~ each couple on their own horses and moving as one, eight feet choreographed to perfection. In contrast were the ‘Belles of the Ball’, dancing around a gazebo with their dance partners, all dressed in their finery.
There were also lots to laugh at. They had some interesting races with miniature horses running around a track with cowboy dolls strapped to little saddles on their backs and then there were the piggies running the track bedecked in glittering attire. At one point, they asked for volunteers from the audience to participate in a barrel race. Paired up, each team straddled a broom, pretending it was a horse like you used to do as a kid, and they competed against each other. Hannah and Joshie wanted their parents to volunteer but the boys were having none of it. Never mind that they would have ended up having their pictures hit the twitterverse and internet within minutes, this was a family holiday and they really didn’t feel like sharing it. The kids were disappointed but understood.
The Grand Finale was a musical ride with cowboys on horseback creating formations to the patriotic, original score written by Dolly herself, and performed by her via a giant screen.
“Who’s that?” Joshie asked.
“That’s Dolly Parton. This is her show.”
“Is she famous?”
Kris cleared his throat, “Very.”
“I’m glad for her,” their son replied, slurping down the last of his pop, “I hope she makes it big.”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
It was nearly 10pm when they left Branson. After the Stampede, they drove back into the city and made their way to Branson Landing to watch the city’s musical fountain. They were lucky to find seats in the bleachers as they finished off their day watching dancing water and fire and fireworks choreographed to a musical soundtrack.
The ride back to Springfield was quiet. Everyone was tired and just wanted to get into their beds. They talked softly, sharing their highlights of the day between yawns. Mrs. Willowby told everyone that while she loved Andy Williams dearly, her favorite version was Audrey Hepburn’s as she sat in her window, strumming her small guitar and singing it simply in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. She started humming the song to herself and then sang it softly, like a lullaby:
♫ Moon River, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker,
Wherever you’re going, I’m going your way
Two drifters off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after the same rainbow’s end
Waiting round the bend
My Huckleberry friend
Moon River … and me. ♫
She was lost in her thoughts and it took her a while before she noticed she had lulled the children and Mr. Allen to sleep. Mr. Lambert caught her eye in the rear view mirror.
“If I wasn’t so scared of crashing, I’d have fallen asleep myself. That was beautiful.”
She blushed and laid her head against the headrest, letting herself drift off. Kris mumbled and opened his eyes, trying to focus.
“Mmmm … sorry ‘bout that.”
“That’s okay lover go back to sleep … I have you.”
His husband smiled and did just that. Adam turned on the radio, volume low enough not to disturb the sleepy heads but loud enough to keep him alert, and drove on into the still night.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Titanic Museum ~ http://www.titanicbranson.com/
Online Tour ~ http://www.titanicbranson.com/titanic-branson-tour-flash.php
Video Tour ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asD4o8ZRa-I
Exterior Photo ~ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PMd6M7uXVDs/SvEE92RKhMI/AAAAAAAACro/4lCV_3q5L6o/s400/DSC001040.JPG
Acrobats of China New Shanghai Circus (overview) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUH2uuu4Yl8
Amazing Pic #1 ~ http://www.bransonworld.com/dbimages/bioheaders/incredible_acrobats_of_china_branson_2011.jpg
Amazing Pic #2 ~ http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/wp-content-articles/uploads/2010/12/Arobats-Group-Bike.jpg
The Williams Brothers/Osmond Brothers “Happy Holidays” ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_XmxWUdIxQ&feature=related
Andy Williams now (age 83) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgvzVvy4o1A
♥ Dixie Stampede promo ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io_jcM22EPA
♥ Dixie Stampede promo ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsvPMIxvbkM
♥ More of the Show ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIrZMypIos0&feature=related
Still More ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HndiHS3QyK4&NR=1
Musical Fountain ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHoYsu9ufTk
♥♥♥♥ Moon River ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOByH_iOn88
State: Missouri ~ Chapter 2-12
Rating: PG
Pairing: adam/kris, OMCs
Summary: The Allen-Lamberts take a road trip along Historic Route 66
Disclaimer: I don’t own Adam or Kris. This story is fiction. Other major characters are fictional; the places they visit in this story are real.
