I worked the day shift at the hospital for the first month. It was quite different from civilian nursing. Not only because all patients were men but because patients did their own personal hygiene - baths, making their own beds and taking dirty linen to the laundry. Mostly the nurses passed out pills, supervised the orderlies in ward duties and cleaning. I found out that the military really believed in the old adage "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". It seems that was the number one priority.
Every Saturday morning the head nurse and chief medical officer would don white gloves and go on an inspection tour - checking bed rails, window sills and the tops of doors. God help you if they found any dirt.- We also taught nursing skills and some health classes to the orderlies (medical corpsmen). Since I had had classes in physical therapy, I was assigned to setting up a small room with rehabilitating equipment. I did massage and taught exercises to some of the accident cases. Most of our cases were medical: colds, ulcers, jeep or truck accidents and gonorrhea.
The next Saturday night Garfinkle and Galst asked me to go with them to the officers' club. I was dying to get out of the barracks so I readily agreed. As we neared the club we heard music and saw lots of people. "There seems to be a dance; I don't think I want to go in," I told my companions. "Oh come on, we'll just have a drink and leave," said Galst. I slowly followed the two nurses into the large room with a bar at one end, many people milling around or talking in small groups. No one paid any attention to us.
There was a large room beyond the usual dining area, roped off for dancing, with a portable stage where a small orchestra was playing snappy music. Every table was filled with officers from this bomber crew training base, with some civilian girls sitting among them.
"Oh, there's Bill," said Galst and she took off, saying she would see us back at the barrack Garfinkle and I just stood there looking around and the next thing I knew she said, " I see a friend over there; I'm going over to join him. You're on your own, Bobby." I wished the floor would open up and swallow me. I was embarrassed, thought everyone was looking at me. Well, I said to myself, I'll just act sophisticated, walk over to the bar, have a coke and leave when I'm through. I was drinking my coke and not looking at anyone when someone sidled up to the bar beside me and said, "Hi, Bobby, what are you doing here?" I turned to see who knew my name. His face was familiar but I couldn't place his name. Oh yes, it was the brown-haired Lt. from the other night. He looked pretty good to me so I smiled widely and said " Hi, Sarky, I'm just having a coke and then I'll be on my way."
"How about joining us?" he asked. "You mean you and your girlfriend? No, I'm here with a bunch of the guys. Come on over to our table'!. "Well, maybe for a little while", I said. We walked through the room and out onto the patio where there were about eight other officers around a large table. They all looked up as we neared the table and started howling and making cat calls. I was mortified but said nothing as Sarky introduced me, "This is Bobby, one of our nurses".
Sarky asked me to dance and after that the fellow nearest to me at the table said, "How about a dance or do you feel obligated to dance with the fellow who picked you up"? I could feel my face getting red but decided to say nothing but "Sure, I'd love to dance". By the end of the evening I was having a great time and knew that the kidding was only to get a rise out of me. Good thing I didn't take the bait.
One of the fellows at the table was the handsome Lt I had met with Sarky a week earlier.
As we were dancing he asked me if I'd like to go to the movie on the base the next night. I was in heaven and accepted. When the dance broke up Sarky walked me back to the barrack. My opinion of him had changed completely since our first meeting. He was friendly, witty and a lot of fun.
When we got to the barracks I thanked him for the fun evening. He said we'd do it again sometime, and we said goodnight. I was favorably impressed - imagine a soldier who didn't try to paw or kiss you. Oh yes, Sarky was a real nice guy.
It was Sunday night, the day after the dance, and Bill, the good-looking black haired Lt., suggested that we drop over to the officers’ club after the film. We ordered a sandwich and coke. As we were eating, Sarky came over. He seemed surprised to see us and said to Bill "Hey, buddy, what are you doing, stealing my girlfriend?" Bill responded, "I guess Bobby can choose who she wants". So I spoke up, “Hey, guys, don't let me be the cause of a fight between you two. We can all be friends, can't we?" Bill and Sarky snarled at each other. Sarky turned to me and said, "As for you, I don't want to see you again".
I felt terrible; I liked both of them and hoped that I hadn't broken up a friendship. On the way back to the barracks Bill, a navigator, pointed out how one locates the large and small dippers. We talked further but he was quite shy and there did not seem to be the chemical makeup which causes one's heart to pound quicker when meeting the other person. He didn't ask for another date and, as we said goodnight, I was not too disappointed.
Busy at the hospital but no calls from Bill or Sarky from Monday through Thursday, so I thought I'd better start some strategy, at least to see how the land lay. I called Sarky - a brazenly forward tack for a girl in those days, and a first for me. We had talked about playing badminton at our last meeting, e~ that was my ploy. When he answered the phone I said "Hi, Sarky it's Bobby. Would you like to play some badminton or are you still mad at me?" He laughed and my frown turned to a smile as he responded, "No, I'm not mad at you and, yes, I'd like to play badminton."
I was in heaven, ran to my room to change. About ten minutes later Sarky called. "Say how would you like to hop down to Topeka on a B-17? A pilot friend is delivering supplies on a quick round trip leaving in about 15 minutes. My first plane ride and I quickly assented. Sarky and another Lt. arrived shortly and we jeeped out to the field, climbed aboard the large fonr engine bomber, one of many at the base where air crews were being assembled and trained for overseas duty. Rod, the engineering officer with us, suggested we get up in the nose cone where we would have good visibility in the plastic bubble.
I held Sarky's hand tightly as the big craft lumbered down the runway. During the hour's flight I felt queasy a couple of times. "Just take some deep breaths," the fellows said. I did and felt better. What a thrill seeing the land below and the beautiful blue sky all around. I knew right then that I wanted to fly for sure. I would apply for flight nurse' school as soon as possible.
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