For the Respect
Note and Disclaimer: Nope, M*A*S*H will never be mine. This is dedicated to Mistress Twist, who gave me the idea for the story. Enjoy!
Like I said before, there are many nurses that I adored. I covered my favorite one. Did I tell you about another sweetie? I mean, there was a few I would call that. This one makes me sad though because there were so many chances for her, but none were to be had. That's only part of the tale.
Lieutenant Ginger Bayliss had a tough life. Born in Louisiana, she dealt racism more than her male counterpart, Spearchucker Jones, did. Her father ran the only general store in town for blacks. Her mother did the laundry for the old plantation owners outside of New Orleans. She grew up with her many siblings, sharing the same three rooms in a rundown house at the edge of town, and feared stepping out of line. She lost a brother and two sisters to lynching.
All Ginger ever wanted was respect. She had no problem with black people. Otherwise, she was heckled, harassed and catcalled. She was a beautiful black woman, you see, and white men loved her and claim that she was seducing them. She endured rocks being thrown at her, people lassoing her with a noose and even being dragged across the street by her feet. It was a sad life.
Yet, Ginger persisted and endured the abuse. Secretly, she held onto the dream that there would be respect for all people. She just had to keep this alive in her heart, nursing it through the heartbreak and victories. At least she was able to rise above her troubles. Along with her sister and a few brothers, they managed to escape north to complete their education. They never looked back.
Ginger completed her nursing courses just after the Second World War. With so little hospitals, offices and clinics accepting her as a nurse, she decided that the Army was her only choice. Even though she was segregated, she still felt as if she was earning that respect. Nobody was deliberately hurting her.
When the Korean War came, Ginger was not ready for the changes that challenged that anchor of respect. Suddenly, she was thrust into an environment quite different than what she was used to. Instead of remaining with her unit, she was transferred to another, where people of all color served in the same place. She was incredulous. Not only did most of the people not care who she was, but they also respected her. That was something totally new and exciting.
Now, Ginger expected nothing more and nothing less. She experienced a few that did not care for her. She dealt with them swiftly. She could not do much for Frank and Margaret, the two Regular Army personnel in the camp. One was the camp tattler and the other her direct boss and both always made her cry. There was no respect from them.
Another memorable event at her tenure was dealing with a racist patient, Sergeant Condon. She recalled that he asked for the right colored blood. This prompted Trapper and Hawkeye to play a prank on him…and they brought Ginger into their plan. It changed Condon though. She demanded her respect and held her ground and he earned it in the end. All it took was realizing that color did not matter. The human spirit did.
Ginger also had a sweetheart. While many tried taking her heart, it was Spearchucker Jones that managed to grab it. The two always danced together when it was Happy Hour. They spent nights playing poker and using their clothes for the bets. It was a wonderful experience as she saw it. For the first time in a long time, Ginger found herself respected and, best of all, loved. There was no shaking off that feeling. Respect was always in sight.
Good things always came to an end. Spearchucker was transferred to the 121st Evac. Ginger was heartbroken. They promised to exchange letters and parted, knowing that they would never see each other again. War has a crazy way of doing that. I mean, it allows the short, sweet time to enjoy life, but it also takes it away just as swiftly. There was no hope for the two lovebirds.
In the spring of 1951, Frank had enough of Ginger and complained enough that General Barker went over Henry Blake's head and had her transferred. Ginger hoped that it would be with Spearchucker. She was close to being discharged. She had done her time and hoped the transition to civilian would be smooth. She had plans and wanted them implemented when she returned to Louisiana. She wanted nothing more than to teach people that all deserved respect. It got her through the war and she needed it for home.
Instead, Ginger was sent to an aide station because of a shortage of medical personnel. It was only supposed to be for a short time. She told herself constantly that it was temporary and that she would be home soon. She was going to make changes and not hide in the north. But that was her final thought. Enemy fire managed to reach her little hut…and they bombed it. There were no survivors.
I am Death though…and there is always a way to me. Ginger Bayliss did not have a life after the war. She chose to hold onto respect. Her desire was nothing more than courageous. She sought to change what nobody else would and was amazed to have different people show her the same. Now, she was going home in pieces. Her dream will live on though and many more will die afterward.