Wow! Not a single piece of feedback. Now, at this stage, I am really beginning to feel sorry for myself and am considering going back to updating it once a week. And that too, if I am in a generous mood. But I feel that it won't change anything either.
Argh!
Anyway, here is a new one. Things are starting to roll from today onwards. They will catch momentum on Thanksgiving and ...like they say, things have to go bad before they go worse so...
Happy reading!
Chapter 49
"Ray-daar, O' Ray-daaar!" I called his name while opening the door to his office cum bedroom.
And then I saw him. Actually, I saw Col. Potter first who was staring at me. He shook his head in dismay before trying to contain an almost-smile.
"Uhhh, I did not know, Colonel. Carry on!"
"Gee thanks Hawkeye! And here I was thinking you had some important business, more important than running a damned MASH unit."
"No. Thats OK. Its important but it can wait." And with that I hurriedly exited the office into Post-op.
"Some Yaahoo!" I heard Col. Potter remark behind my back and I smiled.
"I thought you had a date." That was BJ, of course.
"I Had a date, yeah. What a date. She is some girl, Beej."
"All girls are some girl with you, Captain Romeo. Why are you here? Again?"
"Because I love you?"
"Is that a question?"
"Not so sure. Hey, Margaret and I thought of starting a pool. Betting pool."
"I am listening."
"How long would it take for Frank to show O'Hara his true colors?"
"Is that the pool? You really don't think she has already seen them?"
"Hmmm. You got a point there, Beej. Now, it does not sound half as good as when we talked about it."
"If you really wanna start a pool, try making it about how long would they remain an item."
"Good idea, Beej. You are pretty evil for a nice fella, ya know."
"Hah. Coming from you..."
"Its a compliment, genius. I salute your evilness!"
"You think people would bet on it? And you think its not really a cruel thing to do?"
"Bet, hell yeah. And cruel? After what Frank did today?"
"What did he do? And by the way, how do you know for sure they are...hanky-pankying?"
"Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you." And then I told him the whole story from the afternoon, right down to the final kiss.
"You sure get around for someone on a sick leave, Hawk." He was grinning amusedly as was I. "I thought you were laying off of him for next few days."
"You thought wrong. You have any idea how bored I was today? With you away and no work to do and no girl to speak of, I don't think I can last more than twenty minutes in this sewer. Especially if I don't have anything like Frank to play with."
"Awww, Hawk. You missed me."
"Hey, I wanted to ask you something. I haven't done any shopping for Christmas."
"For? You know how long it takes to send packages Stateside?"
"Yeah, I know. This is my second Christmas here."
"Oh yeah. I am sorry."
"'S okay, Beej! I was wondering what to get for Brenda. Any ideas? I mean, you have been shopping for your wife, right?"
"Yeah. I have been. But thats my wife. Brenda is...temporary, right?"
"I am not so sure, Beej."
"Wow, Hawk's in love."
"HEY! Will you keep it down?" I snarled when I saw his grin.
"How do I know what she likes? I usually go and ask the salesgirl to help me pick something. And more often than not, its a whole bunch of things so Peg..." A shadow passed over his face and he turned quiet.
"Beej!"
"Yeah Hawk?"
"Have you..."
"Don't wanna talk about it, Hawk."
"Cummon Beej. Don't do this to yourself. Or your family. Talk to her!"
"She could have called herself if she wanted to talk."
"What is that supposed to mean? She does not know what you are thinking. Or going through."
"She does."
"You told her?"
"No. I just know she does. I...nothing!"
"Beej, you know something. You are an idiot!"
"Yeah. I have heard that before. Hawk, I have some pending work to do. Can we talk later?"
"Sure. Sure. You know where to find me!"
"Cya!"
"Yeah."
Now I was feeling bad. After a really good day, I totally blew it.
Damnit, Hawkeye!
Post-op was really warm. I stepped outside. Snow had completely melted. Now, there was lots of icy slush all over Fifth Ave.
Brenda is from NY.
Would she like Maine?
And then I chuckled.
Getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we? I silently thought.
The sun was down but the reddish glow still remained in the sky. This was going to be a moonless night.
I thought about BJ's problem again. Facts were, Peg was not her usual self. And neither was BJ. And BJ was irrational. Not a lot to go on but maybe I could find a way for BJ to get sensible. If I could get a message across to Peg to call him? That could always backfire if Peg was not prepared. There was also the problem with communication. Most calls from Stateside died over Pacific or Sea of Japan and never got here. But I had to find a way. I could not see my best friend wither away like this. I could not see the family I had come to love as my own suffer through pain. Not when it was completely irrational and absolutely avoidable.
Tomorrow was Thanksgiving. I hoped we were not served some crap from WW II. There were few things worse than a surplus turkey from another war.
I decided to go to O-Club to see if they were doing any preparations. Worse came to worst, I could always play pinball, improve my score and watch people get drunk on the side. Not a bad proposition altogether!
"Hey Hawkeye!"
"Cap'n Pierce!"
Various voices greeted me. It felt good to be back to civilization a la MASH 4077.
I waved at them all before moving towards the other end of the room where pinball machine was. Nobody was playing it.There were not many people here right now anyway. Everybody was trying to decorate. Except Brenda. She was sitting next to the machine, sipping at what seemed like...water?
"May I?"
I pulled a chair opposite her and crashed on it as if I had run a marathon.
"You sure have a flair for the dramatic, Soldier."
"Why do you keep calling me soldier?"
"Because!"
"I don't like being called that."
"For someone dressed like one, bearing a rank of captain, living on an Army Camp..."
"Alright already! I get your point, lady!"
"Good! So, what took you so long?"
"Huh?"
"I said, what took..."
"I heard you the first time. I was just trying to remember if we had set a date."
"Well, we did not. And I doubt if you would forget a date. I just figured you owed me a drink."
"I offered you one back in the Swamp. Twice!"
"That dreck? Bet your ass I was not gonna drink it."
"Dreck? I take offense on behalf of our beloved still. That beauty has served us well, above the call of duty, since the day she was born."
"I have drunk gin. And that thing wasn't gin."
"I wouldn't know. BJ is the master of still these days. I will ask him."
"So?"
I looked at her quizzically. She was a funny and fun woman.
"So where is my drink?" She smiled mischievously.
"Right here!" I pointed at her drink, smiling.
"This is water. I was waiting for you to come."
"How did you know I was coming? Even I didn't know I was coming."
"Call me a perceptive woman. Now are you getting me a drink or not?"
I looked at her for a long moment. This was a rare gem, the most unconventional woman I had ever met.
"Men!" She got up to get it herself.
I just sat there, thinking. This woman had completely thrown me off my game. She was playing me. And that was a first. Not since high school had a woman played me like this. It was fun. And scary, both at the same time.
"I cannot..." She put a glass in front of me.
"Relax, Hawkeye. This is just soda. You can have a soda, right?"
"Thanks."
"See! Not gallant!"
"Huh?"
"This guy I was telling you about. He is not really gallant. When a girl asks him to buy her a drink, he gets comatose." She laughed.
What the hell was wrong with me? I had no comeback, nothing clever or funny or smart to say. It was like my mind had gone completely numb since meeting BJ.
That was it!
I had completely forgotten about BJ. I needed to see Radar right away.
"Hey, listen! I have to take a rain check. Kinda tired. Had a long day. I will buy you a drink tomorrow!"
And with that, I got up from the chair and left the O-Club.
P.S. I am going to hold off any further updating until my ego is ready for another barrage of heavy indifference!