24 IV FICTION CLASSICS

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We walked silently home each of us busy with his own thoughts. Where would it all lead?

Fall was coming and the weather was getting cooler. Bob appeared in his usual overall and checked “shirt”. At the bar he still wore the white pantsuit but now that he had learned to work more efficiently, so his motherin-law made him wear his white pinafore there, too.

I became busy with work for the airline and Bob spent more hours helping around his house as well as working at Doc's Bar. Mary continued in her duties at the airline and decided to create the Swifter Air Stage Society. It was her duty to promote culture in the community, she said and decided that the club would put on a play, a musical giving the club a chance to show off and offering real theatrical experience to everyone. The flight attendant class would help her with the costumes and the male members of the SASS would make the props and sets.

Swifter Air's president was afraid it was too much of an undertaking and that it would take too much time and energy away from the airline's business, but Ms. Mary insisted that with hard work and dedication work would get done and the play would be a success. "You never know," she said, "someone might get discovered."

As usual Bob pitched in and really worked hard. He was a good worker and always willing to cooperate. Of course Ms. Mary's supervision every night at home helped and Bob kept up with his jobs and his housework as well.

The Stage Society decided to follow Mary's suggestion and chose to produce "The Sound of Music." Everyone liked the familiar songs, but, there was a lot of hassle as to who would play what part. Nobody was anxious to play the part of the younger kids. But, eventually, parts were chosen.

One stewardess, who had an excellent voice was chosen for the starring role of Maria. Some others played the sisters. I was given the part of the oldest son and Dot of the second oldest girl, who was supposed to be fourteen. The oldest girl. . .who was "going on seventeen" in the play was Susan Hart, a very pretty

SUBSTITUTE DAUGHTER -25

girl with a perfect figure and beautiful long hair. She was a stewardess and part-time beautician at a local salon. I secretly had a crush on her when we were in high school. She had always refused a date with me but now that I was an old married man and fellow actor, we became friends.

Bob had no part but Ms. Mary said that he was to be an understudy and should attend every rehearsal. Of course, the men in my shop helped in making sets and due to Mary's enthusiasm we all got into the spirit bringing in support from students and other members of the community. Everyone wanted the play to be a success. It was our first one.

The girls were busy making the costumes. Even Mr. Welles, Swifter Air's president helped with publicity. It's amazing that all the work and preparations were done without work suffering at all.

Mary worked like a beaver in the office and at home. One evening I found Bob helping with the sewing at home and he seemed to be quite handy at it. He couldn't help blushing when I saw him in his pinafore using a needle so expertly. Another time I caught him as a model for one of the girl's costumes. He was standing in one of those sailor dresses the girls wear at the beginning of the play. Mary was kneeling in front of him pinning up the hem. He sure looked cute, almost as though the dress was made for him. This time Bob didn't even blush when I saw him. After all, he was doing it for the group.

Three weeks before our opening, disaster struck. Susan Hart suddenly decided to leave to work for Swifter's Los Angeles, California base. She was very sorry and apologized repeatedly, but had to leave within a week. We wondered what was going to happen now. Dot had thought, that maybe we should borrow a girl from outside the company to play the youngest girl and the one who had trained for that part could take over for Susan, but everyone agreed that it was a company project and that we should recast from within the group.

We had reckoned without considering Ms. Mary.