Revile was hell, partly because Radar's awful bugle playing, and partly because of the headache that was pounding behind my eyes. BJ and I had sat up for hours laughing, talking, and drinking. Of course, the way my head was throbbing, it really felt like we had spent most of the night bashing our heads against the walls of the officer's club.
Walking into the bright sunshine didn't help the hangover, nor did the biting chill that forced me back into my tent to get a jacket. Winter seemed to be coming on strong and, I figured, it would get colder before it would get warmer.
As I walked across the compound, I spotted BJ slipping out of the swamp looking about as bad as I felt. He was unshaven, his hair was a mess, and he barely managed to put his robe on before he staggered out the door of his tent.
"Is this what people look like when they have hangovers?" I asked as I neared him.
"Who cares how we look?" he replied, wrapping his robe around his body. "Do you feel like you have a Buick driving around in your head?"
"Mine feels more like a tank."
We both giggled, despite the pain it caused and made our way to the ranks. Colonel Potter was standing next to Radar who was dutifully taking roll call. With the exception of Margaret and Frank, people were slowly ambling into their places, taking little care in what the formation looked like. Luckily, Colonel Potter didn't seem to care.
"Do I have to go over there?" I asked, gesturing to the group of nurses clumped by the flagpole. "I think I'd rather go have another few drinks and then break boards with my head."
"Come with me," he replied, and pulled me away from the group of gawking girls. He dragged me away from the main configuration and towards Father Mulcahy who was standing attentively, but not at attention.
"Good morning," Father Mulcahy said amiably as we walked up.
"Good?" BJ replied, a hand on his head. "Tell that to my hangover."
"We were up late last night, Father," I replied, pointing to the officer's club. "And we weren't playing gin."
"We were drinking it," BJ added.
Father Mulcahy nodded. "Yes, well, we heard you. You were being rather loud. Especially when you started playing the piano."
"The piano?" I asked. I turned to BJ. "Did we play the piano?"
"It wasn't really playing," added Klinger, walking up to us wearing a silver turban and a full-length pink gown. "It sounded more like you were pounding on it."
I winced. "Oh, I do remember that. We were kind of stepping on it."
"Stepping on the piano," Father Mulcahy asked?
BJ laughed. "That's right. We were trying to play Beethoven with our feet."
I laughed along with him but it was cut short by Colonel Potter clearing his throat. The crowd slowly quieted until he had their attention.
"Good morning, camp," he said. "As you may know, and I'm sure some of you have it marked on your calendars, it's just about time for the biannual camp physical. No one is exempt from this as it is an army directive. Radar will be handing out schedules. Please report to your appointments on time and fully ready to get physical." A titter of laughter echoed through the crowd and Colonel Potter, realizing what he had said, quickly turned red. "Now, Major Houlihan has a few announcements for the nurses. The rest of you may be off to your duties." He turned and made a beeline for his office with Radar in tow.
I turned to BJ. "Goodie, I get to spend more time with my favorite people."
"Well, once you're done, we can get a cup of coffee at the mess tent. Hopefully, that will help us get over this unfortunate side effect of our wild time last night."
"That sounds great," I said.
"Meet me at the swamp. I need to get a jacket on. It's too cold for a robe."
"But you look so darn good in it," I replied, winking. He smiled back.
"See you in a few. Good luck."
"Thanks," I said. I took a deep breath and headed for the congregation of nurses all gathering around Major Houlihan.
"All right, nurses," she said when she saw I had joined the group. "A few announcements for you. First and foremost, concerning the upcoming physicals, I'd like to remind you that under no circumstances are the doctors allowed to examine you without the door open or another nurse present. This is protocol that, if not followed, will have dire costs.
"Secondly, due to the recent departures of a good amount of our senior nursing staff, I have appointed three new nurses to fill their positions. These ladies will confer with me on a regular basis, will be in charge of shifts, and will join the other senior nurses at weekly meetings.
"The first of these is Lieutenant Betty Parker." There was polite applause. I looked over and saw the nurse Margaret was referring to and immediately recognized her as the busty brunette I had seen at my first meeting with Colonel Potter. Strangely though, I couldn't remember seeing her at all after that meeting. I tried not to get a complex about it. She was obviously doing something right if she was going to be a senior nurse. Then again, she looked more military than Majors Burns and Houlihan put together. Maybe Margaret wanted someone like herself to fill the post.
"Second, we have Lieutenant Sherry Gardner." Louder applause. I glanced at Sherry and noticed she was completely surrounded by nurses all smiling and patting her on the back. I, on the other hand, was alone...as usual.
"Third. Lieutenant Linda Florence." All eyes snapped to me. There was no applause at all. Only a dead silence greeted my name.
"Those of you who I just mentioned will report to my tent at nineteen hundred hours tonight for a staff meeting. The rest of you will regard these nurses with respect as they are the mainline to me. This is my final word on the subject. Dismissed."
She turned on her heel and marched toward her tent.
"Major Houlihan!" I cried, trying to get her attention. She didn't hear me. Trying to get her to turn around, I pushed my way through the crowd of nurses and saw only a blur of hostile faces as I passed.
"Major Houlihan," called again as I neared her tent. She turned around and faced me.
"Yes Lieutenant?"
"Major, with all due respect, I wish you hadn't done that."
"Done what, Linda?" she asked.
"You know what I'm talking about, Major," I said. "You told me that you would give me that position only if I accepted it."
"And?"
"I don't want it!" I said.
"You will lower your voice, Lieutenant," she replied sternly. She pulled open her door and gestured to it. "Inside."
I made my way into her tent. I half expected it to be staunchly army: nothing but green and khaki for miles. Instead, I was surprised to see a personal flair to it. Colored cloth over a lamp, pictures on the wall, and a clothesline with civilian clothing on it.
"Now, Lieutenant," she started. "I may have told you before that your position on the senior nursing staff required you to accept it. However, after looking at the situation, I decided to decide for you."
"How can you do that?" I asked, enraged. "I don't want this position. I don't want the meetings and the authority. I want to just go through my time here and then go home with as little emotional torment as I can possibly have."
"Well, Linda, maybe I would be more apt to rescind my offer if I thought that you were refusing because you didn't think you could do it."
"I can't do it!" I screamed.
"No!" she screamed back. "You can do it. You just won't."
She composed herself and sat at her desk. "You are a brilliant nurse," she started. I rolled my eyes. "I'm serious. You are smart and quick, you do your job efficiently and you don't mess around when it comes to patients. And, although I hardly agree with your choice of friends, you don't let that group of people get to you. In short, you are one of the smartest women who has passed through this camp."
"I appreciate your opinion, Major, but that aside-"
"I won't have any of that," she interrupted. "You are absolutely the most qualified for this job. I have spoken and you will take this job. If you do not take the position, I would consider it a direct violation of my orders and would have you court marshaled."
"Fine," I spat, and turned to leave, disgusted that she was throwing her rank in my face.
"Linda." The way she said it made me stop and turn around. Her face had fallen open for a moment and I could see that she was being sincere, a position she didn't find herself in often. "I know what it's like to talk to them and get no warmth in return. I told you before that it would just take time before they respected you."
"They still don't."
She stood up and walked to me, placing surprisingly comforting hand on my shoulder. "Hiding from them won't make them respect you. This position will help them see how dedicated you are. This is the way to earn that respect."
She was right. As much as I hated the notion, I was going to have to leave my shadow and jump out into the line of fire to earn the respect of the other girls. I knew I might get shot down, but I may just be valued and, in time, accepted.
"I'll see you at seven, Major."
