As I Read This Letter

by Radio-Radio

Season 9 (AU.) Margaret gets a surprise when she receives letters from Frank Burns. During a lull at the 4077th, BJ, Hawkeye, Klinger and Colonel Potter try to cope with the boredom. Charles is stunned by reaction to a paper submitted to a medical journal. A wounded CO questions his courage, and the war itself. Dr. Sidney Freedman arrives to help.

9. Chapter 9

Margaret reread her letter to Frank.

She felt relieved.

And wanted to get the letter in the mail as soon as possible. She put the letter in an envelope and addressed it, and started walking towards Klinger's work area to drop the letter off.

"Major," Charles startled her. She was so focused on what she was doing she hadn't noticed him.

"Major Winchester," she began, "I'm sorry. Just have to get this letter out in the mail."

Charles began walking with her.

"The mail," Charles began, "Connecting us to the outside world, whether we want it or not."

"Charles," Margaret replied, "I love getting mail. Hearing from friends and family reminds me there's a better world outside of this place."

"So," Charles asked, "Are you mailing a letter to a friend or family member?"

Margaret stopped by the door, "Maybe a friend. Not family." Then, she walked into Klinger's area and dropped the mail in the outgoing bag. Charles was waiting for her, outside.

"Curious," Charles began, "Maybe a friend is an odd choice of words."

"Charles, if you knew the story, you'd understand," Margaret replied as they began walking towards her tent.

"Care to share?" Charles inquired.

Margaret was silent. Charles was someone she could talk to, though not like Colonel Potter. She'd had enough of the "letter bit" for one day, "Perhaps, some other time."

"Very well," Charles huffed and walked away from Margaret's tent.

He headed back to the Swamp. BJ and Hawkeye had a deck of cards on BJ's bed, all cards face up.

"Your turn," Hawkeye was saying to BJ.

"Let me think. I don't even remember the rules," BJ replied.

"Rules? I thought we'd skipped that part," Hawkeye grinned.

"Makes sense, Pierce. Even when you are trying to be creative, you lack imagination," Charles commented as he looked at the cards.

"Charles," Hawkeye responded, "We have a full deck of cards face up. What would you suggest?"

"Putting them face down, instead," Charles smiled

Hawkeye and BJ eyed each other.

"Didn't we do that last game?" BJ asked.

"Yeah. And it took all the fun out of it. Having to guess," Hawkeye said.

"So, if we're not guessing, what ARE we doing with the cards face up?" BJ asked.

"Ever examine a deck of cards, BJ? The royalty and the riff-raff part of the same family. Sounds pretty democratic to me," Hawkeye laughed.

"Gentlemen," Charles began, "If you flip the cards over and shuffle them a few times, you could get a poker game going."

Hawkeye and BJ stared at Charles. He almost NEVER played poker with them, calling it, "A common man's game."

"Charles, you'd play poker with us?" BJ asked.

"Yes, Hunnicut," Charles followed, "I could use the distraction."

"Beej," Hawkeye enthused, "See if you rustle up any snacks. I'll check with Colonel Potter, Klinger, Father Mulcahy and Margaret. We could have quite a game going!"

"We have enough seating for 7, Hawk?" BJ inquired.

"Good question," Hawkeye replied, "We'll make this a BYOC, Bring your own chair, game!"