Chapter 2

Nearly an hour after the incident in Purchelli's, the movie theater finished another picture. Along with the stream of viewers walked two marine PFC's, Gomer Pyle and Duke Slater. Gomer broke the usual end-of-movie daze by saying,

"I forgot, what happened to the friend of the good guy after the bad guy found him?"

"I don't remember, Gomer," Duke sighed, "I wasn't even paying attention most of the time. Gee, I wish Lou-Ann and my date weren't busy tonight. This night'd be a lot more exciting."

"Well, what d'you suppose we do now? Should we head back to the base?"

"Are you kidding? It's too early. Hey, why don't we stop by the Bluebird Café and grab something to eat. At least it'd pass the time."

Gomer agreed, and the pair headed down the street towards the café. Once inside, they settled down at a round table to be greeted by the usual waitress. She wasted no time taking and giving them their orders, coffee for both with an ice cream sundae for Gomer. Gomer lifted his spoon and was just about to dig in when a familiar figure hunched over the bar counter caught his eye.

"Hey, Duke," he whispered, nudging his friend's leg with his foot, "isn't that Sergeant Carter over there?"

Duke followed Gomer's pointed finger to the hunched figure. His eyes widened and he turned away.

"You're right, it is. Careful, if we're quiet, he won't see us."

"Let's go say hello to 'im," Gomer piped.

"Say hello? Gomer, are you crazy? We have to listen to him all day, why torture ourselves at night, too?" Gomer had already left his seat and, sundae in hand, headed to the barstool beside his sergeant. Scooching onto the seat, he piped,

"Hey, Sergeant Carter." Carter rolled his head around and, at the sight of Gomer, cracked a wide grin.

"Gomer," he cackled, "my favorite marine. What brings you out 'ere?"

Gomer brightened at his sergeant's unusual friendliness. He opened his mouth to reply, but Carter leaned a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Y- you know, Gomer, let me give' ya a bit o' advice. Never get too n'volved with a girl."

"Why's that, Sergeant?" Carter sat up straight, nearly falling over backward.

"'Cause she'll tear your 'eart in two, 'at's why."

With that sentence, Carter fell back over the counter and buried his head in his hands, moaning, "be-ootiful, be-ootiful Bunny. 'Ow could you le-leave me?"

Taking notice of Carter's unusual behavior, Duke joined his buddy at the bar and almost immediately diagnosed the problem.

"Gomer, the Sarge is drunk!" Gomer turned to him in shock.

"Drunk? I can't believe it."

"You don't have to; you can see it for yourself." Meanwhile, Carter in the same fashion.

"I did everything for you, and 'is is 'ow you repay me. 'Tupid captain." Gomer watched him helplessly.

"What do we do, Duke? If someone finds him like this, he's bound to get in real trouble."

"Yeah, especially since he has guard duty in a few hours. He could get kicked out of the Corps. Hey, I know. One of us run out and find Bunny. She'll know how it happened and what to do about it. The other'll stay here and babysit the Sarge."

"Well, how d'we decide who does what?" Carter attempted to stand up from the barstool but tripped and nearly toppled on his face. Gomer and Duke leaped up from their stools to catch him, each grabbing one of his arms.

"Whoops," Carter hiccupped, "did I fall?"

"No, Sergeant," Gomer replied.

"Good. I hate to fall- to fall down in public."

Duke grit his teeth and hissed, "Gomer, you'd do anything for the Sarge, wouldn't you?"

"Why of course I would, especially at a time like this." Giving his buddy a pat on the shoulder, Duke let his half of the sergeant lean on Gomer.

"Stay right here, babysitter. I'll be back in a jiffy." As Duke dashed out the door, Carter chuckled and grinned up at Gomer.

"Pyle, did I ever tell you 'ow funny you look when you're c'ncerned?" Gomer sighed and tried to guide his sergeant to the nearest booth.