On Wings of the Morning (8 page)

Mata took picture after picture. Finally Otto waved her off. “I’ve got spots in front of my eyes, Mata. I won’t be able to see to drive.”

“It’s just so exciting!” she exclaimed. “You must tell me all about it!”

“I’d better be going.”

“Have a wonderful time,” Maria told him.

“I’ll be late,” he said as he went out the door.

He set the throttle and spark on the old pickup and pulled the choke wire, turning the crank through a full revolution. The engine caught, and he jumped into the seat.

He drove quickly to Betty’s house, nervously thinking ahead to the dance. Would he be able to think of anything to talk about? Would he say the right things? The wrong things? C’mon, Kerchner, you’ve known Betty as long as you’ve been in school. Just act normal.

He pulled into the circular driveway and parked off to the side as Betty had told him to. He went to the front door and was greeted by the same maid. “Come in, Mr. Kerchner,” she told him. “Miss Ross is expecting you.”

She ushered Otto in to the living room and indicated he should take a seat. Otto sat expectantly on the edge of the couch, waiting for Betty to come into the room.

After a few minutes, she came down the stairs, wearing a green dress that matched the color of her car. Otto felt as if he couldn’t breathe as he stood up. Betty twirled around. “Do you like my dress, Otto? I decided not to wear the yellow one. I had it specially made to match the color of my car.”

Otto gulped once. Betty was transformed. She had her hair piled on her head in the latest style worn by movie stars and she smiled radiantly. “You look swell, Betty. Everyone will be looking at you at the dance.”

Betty laughed and took his hand. “We’re going to take some pictures first. I hope you don’t mind.” She led him into another large room which had floor-to-ceiling windows. Betty’s mother and father were waiting there. Her father shook Otto’s hand. He was holding a large complicated-looking camera like the ones the press used. “Good evening, Otto. It’s time for pictures!”

Betty’s mother smiled at him and Otto bowed to her slightly. “Good evening Mrs. Ross, Mr. Ross.” Her mother looked like an older version of Betty, which only made sense, Otto thought.

They stood in front of a fireplace on a back wall. “Move in closer,” Mr. Ross directed. “I don’t think you’ll bite each other.” They moved in closer; Otto put his arm around Betty’s shoulder and Betty put her arm around his waist. He felt faint.

The flash on the camera went off what seemed like dozens of times. Otto had blue patches in his vision from the bright light. Finally Mr. Ross waved at them. “I got some good shots. Now you two kids run along and have a good time.”

Betty went over and kissed her father and mother on the cheek. She came back to Otto and said, “Let’s go, shall we?” and offered him her arm.

Otto took it and they went out the main hall. The maid he had seen earlier stood along with a man who was evidently a butler. They wished them well as they walked by. “Good night, Sarah; good night, James; don’t wait up for us!” Betty laughed again.

They went over to Betty’s convertible. “I’ve left the top up so it won’t mess up my hair, but I’ll stop when we get close to the school and you can put it down. That way we can make a grand entrance.”

“That would be great, Betty,” Otto said. He opened the driver’s door and Betty slid into place. She started the car as Otto went around and climbed in the passenger seat. They pulled down the long driveway and turned onto the main road which led to the school. It wasn’t far, and as the moon hung low on the horizon, Otto looked over at Betty and thought how pretty she was. Soon school would be over and they wouldn’t see each other every day. He would have to think of a way to see her as much as he could. Maybe he could visit the bank where she would be working as much as he could.

They drove through town and Betty started to turn in at the high school. She had told Otto she had been at the school all day, decorating the gym for the dance. The theme was “Once Upon a Dream,” and the decorations featured white clouds and ideal landscapes. Betty pulled over before she got to the parking lot. “We can put the top down here. Would you get out and do that? Just undo these two latches and pull up and back. It folds into the little compartment you see and then the cover snaps over it.”

Otto jumped out and folded the top back and secured it. He climbed back into his seat and looked at Betty. “Ready?” she smiled at him.