Dedicated to adamluvr36_fic ~ just because ♥
Time for a Allen-Lambert universe mini series. Hannah is 12 years old, Josh is 7 years old. Mrs. Willowby comes along too! Get ready for Americana and nostalgia.
Overview map of The Mother Road ~ http://www.historic66.com/description/map.html
Retrace the trip ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/45756.html#cutid1
Masterlist of Allen-Lambert universe ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/21722.html#cutid1
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
ROAD TRIP DAY 19:
SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI DAY 3
The family rose early with the sun, a long activity packed day ahead of them. If Adam and Kris … well mainly Adam … had told their friends they were spending the day in Branson, a city known for its mild mannered music, the Osmonds and Lawrence Welk, they would have thought the boys were pulling an early April Fools joke.
Kris had been the first to suggest it and when Mrs. Willowby heard the idea she nearly jumped in their laps with excitement, declaring she had to see Andy Williams perform not matter what. Adam was a little skeptical … way out of his comfort zone … but after checking out the city’s website, he soon discovered that even he could have fun there.
When they mentioned their plans to Clara and Bob, they started telling them about all the times they’d been there. The well meaning couple made it sound like it was nearly sacrilegious to be in Missouri and not go there.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
BRANSON, MISSOURI
The drive to Branson had been relaxing, lots of trees and mountains around them. If it weren’t for the vegetation and the sign announcing their arrival, it would have been easy to think they’d taken a major wrong turn and were entering the Las Vegas Strip. Huge lighted signs fought for their attention, trying to get patrons to choose their shows over the 100 offered. The rest of the city was calmer but still offered lots of entertainment, tourist sites and family activities both indoors and out.
The Titanic Museum in Branson was the world’s largest permanent exhibit dedicated to the ill fated maiden voyage of 1912. The building itself was a half-scale replica of the ship and even at that size the sheer scale was overwhelming, rising 100 feet into the air. Water surrounded the ship and at the bottom of the bow, it sprayed as if the luxury liner was still cutting through the North Atlantic. Inside visitors take a 90 minute self guided tour through twenty rooms containing over 400 artifacts, personal items, photo collections and hands-on activities.
The entrance to the museum was through an iceberg pressed up against the ship’s haul. Inside, they were each given a boarding pass with the name of one of the 2,208 passengers and crew from that voyage and whether they were first, second or third class passengers. The interpreter, dressed as the captain, told them to hang onto the pass and at the end of the tour, they will learn the fate of their passenger after walking in their footsteps.
“Who do you have kids?” Kris asked.
“I have Dorothy Winifred Gibson, first class,” Hannah replied, already curious about her.
“I got John Jacob Astor eye vee, first class,” Joshie answered.
“Well la de da!” Adam joked.
“Why do you say that Papa?”
Adam already knew something about Joshie’s passenger, just by his last name.
“You kids will find out soon. And I think ‘eye vee’ are the Roman numerals for ‘four’.”
“He was named ‘four’?”
“No Joshua, it means he was the fourth man in his family to be named John Jacob.”
“Got it. Who do you have Mrs. Willowby?”
“Oh my, this is a mouthful ~ Charlotte Drake Martinez Cardeza, first class. Mr. Allen?”
“John William Gill, second class. Adam?”
“Joseph Bruce Ismay, first class.”
“Poor Daddy, he’s the only one who’s second class.”
Mrs. Willow patted her laddie’s shoulder warmly.
“You’re first class with us.”
Everyone nodded and Kris blushed.
“Thanks guys.”
Boarding passes in hand and class distinction a non issue, the family began their tour. Sometimes it was like walking through the James Cameron movie set and other times the adults would swear ghostly figures watched them from the shadows, still connected to the belongings they’d left behind.
There had been 222 cabins for 700 Third Class passengers and while the rooms were small and plain, they were still an upgrade from what many immigrants left behind. Though crammed by modern standards, they had heat, electricity, fresh water basins and four bunk beds with blankets and pillows ~ all luxuries for those who had very little. Back then, daily baths weren’t common among most passengers ~ it was considered unhealthy ~ and a sponge bath in the basin sufficed. That being said, there were only two bathtubs available for use in steerage: one for men, one for women.
Back in the day, there was a clear distinction between ‘the classes’ and the physical embodiment of that separation on this ship had been the Grand Staircase. It was a masterpiece of golden carved wood and statuary, the portal between the third class areas of the ship and the heart of society. At the top of those steps the wealthy mingled and dined and kept to themselves.
