Sorry it took so long in getting a chapter up, I had some writer's block. I felt it was time to catch up with the 3rd swamp rat. I dont own M*A*SH, More at the end. Please read and review. And now on with the story:
Chapter Ten: A War Between the Winchesters
Timeline: October 5th, 1953
"When is this Winchestah going to actually start working?" said a hospital administrator to Dr. Robert Harwell. "I don't know when Dr. Winchestah is coming home from Korea Mrs. Parsons." Dr. Harwell, who was the CEO of Boston Mercy Hospital, said solemnly. "Well' Mrs. Parsons scoffed, 'he bettah hoory up because Dr. Torborg is not going to be waiting much longah." Said Mrs. Parsons and then she walked away. Dr. Harwell was already feeling the pressure from the staff of Boston Mercy Hospital. Even Dr. Torborg himself asked Dr. Harwell when Winchester was coming home a week prior to the conversation with Mrs. Parsons. Little did anyone know Winchester was on his way. He was just waiting for his discharge papers. On October 12th Dr. Torborg, who was the Chief administrative officer of Boston Mercy, told Dr. Harwell that it was time to look for somebody else since this Winchester character was not going to come to Boston Mercy after all. Dr. Harwell begged Doctor Torborg and their boss Dr. Fredrickson who was the President of Boston Mercy Hospital, to give Winchester a little more time. Dr. Fredrickson said "No, find somebody else that Boston Mahcy can't wait forevah for this Winchestah to come along."
Charles Emerson Winchester the third had gotten his okay to come home the morning that Doctor's Harwell, Torborg and Fredrickson spoke. The telegram arrived in Dr. Harwell's office while there meeting was taking place it read:
"To Dr. Robert Harwell {stop}
Boston Mercy Hospital {stop}
Boston, Massachusetts {stop}
Release from army coming on October 13th, will be in Boston by October 17th {stop}
Want to start work the following Monday {stop}
October 19th, 1953 {stop}
Thank you for waiting for me {stop}
Sincerely {stop}
Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester the third {stop}"
On October 17th Honoria met Charles at Logan International airport. She was so ready for her big brother to come home from the war as was the rest of the Winchester family. As Charles stepped off the plane and took a deep breath in the crisp fall air he thought of two things: One winter was going to come early and Two: he would be greeted by his mother and his father or by at least by Mr. Paul Hanson, the chauffeur that the Winchester's have had for 25 years. When his plane landed at 4:45 the sun was just about to disappear in the west and he could feel a chill coming in the air as he was coming down off the steps to the plane. Honoria saw her big brother thru the glass windows of the Boutwell Terminal Building at the airport, she had been anxiously waiting for his arrival even going to the airport 2 hours before he was to get to the airport. She was even told by her father do not get overly excited about Charles's arrival as that would not be dignified in their social class. But Honoria didn't care, she was bouncing off the walls and wanted to tell everyone that her big brother was coming home. When she saw Charles at the top of the steps of the plane she raced out to the tarmac and pushed her way to the velvet ropes on the tarmac, if she could have gone past the ropes she would have and even thought about doing it and sort of tackling her brother, until she saw the cop about 15 feet from her. "CHARLES, CHARLES, CHARLES" Honoria screamed at the top of her lungs, while waving her hands up in the air.
Charles stopped in the middle of the pavement and looked to see who was trying to get his attention, when he found the person yelling for him; his eyes bugged out of his head as he saw his sister in a floral print dress standing by herself clutching her purse between her knees and waving her arms madly. He could literally count the number of steps between him and her and he jogged over to his sister and gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. People thought that maybe they were together as a couple as they didn't look a lot alike. She took after their mother and he their father. "Honoria, what are you doing here?" Charles asked as he looked her up and down after the embrace between the brother and sister ended.
