Thanks be to the good, kind reviewers...keep going so I can improve...remember my backlog of about twenty stories-if you want 'em to be good...R&R.
Just read it...then kill me with tomatoes (no oranges, they don't go with my hair, clashes horribly)
MEETING THE COMEDIAN
It was before the show and Danny had gone to fetch Benjamin Pierce. Margaret was looking at the photos, which were by now tearstained. Two men entered.
"Mr Pierce-uh Ben, this is my girlfriend Katie, Katie, this is Ben Pierce and his cousin Hawkeye," introduced Danny proudly.
"Hi. Call me Ben," said Ben, shaking her hand.
Hawkeye did the same did the same for Emily and Cathy. Normally he'd have winked, but a certain Major was occupying his mind at the moment. A certain Major-and a certain kiss.
"Meg! Come and meet Ben Pierce and his cousin!" cooed Cathy.
Margaret turned and looked at Hawkeye. Hawkeye froze.
They walked together. Hawkeye timidly reached out with one hand and touched her cheek, to make sure she was real. Margaret did the same. Slowly, Hawkeye bent down, and kissed her passionately. Margaret's arms slipped round his neck.
The others frowned in surprise.
Suddenly remembering where they were, the lovebirds broke apart and stood a few metres away. Ben, Cathy, Emily, Katie and Danny noted that they looked everywhere but each other.
"Hi uh Margaret, I'm uh surprised to see you here," said Hawkeye honestly.
"Ditto uh, please explain the whole Ben Pierce thing," said Margaret frankly.
"Well, it's absurd and really far-fetched but Ben and I were born on the same day. He is five minutes older than me. Cos Dad and Uncle Neil hadn't decided on names, they filled out the birth certificates...and so by the time they realised that their kids were both called Benjamin Pierce, it was too late. As Ben's older, I was called Hawkeye. Ben was drafted as a doctor too, he got to live in Tokyo. I still maintain the Army mixed us up. He's a rotten doctor so he's now a comedian," explained Hawkeye.
"I see. That's weird. Almost like God wrote that in your lives because They couldn't think of anything else," said Margaret, looking to the ceiling.
"That's highly significant," said Hawkeye blankly.
They laughed.
"Meg?" said Hawkeye in surprise, recalling what Cathy had said.
"Yeah, uh, we've known each other since we were kids, and yeah," said Margaret, still struck by his closeness.
"How have you been doing since Korea?" asked Hawkeye.
"Ok, you? As I recall you were pretty done in by that baby," said Margaret hesitantly.
"Yeah, well, Sid's a good shrink-if such a thing exists. I went home, and spent a lot of time around kids, I swear! Half of my patients are cuts and scrapes from a tree or bike crash! So I've kinda got over it," answered Hawkeye in amusement.
"You're still practicing?" asked Margaret.
"Yeah, Ben just wanted me to help with the writing of this show. Anyway, where have you been for the last year? We were all scared stiff, especially the Colonel! No news for a year. Then Klinger pops up telling about seeing you and we still don't hear a thing!" accused Hawkeye.
"I didn't think any of you would want to see me again," said Margaret, blushing.
"Silly! Of course we do! Potter's on the rampage, been ringing all his brass. BJ's been worried sick, and Charles has been-"
"Ben, you need to get ready! C'mon! See ya at the show folks," said a man with a name tag with Jake on it.
"See ya everyone!" said Ben over his shoulder as Jake pushed him out of the room.
"See ya Ben!" said Hawkeye. Turning, he was confronted with four very confused people.
"Oh, we'd better go in, we don't want to miss it!" warned Margaret leading the way.
COMEDIAN BEN PIERCE
Ben's performance was funny, but Margaret noted that much of it seemed to have Hawkeye's jokes.
After the show, Hawkeye walked with Margaret.
"Did ya like it? I've drawn on a lot of 4077th jokes in the writing of this show," said Hawkeye.
"Yeah, it's great!" said Margaret and she meant it.
"Look, I'm going back to Crabapple Cove cos I've got a full schedule tomorrow. I was uh, kinda wondering if you'd uh like to come over some time. The Lobster Festival is next week, you'd love it," said Hawkeye.