While the lower class passengers were given cabins that seemed like luxury ones to them, the truly wealthy passengers were given quarters to meet their status in society. These weren’t cabins ~ they were staterooms with rich furnishings, electric fireplaces, writing tables, and separate living areas. There were even separate rooms for their personal servants. A single first class ticket was $4,700; in today’s economy, that would be $50,000.
The ultra rich could stay in one of six parlors which came with private promenade decks. Rates could range from $15,000 to $22,000 for double occupancy, one way. Children and dogs traveled half price.
“Papa, was the cruise ship you worked on like this?”
The kids knew he had traveled the world on a cruise ship as a singer when he finished high school.
“It was a beautiful ship Hannah but nothing like this.”
From the luxury cabins, the visitors moved onto a re-creation of the promenade, the exhibits temperature set to the same temperature it had been that April night. They were in summer clothes and shivered. A star filled sky had also been re-created around them and the faint outline of the iceberg could be seen if you looked really hard. There had been no moon that night, making it nearly impossible to see what had been around them.
Quickly, the family moved back into warmer rooms. The viewed the Captain’s Bridge before moving onto the Marconi Room. It had been re-created with authentic 1912 telegraph equipment. This wireless room was the ships only link to the outside world and most of the operators’ time was spent sending person messages to the mainland. In fact, they’d been so busy sending these messages that they didn’t receive the six iceberg warnings that had been sent to them until it was too late. From here, they used Morse code to send out the SOS signals of a ship in distress.
The kids enjoyed some of the interactive exhibits. They had a chance to send their own Morse codes, and walk on the ship’s deck as it tilted. The most poignant exhibit not only for the kids but the adults as well was the chance to feel for themselves how cold the water had been in the North Atlantic for those victims in the water. Each of them stuck their in finger in a bucket of ice water that simulated the −2 °C (28 °F) temperature. Kris was able to keep his hand in the longest at three minutes and when he finally pulled it out, it hurt a lot.
Imagining their entire bodies submerged in that cold was terrifying.
The final space they entered was the Memorial Room, dedicated to preserving the memory of the ship and its occupants. There were panels on the wall engraved with the names of everyone on board, revealing their fates ~ only 705 survived.
There was also a Wall of Stories display, offering more information about each person. Taking out the boarding passes they’d been given, the Allen-Lambert’s looked for their passengers.
“Oh, I found mine!” Mrs. Willowby declared. She read through the story before sharing.
“Charlotte Drake Martinez Cardeza hailed from Philadelphia and was one of the richest passengers on board. She was divorced from the son of a Portuguese Count and had inherited her father’s fortune. She and her son stayed in the Titanic’s most expensive rooms. She also had her maid and his valet with them.”
“Did they survive?” Kris asked.
“Yes, all four of them. Afterwards, Charlotte sued the White Star Line for her lost possessions such as clothing, furs, jewels and shoes.”
“Did she win?”
“Doesn’t say. It does say she returned to her life of luxury but gave very graciously to the poor and needing, even providing for her servants and their families in her will. She was 58 years old when she was on the Titanic and she passed away in 1939 at age 85.”
Adam, in the meantime, had found his son’s passenger. He’d recognized the name right away as one of America’s richest families. Reading it through, he worried how their boy might react to the bad news and tried to come up with a way to soften the blow.
“Joshie, I found your passenger.”
“Where?!”
“Up here.” It was too high up for the child to read. “John Jacob Astor IV was the wealthiest man onboard.”
“Awesome!”
“He and his first wife Aya were divorced and he had a son and daughter. He fell in love with Madeleine Force and they married.” Adam left out the part that the bride was 30 years younger than her new husband and that she’d been a teenager when they met. The scandal forced them to leave the country for their honeymoon and they’d planned on staying there for a while until Madeleine became pregnant and they decided to return to the US on the Titanic. “After their honeymoon in Egypt and Europe, they were returning home to start a family.”
“Did he die?” the boy asked softly.
It broke Adam’s heart to tell him. “Yes, Joshie Bear, he did.”
“What about Madeleine?”
“She survived.”
“That’s sad.”
“It is. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it was a long time ago.”
Adam ruffled his hair and kissed his head.
