When the Nightingale Sings by Suzanne Kelman

Author:Suzanne Kelman [Kelman, Suzanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Once the patent was finalized, they presented their invention to the National Inventors Council, who were impressed, and they encouraged them to submit it to the Navy.

So, one morning they found themselves waiting outside a very official-looking Navy building to present their idea to a group that oversaw the development of new technology.

Hedy wore a navy suit, hat, and white blouse, wanting to look as professional as possible, and George, who normally wore an open shirt and sneakers, was wearing a tie and had even bought a new suit for the occasion. As they waited outside the office, watching people come and go, Hedy felt she was on a different planet. Here the world of the war was everywhere, and everyone and everything had a mechanical precision to it. A tight-lipped secretary with hair scraped into a high bun had told them to wait, either not knowing who they were or not caring and definitely not giving them any kind of star treatment.

A buzzer sounded on the secretary’s desk. “You may go in, Mrs. Kiesler-Markey, Mr. Antheil. The commission will see you now.”

Hedy got to her feet, and, grasping copies of their patent and invention, she and George made their way through the door.

Inside was a large oval table. Around it sat a group of official-looking Navy personnel. The room was sterile and quiet as they made their way into the center of it, nothing but the sound of Hedy’s high-heeled leather shoes clipping on the highly polished floor to break the silence. She saw a couple of the men look her up and down with incredulity. She imagined that the two of them were an unusual sight within these walls, and tried not to feel intimidated.

If the commander at the head of the table was surprised to see what stood before him, he didn’t let it show, just introduced the members in the room to them both in a cool and polite manner.

“Mrs. Kiesler-Markey, Mr. Antheil. You have been recommended to us from the National Inventors Council, whom we have great respect for, especially Mr. Kettering. Why don’t you describe to us in your own words what you have invented and why you feel it may be of interest to the Navy.”

Hedy cleared her throat and affixed her best smile that usually won over a room, but was greeted by the now familiar chill and stern expressions as George handed out diagrams of their invention for the group to study. They had decided ahead of time to have her present it, as they hoped her movie star appeal might help their cause. But now, as she reflected on the less than friendly reception they’d received, she wondered if that had been the right call.

She had barely started to explain the principles of their design when the commander at the top of the table, who had looked over their proposal briefly, threw it back down and addressed Hedy. “You are not American, Mrs. Kiesler-Markey?”

This was the first time since she’d arrived in the U.

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