"M-m-mother and Fa-father c-c-could not co-come to pick y-y-you up and Mr. Pa-pa-Paul had the day off, a-a-a-after go-go-going to the hos-hos-hos-hospit-hospital l-l-l-l-l-last n-n-n-n-n-night." Honoria said. "Oh' Charles raised his eyes up 'Is Mr. Paul okay?" ask Charles. "Y-y-yes Ch-Charles he's f-f-fine. M-m-mother and fa-father are ex-ex-ex-ex-exci-excited a-a-ab-about yo-your re-return fro-from K-K-Ko-Kor-Korea and th-they can-cannot wa-wait f-f-for you to g-g-get ho-ho-home." Honoria said. Why did they not come to Logan to get me?" Charles asked. "B-b-b-b-b-be-be-be-bea-beca-because th-th-they are at h-h-home ge-ge-ge-get-get-getting read-ready for y-y-your We-welc-welcome home pa-party." Honoria sheepishly smiled as they walked to the end of the ropes together to go into the terminal building. She could never keep a secret even as a small child. "I thought I said that I did not want a party!" Charles Bellowed. "Y-y-you did, b-b-but your ge-ge-getting o-o-o-one a-a-an-anyway and th-th-that's n-n-not all. T-t-t-there's a new ex-ex-exhibition at the ins-ins-institute of c-c-contemporary art and a new play at the m-m-m-metropolitan th-theater and of c-course the s-s-symphony a-a-a-among other thing-things p-p-planned for your first we-week b-b-back in B-b-b-Boston." Honoria said as she smiled very wide. Charles groaned, "I don't know if I want to do all of this. Wait.' Charles stopped suddenly in the terminal building, Honoria looked at him confused. 'Who is going to drive us because you can't do it and I really shouldn't after the drinks I had while in the air." Charles said.
"Y-yes I can Charles, I got my li-li-license abo-about a y-y-year ago." Honoria said as she smiled very wide. "YOU? Really? I thought you said you didn't want to learn how." Charles said astonished as he picked up his suitcases from baggage claim. "I c-c-cha-chan-changed my mi-mind and it is as easy as Mr. Pa-Paul said it was go-going to be, he t-t-taught me how. C-c-come on let's go h-h-home." Honoria said as they walked out of the airport to get into the car, a brand new 1953 Buick Roadmaster Skylark in Sky Blue. Obviously his father's new car that Honoria used to pick up Charles as he thought about it "Y-y-you like her?" Honoria said as she smiled.
"It's a very nice car, father bought for himself." Charles said as he carefully put in his luggage in the trunk of the car, being mindful of the paint job and the yelling he got from when he accidently scoffed the paint job trying to load the luggage into his father's brand new 1927 Duesenberg Model A, when he was 10 years old. "It's m-m-mine. H-her na-name's S-s-sally" Honoria said. "YOURS!" Charles Bellowed. "Y-yes Ch-Charles, m-m-mine. Fa-father bought her last m-m-month f-f-for me, is-isn't she p-p-pr-pretty?" Honoria said as her smile got wider "I... I... I... don't believe it. He bought you a brand-new car, when he would not even fork over the money for me for a car at sixteen." Charles said astonished. "I am j-j-just th-that lu-lucky." Honoria said. Charles and Honoria climbed into the car and left for Beacon Hill. After Honoria made several aggressive moves, Charles cease talking to his sister and grabbed onto his seat in the car. She may have gotten her license but that didn't mean that she deserved it.
Later that evening Charles was in front of all the Winchester friends and family. Most congratulated him for coming home. Whenever Charles the second would hear of another congrats from a friend or a family member to Charles the third, Charles the second would interrupt and said, "Yes we are very happy to have our son home, as you are happy to see him home." This was the friendliest Charles the third had ever seen his father. Charles the second was always cold and aloof to his children, Charles had told Hawkeye once that "he and his father were 12,000 miles apart in the same room, he only had a father while Hawkeye had a dad." By Sunday morning at the First United Presbyterian Church In Cambridge, Massachusetts. Charles the second cold and aloof attitude returned of course he seemed friendly to his friends and the other church members but the minute that they left ear shot the attitude was back. Charles the third made it through his first day at Boston Mercy and had two-night rotations on Tuesday and Wednesday the 20th and 21st, which meant he was not home from the hospital until about 9pm both those evenings. On Thursday October 22nd, his mother Audrey had insisted that Charles come with them to the Institute of Contemporary Art to view the newest exhibit that the gala had.
