Etched In Our Brains

by DoctorAwesome1

This story starts off at the time of GFA. But do you ever wonder how the lives of those at the 4077th continued after the war? Well then, buckle up your seats, because you’re in for a ride! (Also includes deatails from After Mash and W*A*L*T*E*R) Warning: This’ll be a long one! Rated M for strong language and topics.

36. Suicide And Soup

He leaned up against the counter of the drug store. He knew he would easily regret what he was about to do, but how could he keep going with everything in his life falling apart so quickly?

A perky young woman stood behind the counter. She smiled at him. "Can I help you, sir?"

He looked up at her, realizing he had gone off into a daze. "Oh, uh, yeah..."

He nervously took out his wallet and began to pull out some money. He stopped for a moment when he noticed a cabinet holding glazed doughnuts. He stopped and though for a moment, he might as well do it on a full stomach.

"Uh, I'd like to purchase an overdose of sleeping pills and a vanilla doughnut, please."

The young lady from behind the counter stared at him with a pale face.

"An overdose of sleeping pills!? Why?"

He looked down and felt ashamed. He knew he wouldn't have gotten out of it this easy.

"My wife and I are on our honeymoon... but she wasn't there this morning, and a 'it was nice knowing you while it lasted' letter was in her place."

"Oh, that's terrible!"

"Yeah."

"How about a bowl of soup, on the house."

He looked up at her. "Really? Gee thanks!" He smiled as she pointed to a small table in the corner of the shop.

She walked into the back room, and a few moments later walked back in with two bowls of soup.

She sat down across from him. "They were going to go bad soon, anyway, might as well eat it up now."

"Thanks again."

"Oh, no problem!"

She handed him a spoon, which he gladly took. He began to slurp it down. I wasn't the best soup in the world, but it wasn't terrible.

"So, what's your name?"

He put his spoon down in the bowl. "The name's Walter, Walter O'Riley."

"Walter, huh? That's a cute name."

"Thanks."

"So what do you do for a livin'?"

"Well, I was a farmer, but that didn't go so well. So I talked with my cousin who's getting me a job with the St. Louis police force."

"That must be pretty exciting."

The two of them continued to chat over their bowls of soup.

Radar thought back to buying those pills, suicide would certainly be painless enough that way... but then again... there was still so much more to look forward to. He decided that after the soup he'd buy that doughnut and skip the sleeping pills.