Positively Patsy Part 37

Kevins’ list of ports had been very sparse. It seems that Drake never bothered to describe the odd places he stopped at to replenish. All of his exploits seemed to happen ‘off the coast of’ and the only certain landings were in the San Francisco Bay, which he claimed for the Queen and called ‘New Albion’, and the Molucca Islands (otherwise known as the Spice Islands).

I really could not see them sailing across the Atlantic, creating havoc among the Spanish, sailing around the Straits of Magellan and halfway to the Arctic without stopping somewhere. After the stop in California it was also hazy, some saying they went west from California to the Moluccas and then across the Indian Ocean to round the Cape of Good Hope and north to Plymouth.

Let’s get real, they were at sea for three years, I am sure they would have had more than two breaks to stretch their legs. Anyway, we went into London to speak to the British Museum and ask if we could have access to some of the trove items so we could make lightweight copies. They told us that they could offer us a small office and, if we bring in our own 3D imaging scanner, they would bring us the items we wanted, one at a time. I thought that this was a good deal. I asked about the letters that had been found and discovered that they had been written to Reece after 1580 and ended at Drakes death in 1596 with Drake keeping his shipmate up to date with his exploits, especially his torrid time as the Mayor of Plymouth. He was not used to democratic decision making. I asked them about the ports he may have called into as some records were very skimpy and they told me that there were a number of ports that he would have certainly called at as they were well known and not in the hands of Spain.

I was given a short list that included Salvador, in Brazil, and Montevideo on the east coast of South America; Valparaiso, Lima and San Salvadore up the west coast and, of course, San Francisco Bay. He said it was thought that Drake was pushed north to a landfall near Portland, Oregon, but the actual landing point was uncertain. After leaving the coast of America, his next stop would have been Palmyra, near Christmas Island, and then across to the Moluccas. Then it would have been directly to Durban, before rounding the Cape of Good Hope and on to Freetown, Casablanca and home.

I emailed Justin Smith with the full list and asked him if he would like to spend a few days with us in the different locations to get the feel of the typical music of the times. He answered for me to give him the meeting point when we were ready. I got in touch with a company in Essex that did 3D imaging and manufacture of replicas and asked for a quote to set up an imaging machine at the British Museum and recording a number of items. They said they would get back to me.

Back at the Manor there was a message from the choir master of the Cotswolds Choristers who wanted to ask us to a party at their rehearsal hall the following Saturday evening. I rang him to accept. I suppose our presence in the area was noted and the grapevine operated well. Until Saturday, we did research and also got some riding in. I was going to have to get a stable block at the ranch. On Saturday evening we all got ourselves ready and Peggy drove us to the rehearsal hall. When we got there the car park was packed but one of the choir boys was obviously sat at the gate to guide us to a space reserved for us. When I got out of the car I thanked him and asked him if he was happy to be home. He told me it was a bit dull after all the excitement but that he was now one of the popular boys at school, especially with the girls. I laughed and told him to take every chance he got to be sociable as that was what made the world go round.

He led us into the hall, which was full of the choir and their families. As we walked in there was a bit of a cheer and the choir master came over to guide us through some introductions. There were some local dignitaries there as well who were keen to press the flesh but we kept the hugs for the choir members, and some for family members who were so happy that their children had experienced such a trip. I was thanked for organising the Disney World and Los Angeles trip and for keeping them all out of trouble. The event was a stand-up buffet so we all mingled. I saw that Greg was collared by several councilmen who, no doubt, wanted him and his knighthood on the council.

Peggy and Joanne were surrounded by choir girls and their mothers and I found myself talking to the choir master. “You know, if someone had told me I would be here today, after the show in New York, I would have told them they were crazy” he said “it seems that one of the families had a friend in America who taped the show for them and sent it over by express post. They then hired the correct player and had a showing here, in the hall, for all the families. I am told that many of them were shocked, as they expected their children to be singing in a moderate sized hall, not to sixty thousand in a stadium.” I asked him if they liked the show and he told me that they were totally blown away by it and that he, himself, had been contacted by more than one choir to ask if he could lead them already, even though the show had not been on the TV here yet. I asked him, seriously, if it had made any difference to the choir in their own development and he said that they were all far more sociable and confident, especially the boys, who were normally reticent and shy.

