Stuart Kaminsky - The Howard Hughes Affair

I went back to Gunther’s room to help with the dishes, but they were finished.

The music was playing and I fumbled in my pants pocket for a nickel to call Carmen. Maybe she could put together a picnic from Levy’s for her and me and Gunther.

But such was not to be. The music on the radio stopped with a hum of static followed by the voice of an announcer.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “We interrupt this program to bring you the following special announcement. The Japanese have just launched a massive air attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Although no official statement has come from the White House, this sneak attack is clearly an open act of war, and it is expected that President Roosevelt will, indeed, declare war on Japan immediately. We repeat. The Japanese have just…”

I turned off the radio. The pain in my head was back, and I changed my mind about what I was going to do with this Sunday. I was going to find a store open somewhere and buy presents for my brother’s kids, Nate, David and the baby, Lucy, and I was going to spend the afternoon with them listening to Orson Welles and Quick as a Flash and the news if they wanted me. I was pretty sure they’d want me.