"Ok, what's your phone number?" asked Margaret.
They exchanged phone numbers.
"I'd better go, Cathy's calling me," said Margaret reluctantly.
"Yeah, see ya," said Hawkeye. Shyly, he leaned over and kissed her cheek gently before disappearing off into the night.
INTERROGATIONS
In the car, Margaret examined the phone number. He'd scribbled it on a piece of paper. With it was a note.
Margaret,
Please come over sometime. I know my dad would love to meet you and we could catch up. Please call,
Love Hawkeye
P.S. I think I missed a digit. Call the Crabapple Cove Operator and ask for me.
Coming back from brushing her teeth, Margaret found the girls all over her bed.
"Meg! C'mon, tell us all the juicy details!" said Cathy.
"What?" asked Margaret in surprise.
"About you and Hawkeye Pierce!" clarified Emily.
"Girls, nothing. He's just a friend," said Margaret.
"Friends don't kiss each other...on the lips," said Katie.
"He's my best friend. You guys are good friends, but me and him have been through hell and back together," said Margaret.
"Look, we were the only ones to do all three years of the war at the 4077th. Henry died after one year, Trapper went home after a year, Father Mulchahy and Klinger came a month into the war, Frank went crazy and got sent Stateside, Potter was Henry's replacement, Radar went home on a hardship discharge, BJ was Trapper's replacement and Charles was Frank's. When you live three years in someone's pockets, you know each other well. He knows me better than I do and I know him better than he does," said Margaret in response to her friend's incredulous faces.
"When you said that you know him better than he himself does, does that include his body?" asked Katie.
"No, he's just my friend!" yelled Margaret in exasperation.
"Ok, ok. Jeez, touchy," said Emily defensively.
"So, what's going on between you and Margaret? Is she hot or what?" asked Jake who had witnessed the events.
"Nothing," said Hawkeye. They were driving to Crabapple Cove. Jake Smith was Hawkeye's neighbour.
"Right," said Jake sarcastically.
"Nothing Jake! She's just a friend," said Hawkeye.
"Friends don't kiss each other like that Hawk!" said Jake, who was driving.
"She's my best friend with BJ. You are a good friend but me and her went through hell and back. Look, we were the only ones to do all three years of the war at the 4077th. Henry died after one year, Trapper went home after a year, Father Mulchahy and Klinger came a month into the war, Frank went crazy and got sent Stateside, Potter was Henry's replacement, Radar went home on a hardship discharge, BJ was Trapper's replacement and Charles was Frank's. When you live three years in someone's pockets, you know each other well. She knows me better than I do and I know her better than she does," said Hawkeye, unknowingly echoing Margaret's words.
"Is she good?" asked Jake leering.
"She's just my friend!" yelled Hawkeye angrily.
"Ok, ok, sorry I asked," said Jake defensively.
SHOULD I? SHOULDN'T I?
This is it, thought Margaret as she dialled the Operator's number.
"Hello," said the Operator.
"Hi, could I please speak to Hawkeye," said Margaret, not remembering that the Operator might not know 'Hawkeye.'
"Yeah, sure, just a tick," said the Operator.
"Hello?" said a voice.
"Uh, hi," said Margaret shyly.
"Margaret! You called! Cool! Wanna come down for the Lobster Festival?" said the voice excitedly.
"Uh, ok Hawk. I just really need to get out of here. Katie, Cathy and Emily are convinced that something's going on between us," said Margaret.
"Ok. Look, I'll drive up and pick you up at seven ok? The Festival starts tomorrow."
"Cool. What should I bring?"
"Clothes! Uh, just anything. Casual stuff, it'll probably get dirty. Don't forget a swimsuit! Dad's in Mexico for the weekend cos of some conference or something. So we can kick back, raid the fridge, and eat and drink. I don't have a still though, so will Charles' twelve year old Scotch do? Charles gave it to me for my birthday. I'm babbling aren't I?"
"Well yeah. Well uh, see ya at seven then."
"Yeah, bye."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"I'm hanging up now."
"Ok. Bye."
"Bye."
Margaret put the phone down.
Going to her room, she packed.