“They are much more ready to ask for assistance and explain their fears or worries, now” he said “at school, their involvement is marked and the teachers have told me that they all have improved in their studies since they came home. I think that the way you took them through the songs in rehearsal has given them a new work ethic that will, hopefully, stay with them through their lives.” He then added “It has been really funny to hear that they have all described the effect of orgasms in front of sixty thousand people to their school chums and it could have been that show alone that caused them to grow up.” I laughed and asked how the mother was who was going to send me a stern letter so he took me over to her and I hugged her daughter and then her and asked if everything was all right and added that her daughter was wearing make-up tonight.

The mother smiled and told me that her little minx was now a full grown minx, thanks to me. We chatted for a while and then someone tapped a glass and called for quiet. The school headmaster then stood on a chair and gave a speech in which he thanked us for taking the choir from a bunch of kids that sang to a proper choir with an album on the charts and many invitations to attend festivals. He said that he had seen the show recording and that it would create a storm when it was shown on the TV here. We were brought forward, one by one, and presented with a gift from the community that, while not expensive, was a heartfelt thank you from everyone. Joanne was first, followed by Peggy and me, complete with our titles, and then Sir Greg. He surprised me by giving a speech; saying that he was very pleased at being able to receive this gift as he had previously been given the gift of life. He said that when he finished the world tour he was adamant that he would never be on a stage again but that I had taken him and guided him back to truly living again. He told them that, in Nashville, I was known as the ‘Patsy Pill’ as, where-ever I go, I bring joy, and that everyone could see that I had administered a massive dose in this room. That got applause and I was urged to respond.

I walked up next to him and gave him a hug and said “Greg is too kind to admit that he, alone, gave himself the will to live again. I only try to guide people to be true to themselves. I didn’t give lessons to your children in America; I just provided them with the chance to explore their own desires and wants and to learn to focus on them. I was known as the ‘Patsy Pill’ in a nursing home where the patients were all ex-music industry folk who I provided with a focus to help a young band. It was nothing but a reason to live and that is what I urge you all to do, find that reason to live and you will be happy and be better for it. Thank you.”

Part 38

The headmaster shook my hand and told me that he would like me to give a speech at the next prize-giving ceremony and I asked him to let me know the date early as I was going to be researching my next project. He asked what I was going to do and I told him about the connection with the builder of Reece Manor and the voyages with Drake that led to the first Englishman to go around the world. He said that he had taken the senior class to see the trove in London and that it was amazing to see the actual booty from that voyage. He asked how I was going to present it and I gave him an outline, as short as it was so far. “Maybe there is room for a choir in there?” he said with a smile and it suddenly struck me that I had been thinking about the show as a sort of Gilbert and Sullivan style of operetta but could work better as a true opera.

There doesn’t have to be much of a plot in an opera and our show finale was very close to an operatic final scene in itself. He looked at me as I thought and asked if I was all right. I said “More than all right, headmaster, you have no idea what your comment has produced. I can assure you that there will certainly be room a choir.” I said that I would keep in touch and gave him a hug. He asked me if I was going to keep the beheading in the script and I had to ask “what beheading?”

He then told me that the expedition started with five or six ships and Drakes own was the Pelican. There was also the Marigold and the Elizabeth. The Elizabeth was captained by John Winter and, in his crew, was a certain Thomas Doughty who quickly created bad blood between himself and Drake. Doughty had been especially chosen by the Queen to keep Drake in check and, by the time they got to the Straits of Magellan, Drake was so angry that he accused Doughty of witchcraft and attempted mutiny; had a quick and one sided trial and had Doughty beheaded. Before that happened, he had two ships scuttled as he thought such a big fleet would attract the Spanish. He lost the Marigold in a big storm on the way up the west coast of South America and Winter took the Elizabeth back to England. He said they started with over a hundred and seventy sailors and it was less than sixty when they renamed the Pelican as the ‘Golden Hind’.

Back at the Manor I emailed Justin and the message just said ‘Operetta dead – we now have an opera!’ Then I told the others that we were now doing an opera and Greg just sighed and said “Women!!!” Joanne just raised an eyebrow and I told her we were going to turn it into an opera, but without genuine opera singers. I must have dreamt well during the night as I woke up with the acts clear in my head.

