Gail left the sentence unfinished. Barbara got the message loud and clear: Gail had a good reason not to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary. What was hers?
A phone call shortly afterward made her ask that about herself again.
"Barbara? It's Jackie. Cochran. Remember me?"
Barbara had not seen or heard from her idol in over a year, although she followed her adventures in the newspapers.
"Of course! What are you doing now?"
"Something very exciting. It's a long story, but I'll make it short because I have to fly in a minute... Literally! Last June in New York, the Women Flyers of America held a rally at the Plaza Hotel. You may have heard about it."
Barbara had not but did not interrupt.
"They, we, are encouraging young women to learn to fly planes, to prepare for serving when our country enters the war in Europe. Mayor Jimmy Walker opened the meeting. You should have seen the turn-out. Hundreds of young women came... secretaries, teachers, nurses, you name it, they were there!
"Our membership vice-president, Genia Novak, the model, said, 'There are a lot of jobs we could do to release men to fight at the front... as mail pilots, pilots of passenger planes, air ambulance pilots. We could fly war planes fresh from the factories to military fields. When war comes, are we going to stay at home and knit mufflers like our mothers?'
"Would you believe five hundred women signed up to learn to fly?"
It was exciting, but where was this leading?, Barbara wondered. And what did it have to do with her?
"I've got to dash," Jackie said, " but wanted you to know this much... We're trying to get the army to let us organize a women's air auxiliary, like women pilots have in England. If and when, I hope you'll join us. Interested?"
Barbara did not have to think about it. "Interested!"
"Got to go!" Jackie said excitedly. "Back to you about this soon as..."
She was in such a hurry she didn't even finish her sentence, and Barbara heard a click in her ear.
Interested? Barbara asked herself. It may be the answer I've been waiting for!