A ROMANTIC  INTERLUDE 

 When I was nineteen I took a fast train from Pittsburgh to Baltimore to visit my father.  This fast train made very few stops and included a diner car where I planned to eat lunch.

Wearing my favorite outfit, a grey wool flannel suit, with a Chanel type jacket in gray and gold, over it I wore a long gold corduroy rain coat with a tie belt. My high heels were gray flannel with black leather trim. My purse matched and I wore a matching gold cap. I was carrying my square green Samsonite cosmetic case. You know, the one with a mirror glued on the inside of the lid.

I boarded the train and passed through the reserved car to the second car where I would sit. On my way through there were seated four or five Army Officers so I averted my eyes as I passed through like a nice girl would.

I had packed a book to read, but really wanted to see the scenery as we passed through places I had never been and eat in the dining car like in the movies.

I had no sooner settled when a Lieutenant came into the car and asked to sit with me. So I said OK. He questioned me, did I have a boyfriend? Yes, I said and was probably getting engaged at Christmas. He said he had a girlfriend in Pittsburgh, where he was from.

He told me he was a pilot and that I had probably noticed that he wasn’t wearing his wings. I hadn’t noticed. He then said that he and his friends were on the train because they were given special leave to attend the funeral of another pilot who had died in a plane crash and he had thrown his wings into his buddy’s grave. What a sad story.

He talked to me on and on, I really hoped he’d go away. The train trip was to be six hours or more long. The conductor announced the dining car was open. I said I wasn’t hungry hoping he would leave to eat, so I could go later. He stayed.

There went my opportunity to eat in a dining car. I didn’t get to look out the window or read my book. I really needed to go to the bathroom but was too shy to say so, so I sat there in misery.

He asked for my phone number, in case his romance or mine floundered, which I gave him.

When I got off the train in Baltimore, my Father was waiting on the platform. The officer got off to say goodbye.  I introduced him to my Father, they shook hands, I shook his hand and said goodbye. His friends were all watching out the window.

I told my Dad I didn’t know what that was all about and that I really needed to go to the bathroom. My Dad said I’ll tell you what that was about. He had made a bet with his friends that he would get to kiss you. He lost the bet.

The next day I woke up with a severe case of the hives. The only time I ever had them.

He also never called.