“Hey, I found Dorothy,” Hannah called from the far side of the exhibit. She waited till her family joined her before sharing.
“Dorothy Winifred Gibson was a silent-screen actress. What does that mean?”
“When movies were first made, they didn’t have sound. You watched the stories and the actors’ mouths moving and then the words were put on the screen to tell you what they said.”
“Like closed captioning?”
“Exactly.”
“She was dating a married man ….”
“That’s shameful,” Mrs. Willowby declared.
“She was on vacation and he wanted her back home so she and her mom were given first-class tickets on the Titanic. They survived and she married the guy but they divorced.” She read on in silence. “Daddy, what’s ‘an alleged Nazi sympathizer and intelligence operative’ mean?”
Kris came over to her and read the plaque. “She was accused of helping the Nazis and spying for them but she ended up joining the resistance to fight them instead. It’s hard to explain Sweetpea without going into a full history lesson. Let’s just say, she ended up being one of the good guys.”
“Mr. Lambert, I found your fellow. He was quite a character.”
Adam headed that way but Kris jumped in front of him.
“Please lover, allow me.” Kris read over the story. “Ooooo, history calls Joseph Bruce Ismay the villain of the Titanic.”
“What?! Let me see!”
Kris nudged him away. “Nah-uh, I’m telling it. He was the son of the White Star Line’s founder and when his dad died, he was in charge. He came up with the idea of building giant ships to compete against his company’s rival, Cunard.”
“Cunard’s still in business I think. Is White Star?” Adam asked.
“No idea.”
“The White Star Lines survived for a while but eventually dissolved,” their nanny explained. “Cunard is still going; they built some of the most famous ships on the waters, like the Queen Mary.”
“What else does it say?” Joshie asked. “Why was Papa a bad guy?”
“I’m not a bad guy son,” Adam replied in his own defense, “Ismay was.”
“Shall I continue?”
“Sorry baby, go ahead.”
“Where was I? … Right, here we go. He was having dinner with the captain and convinced him to speed up the ship despite iceberg warning. Ismay wanted to make headlines for a record crossing. He got himself into a lifeboat and survived and was villianized for saving himself and letting others die.”
There really wasn’t anything to say after that so they continue on, looking for the last passenger, John William Gill. Adam was the one to locate his story and though Kris wanted to read it, Adam jumped in saying it was his turn; Kris would have to wait. Adam read the story and got a lump in his throat. He coughed to clear it away before sharing this story.
“What’s it say?”
“John livede in Wisconsin, keeping in touch with friends and family back in England. He and Sarah Hodder ended up getting engaged and he returned to England for the wedding. After the wedding, he headed back to the USA alone to make things ready for his new wife’s arrival.”
“But he didn’t make it, did he?” Kris asked softly, knowing this wasn’t going to end in a happily ever after.
“It was on their second month anniversary that the Titanic went down and he … he died. He was buried back in England and their wedding picture was hung in the church. Sarah never remarried and it’s claimed she didn’t speak for a long time.”
The silence and reverence of the room hung over them. Kris said a prayer for all of those lost, feeling it more personally after hearing these stories. Mrs. Willowby took the children to see a couple of models of the ship, giving the men some time alone. Kris noticed his husband’s eyes glistening and gently led him behind a display for privacy.
“Baby, what’s wrong? Is it their stories? Maybe we shouldn’t have ….”
Adam reached out and drew his lover into an embrace. “No Kris, we were right to come here. Learning their stories helps them live on. It’s just … reading John and Sarah’s story … I don’t know how I’d go on if anything happened to you.”
Kris hugged him back tightly. He couldn’t imagine his life either without Adam … and Hannah and Joshua … and Mrs. Willowby. Every time they were reminded of how lucky they were, Kris felt his heart and his love for his family grow larger.
Celine had it right … ‘Near, far, wherever you are … I believe that the heart does go on’.
(A/N ~ the stories of the Titanic passengers are all true … found their bios on the Titanic Museum website, randomly selected for the family.)
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The elegance of the Titanic was left behind for the down home charm of The Cracker Barrel for lunch. The restaurant had a large porch that spanned the entire front of the building and it was lined with wooden rocking chairs, all of them available for sale. Inside, as they waited to be seated, they spotted the store. Before the kids could open their mouths, they were reminded that they only had time to eat before heading off to their shows. Mrs. Willowby was going to see her crush Andy Williams and the boys were taken the kids to see an amazing cirque style show.
