Page 62 of Cocky Origins: May and Jerald Cocker

We stop walking immediately, turning with sunlight dappled on our faces from stretching oak trees overhead. It’s a lovely spring day, so nice in fact that we left our sweaters at home.

“He’s beyond excited. Seems to have a real aptitude for flying! Passed all the tests on the first round and everything! Some boys took them multiple times and never passed. Hank says the instruments just make sense to him!”

What a relief Hank finally wrote to her! We’re all relieved he’s alright, though we won’t dare speak of such things.

“Did he say anything else?” Lily asks.

“No, just that. Hank isn’t as talkative through a pen as he is in person, I guess.”

Grinning I tell her, “I wish Jerald could hear about it — he’d be so proud! But not surprised.”

On a laugh Lily agrees, “No, he’d say it was a given that his brother was the best!”

Sable excitedly throws her hand into our happy circle, “Remember at the fair when he knew exactly how to rile Hank up?”

Gertie reenacts it, making her voice, “Get a look at that carny, Hank! Are you going to let him be so smug?”

Our joyous memory disappears in an instant as an air-raid alarm turns our heads. They never happen after the final bell! All around the school, students and parents freeze.

One of the Sisters runs outside, habit floating behind outstretched arms. “F.D.R. is dead! The President has died!”

Word spreads faster than a marble thrown downhill, every single person present racing back for the official news report, vehicles abandoned in the middle of the road.

The Sisters hook the radio to our gymnasium speakers as we all pour in to hear that Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the beginning of his fourth term, so beloved that he’s the only President voted into office more than twice, has suffered a stroke and succumbed. With this he has left behind a citizenship who will miss him dearly.

As we listen, stunned, the parents whisper amongst themselves, “What happens now?” “The war is almost over, this shouldn’t change that.” “How can you be sure?” “The writing is on the wall! We’ve defeated Germany. It’s only a matter of time!” “Yes, but how tragic that FDR won’t be here to witness it!” “He raised us up from the Great Depression, and carried us through this miserable war!” “To not see the end is a tragedy indeed.” “We can only hope Truman doesn’t muck things up!” “That’s right. He’ll take over the Presidency now, won’t he?” “Handed over to that man!” “What do you have against the Vice President?” “Truman isn’t half the leader, that’s what! And at a time like this!”

The girls and I exit, our books held low as we walk the same path, only now with no words. We climb into Sable’s car, and Gertie is dropped off first.

Teary-eyed, she trudges into her house and disappears as we call out, “Bye Gert!” “Goodbye!” “We’ll see you tomorrow!”

I’m next.

There is a hollow feeling in my stomach, same as everybody’s. I climb out and rest one hand on the open window to say, “What if the war isn’t over? What if now it only gets worse? What if Jerald never comes home?”

Lily lays her hand on mine. “We will pray very hard for him!”

Sable leans over. “We sure will! Every morning and every night, for him and Hank!”

Wiping a tear, I walk to my house. “So long!”

“Bye May!” “So long, May!”

But the war does end, and soon.

Sixteen days after our beloved President dies, Italy’s fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, flees Milan, is captured and executed.

A mere two days after that, Hitler commits suicide. April 30th.

Germany surrenders on May 7th.

And in the beginning of August Truman proves that parent right as he gives the order to use something called an Atomic Bomb on Japan, and the entire world feels how terrible its nuclear effects are.

Some comment that it’s payback for bombing Pearl Harbor, but most do not agree. It was too severe. Japan was sure to surrender after Germany had.

Nobody knew how terrible those bombs actually were until after it was too late. A less emotional choice would have been made if only F.D.R. had still been alive to negotiate a surrender.

World War II is finally over. But I can’t help wondering what it was all for.

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