Thar she blows...

Chapter 10

"Step on it, corporal!," I commanded as I settled myself in the back seat again, holding the boy's head in my lap.

It took us lesser time to get back. And we got back in one piece. This stretch of Korean roads was becoming intimately familiar with my ribs. And other body parts, come to think of it. When we got to 4077, I saw BJ standing outside pre-op. Good ol' Radar.

"What happened?" asked Beej, a little worriedly.

"This kid has an appendicular mass. High grade fever, tachycardia, the works. The girl broke her leg, how is anybody's guess. I am taking the kid in the OR. You get an X-Ray on that leg. And get me a gas passer." I told Beej as we transferred the kid to a litter.

"Wait, Hawk! I will take the boy. YOU get me a gas passer and take care of that leg and post-op!" He looked at me intently, not stating the obvious. I was going to argue but then decided against it. He did have a point, if his point was what I thought his point was suppoed to be. And there was always the fact that if I could entrust my life to him, anybody could!

It took him over an hour before he came back to post-op. I kept vigil on post-op after setting the leg of that kid and doing a repeat x-ray.

"So?" I asked.

"Just short of a rupture. He will live! What about the girl?" He looked tired. I wondered if he slept after our OR session yesterday.

"Simple fracture. Nothing fancy. She will live. Skin was a little abraded and bruised. Had some wood splinters in it too. I wonder how she got the injury."

"Abuse?" He asked, somewhat heated. That was my first thought too. Like somebody hit her with a big stick on her leg. But it did not seem likely considering the family and the kid herself.

"I dunno. And even if it is abuse, what can we do? But to be honest, she seemed like too nice kid to provoke any of the elders and the family does not seem abusive either. I suspected a crush injury but nothing was crashed around there. Hut was intact." I replied, tiredly. It was almost daybreak. Where had the last twenty four hours gone?

"Well, we may have some Korean guys around here. I will ask one to come and translate for us." Beej was heated. What the hell was going on? And was now a good time to poke my nose in his business? I did like my nose! But then, I was not sure when else could I do it so I gave it a shot anyway.

"I checked for Koreans before I left. No joy! How was the shift?"

Tread carefully, mon ami!

"It isn't over. Lets see what next coupla hours bring in." He said, again, moodily. And then his expression changed a little. "I am sorry, Hawkeye. Its just been too long and I still feel tired. Maybe I go get some coffee. Care to join me?"

"Don't worry. I kinda remember that tired feeling. Now I am adjusting to dead." Maybe not the smartest thing to say. What was I trying to say? That I was better than him despite being tired? Maybe it was time I stopped analyzing myself.

"Oh yeah. You have been weird this last session. I am amazed you can still walk. What is bothering you? Why did you not take any nap-break?" This was wrong. This was supposed to be my line of enquiry.

"I was going to ask you the same thing. Seems you did not sleep yesterday despite the respite I so gallantly provided you with." Best way to avoid a question! Ask one of your own. And hope he falls for it. Maybe he goes stupid in next five seconds?

"I asked you first, doctor!" So much for wishful thinking.

"No reason really. I just did not feel like sleeping. And figured if I had to be awake, might as well keep working. I took breaks though. Clark Kent has not given up his night job on my account. Or his spandex suit, come to think of that. Now its your turn."

"I slept!" BJ answered succinctly, untruthfully and very evasively. He forgot he was talking to a Maestro.

"That's it? You slept? And? What about your mood? You have been the ugly face of war last coupla days. Maybe longer but I did not notice first forty eight hours. I was drunk mostly. Cummon, spill it!"

"Its nothing. Really." And opened the door of mess tent. It was still as excitingly crowded as when I last saw it yesterday evening.

He picked a tray to get some breakfast while I filled two cups with brackish and brickish coffee. I wondered if it would stain my teeth first or break 'em before they even begin to turn brown. My bet was on losing 'em before they saw autumn. Or maybe both occur simultaneously? This coffee was multi-purpose. I did not put it past this stuff to dissolve the teeth before staining OR breaking them.

"No breakfast? Just coffee? It will dissolve your stomach!" BJ said in his most fatherly tone. What was it with me and these people. All their paternal instincts popped up as soon as they saw my face. I was getting tired of this constant attention.

"Stop evading my question, DAD! And tell me, did Peg say something? Or had to do something? That she was not supposed to do? What is it? You know you can confide me. Father Mulcahy keeps telling me I could be a good priest. Maybe I would give it a shot, if only to hear some confessions. But back to the point, what is it?

"Why are you not eating anything?" GAWD!

"You know what? You are infuriating!"

"Me? Look who's talking!"

"What? I am infuriating? If I am infuriating, they have not even invented the right word to describe you. I am not eating because I don't have the strength to sniff the food right now. I will come for some later, I guess. Happy now? Now tell me what is bothering you. And don't make me beg you. You know you can confide in papa!"

"Hawk, there is nothing! Alright? I just have not received any letters from home in last couple of days and miss my daughter. Nothing new about that."

"That makes sense. But you did receive a letter last I remember. Before casualties started coming in?" I knew he was bluffing but he could have been right. Unlike Trap, he did not try to find interests in the camp. It did strike me as strange sometimes. I could not do it under these circumstances. Or maybe under any circumstance? I shook my head as a long lost memory tried to resurface.

"Yeah, but thats what I am saying. Its Saturday. We went to OR on Tuesday. And came out yesterday. Are you seriously this disoriented?"

"Huh? Uhhh, Tuesday. And Saturday. Somebody owes me ... a few days. I don't know how many. I don't even know who, either. Maybe I am disoriented." I did not touch the coffee. Mess tent was making me nauseous again. And this time, without touching any of its delicacies.

BJ had finished his breakfast so it was time to bid this place adieu. He wanted to stay and look a few patients over. I decided to go see O-Club and its occupants. There simply was nothing else to do. I could not sleep. I could not drink. That only left work, even if I stole it from Beej.