Cynthia Cartier - Wings

“Today? I’d have to check on that. Can I get back to you?”

The Sheriff’s voice boomed from the phone. This time his words were distinct, “You damned well better check on that.” The rant continued but retreated back to a muffled rumbling.

Jerry moved the mouth piece just close enough to end the conversation, “Thanks for the call, Sheriff.”

The lawman’s roar continued to spill from the receiver as Jerry gingerly set the phone in its cradle. He pulled his desk drawer open and removed a little box. Jerry dropped the stamp that he held between his fingers into it and pushed the whole lot toward Liddy. “Make sure you get enough postage on that.”

Liddy stood in front of the mailbox. She checked every word she had carefully written on the envelope and then set it on the ledge at the opening of the slot. When she let go, the letter teetered and then was still. She picked it up again, re-examined it and then bounced it in the palm of her hand, checking for weight. The sky was graying. She had missed the day’s post and debated holding on to the application until the morning but decided against the stall. Liddy again set the envelope on the ledge. This time she tapped the end and it slid down the chute. She peered in to see where it landed, but the box was dark. It was done. Liddy Lynn Hall had applied to be a Women Airforce Service Pilot. Now she would wait.

When Jack Hall first saw the magazine cover with a woman sitting on the wing of an Army plane, he assumed it was war propaganda. But when he found out that the article was about a program to train women to fly for the Army, he shoved it at his Liddy. The two of them battled about her not wanting to go away and leave him and Jack demanded that he didn’t need another nurse. Jack won and Liddy accepted his determination for her and admitted her own to herself.

Liddy had secretly dreamt of someday being more than a country show flyer. That kind of flying wasn’t respectable in the minds of some who were serious about aviation and it didn’t offer new challenges for her or the financial means to help take care of her and Jack. But it was what she knew, and she thought she had settled on it. So this new direction churned all kinds of excitement in Liddy. That magazine had become worn and ragged from the hours that she’d spent poring over the photos and text.

It chronicled the journey of Jackie Cochran, under the supervision of Army Air Force Commander General ‘Hap’ Arnold, to establish the Women Airforce Service Pilots program. Cochran, who was a pilot and a woman of influence, saw a need that female flyers could fill in the war effort. She used her influence to develop the program to train novice to advanced women pilots to do noncombat duties at home, freeing the men to fight overseas. It was a civilian program, but Cochran had her sights set on militarization for the WASPs.

Aviation was government regulated by the 1940s, but some of the flying was still being done that wasn’t licensed, especially in farm country. Farmers needed dusters and aviation wasn’t something local law enforcement cared much about. So as long as no one created a reason to step in, no one did. Liddy flew at such a young age without a license, and over farm and field, that the need to get one had never come up and there was the issue of money. So her flying time had not been logged.

When she had learned what was required to qualify for the WASP, she set about to line things up. She would need a license and thirty-five hours of logged flight time. At Clayton Airfield, in the next county, she found that strong stands about female pilots were the norm. Common opinion was that it was fine for a woman to fly, just not their planes and not in their air.

Jerry Bluff was the only one to give her time and he took some heat for doing it. He only went up with her once and then cut her loose. He realized he couldn’t teach her anything she didn’t already know. It was just a matter of logging hours and he scheduled her in. Even with Jerry’s support the task was difficult. Airfield flying was expensive and the $4.60 an hour was hard to come by. Liddy flew the occasional show and worked at the diner to scrimp and save everything she could. She didn’t let on to Jack how thin she was spread. If he knew money might keep her out of the program, there was no telling what he might do.

The goal of the WASP program changed everything for Liddy. Not having had a license, and wanting to stay close to home, kept the urge to fly long distances from her dreams. But once she had that license, her boldness grew. She craved the journey and couldn’t wait to take it in the Army. The weeks that followed sending the application to the WASP dragged, so Liddy tried to focus on spending time with Jack and making money. When she received word back that she could interview and undergo a physical examination for a spot in the program, everyone banded together to make it happen. Jerry flew her to St. Louis where he guided her in her first big city airport landing. Crik chipped in for the fuel, but Liddy knew it didn’t cover what it cost Bluff Air. Daniel and his girlfriend Celia surprised her with a hand-me-down blue-gray suit that had belonged to Celia’s older sister. It was new to Liddy, fit her perfectly and she loved it.

The personal interview was formal, and it was the first time that Liddy could remember that she had to search for her confidence. The physical exam was conducted by an Army doctor who asked her some questions and looked her over from across the room. He may have never had a female patient, so even if he had attempted a hands-on, he probably wouldn’t have known what he was looking for anyway. She was given a pass for the physical exam, but the interview would be taken into consideration. She flew home that day not knowing about her future with the WASP. Again she would wait.

For someone so full of confidence, doubt circled Liddy often, trying to land. Her life had been simple and familiar, which she hadn’t realized was the case until now. She was excited and unsettled and didn’t like the contrast.

As Liddy entered the diner one evening, she shooed away the doubt that was clinging to her when she saw Rowby Wills perched at the counter. He was surrounded by his posse and pretty Ula Troy was sitting next to him. Her hands were clasped on his shoulder, while she captured and nibbled every word he said. Liddy was not at all surprised and was ready to have some fun. She walked up to the counter and slipped in between the stools next to Ula.

“Hi, Liddy, thought you had the night off?” Sally, the waitress, asked as she walked by with plates lined up and down her arms.

Upon hearing Liddy’s name, Rowby snapped his head to see her standing on the other side of his gal pal. He peeled Ula off his shoulder.

“I do, just here to meet someone.”

“Can I get you anything?”

“Just some coffee, thanks.”

“You got it.”

Liddy turned to Rowby and Ula. “Hey, Rowby, Ula. Ula how’s your mama doing? Heard she took sick a couple weeks back.”

“Touch a lung trouble. She’s doin’ much better now.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Liddy took the hot cup that Sally poured for her, left a nickel on the counter and moved to a booth. Her face beamed with amusement at Rowby’s lack of clear direction. Poor boy never really knew if he wanted to come or go. It was these moments that Liddy counted on, moments that gave Rowby the heads up that he had no right to any expectations where she was concerned and there had been plenty of these moments. But still, Rowby was persistent in his determination that nothing existed he couldn’t have, if he wanted it.

Rowby left his seat and was hot on her heels.