The dining room was large with red and white checkered table clothes, a large fireplace currently unlit and antiques on the walls. Chicken and pork were on the menu at the dinner show so Mrs. Willowby advised the children to select something different. The restaurant also offered an all day breakfast and that presented some other options. Perusing the Cracker Barrel Specialties on the menu, Hannah and Joshie decided to share a plate of country ham on buttermilk biscuits with fries and Kris selected homemade beef stew with coleslaw and corn bread. Mrs. Willowby had tasked a little of Kris’ catfish the day before at Lambert’s Café and liked it so she ordered her own catfish sandwich platter. Adam chose a grilled Reuben on rye.
When lunch was over, they hurried back to their SUV and headed towards the theatres. There was an accident ahead and traffic was at a stand still.
“Will they still let us in if we’re late?” Kris asked.
“I don’t know. I hope so,” Adam replied, sticking his head out the driver’s side window and trying to see ahead. “It doesn’t look too bad. We should make it on time.”
Mrs. Willowby looked out her window and spotted the Moon River Theater sign not too far away. Perhaps ….
“There’s a side street a few feet ahead. If I get out here now, I can walk to the theater and you can take another route to your show.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. It’s no trouble at all,” she replied calmly.
“Kris, what do you think?’
“If she wants to, let her.” Kris turned in his seat to face her. “Wait for us by the front doors after the show and we’ll pick you up.”
“I will. Enjoy your acrobats.”
“Enjoy Andy Williams.”
“I intend to. Children, behave for your parents.”
“Yes Mrs. Willowby.”
The nanny slipped out of the vehicle and once she’d made it safely to the sidewalk, Adam maneuvered out of the line and onto the side street. Ticket clutched tight in her hand, she speed-walked down the street.
“Andy love … here I come!”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The family got to the New Shanghai Theatre with fifteen minutes to spare. Adam and Kris had taken the kids to see Cirque du Soleil twice in Los Angeles and they were fascinated by it. The Acrobats of China were just as fascinating; in fact, a case could be made that modern circus acts were based on Chinese acrobatics.
Over two thousand years ago, the first acrobats, magicians and jugglers appeared in China. During the winter months when they weren’t working, farmers and craftsmen in the villages started honing these amazing skills, hoping to advance their station in society. Using everyday objects found around their homes, they created acts so daring and creative that the tradition has continued since 700 BC.
Programs in hand, they took their seats and looked through the booklets full of stunning pictures and information on the troupe.
Originating in Shanghai, the Acrobats of China perform in Branson for six to seven months out of the year and the remaining time is spent back home in China, reuniting with family and friends and performing as the Shanghai Magic Troupe at the Shanghai Magic Circus. As China is thirteen hours ahead, the performers each have a computer so they can keep in touch daily with the folks back home after each performance.
“Some of them look my age,” Hannah commented.
“It says here the acrobats are ages 13 to 45. Most of them started training with the troupe when they were 9 or 10.”
“What about school?”
“They fax or email their homework back to China and they have tutors when on the road. When they’re home, they go to regular school.”
“Do they speak English?” Joshie asked.
“Some of them do. They can take English lessons if they want.”
Kris spent a few more minutes reading about them until the lights went down and the show began. The performances were unreal; how on earth can a human body do some of those things. The contortionist made his body ache just watching how they seemed to transform themselves into various shapes. He would have sworn they had no bones or were double jointed; the program said many of them are just extremely flexible from years of training. Each performer practices 3 to 4 hours a day, even when they aren’t performing, to keep themselves in shape.
There were plate spinners ~ at one point it looked like they were spinning an entire tree of dishware; jar jugglers who used their hands, heads and feet; nose balancing; hoop jumping and spinning; pole climbing, chair stacking; bicycles; basic but mind-boggling acrobatics; and magic. All this, along with the beautiful stage lighting, props and costuming, and Oriental music, made for a fantastic show.
The aisles filled up quickly and Adam suggested they stay where they were until it cleared; they’d already been in a traffic jam that day. Hannah and Joshie talked with their Papa about the performers and since Kris couldn’t seem to get a word in, he went back to his program.
