Percell and Ruiz crept along the ground making their way to the cover of
trees. Doc, Anderson, and Taylor were to the left of Percell and Ruiz,
slowly making their way to the trees and Myron Goldman was between the two
groups.
***
The co-pilot of the chopper handed Beth a headset. She nodded her head and took it. "Beth, to talk, push in the button." Mckay instructed.
Beth looked down and found the button. "Okay, Mckay, thanks for haulin' my butt around." Mckay glanced back at her and winked.
"Would want you anywhere else, sweetheart." Mckay looked over at the co-pilot, Robert. "Hey, man, take the controls."
The co-pilot looked at him and said, "I got it." As he fingers touched the controls.
"Hey, Beth." Mckay said. "When we get back. Let's go out for lunch. My treat, then I'll take you to my townhouse."
"You mean after you pick up the guys?" Mckay glanced back at her. "No, you do know that this mission is two days, don't you?" She turned completely around and looked him straight in the eyes. "What in the hell do you mean it's a two day mission? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Beth screamed into the mic, "This is bull!" *** "Mckay, you knew, why didn't you tell me? Last night you saw how bad I wanted to go on that mission. I need my story." Beth told him hotly, turned and walked away from the chopper. He took off his headset and threw open the chopper door. "Wait!" Mckay ran to her and grabbed her arm, twirling her to face him. "Percell, Goldman, and I decided that it'd be best that you shouldn't go. Lately there's been heavy sightings of VC. We didn't want to risk your life for a measly little story." Beth yanked her arm out of his grasp. "You three decided what was good for me? Huh, no one's done that since I was twelve. Now I have three of you doing it. Don't you think that I could do that on MY own? Or is it that because you and Goldman are Lieutenant's you think you can boss me around? Well, I got news for you flyboy, you both can kiss my ass." She turned around and ran to her hootch. Once she was inside, she unlaced her boots, took them off one at a time, then three them out the door. Just when the door was about to close Colonel Brewster walked in, holding one of her boots. "Are you having difficulties?" Beth stood up, showing her respect for him, "Yessir. I didn't know.." She started, but Mckay walked in. "Colonel Brewster, sir, Beth." Mckay said after he saluted the Colonel. "Beth, when you are done talkin' with the Colonel, I would like a word with you." Beth didn't answer and she didn't look at him, either. After Mckay left, Beth turned her attention back to Brewster. "Anyway, I didn't know that Goldman's mission was two days. Taylor had a problem with me going on the mission, the just to make him happy I said I wouldn't go. If I would've known it was two days I would have gone, sir. My stories are extremely important to me. Goldman, Percell, and Mckay decided for me before hand that I shouldn't go." Colonel Brewster nodded and said, "I understand how they feel, but you should be able to figure out which you want to go on. I have to be going. "Goodnight, sir." Mckay saw Brewster leave the hootch, so Mckay walked over and opened up the door. "Beth, come on, talk to me." Beth turned away. "Go away, Johnny." He walked into the hootch, over to her. "Beth, I'm sorry. I don't want anything to happen to you. We've only known each other a couple of days, but you mean quite a bit to me." "Johnny, it's cool. Let's just forget about everything and go have the dinner." Mckay reached over and hugged her and said, "Be ready in 20 minutes!" Beth pulled out one of her spring dresses and slipped it over her head. The dress reached down to her ankles and was light blue. She put her hair up halfway and slipped into a pair of light blue sandals. She walked over to Mckay's hootch and hollered in, "You are so slow!" A few minutes later Mckay came out. "Sorry, I had to showerd." Beth nodded and looped her arm through Mckay's. As they walked through the bas to get their jeep to get to town Beth asked, "Johnny, tell me the truth, why didn't you tell me that the guys' mission was two days? You really know that going with them was really important to me." Mckay was quiet for a minute, then answered, " We all didn't want you to go, it was just too dangerous." "Goddammit, this really sucks, you guys are all the same. Sexest. Why don't men just open their frickin' eyes and realize women can do anything that men can do!" Beth took a breath and then said, "Let's just forget about it, have a nice dinner and we'll discuss it when Goldman and the men return." Mckay helped Beth get into the jeep and said, "Fine, we'll do that." He hopped into the driver's seat, turned the key, and took off toward's the city *** Beth and Mckay ordered their meals, then started talking. "Beth, you never said where you were from." She looked at him and said, "Wisconsin, the land of cows and cheese." Mckay laughed, and asked, "How did you ever get the idea to come to Vietnam?" Mckay took a sip of wine and reached for Beth's hand and touched it. She glanced down at his hand, then looked at him again then answered, " I like writing, Vietnam interests me, especially the guys over here and the way their lives are turned around by the draft. Everyone in the states keeps saying how wrong this war is and that you men are baby killers. When you guys go home you don't get the recognition you deserve. All the guys over here are just fighting for their country. I want to tell their stories." The waitress put their food down and Johnny let go of her hand. Inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief She liked Johnny, but really only as a friend. Actually, she kind of liked Percell, but