Jane
A JT Story
Jean returned to Sharon after that Christmas of 1942, to live with her dad while JT would be overseas. Dad had moved into an apartment on Orchard Street. “Paul is coming to Camp Reynolds,” Dad said as he looked up from a letter written by his sister, Verna. Paul was her son who had joined the Army.
“I’ll be glad to see him,” Jean said as she made their lunch.
“Maybe you can invite Jane. We could meet at Regula’s for dinner.”
Regula’s sat on the corner of Dock and Orchard. Owned by Romanian immigrants, they served flavorful foods. Paul had heard of it, as many from Camp Reynolds took a bus there for a night off. He wanted to see his uncle, who had remained close to his Pittsburgh family. Dad helped his sisters often.
Jane had been friends since Jean lived on York Way. She lived on Prospect, on the corner of New Castle, only a few blocks from York Way. Jean stopped for her when they walked to high school. Jane hated to read. “Jean, tell me a book, I have to write a report.”
Jean loved to recall a book, so their way to school rode on a story. Maybe Captive Princess about Elizabeth the First or a classic they had to read for school Jean sped read and always had a new book in her mind. Jane used her shorthand to write the story, so she could type the report in school. Jean felt Jane loomed over her, as she was conscious of her lack of height. She called themselves, “Mutt and Jeff.”
They embarked on the business course in high school together. Jane’s mom had been abandoned by her husband. She raised Jane and her brother alone. So, like Jean, there could be no dream of college for these girls. Jane excelled in the business course. When the new radio station opened, she was soon picked to be a secretary there. Their senior year, Jane worked every afternoon at WPIC after her half day of high school classes.
Jean missed JT. Yet, she tried to make the best of being back home. Dad got her a job at the Westinghouse. She enjoyed being with her friends that were still in Sharon, like Jane. Jean was glad then to hear her cousin Paul would be around for a while.
The night came to meet at Regula’s. The trio of Dad, Jean and Jane entered the restaurant. Paul recognized his uncle and cousin with a wave but stood for the long-legged beauty. Dad silently grinned. He knew his sister’s son would find Jane attractive.
“This is Jean’s friend from high school, Jane,” Dad introduced the two. “Jane, this is my nephew, Paul.”
The new kids shook hands and Paul rushed around to pull out the chair for Jane. He hugged Jean, “Glad to see you. Congratulations on your marriage.”
Dad seated Jean. The hostess handed out the menus. Dad and Paul ordered beers. Jane and Jean ordered a pop. Paul talked to Dad about his mom and the goings on in Pittsburgh before he left there for boot camp, then on to Camp Reynolds. Dad deftly guided the conversation to Jane. She talked about the radio station and getting names into the studio. A lot of them came in conjunction with entertaining the troops at the camp, like Judy Garland.
By the time the dinner was over, Paul and Jane seemed smitten with each other. As they got up to leave, Paul said, “Next week, there’s a dance at the camp. Would you like to come with me? You, too, Jean.”
Jean shook her head. “No, I’ll probably be working. But I’m sure Jane can ask Delores, so she won’t have to go on the ride alone.”
“Jean, that’s a great idea.” She smiled, thinking she didn’t want to go too quickly, yet, with the war, romance couldn’t dawdle. Any day, this handsome soldier could be shipped out. Would he go to Europe or the Pacific? Camp Reynolds was midway between New York City and Chicago.
Jean felt ecstatic that her best friend really liked her cousin. It was a successful set up. Six weeks of a whirlwind romance before Paul would exit Camp Reynolds for Germany. They didn’t marry right then. Jane, who hated to write book reports, wrote letters every day to Paul. He wrote as often as he could. They would come in piles, sometimes.
Paul stayed in the Army, a career officer. They married and stayed married with two girls, with chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes, like their dad. Jane and Jean were best friends for life. Jane came often to check on her mom. The women went out to lunch. JT and Jean often visited the lady, who remained on the corner of Prospect and New Castle, long after the neighborhood was deemed safe. The envelopes with the distinct handwriting of Jane came from Florida often. When they were widows, Jean visited Jane in Florida. Then they had ailments they compared as they sat in the sun with cups of coffee before they dressed for the day. Always friends, Mutt and Jeff.