"Ah, the daily trough-filling."

Hawkeye said, filing into the Mess Tent with B.J. and grabbing a tray like he did every morning. They walked, as if at gunpoint, up to Igor Straminksy. After examining their breakfast options suspiciously, Hawkeye held the tray up to cover his mouth and said in a stage whisper

"Beej, something just moved. Did you see it?"

The tall man beside him, sporting a mustache, was blinking furiously. "My eyes! They burn!" Wielding a ladle, Igor turned on them with a sarcastic look. "C'mon guys, can't you go one day without cracking a joke about the food?" "No." The two Captains replied in unision, looking grim as they recieved their powdered eggs. Along with it came two slices of toast, which, like every other food choice, had acquired the color and texture of granite. Unfortunately, that was the case with their two small sausages as well. With an annoyed look from Igor, they set their trays down on the end table and each grabbed a cup, filling it with mud. Er, coffee.

"Hey Colonel, Margaret, Father, Radar, can we sit here?"

BJ asked, completely disregarding the fact that Frank was sitting in his customary place across from the blonde head nurse. He looked up, lips pursed, and said in an annoyingly officious voice "Excuse me Captain Hunnicutt, but I believe I have some say in whether or not you... you... guys sit here!" Hawkeye looked down with a surprised expression, gave a cheeky smile, and replied instead. "Sorry, Frank. We tend to not notice when rodents sit at the table, since it's become such a normal thing."

Margaret Houlihan, soon to be Margaret Penobscott, spluttered visibly into her coffee as her shoulders shook with laughter. For onc, she actually enjoyed it when those two hooligans teased the 'Lipless Wonder', as she had called Frank at one point. The Major himself was now glaring heatedly at the both of them.

"Burns, cool it."

Colonel Potter warned with a stern look at his second in command. Frank had looked ready to burst lately, with all the jokes he had been subjected to by Pierce and Hunnicutt. "Boys, leave the Major alone." He said seriously to Hawkeye and BJ. Both donned pouty expressions and took their seats... one on each side of Frank. The table was silent, for that was the best way to make sure you could actually keep the food down, until Father Mulcahy piped up

"Er, if anyone's interested, I'm collecting donations for Sister Theresa's Orphanage..."

"Oh, really? Gee, that's swell!"

Radar said, reaching for his pocket. Colonel Potter, Margaret, Hawkeye, and B.J. did the same. "Here's my twenty, Padre." Potter said, and was followed by several others. "I only got ten for 'em this month, Father, sir." "That's alright, my son. The orphans appreciate every cent they recieve." Hawkeye and BJ each put forth fifteen dollars, which the good Father collected with a smile. "I speak for all the poor Korean orphans when I say 'thank you'." He said, though he couldn't help but glance in Frank's direction. Hawkeye nudged him with narrowed eyes.

"Whaaat?" Frank whined, dropping his fork. "What'd you do that for?" "Aren't you going to donate something to the orphanage, Frank?" Wrinkling his pointed nose in disgust, he reached into the pocket of his fatigues and pulled out a small leather change purse. With a snort, Hawkeye asked "A change purse, Frank?" Glaring, he replied "It's handy, and it says 'no' to pickpockets with a capital 'N'!" Amid peals of laughter from all over the mess tent, Frank reached into the small bag and withdrew two quarters. As they were placed into his hand, Mulcahy smiled slightly. "Thank you, my son." Frank grumbled quietly as he went back to picking at his eggs. The others were silent as they finished their breakfast.