The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-05-13
Casanovas In Uniform

ored bobby socks and high-heeied
bsckless shoes couldn't disguise
heavy ankles. But you hgured
that her skirt didn't climb that
high by itself.
THIS TECHNIQUE
NEVER FAILED
So you walked toward her, usInf
technique that had never failed
you. a direct stare until you caught
her eye, then a deliberate down
and up glance-and II she Still
smiled your way II was worth q
try.
She was still smiling. And there
was something about The honesty
OF that smile that made you select
the please excuse-me-but-rm-a
stranger-in-town approach. Soon
you had her telling you where all
the theaters were. Finally she said
she would go 10 show with you.
II wasn't hard 10 guess that she
was lying when she said she was
10. But you said the devil with II.
That was her parents problem and,
anyway. what were you 10 do-ask
10 see her birth certificate? Besides.
all you wanted was company for a
few hours.
You began TO change your mind
about that. sitting in the darkness
with your arm around her But you
had some misgivings when she
smiled delightedly over a newsreel
shot OF Frank Sinatra.
YOUR STORIES WERE
DAY DREAMS
You took her to an Italian res.
taurant for q bite TO eat, and you
had something to drink. So did
she. You day-dreamed stories for
her about the kind Of soldier you
were, told her how tough q CTS life
was. said you were going overseas
soon. She drank il up.
BY then you were dead certain
she was kid. but you knew you
had her and that was all that mat
, tered. Later. when you found out
how much Of a kid she was, II was
too late for you to begin wonder
ing whether you had made q mis-.
take.
That was the last you saw Of
her. All il meant to you was another
story to tell the guys in a barracks
bull session.
She had story 10 tell, too. But
she had TO tell il frst to q police
aatron. then 10 a probation officer
and finally In q court for minors,
while her mother listened and went.
You had started something. She
met other fellows In uniform after
you. and some Of them were no
more understanding than you and
a few were far less careful.
One morning q policeman picked
After he found out that abe had
no family to 60 to, he took her 10
special shelter. Here . friendly
woman questioned her and got q
story that was lie. After several
questionings, she broke down and
cried like the frightened 16-year.old
girl she was. And this was the true
story:
She lived in the city. A week
before you met her. she had run
away from home because her father
drank and her overly strict mother
didn't allow her to 20 to dances or
movies. So she lied 10 her parents.
And when they caught her lying.
they beat her. One day she decided
she had had enough.
SO this scared kid got q lob ~ q
waitress. Then she met you. And
others after you.
Later. when she talked to a moth
erly probation oficer. she became
. defiant only once-when the woman
tried TO make the girl see what a
heel you were. you and the others
! The kid flared up, said she was glad
she had been with you because you
( were a soldier and there was no
telling when you might be killed
.. And she, too. had been lonely.
JUDGE HEARD
HER CASE
The judge could not send her
home. not only because her parents
were incapable Of giving her q de-