Chapter 2

After completing rounds with the doctors, Frankie returned to the tent and found the privacy screen was left by her cot. She quickly made up her bed for the night and placed the screen as inconspicuously as possible.

BJ and Charles entered the tent next along with Hawkeye who plopped down on his cot and found the magazine he was reading prior. BJ and Charles both noticed the screen and gave the most curious and confused expressions.

"What's with the privacy curtain?" BJ asked.

Frankie replied, "I requested it."

BJ sat down on his cot next. He couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

Hawkeye listened but didn't say anything.

"I have anxiety and a privacy screen helps sooth it." she excused.

Charles stated, "You will find my dear lad, that such a screen will be useless here. I tried to a privacy screen once. It made no difference and these two only went out of their way to irritate me further." he scowled.

Hawkeye looked up from his reading and defended. "You had your family send you an exotic Japanese privacy screen so you could shut me and Beege out. It had nothing with anxiety. You were just trying to ignore us and claim half the tent."

Charles asked, "And this is any different, Pierce?"

"Yes!" he nodded. "Frankie is not a snob. He admits he needs it for anxiety and he's shy. You just used it to mark off your side of the tent." He motioned, "His screen is against the wall, not marking off half the tent."

Charles looked upon Frankie who stood observing the men. He squinted as he debated in his mind why Peirce was defending the new Captain.

Frankie confessed, "I'm really shy and very self conscious. The screen won't be in anyone's way."

"Very well." Charles gave up any fight. He sat down on his cot tired out from the day. He reached over and found a record to play on the Victrola player. He placed the record on the turntable and started to play classical music.

Hawkeye complained, "Do you have to play that now?"

"Yes!" Charles snapped at him.

BJ sighed, "We're trying to rest here, Charles."

Frankie asked, "What records you got, Major?"

He beamed and sat back up on the cot. "I have all the classics."

Frankie then went to her foot locker and retrieved a violin case. She placed it down on her cot and opened the case and picked up the instrument in her delicate hands. She asked, "Mind if I play?"

Charles stopped the music player as his eyes landed on the instrument. "You play the violin?"

"I do." she nodded and began to draw the bow across the strings. A smooth sounds resonated as she played a sweet melody.

Charles laid back on his cot as the sweet sound engulfed him. A smile crept across his face as she played the lullaby. For a moment it was most heavenly for the man. The smooth, sweet sound relaxed him and melted away his fears and frustrations.

After a few minutes Frankie stopped playing as she noticed Charles had his eyes closed and she assumed he must have fallen asleep. She then looked upon BJ and Hawkeye. Both men were contently watching her play.

BJ stated, "You are very good, Frankie."

Hawkeye agreed, "Best violist in the camp."

Charles stated without opening his eyes, "He's the only violinist in the camp." He opened his eyes and looked upon the new Doctor. "You have been classically trained."

She confessed, "I have." She placed the instrument back in the case.

Charles stated, "You should be playing in Carnegie Hall."

She blushed, "I'm not that good."

"I would beg to differ." Charles stated. "That was the most pristine piece of music to grace my ears in a long time."

"Thanks." she blushed shrugging it off.

BJ had an idea, "The camp should do another talent show."

"Indeed!" Charles gleefully agreed.

Frankie paused as she noticed all eyes were on her. She bit her bottom lip for a moment. "I don't do talent shows. I just play for fun."

Charles insisted, "You could play professionally."

"I'm a doctor. Not a professional musician." she waved the idea off. She placed her violin back in the foot locker and then figured she needed to get ready for bed. She puckered in thought as music had drawn more attention than she wished. She grabbed her toothbrush and toiletries along with pajamas and a rob. "I'm going to take a shower and then get ready for bed."

BJ stated, "You are taking a shower at night?"

"Helps me sleep." she stated. She then headed for the door as she realized the showers would be empty at night so she could get cleaned up.

BJ wedged himself up with his arm. "Captain Barns is a bit strange." he concluded.

Charles defended. "Hogwash! He's sophisticated. You are just not use to someone who has had obvious etiquette schooling." He laid back down in his cot with the melody still playing in his head.

BJ looked at Hawkeye for input.

"He's a little weird. I like him but a little weird." he agreed. He too laid down for bed and then started to read his magazine once more.

BJ tucked himself under the blankets. "I like him too. I'm just saying he's a bit weird. He's kind of…feminine."

Hawkeye shrugged, "Maybe he's a homosexual."

"Maybe?" BJ debated the idea.

Charles stated, "We shall not make any such allegations. The Captain could be discharged if he is."

BJ squinted, "And that would bother you?"

Charles looked at his tent mate and demanded, "Not only would he be unfairly discharged but we would also lose a classically training violinist."

Hawkeye grinned, "And Charles wants private concerts all to himself."