The first would be set in a tavern in Salvador with Drake and Reece singing about their trip from England and Drake saying that two ships would have to be scrapped as the fleet was too big. I could have the Doughty character being negative and we could have three tavern girls with a song about drinking up. The next act would be near Lima with songs about the beheading of Doughty for witchcraft and attempted mutiny; a song about the storm, the loss of the Marigold, and Winter returning to England. Then there could be songs about the plunder of the Spanish bullion ships. The act would have to end with a song about renaming the Pelican as the ‘Golden Hind’. The Third act could be in the Moluccas and we could have Minh with a song and songs about the west coast of America.

The last act would be in Casablanca, just before the voyage to Plymouth with two more tavern girls and two dusky maidens with a song about rounding the cape and the final song starting with a chorus about the whole voyage and ending with Drake and Reece singing about life after the trip. I would set up the stage with a forecastle on one side and aftcastle on the other that were mounted on rollers and the portable hatch cover that would be good for the second act, while the other three would just need tables and chairs and different backdrops. We had lots of volunteers to be pirate crew and the choir could be positioned in front of the stage on a lower platform.

It would need an orchestra to work properly and the choir could take their cues from the conductor. If we did it that way we wouldn’t need the Spanish armour except as a prop during the second act and we would only need cutlasses during that act as well. I suddenly thought that when they mention Doughty we could darken the main stage and have Doughty singing ‘I was just a servant of the queen’ on one of the side platforms before his death. The end of the second act could have the whole crew on stage brandishing their cutlasses with a chorus about the ‘Golden Hind’. That would go to intermission on a real high as the ships name is synonymous with derring-do.

I made copious notes and typed them up to send to Justin with a message to meet us in Salvador in a week. I had made a search and found what looked like a good hotel, and gave him the name and said to send me the bill for his flight. I asked Greg and Peggy if they wanted to come but Peggy said she had to stay at the Manor to prepare for the music school. Greg was happy to come along as they were all places he had never been to. I contacted the hotel in Salvador to book three rooms and also for cars to pick us up. Then I then looked for a good hotel in the Moluccas and booked us there for the week after and found the various flights that would get us there. I then did the same for Casablanca the following week. I told the others that all the places were close to the equator so to travel light.

We spent a few days tidying up the Manor for Peggy and then flew to Rio de Janeiro for an overnight stay before a domestic ‘Avianca’ flight to Salvador. The car from the hotel was there to take us from the airport. It was quite a long way and the driver told us that we were lucky to have booked through the hotel as his vehicle was known as a Coometas and was the safest way to the city. He said that the normal taxis would drive around for half an hour to put a big bill on the meter. I said that he did not have a meter and he explained that his type of taxi was a set rate and it would be on the hotel account. I asked him if we could reserve him for the next two days as we had heard that the town was a bit rough. He said that for a little extra he could arrange a second car with a couple of his heavy cousins to keep the urchins at bay. I wondered if he was having us on but said to organise it for tomorrow.

He wanted to know where we wanted to go and I told him that we were particularly interested in places that were already there when Drake came to town. He said “Which visit?” which made me stop for a bit. I asked him how many times Drake had visited and he told me that Drake had been aboard slave ships when his cousins, the Hawkins, visited and had landed a couple of times while he was a privateer around 1572 when the Spaniards called him ‘El Draque’ or the Dragon. I said that we were interested in the 1577 visit when he went around the world. He said that there are two wrecks off the coast from that visit but there wasn’t much to see. He said he would take us to the places we needed over the two days and I asked him if there was anywhere in town that sang the old songs and he said he would think on that one.

The hotel was magnificent. Our driver said that if we were looking for atmosphere it was the place to stay as it was started in 1586 so the original architecture would have been familiar to Drake. Justin was already there and greeted us in the foyer. He hugged everyone, which brought a smile from Greg. We were shown our rooms and went down for dinner. Justin said that he had found out that the town had been founded by the Portuguese in 1549 and had been the capital of the slave trade for many years. He said the oldest part of town was the Pelourinho or the old city centre and the area along the bay, called the Cicade Baixa. I told him our driver would pick us up in the morning and take us to the old places so, now, we can have a pleasant evening and get a good night.

Marianne G 2020