“I’m ready,” he said.

“Let’s do it, then,” and she moved the car toward the parking lot.

A number of couples were gathered around the entrance to the gym to watch others come in. Betty caused quite a stir when she swept up to the curb in the green Packard with her gold hair shining. Otto felt proud to be sitting beside her.

She stopped the car and Otto jumped out to come around and open her door. She eased out gracefully, curtseying to him. “Thank you, kind sir,” she murmured.

“Think nothing of it, ma’am,” Otto returned, and they both laughed. He offered his arm and they went in to the prom.

The dance was well underway, awash with couples. Betty took Otto by the hand and led him to the dance floor. The small orchestra the senior class had hired from Madison swung into “In the Mood,” and Betty and Otto were soon moving to the rhythms of the song. The band next moved into “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.” They moved close together and glided around the floor. Otto was glad they had practiced. He sang along with the lyrics,

They said some day you'll find

All who love are blind

When your heart’s on fire, you must realize

Smoke gets in your eyes.

Betty laughed quietly at the end of the verse. Otto looked at her. “What’s so funny?”

“You!”

“Me?” He smiled at her and she smiled back.

“Yes, dear Otto, I have to say that you dance better than you sing.”

Otto knew it was true so he didn’t object. “All right, then, no more singing.”

They danced on through the evening until it came time for the last tune. The band played “The Party’s Over,” which the female vocalist sang, and then the chaperones turned up the lights. The prom was over. Couples made their way to the doors and spilled in the parking lot. They got into their cars and most drove off. Otto and Betty sat in the Packard for a moment.

“I don’t want to go home, Otto,” she said. “Let’s go someplace.”

“That’s a swell idea, Betty. Where would you like to go?”

She chewed her lip for an instant. “How about Spencer’s?” That was the all-night diner that the kids liked to frequent. They knew they would know plenty of people there.

“Good idea,” Otto said. “Let’s go.”

Betty started the engine, put the car into gear and they were off. Spencer’s was at the other end of the main street through town and they followed what seemed to be a parade of cars headed in the same direction.

Spencer’s lot was filled with cars and young people from the prom standing and talking with each other. Some of them were making their way into the diner, which seemed to be almost filled to capacity. Betty seemed to greet everyone in the parking lot. They finally pushed through the door to the diner and found a couple of places at a corner table. It looked like Spencer’s had put on extra waitresses in anticipation of the after-prom crush.

One came over to them. “Hi, Betty; hi, Otto. What can I get you to drink?”

“I’d like a Coke,” Betty said. Otto echoed her.

When the waitress had turned to go, Betty looked right at Otto. “So, we’re going to have some changes in our lives. I’ll be working at the bank and you’ll be farming and flying.”

“I really don’t want to be a farmer, but until something better comes along, I need to help out.”

“It’s the same way with me, but I’ll have fun getting to see people I know all day. I hope we can see each other.”

“I come into the bank from time to time—“

“No, I meant outside the bank. Like this. You know.”

“Gee, I’d like that, Betty.” The waitress brought their Cokes.

“What would you like to eat?”

“I’ll have the tuna salad on rye,” Betty told her, closing her menu.

“And I’d like a cheeseburger,” Otto said.

“You got it,” said the waitress, taking their menus.

Remember, I want you to take me flying. Could you do that?”

“Well, sure. I don’t have that many hours…”

“I just know you’re a good pilot and I’d love to see what it’s like to soar like the birds.”

“It’s pretty amazing. Let’s do that. I’ll let you know a good time.”

“That would be great, Otto. Thank you.”

They ate their food in silence and then climbed into Betty’s car and rolled back through town to her house. The lights were still on. “Mom and Dad are still up. Would you like to come in?”

“I’d better get going. Cows don’t go to prom so they’ll be up at the usual time. Thanks for going with me this evening.”

