Pierce residence, living room, late evening, Hawkeye on the phone talking to Peg
"I got the feeling something was wrong when you wrote that postcard for Margaret, but nothing like this. Where is BJ now? Do you keep in touch with each other?" asked Hawkeye calmly.
"He has moved to a small apartment two blocks away... he comes by to visit us regularly...he's sweet and gentle as always...he says he still loves me and we will work it out, but I'm afraid we're drifting apart." replied Peg almost sobbing.
"But he was so anxious to get home to you, Peg. Can you talk about it?"
"Yes...yes, I want to talk about it...I'm at my wits end and you're my last hope... I have really tried to be there for him. I thought, loving him hard enough would pull us through, but it is just so unbearable when there is no response at all." said Peg fighting to hold back her tears.
"You sound like this has been going on for quite some time?" Hawkeye's calm voice made Peg relax a little.
"It has. He got this position as Chief of Emergency Surgery within two weeks and from there on it was pretty much downhill."
"Tough spot. I couldn't do it."
"It was a struggle for him right from the start. He had these nightmares and they only got worse. I tried to comfort him and talk to him, but I couldn't even understand half of what he said and we started arguing over stupid things. He moved out and our arguments actually stopped, but we are not getting closer to each other."
"Don't blame yourself, Peg. He should have talked to someone who knew, someone like me." Hawkeye immediately got bad conscience, but he was also disappointed. "Do you know why he didn't try to reach me?"
"I don't know... but there is more I need to tell you...this situation has affected our relationship...we are not...eh...every time I want to cuddle he turns away from me." Peg started to cry again. "He says he suffers from stress and everything will be fine. It's just a phase he is going through."
"This is not a phase." Hawkeye replied, still in a calm voice. "This is a condition. You said he was depressed?"
"Yes, he has lost his spark lately and yesterday I found out he has not been at the hospital for two weeks."
"I think we need to get BJ away from there as quick as possible, to a neutral place. Tell him I want to talk to him." Hawkeye made eye contact with Margaret standing close to him." Tell him that Margaret and I invite him to stay with us here in Maine." Margaret nodded with a smile. "If he is stubborn, tell him it is better to be miserable with his best friends than just being miserable. If he's not willing to go anywhere, then I will personally pay BJ a visit and drag him over here."
"Thank you, Hawkeye." Peg said, almost whispering.
After the phone call, Margaret gave Hawkeye a loving hug.
"Maybe I should find out if Sidney Freedman is available." said Hawkeye.
"Good idea. I'm still surprised this would happen to BJ. He seemed to be in such good spirits when we left Korea."
Portland hospital, next day, Frank's office, Frank and Jean
Frank was quite pleased about his secret affair with nurse Jean Casey because she was also married. Of course, everyone at the hospital knew about it. Unfortunately Frank had been busy nitpicking about the requisitions he received and he had paid too much attention to Jean. The requisitions began to pile up. Frank was sitting at his desk and Jean was hugging him from behind.
"Oh Frank, I really enjoy our status meetings. Can I lick your earlobes?" Jean said in a passionate voice.
"Oh Jean, How can I resist you when you do that to me." She licked his earlobe.
"Frank, please wiggle your ear. I can't resist men with such refined body control." Frank wiggled his ear and Jean licked it again.
The door opened and chief surgeon Robert Elkins rushed in saying...
"We're low on plasma. Margaret says she requested it a week ago." Jean jumped away from Frank.
"His ear was aching. I was just checking it." said Jean, flustered.
"With your tongue? Is that a new method in medicine? Frank, where is my plasma?"
"Ehm...eh...new procedures. I'll see to it right away. It's impossible to work under these conditions." said Frank offended.
"New procedures? All you have to do is, take a requisition from this tray, check it and then put it in the proper tray over there. How hard can that be?"
"But there are so many...and... and you people make sloppy requisitions...my job description requires that I regularly coordinate with the nurses."
