Farmerettes by Gisela Sherman

Author:Gisela Sherman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Second Story Press
Published: 2015-03-04T21:56:37+00:00

Saturday, July 17, 1943

Jean

Jean pulled extra hard at a weed that dared to hide in the tangle of squash vines. She was confused, tired, frustrated. She was glad when the girls left to work on other farms this morning, chattering like starlings over a juicy beetle.

“May I borrow your pink dress?”

“What if I forget the words?”

“What looks best with my white blouse—a necklace or Nancy’s striped scarf?”

“How do you like the Tangee lipstick I bought last weekend?”

As though orange lips could make you sing better, thought Jean. Tonight’s talent show had been their main focus all week—practising every spare minute, worrying if they had chosen the right song, begging Smokey to tune the piano. They had started loud on Monday, and built steadily up to this frenzy today.

And they still gushed about the fun last night. Oh, why had she gone too?

Because Hugh had invited her.

Last Wednesday evening, Hugh and Dick had stood at her door with eager smiles and an invitation. A dance party at their base in Mount Hope that Friday. “We want all the girls to come,” he’d said, but he’d looked directly at her with his piercing blue eyes, “especially you.”

“I bet you’ve said that to a dozen girls already,” she replied, but his expression told her he hadn’t.

Recognizing the handsome pilot, the farmerettes had mobbed them then, and she had no chance to refuse the invitation—not that she wanted to.

Smokey allowed the girls to leave early on Friday, on the condition they work later Saturday. Only the girls seventeen or over were allowed to attend, and Smokey insisted on coming with them to make sure the base chaperones did their job in keeping her charges’ virtue and reputations intact.

The young men at the base had gone all out for their guests. The mess hall was polished and decorated with pink streamers. They put together a great band, played all the modern hits, and served a delicious supper of sandwiches and sweets. And the charm. Jean told Binxie, “I’m convinced every fellow who trains with the air force takes smooth-talking lessons along with their flight instruction.”

“I hope it works better on the Germans than it does on us,” laughed Binxie.

But when Jean had said as much to Hugh a few minutes later, he replied seriously. “They’re just happy to spend time with some pretty girls. They miss their home and friends.”

That left Jean without a smart answer.

“And besides, some of you girls are right skilled at this yourself.” Hugh nodded toward Peggy, who was having the time of her life flirting with a steady stream of dance partners.

Isabel too was surrounded by a flock of fellows. It had taken the girls awhile to convince her to come, telling her Billy was probably dancing somewhere too, and he’d want her to have some fun. There was something about her blonde curls and sweet sad expression that drew the men to her like bees to an especially fragrant flower. Isabel was polite to them all, but she danced with them at a proper distance, her whole body saying: I’m not available.

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