Disclaimer: I don't own anything from MASH, no matter how much I would
love too, I don't so please don't sue me!
Introduction: What happens when Trapper meet's BJ for the first time at a Medical Conference?
It has been three years since I have come home from the Korean War, but the war has only been over for one year. A lot has happened in those three years. I go through my dresser drawers, and pull out what I am going to be wearing at the Surgical Conference, which is held this year in Sunny Miami Florida. "Louise? Have you seen my blue short sleeved shirt?" I call to my wife.
"It's down here, I just washed it." She calls back.
"Thanks." I say to her, about to walk downstairs to retrieve it, but I hear the phone ring. I sigh and pick up the receiver, "Hello?"
"Hey Trapp." I hear the familiar voice of Hawkeye Pierce on the other line.
"Hey Hawk. How's it going?" I ask him, folding a pair of pants and placing them into the open suitcase on my bed.
"Good, how about you?" He asks.
"I'm fine, just packing for the conference." I reply to him.
"I wish I could go." He says, sighing. "I would love to get away from the cold and head somewhere warm for a few days."
"I wish you could have come too." I reply. We haven't really seen each other in a while, but we keep in touch over the phone. Usually we try to visit every couple of months, but the winter is a tough time with the girls being in school.
"How's everyone doing?" Hawk asks me
"They are doing great. How's Victoria doing?" I ask him. She was the flavor of the month, but this one has lasted about 6 months long.
"She's doing well thanks. She is the reason I couldn't go to the conference in the first place. I have to head down to her folks place for the weekend." He says.
"Sounds like loads of fun." I reply, in a sarcastic manor.
"Yeah. I can't wait." He says laughing. "How's Houlihan doing?" He asked me. Hotlips and I work in the same hospital. She is still a damn good nurse, just as good as when she came back from Korea. I almost died when I saw her name on my list of interviewers for the Head Nurse position, and of course she got the position. Maybe I was bias, but I really didn't care. She was a damn good nurse, and a great friend. "She's doing great. I haven't seen her in a day because she is on another shift, but I'll see her when I come home from the conference." I tell him.
"Good to know. Listen, do me a favor, look for BJ alright?" He says to me.
"BJ is going to be there?" I replied, as I heard my replacement's name.
"Yeah he is. Tell him I said hi." Hawkeye says.
"Yeah pal, alright." I reply as happy as I could. I have always felt a bit of jealousy towards BJ, and I am not sure why. I never met the guy, but just the thought of him made me angry.
"You two finally get a chance to meet." He said happily.
"Yeah," I replied through clenched teeth, "That will be great. I can't wait."
"Alright well Trap, I have to get going. I have to go pick up Victoria and start heading down to her parents."
"Alright Hawkeye." I reply to him. "I'll talk to you after the conference."
"Let me know about anything interesting that I missed." He says, before saying, "Talk to you later."
"Bye." I say, and hang up the receiver.
"Who was that honey?" Louise calls to me, causing me to jump a bit.
"You scared me." I said to her, before answering her question, "Hawkeye." I tell her.
"Oh how is he?"
"He is doing great. I'm a bit upset that he can't go to the conference, but he and Victoria are going to her parents."
"Wow, he must be pretty serious about this one." She says, smiling. She knows how Hawkeye is.
"Yeah, I guess so." I tell her, having trouble coming to terms that Hawkeye is not the womanizer he use to be. "She's a nice girl." I put in.
"I hope to meet her sometime." She says, folding up the blue shirt that I had asked for and placing it in the suitcase.
"Hey dad?" A voice calls from the door way.
"Yeah Becky?" I reply to her, she is now 9 years old.
"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" She asks.
"My plane leaves at 9am, so I have to be there by about 8:00."
"So you are leaving the house by about 7?"
"Yeah that sounds right." I say to her, smiling. She is not too keen on having me leave for long periods of time after me having to be gone almost a year and a half at Korea. "I'll be home on Monday though." I reassure her. She comes over and sits on my bed next to Lorraine. "What's your sister doing?" I ask her.
"Watching TV." She says. "Dad, what state are you going to?"