yet she didn't want to hurt Mckay. They talked and laughed over dinner. Beth asked Johnny about coming to Vietnam and becoming a chopper pilot. Then Johnny asked Beth how long she thought she'd be in country and more about her home life. Johnny had also had a few to drink. After they were full he asked Beth to dance, but Beth hesitated for a moment, and then got up and took his hand. Johnny took Beth into his arms and held her tight. "You are so beautiful." Johnny said, but then added. "Hey, Goldman's squad's hootch is pretty crowded, why don't ou move on with me, sweetheart?" Beth looked into Johnny's eyes and shook her head no, "I don't think so, Brewster assigned me to their hootch." *** The jeep's engine roared as Mckay drove through the base. He stopped the jeep in front of Beth's hootch. Johnny put his arm around Beth, but Beth shrugged his arm off. "Night, Johnny, thanks for the dinner." She started to get out of the vehicle, but Johnny stopped her. "What, that's it? Thanks? I don't get invited in?" "Oh, Mckay, I don't have any booze in my hootch, you know you officers are the only ones that are able to get that stuff to stay cold." He again reached his arm around Beth, but she moved out of the way. "Well, at least let me walk you to your door." Beth shook her head yes, then he helped her out of the jeep and walked her to her door. Beth turned and face him, "Night." "Wait, wait, Beth, wait." Johnny looked into her eyes, then slowly lowered his head. Their lips almost touched, but Beth moved her head. "Now, wait just one damn minute here, Beth. Don't you want to give me a kiss goodnight?" "No, Mckay, can't we just be friends?" Mckay stepped away from her and whispered, "Friends, just friends? Fine!" He turned and ran to the jeep, jumped in, and turned the key causing the jeep to roar to life and then he took off towards the officer's club. Beth stood outside her hootch and watched him drive away. "Now, I've really done it. I can't believe I just didn't tell him that I'm just not interested in him." Talking to herself she opened the door and walked in , flopping onto Percell's bed. She lay there for awhile, but couldn't sleep. *** Walking usually helped her clear her mind, but tonight it wasn't working, not only did she feel bad about Mckay getting the wrong idea, but she was worried about the men. They had a little less than 24 hours before Mckay was supposed to pick them up. Soon she passed the officer's club, and stopped because inside there was a huge commotion. Being the reporter that she was, Beth walked into the club and made her way through the crowd of guys, only to find Mckay staggering around with a blackish colored eye and a bloody lip, and a bottle in hand, singing, "Wooly Bully." She rolled her eyes, and walked up to Mckay, "Mckay, what are you doing?" Mckay turned clumsily toward her. "I'm singing can't.uh..can't you see that?" Beth put her arm around Johnny's waist, but Mckay twirled around out of her reach. "Get away."
The co-pilot of the chopper handed Beth a headset. She nodded her head and took it. "Beth, to talk, push in the button." Mckay instructed.
Beth looked down and found the button. "Okay, Mckay, thanks for haulin' my butt around." Mckay glanced back at her and winked.
"Would want you anywhere else, sweetheart." Mckay looked over at the co-pilot, Robert. "Hey, man, take the controls."
The co-pilot looked at him and said, "I got it." As he fingers touched the controls.
"Hey, Beth." Mckay said. "When we get back. Let's go out for lunch. My treat, then I'll take you to my townhouse."
"You mean after you pick up the guys?" Mckay glanced back at her. "No, you do know that this mission is two days, don't you?" She turned completely around and looked him straight in the eyes. "What in the hell do you mean it's a two day mission? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Beth screamed into the mic, "This is bull!" *** "Mckay, you knew, why didn't you tell me? Last night you saw how bad I wanted to go on that mission. I need my story." Beth told him hotly, turned and walked away from the chopper. He took off his headset and threw open the chopper door. "Wait!" Mckay ran to her and grabbed her arm, twirling her to face him. "Percell, Goldman, and I decided that it'd be best that you shouldn't go. Lately there's been heavy sightings of VC. We didn't want to risk your life for a measly little story." Beth yanked her arm out of his grasp. "You three decided what was good for me? Huh, no one's done that since I was twelve. Now I have three of you doing it. Don't you think that I could do that on MY own? Or is it that because you and Goldman are Lieutenant's you think you can boss me around? Well, I got news for you flyboy, you both can kiss my ass." She turned around and ran to her hootch. Once she was inside, she unlaced her boots, took them off one at a time, then three them out the door. Just when the door was about to close Colonel Brewster walked in, holding one of her boots. "Are you having difficulties?" Beth stood up, showing her respect for him, "Yessir. I didn't know.." She started, but Mckay walked in. "Colonel Brewster, sir, Beth." Mckay said after he saluted the Colonel. "Beth, when you are done talkin' with the Colonel, I would like a word with you." Beth didn't answer and she didn't look at him, either. After Mckay left, Beth turned her attention back to Brewster. "Anyway, I didn't know that Goldman's mission was two days. Taylor had a problem with me going on the mission, the just to make him happy I said I wouldn't go. If I would've known it was two days I would have gone, sir. My stories are extremely important to me. Goldman, Percell, and Mckay decided for me before hand that I shouldn't go." Colonel Brewster