CHAPTER 1

Fraulein Helga knocked on the door the Colonel Klink's office. "Colonel Hogan wants to see you, sir."

As usual, Klink was too busy to be bothered, as he shuffled through a pile of paperwork. "Tell him I can't see him right now." But, as usual, Hogan was already in the room.

"Hey, Komandant!" Hogan greeted. "Glad to see you're already getting in that holiday spirit!"

"Hogan, I don't have time for this," replied Klink. "Besides, Christmas is not for another month."

"I'm not talking about Christmas!" Hogan answered, taking a seat on the corner of Klink's desk. "Thanksgiving is coming!"

"Thanks-who?" Klink asked, having never even heard of the American holiday. "What are you talking about? This is another excuse to beg me for an extra ration of butter, isn't it? Well, the answer is 'NO!'"

"It's Thanksgiving!" Hogan repeated. "The American holiday of thankfulness and giving, to celebrate the Pilgrims landing on Plymouth Rock."

"Well, I certainly have nothing to be thankful for," Klink replied, about to bury his nose in his paperwork again. "Least of all your pilgrimages to my office. And get off of my desk!" Klink shook his riding crop at Hogan.

Hogan eased off the desk. "You know Komandant, that is very right of you to believe that. And when the High Command finds out how ungrateful you are, they will send you straight to the Russian Front where you will only have to be thankful for waking up each morning. You think it's cold now? The Russian have an infinitely colder winter! The Reich has a strong army, but even the army is no match for the Russian winter."

Klink shivered unconsciously. "You're right, Hogan," Klink said sarcastically. "I should be thankful that they gave me command of a prison camp."

"Exactly!" Hogan agreed. "And even more than that, you should be thankful for your perfect record. After all, nobody escapes from Stalag 13! By the way, care for a drink?" Hogan asked, as he was already helping himself the Klink's schnapps.

"Sure, I guess," Klink acquiesced. "Hogan, why do I let do that all the time?"

"Because," replied Hogan as he filled a shot glass for Klink, "You're thankful for having me help you around here."

"You?" said Klink. "Helping me?"

"Absolutely!" Hogan handed Klink the shot. "Remember that time Burkhalter planted a spy here to discredit you?"

"Yes," Klink replied instantly, eying the whiskey in his shot glass.

"And the time," Hogan said, pausing to down his whiskey and refill, "the Gestapo tried to arrest you because they thought you were a spy?"

"Yes, I remember that!" Klink said thoughtfully, remembering how Hogan somehow convinced the Gestapo officers that the spy was in their own office.

"Well," said Hogan, "You should be thankful for that!" And he drained his second glass of schnapps.

"You know, Hogan," said Klink, "You have a very good point. But you are not smart enough to beat a real German mind. You see, I know you are up to something. So whatever your request is, my answer is 'NO!' Now, leave my office at once!"

"You're a very hard man, Komandant," Hogan accused, as he reluctantly shuffled out of the office. As he closed the door behind him, he saw Shultz coming up the steps with a large package. "Hey, Schultz! What's in the package?"

"Colonel Klink ordered a new pillow," said Schultz, "So I am bringing it up to him." Schultz said 'bringing' with extra emphasis on the 'br.'

"A new pillow?" asked Hogan. "Why does Klink need a new pillow?"

Schultz shrugged. "I never asked him." Schultz moved closer to Hogan and whispered, "But he said it was a special kind of pillow—a feather pillow!"

"A feather pillow?" said Hogan. "Wow! I bet he's going to be really comfortable tonight."

"Yeah," Schultz agreed, with a touch of disdain. "And nothing for the guards who do all the real work around here."

"Yeah," Hogan said with genuine sympathy. "I know how it is. The officers get all the good stuff, and the little guys get nothing. By the way," Hogan said, changing the subject, "Happy Thanksgiving!" He patted Schultz on the back, and disappeared down the steps.

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A/N: This is just the beginning. More reviews, more chapters.