"Florida." I tell her. "Miami Florida."
"Is Uncle Hawkeye going?" My gosh that girl asks a lot of questions,
"No. He and Victoria are going to her parent's house for the weekend."
"Are you still going to have fun?" She asked.
"Of course I will." I say smiling.
"Not too much fun I hope." Louise says, smiling.
"Don't I always?" I smile at her.
The next day, I get up early and drive myself to the airport. The flight down was fine, no turbulence. I landed, grabbed my luggage and rented a car to take me to the hotel we would be holding the conference in.
"John!" I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and see that it is my old friend Don.
"Don!" I reply. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well! What about yourself?"
"Fine, thank you. Wife and kids doing well?"
"They are, and yours?"
"They are doing great." I say smiling. We were old friends from College. He and I were roommates for our first year. "It's been a while!" I say to him. He moved to California around 6 months ago, so the only time I saw him was if he was up visiting family or at conferences. We continue to talk and get up to the table and sign in. We were next door neighbors in the hotel.
"Anyone else from your hospital come?" He asked.
"Nope, not this time, it's just me."
"Is Hawkeye coming?"
"No, he and his new girlfriend are spending time with her parents." I say smirking.
"New girlfriend?" He asked.
"Yeah, her names Victoria. She is a nice girl. I have only met her once though. The have been together for 6 months, I think." I say trying to remember. He and Hawkeye know each other through a year of residency.
"Wow, for him that's forever." He says smiling.
"Yeah it is for him." I smile back. "What about you? Anyone come with you?"
"Yeah one Doctor. He should be on his way. He was in Korea also!" He says to me.
"Oh really? In a MASH?" I ask.
"I'm not sure, but I do know he was over there for around 2 years. I'll introduce you two later." He says, as we walk to our rooms.
"Sound's good." I say. It didn't dawn on me that it could have been none other than BJ Hunnicut though... I was soon to find that out. I walk into my room, and put down my suitcase, unpacking the little toiletries into the bathroom. There is then a knock at my door. I walk over to see Don standing at my door. "Hey." I say.
"Hey, you wanna go grab some lunch?" He asks me.
"Yeah sure, that sounds good." I reply grabbing my room key and following him downstairs. "So," I ask, "Where is this fellow Korean War draftee you have been talking about?" I ask.
"You'll get to meet him tonight for dinner. He had to make a call home to his wife and kid." He says taking a swig of his beer.
"Sounds good." I reply.
That afternoon the lectures began, and were uneventful as usual. The first one however was especially boring and I found myself wishing Hawkeye was there with me to keep me from falling asleep. That night, we had dinner in the hotel. I went up to my room to quickly change, and then I headed back down to met Don and a few other doctors for dinner.
"John, over here." Don called to me. I smile and walk over and have a seat. "I have to go find BJ. I'll be right back." Don said getting up.
"BJ?" I reply to him, but it was too late, he hadn't heard me. A few seconds later, Don was in tow with a young surgeon, around 33 or 34 years old, a year or two younger than me.
"I hear you were in Korea also?" He says smiling at me.
"Yeah, I was. In a MASH Unit for the first year of the war."
"Ah, I was at the end 2 years of the war." He says, then adds "In a MASH Unit also."
"I'm John, John McIntire." I say smiling and extending my hand.
"John McIntire?" The doctor asks, almost surprised. "The John McIntire? Trapper?"
"Yeah..." I say to him.
"From the 4077th?"
"That's me. You must be..." I begin, but am cut off.
"BJ Hunnicut. I replaced you after you left." He says smiling. Replaced... that word send a chill down my spine. "I'm glad I can finally put a name with a face." He said.
"Likewise." I spit out. "Hawkeye told me to say hello to you."
"Do you see much of him?" BJ asks smiling at the name of his friend.
"Yeah, usually once a month." I reply.
"I wish I could get out there more. We usually try for a few times a year."
"Yeah, I know its hard being so far away from one another." I say trying to be a friendly as I can.
"Yeah, living with people for over 2 years they kind of grow on you."
