Barbara scratched the dog Scrub behind the ears and he made a sound like a cat purring. Then she gently shooed him outside and joined Leila on her hands and knees, giving the office floor a taste of Fels Naptha soap and scrub brushing like it never got before. While they worked at opposite ends of the room, they learned more about each other. Leila insisted Barbara go first.
"I'm awful sorry you didn't get to marry that nice man with all the sunshine," Leila said after Barbara told her a little about herself. "And I've known men like that pretty man who keeps bein' after you, and have dealt with them. But that other, with no face, would scare the bloomers off me, if I wore them, which I don't!" Leila laughed and then shivered, although the day was getting hotter as they scrubbed.
"I think I've escaped both of them, moving out here," Barbara said, then asked Leila to tell about herself.
"George and I met at an air show in San Diego five years ago and fell in love. Didn't marry until last year. I guess we both believe in trying shoes on before we buy them. He's a good man, a hard-working, decent man. Not only a whale of a mechanic, but he can fly a plane better than any man I know."
"Any man?"
"I'm pretty good up there myself, I don't mind saying."
Barbara stopped scrubbing. Her mind was racing ahead of the day.
"I'm going to put on air shows here. I've known I'll need another pilot. I can't put on dog fights with just one plane in the air. My partner's too lazy or drunk on beer, so I don't want him flying with me. George says he doesn't fly much anymore, and besides, he couldn't fly for me and work for Ken Knowland..."
"George's taught me everything he knows about flying in air shows and Flying Circuses," Leila said, not stopping her scrubbing.
"Do you fly in Ken Knowland's air shows?" Barbara asked.
Leila laughed ruefully. "He won't let any blacks fly in his shows. Not black men, so for sure not a black woman! He only hires George to work at his place because he's the best mechanic around here or anywhere, and he gets him cheap."
Barbara was sorry to hear how Knowland felt about black people. It didn't say much for his character, and she would have a hard time overlooking that. If ever he might become interested in her, or she in him. Both of which, at that moment, she doubted.