August 30th 1929
"Look", said John (A/N: he goes by John since this is their freshman year of high school) as he held the football in front of his friend's face. "It's not that hard. I'll help you."
"Oh thank you kind-and handsome-stranger!" was his friend's reply. John rolled his eyes at Hawkeye's stupid grin. He walked around and put the football in Hawkeye's hand. Putting his hand over Hawkeye's, he pulled his arm back, ready to throw the ball. "Try not to make the ball all floppy as it goes through the air."
As he pushed Hawkeye's arm forward, Hawkeye let go of the ball, dropping to the ground. "Well, I think that went very well."
John couldn't help but laugh at Hawkeye's remark. "Look, I don't think I'm cut out for football, Johnny boy." Hawkeye said. "We don't have like, any classes together this year, so this is our only chance to be together!"
"You make it sound like we're girls. 'Oh! What ever will we do if we don't have a class together!' Can we not just go home now? We've been here for forever!" John smiled at how whiney his friend sounded. "Okay, we can go home now."
September 15th 1929
"Hawk, please! I need to pass this test!" John yelled as he chased Hawkeye down the sidewalk leaving the school. "No, and no again! I'm busy. I have other things to do and I'm sure you'll do fine without me"
"Hawk! Coach said if I don't make a good grade on this test, it won't just be one game; it'll be the season! Please, Hawk! You're my best friend and you always said you'd be here if I ever needed you. Here I am! I need you now!" John stopped running and threw his hands up in the air in a sign of helplessness. "Please…" Hawkeye stopped walking and turned to face his friend. "Fine. I'll do it. Not 'cause I want to, but 'cause you're my friend and I don't break promises." John ran and threw his arms around Hawkeye. "Awww, man! I knew you'd always be there for me!"
"Yeah, yeah. Just be prepared to study hard, Johnny boy."
You took my hand, you showed me how.
You promised me you'd be around.
Uh-huh. That's right.
I took your words and I believed
in everything you said to me.
Yeah-huh. That's right.
"Dr. McIntyre?" the young secretary stuck her head in the door to Trapper's office. He laughed at her shyness. "It's okay Miss Thompson, you don't have to be afraid of me." Her face turned red. "You have a letter…from the army." His smile turned into a deep frown. "Now what could they possibly want with me." He walked over to where Miss Thompson stood with her hand outstretched towards him. "It says it's from a Captain Hunnicutt, B.J."
"B.J.?"
"Yes sir. From a MASH unit."
"4077th?"
"Yes sir"
"Thank you, Miss Thompson." He took the letter, waited until she left, then sat on the corner of his desk and opened the letter.
"What?" his eyes were wide with disbelief. "That can't be right! No!" Miss Thompson knocked on his door. "Umm, are you alright, doctor?" she opened the door to find him pounding at the numbers on the phone. "If you don't stop, you might break the phone, doctor." Now she was getting scared. He looked up to she her standing at the door, face covered in worry. "Miss Thompson! I need the number of a Dr. Daniel Pierce in Crabapple Cove, Maine. It's urgent!"
"Oh, yes, of course!" and she rushed out of the office.
"Yes sir. Yes. He was. I know. I'm very sorry. He was a good guy, Mr. Pierce. Me too. Do you need any help with anything? I could come anytime you need me; remember that. Okay, sir. You too. Yes, goodbye." He hung up the phone, putting it back to the receiver slowly. He rubbed his hands over his face and sat down in his chair. When the door opened, he didn't even look up. "Doctor? Is everything alright?" when he looked up at Miss Thompson, she noticed the tears running down his face. "Dr. McIntyre, what's wrong? What's going on?" apparently, she was one who didn't like being left out very much. Swiping his sleeve across his face he spoke, "Oh, uh…I just got news that one of my friends-" he thought if he should explain the whole story to her. "-died." He finished solemnly. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, doctor. Maybe you should go home early today."
"Yeah, maybe I should…" 'What I should do,' he thought, 'is help Mr. Pierce. He said he didn't need help, but Hawk was an only child and his mother's dead. There's not really a lot of close relatives that are helping either.' He stood, grabbed his coat, and headed out the door. "Miss Thompson, I'm leaving now!" he called back to his secretary.