"Yeah." I reply.
Just then, Don cuts in, "So, you guys served together?"
"No." I tell him.
"I replaced him when he came stateside." BJ told him. There was that word again, replaced. Why does he keep saying that... why can't he just say 'I came after he left.' I know that it is practically the same thing, but it sounds a lot better.
"Oh, so you met the famous Benjamin Franklin Pierce." Don says smiling at BJ.
"Met him, knew him, lived with him, for about 2 years." He says, smiling. He turns his attention back to me, "Have you met his new girlfriend?" he asks me.
"Victoria?"
"Yeah."
"Once. She seems like a nice girl. She reminds me a little bit of Hotlips." I tell him. "Not the bossy part, but the good qualities, few there are." I smile, but don't get a rise from the young doctor.
"How is Margaret?" He asks me, putting strain on her name is if to remind me of it.
"She's fine." I say. "She is a great asset to the hospital." I tell him.
"She was a godsend in the Operating room." He says.
"She is a great nurse." I reply, and quickly add in, "Hotlips is a godsend to our hospital."
Almost mocking him, and using her nickname to irritate him. Christ I feel like a child. I don't care, there is something about him that I don't like. I quickly finish eating, and stand up, "I better get back to my room and call the family, before it's too late. I'll see you all later."
"See ya later John." Don calls.
"Good night Trapper." He says to me, as I walk away.
I don't know what it is about him, but I don't like him. There is just something about him and I can't put my finger on it. He didn't replace me on purpose! It was my time to leave. I was able to go home to my wife and kids! What is so horrible about that? I served my time. But why do I feel so horrible about leaving them. Why me instead of the other 2 surgeons who were there. Frank was there longer than Hawk and I, but he didn't get out till he went insane, and Hawk had to stay there the length of the war. BJ served longer than me, he served for less than two years, but I served just over one. Three years and the guilt still remain. I can't believe I am still thinking about the war! Its over! But BJ... he replaced me, and for that I just don't like him.
TBC...
Well, another beginning of a story... do you like it? Hate it? Just remember, please be kind! Please R&R too!
STARY
Introduction: What happens when Trapper meet's BJ for the first time at a Medical Conference?
It has been three years since I have come home from the Korean War, but the war has only been over for one year. A lot has happened in those three years. I go through my dresser drawers, and pull out what I am going to be wearing at the Surgical Conference, which is held this year in Sunny Miami Florida. "Louise? Have you seen my blue short sleeved shirt?" I call to my wife.
"It's down here, I just washed it." She calls back.
"Thanks." I say to her, about to walk downstairs to retrieve it, but I hear the phone ring. I sigh and pick up the receiver, "Hello?"
"Hey Trapp." I hear the familiar voice of Hawkeye Pierce on the other line.
"Hey Hawk. How's it going?" I ask him, folding a pair of pants and placing them into the open suitcase on my bed.
"Good, how about you?" He asks.
"I'm fine, just packing for the conference." I reply to him.
"I wish I could go." He says, sighing. "I would love to get away from the cold and head somewhere warm for a few days."
"I wish you could have come too." I reply. We haven't really seen each other in a while, but we keep in touch over the phone. Usually we try to visit every couple of months, but the winter is a tough time with the girls being in school.
"How's everyone doing?" Hawk asks me
"They are doing great. How's Victoria doing?" I ask him. She was the flavor of the month, but this one has lasted about 6 months long.
"She's doing well thanks. She is the reason I couldn't go to the conference in the first place. I have to head down to her folks place for the weekend." He says.
"Sounds like loads of fun." I reply, in a sarcastic manor.
"Yeah. I can't wait." He says laughing. "How's Houlihan doing?" He asked me. Hotlips and I work in the same hospital. She is still a damn good nurse, just as good as when she came back from Korea. I almost died when I saw her name on my list of interviewers for the Head Nurse position, and of course she got the position. Maybe I was bias, but I really didn't care. She was a damn good nurse, and a great friend. "She's doing great. I haven't seen her in a day because she is on another shift, but I'll see her when I come home from the conference." I tell him.
