Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-09-08
MTAN,TOWER@% ' 5AESN6f f

fore Mickey left, he had his unwit-
ting retaliation, which hurt Linda
more deeply than she had hurt him
Don't you love us, mother?" he
asked, lower lip protruding, "Steve
m me love you."
Steve's eyes asked the question as
the door closed behind Mickey's re-
treating form.
"Sorry again, Linda" he said "Bet-
ter spank me instead Of Mickey.
sort of thought the plane would amuse
him; the beanie's mine. used to
wear it in the army. Looks like
better start combing myself out OF
your hair"
"Steve," Linda said. 81 have to tell
you why. There's reason"
"You don't need to tell me-" Steve
said.
"Mickey's father was pilot. That's
how he was killed. It's silly, maybe,
but planes are-well, taboo around
here. 1--we never been up since :.
since then. I'll never go up again.
Steve said nothing. His eyes said:
81 see, Linda. 1t won't happen again. /"
He looked strange standing there
so kid-like, the aviator's cap in one
hand and the toy plane tucked under
his arm, as though he were trying to
hide it. He leaned against the door,
his position seeming to say "I'm go
ing," but his face rejecting that he
didn't want to leave.
Linda smiled at him.
Linda" he said seriously, twill you
do something for me? It's a big IA
vor. It means-well, it means more
than anything in the world to me
almost"
Linda, Mrs. Blazers recent words
in her mind, feared what the request
might be. But Steve soon set her
fears at rest.
cts about my building" Steve said.
"I'll tell you later"
Linda, for a brief time after he had
gone, wondered vaguely what he had
meant what "my building" might be.
But later that night, when she was
with Bill Blaine again, Steve and "his
building" were the furthermost things
from Linda's mind.
Thought of Steve Hubbard came
back to Linda's mind, though, the next
when she arrived for the
days work at Titan Tower. And
Steve's cryptic remark about "my
building" and the favor he had to
ask of Linda flashed back to her mind.
With a few minutes to spare before
going back to the office, Linda sought
Steve out in the basement garage. It
was much different this time from
their previous meeting in that garage,
the day she had driven JOS car to
work to show up Steve for his inno-
cent imposture.
This time it wasn't a brash, wise
cracking Steve who greeted her, but
a serious person, pleased by her visit.
"You remembered he said. "Swell
of you'll"
"Steve," Linda asked, "what did you
mean when you asked me if I'd do you
a big favor-something about your
building? It's been On my mind"
"Got minute?' Steve said. "Come
on with me-"
He took her arm and marched her
through the garage entrance into the
lobby and out through the main door,
in front of Titan Tower.
They stood there moment on the
sidewalk, in the midst of the office
going crowds, Steve conspicuous in
his white garage coat.
"Look up, Linda" he said, "way
up, right straight up its front, as
far as you can see, right to the sky"
Linda obeyed. Linda stood there,
like gawking tourist, craning her
neck backward toward the lofty top
of the building.
cts view you've never seen be-
fore, I'll bet you," Steve said. eve
live our lives in the thing, most of
US, and never appreciate its strength
and beauty. Well, do"
cts very NICE" said Linda-and
her tone added:
"But what about it?"
Gwen MOLE" Steve said, "who
grubs around in the dark at the roots