"You have weekly meetings with the head nurses. You don't have to coordinate with each nurse personally." said Robert as he left the office, shaking his head.
"I think, I'd better..." said Frank timidly before he was interrupted by Jean..
"No, don't listen to him. We will not let our fine and almost spiritual relationship be affected by those ignorants. Why don't you go to the linen room and make the proper arrangements, my dear?" said Jean as she bend forward and kissed his neck. Frank went to the linen room. This time, Jean found 3 of Margaret's requisitions which she tore apart and threw in the trash.
Portland hospital, Division of Trauma and Acute Surgery, Margaret and Robert
Robert Elkins was the chief surgeon and Margaret was the head nurse in this division.
"Frank just called me. He can't find your requisition for plasma." said Robert in disbelief.
"It must have been misplaced during administration. The tray for internal mail has been emptied every day." said Margaret.
"Yes. I'm sure that's the case. I was just down there and it was a bit chaotic. Will you please file an urgent requisition for plasma?"
"Yes, of course. I'll do it right away."
Portland hospital, Frank's office, Margaret and Frank
"This is an urgent request for plasma. Don't lose it this time." said Margaret slightly irritated.
"Who says I've lost it?" said Frank offended.
"Frank, that pile of requisitions is almost two inches high. Are you sure mine is not in there?"
"I have looked everywhere and I really wanted to find your requisition, Margaret." She had learned to see when Frank was lying and this time he was being honest.
"Yes. I'm sure you did. Please expedite this one." Margaret said in a more friendly voice.
Pierce residence, the same evening, Hawkeye, Margaret and Daniel
Since their return from Korea, Hawkeye and Margaret had managed to become successful in their professional careers. This had resulted in a wealthy household and they could now afford to establish a modern home and buy luxury items. One of those luxury items was a brand new record player.
"I've bought these records today. It's a new musical style. It's jazz." said Daniel
"I know jazz." said Hawkeye. "I've heard it on the radio. It's dance music, right?"
"Well, it can be. This is called cool jazz and it is something you sit and listen to. These people are true expert artists." The first record Daniel played was with Miles Davis.
"Oh - that's so relaxing." said Margaret.
"Yes - listen to the sound of that trumpet. I've never heard anything like that before." said Daniel. The next record was with Oscar Peterson.
"Now, that's what I call a piano player." said Hawkeye and continued..."Not to criticize, but I really never found out whether the piano we had back in Korea was broken or it was Father Mulcahy who wasn't that good. Speaking of Father Mulcahy, have you thought about him for our wedding, darling?"
"Yes, I have and he'll be happy to marry us. I spoke with him last week." Margaret said, as a matter of course. Hawkeye and Daniel looked surprised at each other and then they both smiled, but they also realized that they should leave the wedding preparations to Margaret. Upsetting a bride is one thing. Upsetting a bride with a hot temper like Margaret's could be unhealthy. Daniel played the third record he had bought that day and the artist was Stan Getz.
"Oooh - I like that. What's that instrument called?" asked Margaret.
"It's a saxophone." replied Daniel.
"Very sexy." said Margaret. Hawkeye gazed at Daniel with a clarified smile. Now he knew what music to buy for Margaret.
Portland hospital, the same week, Saturday night
Margaret had just arrived on her weekend shift. It was a busy night at the hospital. Margaret was informed of the latest emergency events and she was told they were low on alcohol for disinfection. Margaret was terrified because she had filed a requisition several days ago. Hopefully, it would not be a bloody weekend , but she had only been at the hospital for five minutes when the first announcement could be heard over the intercom.
Margaret rushed to the E.R. The patient was already there and it was someone with a bloody face from abrasions. Margaret wiped away the blood, but suddenly she realized that it was Hawkeye and he was unconscious. He had just dropped her off at the staff entrance and then he was going to park their car. A night of poker awaited him. Now, he was lying right in front of Margaret. Her chest felt tight and she began to hyperventilate. Then everything went black...