Miss Olivia de Havilland

Elizabeth N. Flores 

June 9, 2024

My Dear Children:

I know you heard countless times over the years

that Pop danced with Miss Olivia de Havilland

at a USO dance during WWII. 

I wish we had a photo of them smiling 

on the dance floor, or a napkin 

with her signature on it. 

Because I think you doubt that he danced 

with such a famous, beautiful star. 

I suspect you feel Pop made it all up just 

to make me happy, knowing she was 

my favorite actress then. 

Or if the truth was that no one danced 

with him, he didn’t want you to pity him.  

I know the story is true because when Pop and I talked privately 

about Miss de Havilland, he told me when she asked him 

about the war, all he wanted to talk about was me. 

His glamorous dance partner 

listened to his every word, 

and told him he was a lucky man. 

And when she saw tears in his eyes, 

she danced with him a second time, 

which the movie stars weren’t supposed to do.

He never wanted to tell you that he cried 

in front of Miss de Havilland. But trust me when 

I say that he would never lie to me about crying. 

So I tell you now, the story about Pop

dancing with Miss Olivia de Havilland–believe it.

Elizabeth N. Flores, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, taught for over 40 years at Del Mar College and was the college’s first Mexican American Studies Program Coordinator. Her poems have appeared in the Texas Poetry Assignment, Corpus Christi Writers (2022 and 2023 editions) anthologies edited by William Mays, the Mays Publishing Literary Magazine, and the Windward Review.