An Officer, A Form and A Stamp
She stood staring at the wall in front of her.
'Miss, you can't join the Army, let alone the Paratroopers. You're a girl.' The neat middle-aged man in front of her remarked. She could hear the smirk in his voice, and it made her blood boil.
'I'm glad you've noticed,' she spat back. 'But that's not about to stop me and neither are you. Sign the forms or you'll feel pain like you've never done before.' She gave the pompous fool a tight smile. Nobody was going to get in her way. This was her ticket out of this dump and some idiotic arse that followed the rules too well, was not going to stop her.
'Now now, Miss Derbyshire. No need to get aggressive. A bit feisty, aren't you? But threats are not getting you into the Paratroopers girly, so run along back to your cosy little kitchen,' he sniggered, brushing her carefully completed forms aside.
That was the last straw.
Spectators gasped in shock as the young woman launched herself across the desk, kicking his chair as she went, and knocked the Officer to the ground. Hauling him up by his collar, she slammed him against the wall she had earlier been inspecting and shoved her face in front of his. The man had an expression of shock etched upon his face, and a sheen of sweat ran down his forehead.
'So, as I was saying; I could break your nose, bet the wife wouldn't like that… or you could sign the Goddamn forms, and it'd be the last you hear from me.' The young woman spoke quietly, making her all the more menacing.
A resigned look spread across the Officer's face as he gave the girl a curt nod, whilst gesturing towards her forms that were now spread across the floor next to his desk.
'Good choice,' she murmured as she released him from her grip.
'I'm going to have to make a few adjustments to it though Miss, or you'll never even be considered.' He threw her a nervous glance, the confidence he flaunted earlier now gone.
'Do what you must, just get me in.'
She leaned over his shoulder, watching as he drew a line through the word 'female' and replaced it with 'male' in his neat scrawl. He then changed her name to 'Mr J Derbyshire.' After glancing over the rest of the form, he signed the bottom and stamped the administrator's box with 'approved' in bold red lettering.
The Officer looked up to see the strange young woman staring intently at the details on the page. On realizing that he had finished, she snapped out of her trance and stuck her hand out towards the confused man. On taking it, she pumped his hand up and down twice, before releasing. Turning on her heal, she marched towards the door. On reaching it she looked over and mouthed the words 'Thank you.' She received a respectful nod in return before pushing the doors to the outside world open.
She had done it.
She'd got through the first round of the fight.
She could be getting out of here at long last.
A squeal of joy pushed it's way through her lips and into the air around her.
The week that followed was pure torture. The waiting made her irritable to be around.
And then it came.
The letter that would change everything.
It read:
Dear Mr J Derbyshire
I would like to congratulate you on your successful application to serve in the United States of America's Armed Forces. You are to serve in the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne.
Training will commence on 1st July 1943 at Camp Toccoa in Georgia. You will need to arrange your own transportation. You are expected to be there at 0900 hours.
Serve your country well.
God bless America
Col. Sink
Gripping the letter to her chest, the girl cried out in relief and pure joy. She was going to get out of the rut in which she had been stuck in for the past few years. She was getting out of here. She was going to be the best, with the best. 1st June was a week away, and she could not wait for that week to end.
R&R's would be real nice, ta!
