The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-03-04


dence!"
Pat sighed. 1T seems impos-
sible. II takes long months to
learn even the groundwork OF
motor ship flight. but this"
"This is soaring. Gliding. It's
very different. This Is easier,
and safer all around. Even q boy
CT girl, a high school senior, can
learn to soar in three to six
weeks. Not many people realize
tat, Patty"
people ought to be told more
about it. The public doesn't real
ize how important sailplanes can
be-"
Its your Jimmy that's tell
i'm them, honey"
Mrs. Anderson's 'Your" was
benevolent, motherly; but Pat
glanced at her sel;-consciously.
Its all so wonderful" she mus
ed. And when my Big Moment
comes"
1t came as Unexpectedly as on
ly an anticipated something can.
One day when nothing had
happened, when no portent
clouded the world, when no talk
or rumor suggested excitement,
the door burst open ahead of a
whirlwind. Hi, Friday" the
whirlwind called. "Your num-
ber's up! Get going! Solo,"
JIMMY" She was wide-eyed,
appalled,. Feminine heads all
around looked Up, including Lo-
raine Stuart's.
Hurry! Don't just stare.
Want me to court-martial you?
Squi-i-ik!" He gestured as if
choking somet Ody and made a
horrid sound with his tongue.
That was like him; eternally
teasing, happy, gay.
They moved fast. She had
learned soaring in 10 days, and
now she was to prove it in nine
n inutes! Her pulse was thump-
ing as they motored out to the
hangers in peep.
Jimmy helped her into her
ship, a new Laister-Kauffman
trainer. 1t was like a delicate
bird, wings already spread. Then
he roared off in the same peep
to his airplane. 600 yards dis
tant. A wire ran from his ship
to Patsy's motorleSs one.
A signal was given. The wire
frightened. Patsy, thus towed,
held her breath.
Z-Z-z-z-zin-n-n-ng!
The first soft swish of air be-
came a whine. Earth faded away.
Green hills of New York were
retreating and cumulus clouds
offered welcoming hands. Pats
headset cracked.
Smooth as satin, Patsy" jim
my radioed. Were 1000 now.
I'm gonna take you to 5O00."
"Oh, JIMMY" 1t was all she
could say. The acstasy of soar.
ing gripped her. Soaring, alone,
Literally lowed like a kite, then
turned loose as free as the wild
birds around her.
She watched the altimeter, and
at 5000 feet pulled the release
lever that cut her loose from the
tow line. She and Jimmy talked
no more. There was no shock to
this solo job. No fright. Instead,
there was beauty. A whole uni
verse of beauty in silver and
blue. Jimmy dipped his plane in
salute, then went back to earth
again.
That's when Pat breathed
"Oh, Jimmy! JIMMY" again
quite forgetting her radio. Down
stairs, they heard it, and Jimmy
Carr's fellow officers grinned
openly at him when he landed.
Lucky devil, having a cute pu-
I'll sold on him personally that
way!
BY rigid il unspoken agree
ment, however, nobody made
any big fanfare or "to-do" when
Pat landed safely. The Army
can't afford to compliment and
pamper every little raw recruit.
Patsy was told she did we'll, and
if her eyes looked around for
Jimmy and showed disappoint-
ment, she at least didn't say
anything. She reflected that girls
were kind of extra-curricular
her anyway. Not officially in the
Army, and yet striving to help
the Army air program by learn
ing to be instructors where in
structors were sadly needed.
Women could teach; men could
60 abroad and fight. Dutifully
Pat trudged back to headquar-
tiers, to await orders again