Page 15 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

We find the others in the living room, a platter of neatly cut sandwich triangles between them on an otherwise empty coffee table.

My brother’s still on the arm of Gertie’s chair, only now his hand is on her back as he talks to the group. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to travel more. We’ve done some traveling, mostly to D.C., of course. But I can’t wait for school to end so I can join the Navy, too. See the world!” At Sable motioning to the sandwiches, he reaches long and selects one that might be ham. Taking the flask from his deep pocket, he hands it to Peter who offers it to Lily first.

“Gin?”

Her face scrunches, and Sable tells him, “Lily doesn’t drink. I’ll have some!”

He watches her snatch it from his hands and take a sip.

Hank asks with his mouthful, “Who else feels school is a waste of time when everyone’s fighting a war?”

Marvin raises his hand. As does Peter. And May surprises us all by raising hers. Her three friends didn’t.

Lily smiles, “You too, May?” and pats the sofa cushion beside her, scooting over to make room. “I was going to raise my hand, but I wasn’t sure if one of those industrial jobs counts.”

Sable hands the flask to Peter, picks up the platter and walks it around to everyone since they’re not eating fast enough for her liking. “It sure counts in my book. I’ve seen them on the news. Annabelle, who lives two doors down, she comes back with dirt under her nails every day. Those women work just as hard as the men did in those jobs. Did you know she had to cut those long fingernails on account of they’re a hazard?”

Peter teases her, “Cutting your nails isn’t hard work.”

Sable argues, “Peter Thomas Tuck! She cuts them to avoid dangerous situations. They have to wear headscarves not for fashion, but so their hair doesn’t get caught in the machines when they’re leaning in with all the intricate…” Flustered by his smile, she realizes, “You think it’s so easy to get a rise out of me!”

“I do.”

Lily breaks off a corner of her sandwich. “I quite like the way they look, and those coveralls! There’s something very feminine about a woman in a man’s work clothes.”

I haven’t lost sight of May’s answer. “May, why did you raise your hand?”

She blushes at the attention being drawn back to her so suddenly. Perhaps it was my tone. I hadn’t meant to sound so serious when the conversation was quite the opposite, but I’m not like these kids anymore. And seeing them so lighthearted only rings that more true.

Everyone turns their concentration to her, chewing what’s left of their sandwiches and grabbing another as they listen.

“Well I,” she begins, “I don’t know that I would want to be in a factory. I mean to say, I wouldn’t mind. Mother wishes she could go, and I listen to her friends tell their stories. I understand the appeal, I do! But I saw on the news a little something about women air pilots. WASPS, I think they called them.” Surprised reactions all around except from me and my brother.

Since Hank is the more gregarious of us two, he interjects, “Isn’t that something? They fly supplies back-and-forth.”

Sable worries, “Over battlegrounds? Where there’s shooting?”

“They aren’t in combat, but they do fly bullets by the caseloads!”

“Just them in a plane with boxes of bullets? Holy hell, no sir!”

Lily glances to Peter by her side. “Leave it to Sable to worry about women she never met flying planes she will never see, enough to make her swear in front of company.”

“I just think it would be swell to learn how to fly.” Everyone looks at May because her quiet voice has awe in it. “Just think, it hasn’t been that long since the flying machines were invented, yet now everybody has an opportunity to be a pilot. Just imagine being up where the birds are, and how small the world must look when you’re way up there. To see a cloud up close, right here!” She holds a small hand in front of her pretty face. “It sure would put things in perspective.” Her gaze lands on me and I nod, hypnotized by her.

Life sure is a funny thing. I’ve got to leave on Monday, only the weekend left. And suddenly time is all I can think about, the lack of it, when before I couldn’t wait to return.

The telephone rings. Everyone jumps. Even me. Sable dashes to pick it up like the floorboards are on fire. “It’s Sister Charlotte!”

We exchange glances and Peter asks, “Why’d she take so long?” Lily hits him and they both turn around on the sofa to watch.

The only ones not watching Sable talk on the telephone now are May and I. We’re staring at each other and she looks as if she wishes we could run away from the world.

“Hello?” Pause. “Why yes, Mrs. Kearns, May is with me.” Longer pause. “No, there aren’t any boys here. You know me better than that! Why would you think so?” Longest pause yet. The group is frozen. May is holding her breath. “Sister Charlotte said she jumped in a car with the Cocker boys? Well, yes, they drove Gertie and May here because we didn’t have enough room in Marvin’s car, that’s all. But the moment they got here, I told them to leave straight away. They wanted to stay and kid around, but you know me, Mrs. Kearns! I wouldn’t have it. I get hives you know, when I do things my parents wouldn’t like!” Peter covers Lily’s mouth before her laughter causes trouble. “Alright. I’ll tell her.” The mouthpiece makes a racket as she sets it down on account of her hands are badly shaking.

Lily jumps off the couch and points. “I love you more than I ever have!”

Twisting around on the sofa, May grabs onto the back of it. “Gee Sable, I’m terribly sorry you had to go through all that for me. But I’m glad you did!”

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