"Shove it, Pierce." he rebutted for Hawkeye was right in the assumption.

BJ concluded, "It's really none of our business if he is. As long as he does his job and is not making unwanted advances, it's really none of our business."

Hawkeye agreed, "Not any of our business."

Next Day

A new stream of wounded rolled into camp. Frankie got her first taste of operating in a MASH unit. Major Houlihan worked as a surgical nurse for Frankie.

Margaret noted, "Your sutures are excellent, Doctor."

Frankie winced, "I wish they were better." She glanced around at the wounded, "Just don't have the time to really do a good job." she winced.

Potter stated, "Just make sure the sutures are sound. It's doesn't have to be pretty, Captain."

"I realize that, sir." she agreed.

Charles leaned back to get a look at Frankie's work. He noticed the sutures were indeed excellent. Better than most. "I admire your ability to employ a good suture. But, here there is no extra time spend on sutures."

She looked at him and stated, "This is my fast and dirty suture."

Charles looked at Margaret who agreed. "Dr. Barns' sutures were done quickly. That's why I complimented him."

Charles stood for a minute pondering how come Frankie seemed to have better sutures than the rest of the doctors. He noticed her hands were smaller than the other doctors. He deducted, "Must be the hands." He then went back to his work.

BJ had to ask, "Hands Charles?"

"Smaller hands make for better sutures." he concluded.

Margaret laughed, "If that's the case than women should make excellent surgeons."

Frankie proclaimed, "Women do make excellent surgeons! I knew a few back at Saint Ann's. Women have better fine motor skills than most men. Hence, women are very good at delicate work." She looked at Margaret and stated, "You could easily become a surgeon, Major. You have the skill."

Margaret blushed under her mask. "You think so, Doctor?" She had never had a doctor suggest she go further and become a doctor herself.

Frankie insisted, "You can do it."

"Thank you for that vote of confidence, Doctor." she beamed.

Charles declared, "I whole heartedly agree. After the war, Margaret perhaps you should consider continuing your education."

Frankie asked, "Why does she have to wait until after the war?"

"She's our head nurse." he excused.

Frankie smirked under her mask, "Can't lose her to now, huh?"

"Most certainly not." he agreed.

Frankie looked at Margaret and suggested, "Blackmail the doctors. Tell them you will leave for medical school early if they don't pay you extra."

Margaret began to laugh at the joke. "I don't think I can do that, Doctor." She then paused and looked at the doctors in the room and stated, "Medical school takes time to get into." She hinted she could indeed bring herself to blackmail them.

Frankie stated, "I can get you into Ann Arbor in a snap."

Margaret replied amused, "Perhaps, after the war."

As they worked Corporal Maxwell Klinger walked by carrying one end of a stretcher. He wore a nurse's white uniform complete with a cap.

Margaret yelled, "You are out of uniform, Klinger."

The Corporal stopped and rebutted, "I'm in a uniform, Major."

Margaret rolled her eyes.

Klinger looked at the new doctor. He declared, "I'm crazy. Think you can give me a section 8, Captain?"

Frankie replied, "I think that's a bit beyond my pay grade." It was most ironic. She was disguised as a man to sneak into the military and a man dressed as a woman was asking her for a reason to get out of the military. They were two polar opposite ships passing in the night in the most ironic of plot twist.

Margaret huffed, "That is not regulations, Klinger."

Klinger looked to Frankie. "Wouldn't you say I am in uniform, Doc?"

She admitted, "You are in a uniform, Corporal." She then mentioned without much thought, "Of course you could always step it up a notch and shave your legs and paint your nails."

The audience at that point tried very hard to not laugh.

Klinger asked excited, "You think that will get me that section 8?"

She shook her head, "No…but you will look a whole lot prettier."

Klinger soured. "Fine! A whole lot of help you are, Doc." He then continued about his job of moving patients.

Margret stated, "Pay no attention to Klinger. He's always trying to get on your nerves."

Frankie stated, "I think he's pretty entertaining. Best show in town." she laughed to herself.

Klinger stopped by on his way to get another patient. He declared, "Just you wait and see, Doc. I'll come up with an outfit that will get me that section 8."

"I look forward to it." she grinned amused.

It was not the response Klinger anticipated. He declared, "You like seeing guys in dresses."

"It's called a drag show." she told him. "Big in New York City." She then pondered, "You are from Toledo, right? They have drag shows there, don't they?"

Klinger rolled his eyes and walked away.

Margaret asked, "What's a drag show?"

"Men who dress up like women and put on a show. Sing, dance, all that. It's actually an old form of adult entertainment. It traces back to the days of the King and live plays. Women were not allowed in the plays back then so all female characters were played by men or boys." she explained. "Klinger probably got the idea from a drag show." she concluded. She finished the task. "I'm ready for another patient." she declared.