8Milt returned to Chicago from Rio by way of three connecting flights and two layovers. But he did get home, when most civilians lacking military priority or innovative war materiel or friends in high places were still cooling their heels in distant ports waiting for the Pacific airlift to wind down.
Let’s get a fix here. At this point, Milt had no idea how to make a ballpoint pen. He knew that stealing or otherwise infringing on Biro’s patent was a bad idea, especially considering the corporate clout of the other big players in the game. These were sure to be the established fountain-pen manufacturers — namely, Parker, Waterman, Schaeffer, and Eversharp.
But could those fat-cat companies move fast enough? Like Straus, Milt’s gut told him Christmas was the opportunity to be seized. But s
