The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1945-01-04
LOVE AFF1RST FLIGHT
E|S !:I ea a1,s s.s spf1o'nsoO

1.-The ordeal Mr.. CLOSEUP called me
aside. He took my arm and hus.
tied me around the hangar. I wa.
used to being treated like cactus
and gentle hands unnerved me.
well, I got you through" He
broke down completely in private
It was CLOSEUP unmasked. s'And
do you know what did it? Psy-
chology!" He mouthed the pass.
word.
! I stood mute before the revela.
ton, deprived of my faculties.
without PHYSIOLOGY, you'd
have been dead duck"-he snap
ped his fingers. II wouldn't have
given that for you"-he snapped
his fingers again. It was the same
as being a dead duck.
cts a marvellous thing"-I paid
my respects to science.
when I saw you I said to my
self, this fellow has to be handled
psychologically. And, boy he
slapped me jovially-"did you re-
spond!"
After a minute he said: 81
;couldn't be like this and do you
any good. You understand that
he explained his past behaviour
In the real CLOSEUP, psychologist
cally speaking, there was ap-
parently no therapeutic value al
all.
eyes, I've been using it since
childhood" unused MIR. CLOSEUP,
referring to his art as if it were
an old boot-jack.
II must send you some of the
new books, sir" It was the least
could do.
A new cadet sided up, not at
all sure of his ground.
Pardon me-" he introduced
himself. my name is Green. !
am your new student"
Mr.. CLOSEUP winked at me. Cum
ming lit his eyes.
when I am talking to another,
you will not interrupt me. Is that
clear?" he asked Jelly.
He turned back to me.
Good luck at Corpus Christi
he said under his breath.
"Oh, excuse me-" mumbled the
cadet.
Excuse me what?" demanded
MIR. CLOSEUP, speaking from Olym-
pus.
'Take over, Freud!" I murmur-
ed, making for Fearless carriage.
With luck, I could pack, check out,
and catch the evening train for
Chicago. We aren't ordered to
Corpus Christi until October six
teenth. There was time for a
three-day leave.
I arrived home on a bright Oc-
tober day. A fresh wind was
stripping the trees of their colored
leaves, whisking them off the
branches and blowing them about
in swirls. Sometimes one would
flatten out on the car window, all
but in your eye, and you could
see its ribbing and the cracks in
its dried surface. Everywhere, in
driveways and lanes, in school
yards and squares, autumn fires
smoldering unattended and smoke
bent by the wind drifted, spread,
and dissolved in a blue haze.
When I reached the house, Elsa
raced outside and then inside
again.
Gle ees comet" she shouted.
Mother came squealing down
the stairs. Father emerged from
the library in a cloud of smoke.
Darling, don't squeal like that"
he protested, shaking my hand.
my baby!" cried Mother,
swapping me with affection.
easy, dear, don't get dewy,"
cautioned Father.
Mother disengaged herself.
'You take the 'front.' she said
to Father, ''and I'll take the back"
She took stand a few PAGES
behind me.
''Now, look!" I protested.
'You just talk, DEAR" COM
manded Mother. "How was it?
Did they whip your"
''No, they didn't whip me. Are
you having good timer"
"Wondefful. You've no idea
how they've improved your rear"
she unused.
"SheS been well, hasn't she?"
Father nodded.
mo, really. It's svelte now"
she insisted. Elbows the 'front.'"