"Good to know. Listen, do me a favor, look for BJ alright?" He says to me.
"BJ is going to be there?" I replied, as I heard my replacement's name.
"Yeah he is. Tell him I said hi." Hawkeye says.
"Yeah pal, alright." I reply as happy as I could. I have always felt a bit of jealousy towards BJ, and I am not sure why. I never met the guy, but just the thought of him made me angry.
"You two finally get a chance to meet." He said happily.
"Yeah," I replied through clenched teeth, "That will be great. I can't wait."
"Alright well Trap, I have to get going. I have to go pick up Victoria and start heading down to her parents."
"Alright Hawkeye." I reply to him. "I'll talk to you after the conference."
"Let me know about anything interesting that I missed." He says, before saying, "Talk to you later."
"Bye." I say, and hang up the receiver.
"Who was that honey?" Louise calls to me, causing me to jump a bit.
"You scared me." I said to her, before answering her question, "Hawkeye." I tell her.
"Oh how is he?"
"He is doing great. I'm a bit upset that he can't go to the conference, but he and Victoria are going to her parents."
"Wow, he must be pretty serious about this one." She says, smiling. She knows how Hawkeye is.
"Yeah, I guess so." I tell her, having trouble coming to terms that Hawkeye is not the womanizer he use to be. "She's a nice girl." I put in.
"I hope to meet her sometime." She says, folding up the blue shirt that I had asked for and placing it in the suitcase.
"Hey dad?" A voice calls from the door way.
"Yeah Becky?" I reply to her, she is now 9 years old.
"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" She asks.
"My plane leaves at 9am, so I have to be there by about 8:00."
"So you are leaving the house by about 7?"
"Yeah that sounds right." I say to her, smiling. She is not too keen on having me leave for long periods of time after me having to be gone almost a year and a half at Korea. "I'll be home on Monday though." I reassure her. She comes over and sits on my bed next to Lorraine. "What's your sister doing?" I ask her.
"Watching TV." She says. "Dad, what state are you going to?"
"Florida." I tell her. "Miami Florida."
"Is Uncle Hawkeye going?" My gosh that girl asks a lot of questions,
"No. He and Victoria are going to her parent's house for the weekend."
"Are you still going to have fun?" She asked.
"Of course I will." I say smiling.
"Not too much fun I hope." Louise says, smiling.
"Don't I always?" I smile at her.
The next day, I get up early and drive myself to the airport. The flight down was fine, no turbulence. I landed, grabbed my luggage and rented a car to take me to the hotel we would be holding the conference in.
"John!" I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and see that it is my old friend Don.
"Don!" I reply. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well! What about yourself?"
"Fine, thank you. Wife and kids doing well?"
"They are, and yours?"
"They are doing great." I say smiling. We were old friends from College. He and I were roommates for our first year. "It's been a while!" I say to him. He moved to California around 6 months ago, so the only time I saw him was if he was up visiting family or at conferences. We continue to talk and get up to the table and sign in. We were next door neighbors in the hotel.
"Anyone else from your hospital come?" He asked.
"Nope, not this time, it's just me."
"Is Hawkeye coming?"
"No, he and his new girlfriend are spending time with her parents." I say smirking.
"New girlfriend?" He asked.
"Yeah, her names Victoria. She is a nice girl. I have only met her once though. The have been together for 6 months, I think." I say trying to remember. He and Hawkeye know each other through a year of residency.
"Wow, for him that's forever." He says smiling.
"Yeah it is for him." I smile back. "What about you? Anyone come with you?"
"Yeah one Doctor. He should be on his way. He was in Korea also!" He says to me.
"Oh really? In a MASH?" I ask.
"I'm not sure, but I do know he was over there for around 2 years. I'll introduce you two later." He says, as we walk to our rooms.
"Sound's good." I say. It didn't dawn on me that it could have been none other than BJ Hunnicut though... I was soon to find that out. I walk into my room, and put down my suitcase, unpacking the little toiletries into the bathroom. There is then a knock at my door. I walk over to see Don standing at my door. "Hey." I say.
