The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1945-01-25
OTIS CARNEY

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'No, it isn't. It isn't at all" l
said freshly in tones bound to con-
vey soundness of limb and a gen.
eral all-around good health.
"Ah most always get crash
calls" said Miss Gloom sleepily.
"Then this is a pleasant sur
prise, isn't it? This is a differ
ent kind of call altogether" 1t
was the sly approach to a suspi-
cious child.
care you-all sure this heah is
MT a crash call?" asked Miss
Gloom intuitively. The brain
was struggling like a man drug
ged. I
eyes, I'm sure" I snapped.
Time was working against me.
"Ah1l call the Chief of Oper-
lations."
"For Gods sake, don't touch
that buzzer!" I screamed.
"Why?"
;; ''Now, look, I'm going to con-
Ifide in you. I have locked the
brakes on my plane, and don't
know how to unlock them"
! She laughed stupidity.
cts not so hysterical," I said
sharply. 'I've handled myself
like veteran up until this hap
pened. If you will connect me
with the cadet barracks, every
thing can be Strengthened out"
There was a pause as Miss
Gloom fought down compassion.
"See?" I asked. "Please, OPP
orator, this is Kindness Week"
"Cain't the Chief of Operations
! tell you-all how to take the
brakes off? He's Lootent Com
mandah." Miss Gloom wanted to
help.
eyes, he could, but it wouldn't
be the same thing" I assured her.
ct want to get Mr.. William Run
! in the cadet barracks" Outside
there was a faint droning, "Hur-
'ry, operator"
: ooh, ah'm not 'sposed to ring
nobody else," whimpered Miss
Gloom.
"You can do it, operator. If
/ ANYBODY can do it, you can"
! "Ah've never called anyone
else. Alive always wanted to
ring outside" she said weakly.
"Just grab the wire that says
Building 1877 and pull it!'
There was considerable con-
gestion in the background and
then a prim voice said pointedly,
Houston
"Hah party wants Willyum
Rum" said Miss Gloom fearfully.
Operator" called, 1--WE don't
want Houston. We can't use
Houston.'
"Ah know, ali know!" cried
Miss Gloom, aware that she had
a runaway on her hands.
'The route to Willow Run"
Houston galloped blindly ahead.
CIT c Highland Park, Chicago,
Detroit, Toll two, three-fifty five
for three" another woman spat.
''Ah want Will-yum Run"
walled Miss Gloom.
IT will give you R-X," said
Houston Jelly.
'R-X."
"There's R-X," said sadly.
"Chicago BY. This is Dali
las with a filing of nine-four-
two. I will call you, operator.
Please release the circuit"
This was a ridiculous thing to
say. Miss Gloom could not have
released the circuit if she had
wanted. She held on as if she
had both hands on the electric
goose. There was roar of a
plane zoomed over the field. I
ran outside and saw a student in
a steep bank preparing to come
low over the field again. I wav-
ed violently, motioning him
away. He waved excitedly back
and nodded. My buddy, he would
take care of everything. He cir
cled over once more.
Get out of here you dirty
rat? I cried, and pointed to a
flight of wild ducks: He raced
off headed for the main hangar,
waving his hands and nodding
his head all the while. I watched
him go. It was like throwing an
old, threadbare tennis ball. A
golfer lies bound to come by and
toss it back to you.
From the inane clatter on the
telephone, it seemed that Miss
Gloom had determined on a
course of elimination. She was
pulling wires out of the board as
ACTS ON THE KlNNEYe