The performers were paid very well each time they performed. If they were in more than one act, they got paid for each act. It was like an incentive for them to continue developing new skills, thus earning more money. When they are no longer able to perform, they usually stayed with the troupe, some becoming coaches to younger performers, or involved in stage production, or even entering the business aspects of the troupe. They truly were a family for life.
“I think we can move out now.”
The family got up and walked unheeded to the lobby. Much to their delight, the performers were lined up, greeting the audience. Hannah noticed some people had paper Chinese umbrellas and the acrobats were signing them. She asked her parents and both thought it was a great idea.
As they moved down the line, the boys noticed some of the performers pointing at them and giggling. As they approached one group of teenaged girls, they started talking all at once and the translator had to calm them down. One girl said something and it was relayed:
“Pardon me. They wish to know if you both are Kris Allen and Adam Lambert?”
Kris rubbed his neck, “Umm … yes we are.”
The giggling flared up and their kids took their hands, silently declaring their connection. Another teen spoke and it was translated:
“They wish to know if they might have autographs and pictures. They are fans.”
How could they turn down such a request after entertaining everyone so wonderfully? Hannah and Joshie continued moving down the line for their own autographs … promising to stay together and come back as soon as they were done … while their parents posed and signed. The kids were used to this but it still annoyed them a little when it interfered with their time together.
Before they left, the manager of the troupe came out and thanked them for being so accommodating. As a token of their appreciation, the kids were given Chinese Dragon and Lion puppets and the men were given silk fans.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
The Moon River Theatre blended beautifully into its surroundings with waterfalls, ponds, and greenery native to the Ozark Mountains. Mrs. Willowby had time to walk around outside and enjoy the fresh air. Andy Williams named the theatre after his hit song from the movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, starring Audrey Hepburn. When he opened in 1992, he was the first non-country act to have his own theatre in the country dominated town. Back in California, he was discouraged, colleagues telling him it wouldn’t work. Well, it did work and soon other non-country acts followed his lead.
When the doors opened, she entered the lobby, also full of trees and other greenery. The floors were oak and the walls were covered in pictures from the Andy Williams Television Show and some of his extensive art and sculpture collection. Inside the auditorium, the 2,054 seats were laid out stadium style. The seats and carpets were in shades of forest green, magenta, gold and blue and Japanese Kimonos were on display. He often had guests perform with him and on occasion, the theatre hosted other independent acts.
Mrs. Willowby took her seat and hugged her program, toes tappy and knees jumpy. She simply couldn’t believe she was finally going to see him in person. As a young girl, she’d discovered him and the love affair had lasted all these years. Though he was 83 years of age, she thought he was still handsome and sounded amazing.
He began his professional career in 1938 at age eleven singing with his brothers and went on to become an accomplished singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Andy had spanned many genres, including Traditional Pop, Jazz, Country, Pop and Easy Listening. Mr. Lambert was like him in that respect, enjoying many styles of music and trying his hand at many disciplines.
Andy had also acquired many nicknames over the years ~ A Voice of National Treasure, The King of Hearts, The Golden Voice, The Emperor of Easy, The Emperor of Class, The Crooning King, The King of Easy Listening, Mr. Moon River and Mr. Christmas. One title that made her chuckle was ‘The American Idol’ and she’d wondered what Mr. Allen would have thought of that. She supposed there has to be an original in everything and her Southern laddie was following a grand tradition.
His TV program ran from 1959 until 1971 and then continued yearly with specials, mainly his popular Christmas shows. She looked forward to them every year when Andy reunited musically with his brothers and they would collaborate with the young Osmond Brothers; Andy ‘discovered’ them and they frequently guested on his shows. Both groups had the ‘family blend’ that made for extraordinary harmonizing.
The lights lowered, the orchestra began and the audience cheered.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Mrs. Willowby was in dreamland still when her family picked her up. The kids giggled at the wide smile plastered on her face and Adam and Kris wondered if they could buy Mr. Williams and have him gift wrapped as her Christmas gift.
Since they had a little time to kill, they drove around the city, stopped and explored a few shops, and enjoyed a hand rolled soft pretzel, enough of a snack to settle a hungry stomach but not enough to ruin their appetites.
“Are we going to a rodeo?” Joshie asked, dipping the end of his pretzel in some mustard.
