MASH: Added Scene for War of Nerves
(Disclaimer: I own nothing from MASH but my sets of dvds and a copy of Gary Burghoff's autobiography).
This story is pure fluff and my first MASH story so please don't flame me. If there are any grammar or punctuation errors please let me know so I can fix them. Thank you.)
Radar sat alone behind the V.I.P. tent. This was one of the few places in the camp he could be alone but still within the confines of the minefield that protected them. Glancing around, he gently pulled out the mangled bundle of fur from under his jacket. He tried blinking back tears as his fingers rubbed at the torn fabric and stuffing sticking out. He shouldn't be crying...he wasn't a little kid anymore! It was just a stuffed toy...fake fur with plastic eyes and nose. There were some patches of fur so worn they would never fluff again but he'd had the bear for so long...
He'd had the bear since he was six. That had been a rough year on the farm for his mother and his Uncle Ed. The rains were too few that summer and there'd been barely enough to feed the animals that year. He remembered his uncle taking odd jobs around Ottumwa to supplement the income so they could purchase just the fewest basics. He remembered his mom thanking God a lot that year that they had the garden but even that hadn't done well with the dry weather, but she was also thankful for the chickens and their eggs. Radar didn't notice until years later that his plate was always full while his mom's and his uncle's had lighter portions.
Christmas came that year with a small tree cut from the property line of the farm. It was a small tree with dry needles but it still made the house smell like a forest. It mixed its smell with the chicken roasting in the old fashioned woodoven. He and his Uncle Ed had decorated the tree with strings of popcorn and green and red construction paper chains. His uncle had worked for a neighbor to earn a turkey for their Christmas dinner the next day.
Despite being so young, Radar had sensed the worry in his mother although she tried to hide it from him. He recalled tears in her eyes when he'd ask if she was alright. She would always smile for him and say things were fine.
Christmas eve came and he headed for his room as usual snuggling under the blanket with pictures of cowboys and Indians. But there was a gnawing in him and whispers from older kids in school that Santa wasn't coming this year...that there was no Santa. There were quite a few families hit hard that year with the lack of rain. Radar had wanted to ask his uncle about Santa but there hadn't been much time with the extra jobs and he himself had tried to help out as much as a six year old could. He'd used construction paper from school to make a card for his mom. The teacher had helped him to write Merry Christmas but had praised him for his fine drawing of flowers that he knew his mom liked best. He made a flower of bright colored construction paper for her and another card for his uncle. Radar wasn't very good at drawing reindeer but he was good with cows so he drew that for his uncle.
Early Christmas morning, Radar had been awakened by excited shouts from downstairs from his uncle telling him to come down quickly. He'd jumped out of bed so quickly, he'd tripped on the quilt but hurried to go down. He arrived in the living room to find his uncle pointing to a single brightly wrapped box under the tree.
"It's got your name on it, Walter," Uncle Ed had knelt to read the tag then handed it to the boy.
The child had just stared at it. There was his named spelled on it in writing he didn't recognize.
"But how..." he stammered as he took the box.
"Go on, open it," Ed smiled. "Seems Santa didn't forget you after all."
Excitedly, the wide eyed six year old tore off the wrapping, pretty gold with red ribbon. When he opened the box, he found himself staring into the bright eyes of a brand new brown and white teddy bear wearing a white bowtie.
Radar was startled from his memories by a gentle hand on his shoulder. He shook his head slightly as he peered up into Klinger's face.
"What do you want?" his voice was flat as he was still angry with Klinger for taking the bear. They'd fought over the toy in the mess tent in front of everyone else when Klinger tried using it in another of his schemes to get a section 8. The tug of war had resulted in the bear being torn and stuffing falling out. Klinger had never looked more sorry but Radar hadn't noticed. He had just stared for a moment at the bear before gathering the stuffing and hurrying out. He wasn't going to cry in front of everyone else.
"I wanted to apologize, kid," Klinger said as he sat beside his friend. It had taken almost an hour to find the younger man here. "I guess I didn't realize how upset you'd get."
"Well, I am," Radar said looking down at the bear.
Klinger sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, okay."
"Okay, now you said it. Could you please just leave me alone for awhile."
Klinger just sat beside his friend. He didn't recall ever seeing his friend so upset. He knew the bear meant a lot to him but not exactly why.
"I want to try making it up to you," said the displaced Ohio native.
"How?"
"Let me see him for a minute." Radar seemed to hug the toy even tighter. Klinger didn't see a young adult at that moment...he saw a little kid with his heart broken trying to be grown up.
"I think I can fix him for you," Klinger continued reaching for the bear. "You know I'm pretty good at sewing."
Radar hesitated for a moment. He thought Klinger sounded sincere and reluctantly handed him the toy. Klinger carefully examined the tear with the same scrutiny Hawkeye might give a wounded soldier.
"Listen, if you trust me, I can have him back to you by the end of the day."
"No more funny stuff with him?"
"No funny stuff. I promise I'll do my absolute best with him."
Radar hesitated a moment more before nodding.
(Here follows the rest of the episode War of Nerves. The next scene is after Radar has talked with Sydney Freeman but before he tosses his bugle on the bonfire).
Radar barely picked at his food through dinner. He could barely focus on his job. He became so distracted that Potter asked him several times if he were feeling alright. He'd replied he was just tired over the amount of work the past few days and just needed a good night's sleep. Potter repeatedly tried talking to him, as he could see something was upsetting the young corporal but finally gave up...Radar would talk to him whenever he was ready.
Radar had talked to Sydney about his relying on the bear so much...but felt better after talking to the doctor. Sydney reminded him alot of his Uncle Ed to which the head doctor had told him he was honored to be compared in such high esteem.
Finally Radar glanced up from his tray when he heard Klinger call his name. He jumped up like a wound up spring and hurried to follow his friend toward Klinger's tent. Inside Klinger handed him a wrapped up bundle.
"Thought I'd gift wrap him for you, kid," Klinger said as Radar undid the cloth bundle.
Radar couldn't believe it. The bear looked great. He ran a finger over the seam where the tear had been.
"I was able to fix the tear," Klinger explained. "Gave it triple stitching so it holds up. Plus I was able to fluff some of the fur. Some of it won't ever be good as new but I did my best. Even washed the bow and gave his eyes a shine."
"He...he looks great, Klinger," Radar was smiling again. "I can't even tell that he got torn up or nothing." He looked at his friend. "Look, I'm sorry I got so mad before, Klinger."
"That's okay, I shouldn't have taken it...him in the first place. I swear I won't do that again."
Radar nodded and set the bear under his arm. "I appreciate you fixing him like this, Klinger."
Radar then told Klinger of how he'd gotten the bear, told him about his Uncle Ed and the year he almost stopped believing in Santa.
(Well, that's it. I hope you enjoy this piece of fluff from two of my favorite MASH characters. If you read please leave a review. Thanks.)