nodded and said, "I understand how they feel, but you should be able to figure out which you want to go on. I have to be going. "Goodnight, sir." Mckay saw Brewster leave the hootch, so Mckay walked over and opened up the door. "Beth, come on, talk to me." Beth turned away. "Go away, Johnny." He walked into the hootch, over to her. "Beth, I'm sorry. I don't want anything to happen to you. We've only known each other a couple of days, but you mean quite a bit to me." "Johnny, it's cool. Let's just forget about everything and go have the dinner." Mckay reached over and hugged her and said, "Be ready in 20 minutes!" Beth pulled out one of her spring dresses and slipped it over her head. The dress reached down to her ankles and was light blue. She put her hair up halfway and slipped into a pair of light blue sandals. She walked over to Mckay's hootch and hollered in, "You are so slow!" A few minutes later Mckay came out. "Sorry, I had to showerd." Beth nodded and looped her arm through Mckay's. As they walked through the bas to get their jeep to get to town Beth asked, "Johnny, tell me the truth, why didn't you tell me that the guys' mission was two days? You really know that going with them was really important to me." Mckay was quiet for a minute, then answered, " We all didn't want you to go, it was just too dangerous." "Goddammit, this really sucks, you guys are all the same. Sexest. Why don't men just open their frickin' eyes and realize women can do anything that men can do!" Beth took a breath and then said, "Let's just forget about it, have a nice dinner and we'll discuss it when Goldman and the men return." Mckay helped Beth get into the jeep and said, "Fine, we'll do that." He hopped into the driver's seat, turned the key, and took off toward's the city *** Beth and Mckay ordered their meals, then started talking. "Beth, you never said where you were from." She looked at him and said, "Wisconsin, the land of cows and cheese." Mckay laughed, and asked, "How did you ever get the idea to come to Vietnam?" Mckay took a sip of wine and reached for Beth's hand and touched it. She glanced down at his hand, then looked at him again then answered, " I like writing, Vietnam interests me, especially the guys over here and the way their lives are turned around by the draft. Everyone in the states keeps saying how wrong this war is and that you men are baby killers. When you guys go home you don't get the recognition you deserve. All the guys over here are just fighting for their country. I want to tell their stories." The waitress put their food down and Johnny let go of her hand. Inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief She liked Johnny, but really only as a friend. Actually, she kind of liked Percell, but yet she didn't want to hurt Mckay. They talked and laughed over dinner. Beth asked Johnny about coming to Vietnam and becoming a chopper pilot. Then Johnny asked Beth how long she thought she'd be in country and more about her home life. Johnny had also had a few to drink. After they were full he asked Beth to dance, but Beth hesitated for a moment, and then got up and took his hand. Johnny took Beth into his arms and held her tight. "You are so beautiful." Johnny said, but then added. "Hey, Goldman's squad's hootch is pretty crowded, why don't ou move on with me, sweetheart?" Beth looked into Johnny's eyes and shook her head no, "I don't think so, Brewster assigned me to their hootch." *** The jeep's engine roared as Mckay drove through the base. He stopped the jeep in front of Beth's hootch. Johnny put his arm around Beth, but Beth shrugged his arm off. "Night, Johnny, thanks for the dinner." She started to get out of the vehicle, but Johnny stopped her. "What, that's it? Thanks? I don't get invited in?" "Oh, Mckay, I don't have any booze in my hootch, you know you officers are the only ones that are able to get that stuff to stay cold." He again reached his arm around Beth, but she moved out of the way. "Well, at least let me walk you to your door." Beth shook her head yes, then he helped her out of the jeep and walked her to her door. Beth turned and face him, "Night." "Wait, wait, Beth, wait." Johnny looked into her eyes, then slowly lowered his head. Their lips almost touched, but Beth moved her head. "Now, wait just one damn minute here, Beth. Don't you want to give me a kiss goodnight?" "No, Mckay, can't we just be friends?" Mckay stepped away from her and whispered, "Friends, just friends? Fine!" He turned and ran to the jeep, jumped in, and turned the key causing the jeep to roar to life and then he took off towards the officer's club. Beth stood outside her hootch and watched him drive away. "Now, I've really done it. I can't believe I just didn't tell him that I'm just not interested in him." Talking to herself she opened the door and walked in , flopping onto Percell's bed. She lay there for awhile, but couldn't sleep. *** Walking usually helped her clear her mind, but tonight it wasn't working, not only did she feel bad about Mckay getting the wrong idea, but she was worried about the men. They had a little less than 24 hours before Mckay was supposed to pick them up. Soon she passed the officer's club, and stopped because inside there was a huge commotion. Being the reporter that she was, Beth walked into the club and made her way through the crowd of guys, only to find Mckay staggering around with a blackish colored eye and a bloody lip, and a bottle in hand, singing, "Wooly Bully." She rolled her eyes, and walked up to Mckay, "Mckay, what are you doing?" Mckay turned clumsily toward her. "I'm singing can't.uh..can't you see that?" Beth put her arm around Johnny's waist, but Mckay twirled around out of her reach. "Get away."