Audrey was very much the opposite of Charles, both the second and the third. While both Charles were tall, lanky and heavy set. Audrey was slim and average size. Audrey was prim and proper while both Charles's had a bullish and stubborn streak in them. Charles the second was more bullish and stubborn compared to Charles the third. The only thing that Charles the third got from his mother physically was the shape and color of her eyes as well as the natural curls of her hair. She also did give him a compassion to be empathetic towards others such as David Sheridan, Private Palmer and his sister, Honoria are a few of the people that Charles had shown compassion for.
The exhibit had shown the usual paintings and sculptures from famous artists such as Milton Avery, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Robert William Addison to name a few. But when Charles turned into another gallery he caught sight from something he didn't want to see. Korea in Pictures was the title of the exhibit. The first picture he saw with a kneeling Chaplin making the sign of the cross as he was administering the last rites to a soldier that was wounded in combat while 4 other soldiers' look on bothered Charles somewhat. The next picture came into view with a couple of soldiers helping another soldier off the battlefield who was seriously distressed with 2 more soldiers were behind the trio of men 1 of them armed with a rifle looking for the enemy. What a waste Charles thought to himself. The one that bothered Charles the most was a picture of a Korean family who are refugee's looking at the ruins of their bombed-out home the scared look on the child's face told it all.
Suddenly Charles had a flash back to the 5 Chinese musicians that Winchester found in the closing days of the war and the distress that he was under when 1 of the men came back to the camp but was dead upon arrival to M*A*S*H 4077. "Oh my god" Charles said as he then bolted out of the art gallery. "Charles!" his mother hissed at him, but he didn't hear her. He ran down Newbury street turned left on Dartmouth street and ran down the six blocks to the park on the Charles river. Charles the 2nd and Audrey stayed at the art gallery while Honoria followed Charles but was a few block's behind him because she couldn't keep up in her low heel flat shoes she had on. She was scared he was going to do something drastic. When Honoria found him on the steps to the Charles River she asked, "Charles are you o-okay?" "No, Honoria I'm not okay" Charles said staring out into the river. "Do you w-w-w-want to t-talk a-about it?" Honoria asked. "No Honoria I do not want to talk about it." Charles said. "Do you m-mind th-that I sit w-w-with you?" Honoria asked. "No Honoria I do not mind that, please sit." Charles said as he scooted over to let her sit down. She may have not understood what Charles was going thru but at least she was there for him.
This scene repeated itself the next night at the Metropolitan Theatre production of "The Lark" which is the story of the trial, condemnation and execution of Joan of Arc. Charles left at the beginning of the second act when they were talking about war. This time he walked around New England Medical Center Hospital, Stopping to admire the new babies at the nursery. "Your Lucky you haven't experienced war, I hope you never do." Charles said quietly to the babies. "Sir visiting hooos are ovah." Said a nurse to him as he admired the babies for a little while longer. "Huh" Charles said startled. "L'uk I know yooo excited about yooo new baby but visiting hooos are ovah and the nooses in thahe need to close the shade to the noosahy." "I'm sorry I was just leaving, thank you madam." Charles said. Charles then made his way out to the street and slowly walked around the block a few times in the cool evening October air.
The worst flash back happened the next night at the symphony when the symphony started to play Mozart's Quintet in A major for Clarinet and Strings Charles walked out once they started to play the dreadful first movement, that Charles hated so much now. Charles the second was on the aisle, then Audrey was next to him followed by Honoria and then Charles the third. Within the first two notes the flash back started by 15 seconds into the piece Charles the third could not stand it any longer and moved to get up "Ch-Charles are you o-okay?" Honoria whispered to her brother. "No, Honoria I have to leave." Charles whispered to his sister as he climbed over top of her. "Do you wa-want me to c-come w-with you?" Honoria asked. "No, you stay, enjoy." Charles said as he was starting to climb over his mother. "Charles? What are you doing; sit down?" Audrey whispered to her son. "CHARLES EMERSON WINCHESTER THE THIRD, DO AS YOUR MOTHER SAYS AND SIT DOWN!" Charles the second growled through gritted teeth. "I am sorry, but I have to go." Charles whispered to his parents as he was climbing over his father. It was now a full minute into the piece as he made his way up the aisle. Charles the second and Audrey were both mortified at Charles the thirds behavior. This time Charles went for a walk; a long walk around the city of Boston.