"Hey, you wanna go grab some lunch?" He asks me.
"Yeah sure, that sounds good." I reply grabbing my room key and following him downstairs. "So," I ask, "Where is this fellow Korean War draftee you have been talking about?" I ask.
"You'll get to meet him tonight for dinner. He had to make a call home to his wife and kid." He says taking a swig of his beer.
"Sounds good." I reply.
That afternoon the lectures began, and were uneventful as usual. The first one however was especially boring and I found myself wishing Hawkeye was there with me to keep me from falling asleep. That night, we had dinner in the hotel. I went up to my room to quickly change, and then I headed back down to met Don and a few other doctors for dinner.
"John, over here." Don called to me. I smile and walk over and have a seat. "I have to go find BJ. I'll be right back." Don said getting up.
"BJ?" I reply to him, but it was too late, he hadn't heard me. A few seconds later, Don was in tow with a young surgeon, around 33 or 34 years old, a year or two younger than me.
"I hear you were in Korea also?" He says smiling at me.
"Yeah, I was. In a MASH Unit for the first year of the war."
"Ah, I was at the end 2 years of the war." He says, then adds "In a MASH Unit also."
"I'm John, John McIntire." I say smiling and extending my hand.
"John McIntire?" The doctor asks, almost surprised. "The John McIntire? Trapper?"
"Yeah..." I say to him.
"From the 4077th?"
"That's me. You must be..." I begin, but am cut off.
"BJ Hunnicut. I replaced you after you left." He says smiling. Replaced... that word send a chill down my spine. "I'm glad I can finally put a name with a face." He said.
"Likewise." I spit out. "Hawkeye told me to say hello to you."
"Do you see much of him?" BJ asks smiling at the name of his friend.
"Yeah, usually once a month." I reply.
"I wish I could get out there more. We usually try for a few times a year."
"Yeah, I know its hard being so far away from one another." I say trying to be a friendly as I can.
"Yeah, living with people for over 2 years they kind of grow on you."
"Yeah." I reply.
Just then, Don cuts in, "So, you guys served together?"
"No." I tell him.
"I replaced him when he came stateside." BJ told him. There was that word again, replaced. Why does he keep saying that... why can't he just say 'I came after he left.' I know that it is practically the same thing, but it sounds a lot better.
"Oh, so you met the famous Benjamin Franklin Pierce." Don says smiling at BJ.
"Met him, knew him, lived with him, for about 2 years." He says, smiling. He turns his attention back to me, "Have you met his new girlfriend?" he asks me.
"Victoria?"
"Yeah."
"Once. She seems like a nice girl. She reminds me a little bit of Hotlips." I tell him. "Not the bossy part, but the good qualities, few there are." I smile, but don't get a rise from the young doctor.
"How is Margaret?" He asks me, putting strain on her name is if to remind me of it.
"She's fine." I say. "She is a great asset to the hospital." I tell him.
"She was a godsend in the Operating room." He says.
"She is a great nurse." I reply, and quickly add in, "Hotlips is a godsend to our hospital."
Almost mocking him, and using her nickname to irritate him. Christ I feel like a child. I don't care, there is something about him that I don't like. I quickly finish eating, and stand up, "I better get back to my room and call the family, before it's too late. I'll see you all later."
"See ya later John." Don calls.
"Good night Trapper." He says to me, as I walk away.
I don't know what it is about him, but I don't like him. There is just something about him and I can't put my finger on it. He didn't replace me on purpose! It was my time to leave. I was able to go home to my wife and kids! What is so horrible about that? I served my time. But why do I feel so horrible about leaving them. Why me instead of the other 2 surgeons who were there. Frank was there longer than Hawk and I, but he didn't get out till he went insane, and Hawk had to stay there the length of the war. BJ served longer than me, he served for less than two years, but I served just over one. Three years and the guilt still remain. I can't believe I am still thinking about the war! Its over! But BJ... he replaced me, and for that I just don't like him.
TBC...
Well, another beginning of a story... do you like it? Hate it? Just remember, please be kind! Please R&R too!
STARY