Zeke closed his eyes.

---

Artwork : This photo, originally taken by Esther Bubley in September 1943, was produced for the U.S. Office of War Information and is therefore in the public domain. It was retrieved from the Library of Congress.

Shouldering his sea bag, Navy seaman Zeke Pollard pushed through the double doors into the busy bus station and slumped onto a chair. He shook a Chesterfield from a crumpled pack, crimped one end, and lit the other. Four drags later he heard, “Bus number nine now boarding for Dallas!” Zeke stood, dropped the butt, and picked up his sea bag.

On board, he took a window seat near the rear. He pushed his white hat forward on his head, leaned back, and closed his eyes, hoping to catch some shut-eye.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?” It was an old lady.

“No, ma’am.”

“I believe I’ll sit here, then.” She stowed her packages under the seat. “Nice day, isn’t it?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I have a grandson in the Navy. His name’s Billy.”

“That’s nice.”

“You might know him.”

Pause.

“Does he smoke Lucky Strikes?” Zeke asked.

“Why yes, I think he does.”

“I may have met him aboard ship a couple years ago.”

Satisfied, the old lady smiled.

Zeke closed his eyes.