At the end of the Symphony Charles the second, Audrey and Honoria went to look for Charles the third around the theatre. "He's not in the car and Mr. Paul said he hasn't seen him" Audrey said. "Well he is nowhere in the theater." Charles the second said. A-and h-he's n-not o-o-outside" Honoria said. "Well Let's go home no sense in us freezing outside in the drizzle. He will show up when he's hungry." Charles the second bellowed. While in the limo Audrey had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she felt guilty about the way that her son Charles was being treated by her husband and herself.
"Audrey are you okay you're not acting like yourself." Charles the second asked her upon him arriving in their bedroom to get himself ready for bed after his customary cigar and brandy that he had prior to bed each night. Audrey looked at herself in her vanity dresser mirror as she is brushing her hair, sighed and said; "I am worried about Charles, this is the third event that he has walked out on in the last 3 days and did you see him at his welcome home party he didn't seem like himself." "POPPYCOCK he's fine. He's just being a baby." Charles the second said while puffing out his chest. Audrey looked at herself in the mirror again wondering what happened to her son as she said, "I do not know something is really bugging him." "Audrey you are being too much like an overprotective mother. Charles is 36 years old, he is fine come to bed." Charles the second said as he laid his big meaty hands on his wife's slender shoulders. "I don't know something is wrong with him." Audrey said Charles the second took his hands off her and gave her a small kiss on the side of her face and said. "He's fine." Charles the second then went to go climb into the bed that was turned down by the housekeeping staff, earlier that evening. Audrey continued to stare in the mirror putting herself on trial for the behavior of herself and her husband. She sighed heavily, "Maybe he needs to see somebody." Audrey said. "POPPYCOCK he does not need to see anybody all of that is a bunch of baloney. People go to those doctors and for what? NOTHING IT'S JUST A WASTE OF MONEY. We are Winchesters we don't see PSYCHIATRISTS. Now I DEMAND that you come to bed" Charles the second said arrogantly. Audrey shook her head and said as she was getting her housecoat, "No, I think that I am going to wait up for him." "AUDREY BEATRIX TAYLOR WINCHESTER YOU WILL COME TO BED!" Charles the second demanded again as Audrey slammed the door to her and Charles the second's bedroom and went to go and sit down in the sitting room to wait for her son.
Upon her arrival at the bottom of the steps in the sitting room she noticed Honoria was in the sitting room in her robe reading her latest book, "A Kiss Before Dying" By Ira Levin. "I take it you are worried about Charles too; Honoria?" Audrey said. "Y-yes M-m-mother th-th-this is n-n-n-not l-l-l-like him. He w-w-won't te-te-tell me w-w-w-what's g-g-g-g-g-g-going on, I am s-s-s-scared for him, I h-h-have r-r-r-r-read the same s-s-s-s-sen-sentence s-s-s-several t-t-times and I c-c-can't m-m-make se-sense of it." Honoria said. Audrey sat down on the couch next Honoria and took her daughters head in her arms and said to her "We will get to the bottom of this." "I-I-I-I-I h-h-hope so m-m-mother." Honoria said as she started to cry.
Meanwhile Charles the third had decided that he was cold walking around Chinatown in Boston and decided to step into the Golden Nugget on 25th and Essex street. Smooth jazz was playing on the stage by an all-white band. As Charles looked around the bar most no all; of the bar patrons were white. "What do ya have?" asked the guy behind the bar in a very heavy and thick Boston accent. Charles figured this was the bartender. "Uh I'll have a cognac." Charles said. The bartender took one look at Charles, still in his tux and said, "What does this l'uk like a pompous bar we don't carry cognac." The bartender yelled. Charles sighed "How about a glass of red Bordeaux?" "Bordeaux? I don't carry French wine." The Bartender said. "Well, what do you have?" Charles sighed. "Well I have amahican beahs and Jim, Jack, Heaven Hill, and Rock Rye whiskey." The bartender said. "I will have a beer." Charles said. The Bartender gave Charles a beer that was on tap and kept the beer coming until it was closing time.
