After a few weeks Sarky and I were getting to be a twosome. Every Saturday night we would go dancing at the officers' club, movies on Wednesday and Sunday nights. We played badminton, shot skeet, explored little Grand Island or just get together and talk. Sarky took me to the rifle range where he was an instructor. I reached my pinnacle as a pistol (.45 caliber) sharpshooter.
One day I had a letter from my Akron friend, Tootie who said she would be visiting her sister and husband in Wyoming, would plan to visit me en route home. The head nurse gave me permission for her to stay in our barracks. It was great fun when Tootie came. Sarky introduced her to many males and we double dated most of the time.
We had a lot to talk about. I confessed to her that I was all over her brother, Eddie, whom I had dated for over a year and whom I had thought I was in love with. We had been seriously involved but had no definite marriage plans, although I thought I would marry him sometime.
One night Eddie had broken our date by saying he wasn't feeling well and planned to go to bed early, if I didn't mind. "Of course not" I told him, "you get a good night's sleep and I will do the same." About 9 p.m. an old school friend of my roommate called, said he was in town and wanted to go dancing at a local nightclub. My roommate, Kay was going steady with Eddie's boyfriend, Alex, who had to work that night. Both Alex and Eddie were not in the military because they worked in vital defense plants, making army tank parts. Alex owned the company. Kay thought it would be patriotic to go out with her old friend who was home on a military pass and leaving the next day.
Since she knew Alex was the jealous type she implored me to go with her. "If you go with me, Alex, if he found out - would not be able to complain about a threesome. "Well," I said, "since I'll be home anyway I guess I could go w1th you." We dressed up and Chuck picked us up in his dad's car and it was off to the nightclub. Clubs were packed in those wartime days; tables so close together one could hardly move between them, postage size dance floors and small local bands. The music that night was good.
Chuck was interesting, told of his army experiences. It was our first experience with a soldier. We all drank cokes and Kay and I were so interested in his arm tales that we didn't even dance. At one point I excused myself and, as I was on my way to the ladies' room, weaving among the packed tables, I happened to look down at the occupants of a table for two. It was Eddie and another woman. My heart sank. He looked up, we both stared at each other, neither of us saying a word, and I returned to our table.
Kay said we should go home early as both of us had to be at work at work early in the morning. At our room I told Kay about Eddie, cried for a long time. "it's all over," I said “I can't trust him now. I’m glad I found out before we were married.” Kay sympathized and we finally hit the sack. The next night when Eddie came over I told him we were through and that I never wanted to see him again. He tried to talk me out of it but finally left. Kay went out with Alex but came home early. "Bobby, I had a fight with Alex: he is mad because I want out with Chuck and claimed it didn't make any difference because you were with us. We cried and commiserated with each other that men were louts, cads, and that we were through with all men. "Maybe," Kay said, " we should join the army." "A good idea," I replied. "Let'!! do it tomorrow." And so we did. Kay was willing to join any branch of the military but I was only interested in the Air Corps. She was called up in two months; I in four.
Tootle was having such fun in Grand Island she didn't want to go home, so she got a job at the PX (post exchange), rented a room in town and stayed for four months. I really missed her when she finally left.
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| Tootie and I |
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