“It was wonderful,” Betty told him as they got out of the Packard. Otto walked with her to her door. He stuck out his hand.

“Well, good night,” he said.

“Oh, Otto,” Betty exclaimed, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips. Otto stood there for a moment.

“Thank you, Betty.” She laughed, squeezed his arm and slipped in the door. Otto stood there for a moment, remembering the touch of her lips on his. What did that mean? Probably nothing. Just gratitude. He went over to the pickup, started it and drove back through town. The moon shone on newly planted fields, and Otto found himself singing over the noise of the engine.

Blue moon, you left me standing alone

Without a dream in my heart

Without a love of my own…

This was going to be a good summer indeed.

“Otto! Kommen Sie! Ve are going to inspect the fence.”

Otto sighed and turned over in his bed from the book he was reading about a new bomber the Army had developed. It had four engines and was made by Boeing. The article called it the Flying Fortress because it was so heavily armed. Wouldn’t he love to fly one of those one day? But he would probably never have the chance. He rose heavily from his bed and went into the kitchen. Papa was drinking the last of his coffee.

There was much that Otto hated about farming, but probably he hated “inspecting” and fixing the fence around their property the most. It meant trailing behind Papa looking for breaks or sags and then mending them. He had to carry the roll of barbed wire, the stretcher bar, a hammer and some staples. He went to the barn and got the equipment, grabbed one of the empty feed bags lying around, put the tools and material into the bag and slung it over his shoulder. The bag was heavy and the day was hot already. They would be out all day with a break for lunch.

They started with the section next to the house. One part had a staple pulled out of the locust fence post. That was easy to fix. Otto rummaged around in the bag and took out the hammer and a staple. He hammered it home, placing the staple so it secured the length of wire. He dropped the hammer back into the bag, shouldered it again, and followed Hans down the line. Once Papa saw what was wrong with the fence, he kept walking, leaving Otto to run to catch up.

“Papa, can’t you stop and wait while I do the repair? That way I won’t have to run to catch up with you.”

“Nein,” Papa said. “Ve must keep moving or ve will not finish. Then the cows will be in the corn and Herr Smith will not be happy with us.” The Smiths had the farm next door and they were not very good neighbors, always complaining about the condition of the fence and any cows that got over. It happened from time to time, and Hans always paid for damages, but it was always an unpleasant situation.

Otto’s nemesis from high school was the youngest son of the family. He had dropped out his sophomore year and spent his time hanging around the pool hall in town. He had committed a few small burglaries, but the sheriff always released him to his family. He said he would put him in jail the next time. Talk around town was that would be a good idea. Steve was a foul-tempered troublemaker and most people avoided him except for his pool hall cronies. Otto had not seen him since their run-in freshman year. It was just as well.

Otto and Hans followed the fence line all day, stopping only for lunch when they came around to the back acres where they could walk across the field to the house. Mata and Maria had lunch ready for them, and then they were off again, picking up where they had left off.

They found a couple of breaks and repaired them and replaced a post that had rotted and broken off. As the sun lowered toward the horizon they finished their survey and repair and walked wearily back to the house. The women had supper ready, and they ate quietly. Otto went to his bedroom and picked up his Fortress book. He soon fell asleep, dreaming of being at the controls of the big bomber.

***

A week later, Otto and Hans were painting the barn. A large black Ford sedan turned into the driveway. Otto recognized the occupants of the car first. It was the Smiths, the male relatives, all eight of them, and Otto didn’t think they had come to pay a social visit. He touched Hans on the arm, who straightened up from where he had been painting some of the lower boards.

The Ford braked to a stop and the Smiths climbed out. John Smith, the patriarch of the family, strode over to Hans and Otto. He grew corn, and a couple of times in the past, Hans’ cows had gotten through the fence and eaten some of Smith’s corn.

Smith stopped five feet short of where Hans stood. His sons crowded around behind him. They all had serious looks. Steve glared at Otto. Otto looked back at him, expressionless.