At 2 o clock in the morning on Sunday Charles arrived in front of his home at 14 Chestnut Street the sitting room light was on, but the two occupants were asleep while waiting for Charles. The staff of the Winchester's went to bed a few hours earlier. Audrey fell asleep at around 12:30 Honoria fell asleep quickly after. The door jiggled open and Honoria and Audrey where quickly aroused to a wobbling Charles waltzing thru the door. "Charles are you okay?" Audrey asked. "y-y-y-yeah i-i-i-I am f [hiccup] fune." Honoria took one sniff of Charles breath and she waved her hand in front of her face while saying "Wh-whew.. He-he-he's d-d-d-d-drunk!" "Bedtime Charles" Audrey said as she steered him towards the steps. "NO, NO we could [hiccup] use [hiccup] SOME MORE DRINKS [hiccup]." Charles said loudly as he started to get out of his mother's hands and head for the liquor cabinet in the library. "NO, it's bedtime" Audrey said as he and Honoria steered him towards the steps to go up to his room it took all of there might to get Charles's 299-pound 6-foot 10-inch frame up the stairs. Which was hard on both Audrey's 5-foot 2-inch 101-pound frame and Honoria's 5-foot 9-inch 126-pound frame. Mrs. Peters and Mr. Hanson came down from the servant's quarters to see if they could be of any assistance in helping Charles up the last few steps upstairs. "No need for assistance we have him." Audrey said as they reached the last 5 steps. "C-c-come on Ch-Ch-Charles move." Honoria said. "MOO" Charles the third bellowed.
The next morning Charles awoke with a bad hangover worse than anything that he had in Korea. "Come on Master Charles up and at them. It's a beautiful day." Mr. Paul Hanson said as he walked into Charles the third's bedroom. "UGH...GO AWAY RADAR." Charles moaned from his bed. Charles was forced to attend services that morning at church, Charles the third tried to back out of the service but was met with the brick wall of Charles the second. Charles the third had such a bad splitting headache that he would not get up to sing and he held his hands up to his ears to block out the pipe organ, as soon as church was over Charles the third bolted out of the church, not even staying for polite conversation. "What's wrong with your brother, Honoria?" Asked Mrs. Brown the preacher's wife. "H-h-he's not feeling well, and n-n-neither am I" Honoria said. "Oh, well I will pray for both of you." Mrs. Brown said as she parted the way for Honoria to make her way up the aisle to attend to herself and her brother. Charles the third slept the rest of the day away after they returned home from church that day.
Charles the third still had a tinge of a headache come Monday morning, miraculously he made it through his surgery's and rounds that day at Boston Mercy. That night was Bridge club Which Charles now loathed because it again brought back awful memories of Korea. On Tuesday evening was the reading club for Audrey and Honoria and the board meeting for Harvard University for both Charles. Again, Charles the second loathed the negative reactions that came out of Charles the third for the next 2 weeks.
On Monday November 9th at bridge club Charles the third was fighting the memories of the bridge tournament in Korea as well as other Korea memories he gulped and then said, "I'm sorry uh ladies and gentleman but I seem to be getting a tad ill, I think I'm going to go home." "Do you w-w-w-w-want me to c-c-come w-with y-y-you Charles?" Honoria asked. "No Honoria you stay I think it's because I am a bit over tired I am just going to go home and go to bed." Charles said firmly. "Oh o-okay." Honoria said. Charles told his parents the same line and Audrey asked if she should come. "Quit Mollycoddling him, Audrey." Charles the second bellowed.
When Charles arrived home, he made his way up to his room to read but was disturbed by the television that Colette Peters had on. Mrs. Peters was the head of the female household staff, as a housekeeper. She was an older short lady that was on the chunky side. Mrs. Peters had been a part of the Winchester family; since Charles was a boy. She raised Charles, Honoria and Timothy until Timothy died in 1922 as the nanny. When Honoria went to Rosemary Hall in Greenwich, Connecticut in the year of 1939, Mrs. Peters had gotten promoted. Charles was in his first year of Medical school, when she was promoted.