“No, but there will be horses and other amazing animals. It’s going be lots of country entertainment,” Adam replied, not exactly sure what that meant but Kris seemed excited about it so it had to be good.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Clara was passing the dining room window of her B&B when she noticed a taxi pull up and a man get out with a backpack hanging in his hand. As he walked up the pathway, she couldn’t help but wonder who he was; they weren’t expecting any new guests today.
He came up onto the porch and looked in the screen door, knocking softly.
“Hello?”
She headed for the door and welcomed him in.
“Can I help you?”
He smiled and she experienced a little déjà vu.
“I hope so. I’m looking for the Allen-Lambert family. Are they staying here?”
“I’m afraid I can discuss who we have as guests. May I ask why you’re asking?”
The stranger introduced himself, even showed her his ID, and it all fell into place.
“Are they expecting you?”
“No, I thought I’d surprise them. Are they here?”
“They’re out for the day and not expected back until later tonight.”
“Okay, well then I guess I need a room for the night. Do you have any available? If not, could you suggest someplace?’
Clara checked her registration book. There was one room free ~ the guests weren’t expected until tomorrow afternoon and they could have the room re-cleaned.
“I have one room free in our Cottage Inn. It’s two doors down to the right.”
“Thank you so much, I really appreciate this,” he replied kindly, signing his name.
“Breakfast in the morning is here in the main house from 7am to 10am. They’re leaving later in the morning so I suggest you come over as soon as you can.”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Everyone was looking forward to the promised spectacular and Dolly’s declaration that her Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction was ‘The Most Fun Place to Eat in Branson’.
As suggested on the website, they arrived at least an hour before the main attraction was scheduled to begin so they could enjoy the entire experience. Turning into the driveway lined with a white fence and seeing the columned Southern Plantation, it reminded Mrs. Willowby of the 80s TV show ‘Dallas’. She half expected JR Ewing to walk out, demanding to know who shot him.
Parking in the back of the building, the unmistakable smell of livestock reached their noses and Hannah’s excitement level grew, especially when she saw the sign directing guests to the stables.
“Are we going to see the horses?”
“Yup,” Kris replied, just as excited as his daughter but more subdued.
While there were lots of fantastic human performers in the show, the horses were truly the stars. Walking through the open-air building, they got a close up look at the magnificent horses ~ Quarter and Palomino, Appaloosa and Paint breeds. One horse came right up to them and the handler said they could stroke his nose as long as they were gentle. Adam lifted up their son so he could reach and Hannah stroked the smooth hair.
“He feels like velvet.”
It was hard to tear the kids away from the four legged creatures, especially Hannah, but eventually they made it to the lobby and got the tickets they’d reserved online. Southern Belles asked everyone to follow them into the two level Carriage Room Saloon for the Opening Act. With popcorn, peanuts and fruit drinks in a collectable Boot Mugs, they spent nearly an hour watching and laughing at the jugglers and comedians that entertained them.
From the Carriage Saloon, they were ushered along with 1,000 other guests into the 35,000 square foot arena. Creating a horseshoe around the dirt performance area, the family took a seat on a bench with tables before them. There was a catwalk on each step of seats and they guessed that was where the servers walked when bringing their meals. Before the show began, the emcee told them the arena was divided into two halves for a friendly rivalry ~ the North verses the South ~ and they were encouraged to cheer on their ‘champions’.
The Allen-Lambert’s found themselves in the rooting section for the South. It didn’t really matter which side they ended up on, it was still the same show, but Kris felt a little extra pride at cheering on his heritage.
While the show went on, their four course meal was served by servers dressed in North and South-inspired uniforms. Sure enough, the catwalk was for the servers and they flew by, depositing some of the food on the guests’ plates from steaming buckets they carried. Everyone received a small but whole rotisserie chicken, barbecued pork loin, creamy vegetable soup, homemade biscuits, hot buttered corn on the cob, herb basted potatoes, unlimited drinks, and a specialty dessert.
The kicker was ~ there were no utensils. It was bowl slurping and finger linkin’ dining for all with plenty o’ napkins.
The Main Event had everyone cheering and flag waving and clapping between bites. Beneath the special effects and production numbers laid a great deal of talent and fun. Each side competed in challenges for bragging rights, including carriage racing and barrel racing. There were acrobatics on horseback, including a rider standing astride two horses and jumping through a ring of fire.