When Charles was thoroughly irritated by the noise coming from Mrs. Peters room, he went up to tell her to turn it down, but he got absorbed into Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, and he ended up sitting down on the couch in her room. At the end of the program. Arthur Godfrey said "Thanks ever so much folks" as he waved to the audience. "Well' Charles said as he got up and stretched his arms 'I better be getting to bed, I know Mother, father and Honoria will be home soon." "Goodnight Master Charles." Mrs. Peters said. "Good night Mrs. Peters" Charles replied. Then the famous Da- da- da- da- da- da- da-da came on. "Oh, I love Lucy. I love this show." Mrs. Peters said. Charles was intrigued by the music but stood by the door watching the tv until the first commercial break laughing at the jokes and the silliness that Lucy must go thru tell the truth, to win the 100-dollar bet between herself, Ricky, Fred and Ethel. During the first commercial break Charles rejoins Mrs. Peters on the couch near the end of the program after Lucy screams and then says to Ricky after hugging him "Ricky, Ricky, get me out of here! I don't know how to speak Italian! I'll pay the bet. I'll pay the bet." Charles hears his father, mother and Honoria come in through the door. During the closing credits of I Love Lucy, Mrs. Peters asks; " Pretty good isn't it." "yes, it's a very amusing they are very funny on the show." "Just you wait, The Red Button's Show is next, you'll love it."
"I'm going to check on Charles." Audrey said as she was excusing herself from the library and Charles the Second's Brandy and Cigar. "You need to quit mollycoddling him, he needs to grow up and be a man." After five minutes of Audrey looking for Charles the third, she saw her daughter. "I can not find him in his room or anywhere on the second floor." Audrey said. "Y-y-you d-d-don't th-think that he did not come h-home?" Honoria said with her eyes wide. "I don't know but I'm scared." Audrey said. "OH, POPPYCOCK he's home." Charles the second said. Honoria and Audrey both stared at Charles the second for almost a full minute before leaving. "I'll go and ch-ch-check the th-th-third and f-f-fourth floors and re ch-ch-check the second." And I will take the first floor, the basement and outside." Audrey said.
Honoria looked all over the second and the third floor she finally found him on the fourth floor in the servants' quarters with Mrs. Peters. "Ch-Charles ar-ar-are you a-a-a-a-alright?" Honoria asked. "Yes, Honoria I am fine, I couldn't sleep. Come, sit down and watch this, the show is very funny" Charles said as he scooted over on the couch. Red then said a funny line and Mrs. Peters and Charles laughed out loud, while Honoria chuckled. Soon Honoria got drawn into the program.
"Charles have you seen our children?" Audrey asked upon her return to the library. "No" Charles the second said. "first our son and now our daughter? Come on we must find them." Audrey said. While searching on the third floor Honoria laughed loudly at a line of Red's upon hearing her laugh Charles the second grumbled to Audrey, "They are upstairs." Audrey and Charles the second quietly climb the stairs to the fourth floor.
When Charles the second saw his children watch television he bellowed, "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" Charles the third, Honoria and Mrs. Peters all jumped. "F-F-F-Father?" Honoria stammered. Charles the second looked at Charles the third squarely in the eye before he bellowed again, "I THOUGHT YOU WERE SICK." "I was... I am feeling better." Charles the third said to his father. "I DON'T WANT YOU WATCHING THIS... THIS... THIS... UNINTELLIGENT... PASSING... FAD... OF... A... MACHINE!" Charles the second bellowed at his children. Charles the third hung his head like a whipped dog. "B-b-b-b-b-but F-f-f-father." Honoria said. "NO BUTS HONORIA GO TO BED! AND HOW DARE YOU IN YOUR LYING TO ME YOU ALSO GO TO BED NOW BOTH OF YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN." Both Charles the third and Honoria high tailed it to their rooms.
Mrs. Peters knew what might be coming, she could get let go after all the years that she had been a faithful servant to Charles the Second and Audrey Winchester. She was scared that this might happen the minute she asked to purchase a Television for herself 3 years earlier, but she could not resist the temptation. Honoria bawled her eyes out that evening while Charles the third was sad listing to his sister cry into her pillow that night while they were going to sleep. About an hour after Honoria stopped crying, sleep finally claimed Charles the third.
The websites of the pictures are as follows: 2017/11/korean-war-united-states-nuclear-weapons, . , detail/news-photo/marine-chaplain-performing-catholic-last-rites-over-news-photo/50863742. Also if you are from Boston, Ma, USA please do not take offense if I somehow got the Bostonian wrong I was using this translator /BostonianTranslator. If there is a word that is wrong please Private Message me, so I can fix the missed words. Thanks and Make sure you read and review.