The Old West was represented with loggers displaying their skills at log rolling, tree climbing and log sawing; and covered wagons circling in procession. Probably the most unique sights were the herd of long horn steer and an actual buffalo stampede. Few people ever see a real buffalo and it was an awe inspiring sight.
On the lighter side, and rather unique, was square dancing done on horseback ~ each couple on their own horses and moving as one, eight feet choreographed to perfection. In contrast were the ‘Belles of the Ball’, dancing around a gazebo with their dance partners, all dressed in their finery.
There were also lots to laugh at. They had some interesting races with miniature horses running around a track with cowboy dolls strapped to little saddles on their backs and then there were the piggies running the track bedecked in glittering attire. At one point, they asked for volunteers from the audience to participate in a barrel race. Paired up, each team straddled a broom, pretending it was a horse like you used to do as a kid, and they competed against each other. Hannah and Joshie wanted their parents to volunteer but the boys were having none of it. Never mind that they would have ended up having their pictures hit the twitterverse and internet within minutes, this was a family holiday and they really didn’t feel like sharing it. The kids were disappointed but understood.
The Grand Finale was a musical ride with cowboys on horseback creating formations to the patriotic, original score written by Dolly herself, and performed by her via a giant screen.
“Who’s that?” Joshie asked.
“That’s Dolly Parton. This is her show.”
“Is she famous?”
Kris cleared his throat, “Very.”
“I’m glad for her,” their son replied, slurping down the last of his pop, “I hope she makes it big.”
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
It was nearly 10pm when they left Branson. After the Stampede, they drove back into the city and made their way to Branson Landing to watch the city’s musical fountain. They were lucky to find seats in the bleachers as they finished off their day watching dancing water and fire and fireworks choreographed to a musical soundtrack.
The ride back to Springfield was quiet. Everyone was tired and just wanted to get into their beds. They talked softly, sharing their highlights of the day between yawns. Mrs. Willowby told everyone that while she loved Andy Williams dearly, her favorite version was Audrey Hepburn’s as she sat in her window, strumming her small guitar and singing it simply in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. She started humming the song to herself and then sang it softly, like a lullaby:
♫ Moon River, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker,
Wherever you’re going, I’m going your way
Two drifters off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after the same rainbow’s end
Waiting round the bend
My Huckleberry friend
Moon River … and me. ♫
She was lost in her thoughts and it took her a while before she noticed she had lulled the children and Mr. Allen to sleep. Mr. Lambert caught her eye in the rear view mirror.
“If I wasn’t so scared of crashing, I’d have fallen asleep myself. That was beautiful.”
She blushed and laid her head against the headrest, letting herself drift off. Kris mumbled and opened his eyes, trying to focus.
“Mmmm … sorry ‘bout that.”
“That’s okay lover go back to sleep … I have you.”
His husband smiled and did just that. Adam turned on the radio, volume low enough not to disturb the sleepy heads but loud enough to keep him alert, and drove on into the still night.
~~~~ ☼ ~~~~
Titanic Museum ~ http://www.titanicbranson.com/
Online Tour ~ http://www.titanicbranson.com/titanic-branson-tour-flash.php
Video Tour ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asD4o8ZRa-I
Exterior Photo ~ http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PMd6M7uXVDs/SvEE92RKhMI/AAAAAAAACro/4lCV_3q5L6o/s400/DSC001040.JPG
Acrobats of China New Shanghai Circus (overview) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUH2uuu4Yl8
Amazing Pic #1 ~ http://www.bransonworld.com/dbimages/bioheaders/incredible_acrobats_of_china_branson_2011.jpg
Amazing Pic #2 ~ http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/wp-content-articles/uploads/2010/12/Arobats-Group-Bike.jpg
The Williams Brothers/Osmond Brothers “Happy Holidays” ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_XmxWUdIxQ&feature=related
Andy Williams now (age 83) ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgvzVvy4o1A
♥ Dixie Stampede promo ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io_jcM22EPA
♥ Dixie Stampede promo ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsvPMIxvbkM
♥ More of the Show ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIrZMypIos0&feature=related
Still More ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HndiHS3QyK4&NR=1
Musical Fountain ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHoYsu9ufTk
♥♥♥♥ Moon River ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOByH_iOn88