Chapter 2
Uijeongbu Korea; July 19th, 1951
It was coming up on a week since Ellie Marie had joined the 4077th and things had been going just about as well as could be expected. After her initial bump with Major Houlihan they'd been getting along quite well. The rest of the camp was as friendly and accommodating as she could have hoped for, with one notable exception. Major Winchester seemed to be treating his banishment to Korea as one step above the ninth circle of Dante's Inferno, and making sure everyone in his proximity was as miserable as he was. She thought for a brief moment he might have had a real breakthrough after his first truly grueling O.R. session, in which he'd struggled to keep up with the unrelenting pace needed to get through the mass of wounded. But after a brief moment of being humbled, he was back to his normal disagreeable self.
She sighed in frustration as she checked her clipboard, and then looked back at the shelf. The spot that was indicated for gauze and tape held a box marked rubber tubing, and she didn't see any others on that shelf with the proper label either. She was assigned to refill the supplies in Post Op, which should have been an easy task but nothing seemed to be where it was supposed to be. She turned and walked back through the supply room door into the large main office where Radar both lived and worked. He was currently at his desk, leaning back with his feet propped up and a well worn comic book in his hands.
"Whatcha got there?" She asked, making him jump and quickly lower the comic.
"Oh it's nothing." He said nervously.
"Is that Superman?" She walked across the office and leaned against the desk, turning her head so she could read the title. "Ooooo Volume 4, that's a good one. They introduce a lot of baddies."
"You know about Superman?" Radar said, looking at her curiously.
"Of course!" She answered, "I had a little brother growing up and he never really gave me much of a choice in the matter. Somebody had to play Lois Lane. I never really minded though. Comic books are fun, and I really think they get a bad rap."
"I know right?" Said Radar, sitting up, "It's like jeez, just because a book has pictures doesn't mean the story isn't good or you're a dummy for reading it."
"I can't imagine anyone around here thinks you're a dummy Radar." Ellie Marie said.
"Yeah well tell that to Major Winchester," He grumbled, "he's called me a cretin, a rube, and an ignoramus just today, and I only know what one of those three is, but I got a feeling they pretty much all mean the same thing."
"Major Winchester's opinion doesn't count." Ellie Marie said lightly, "he isn't happy unless he's insulting someone. Now do you think you could help me out with this inventory sheet? Nothing in there is where it's supposed to be." Radar took the sheet from her and shook his head.
"This is three weeks old, Nurse Kelly updated it while Major Houlihan was away. I'll get you a copy." He said.
"Bless you!" Ellie Marie said, ruffling his hair. He stood and walked to his filing cabinet to shuffle through papers, just as Hawkeye walked through the doors from Post Op.
"Ah Nurse Lennox, as I live and breath." He proclaimed, "I didn't expect to find your most lovely frame when I walked through the door."
"Hello Hawkeye," she said with a wry smile.
It had become quickly apparent to her within twenty four hours of arriving in the camp that Hawkeye was its resident Casanova. A fact reinforced by the warning most of the nurses had given her about him. The past five days had been an endless stream of sly passes and coy attempts at flirting, all of which she only returned to the level of amusement. She had no judgment towards those who enjoyed that sort of distraction, but it was of no interest to her, and she certainly didn't intend to end up Hawkeye's latest conquest, simply because she was the shiny new toy in camp.
"Here you go Captain." Radar said, coming back with the list and handing it to her.
"You're a lifesaver Radar." She said with another smile, and she headed back into the supply closet. The list proved completely accurate, and she happily set about her task much more efficiently as the men in the office just beyond continued to speak.
"I was actually coming in to remind you about tonight." Hawkeye said, "You still in? Five card stud, ten cent ante."
"I dunno Hawk last time I played you guys took me for twenty dollars!" Radar grumbled.
"I know...why do you think we're inviting you back?" Teased Hawkeye, but Radar must have reacted negatively because he quickly backtracked.
"Come on I'm kidding."he said, "but you know you're never gonna get better if you don't play."
"Alright fine." Radar grumbled. 'But if I lose more than ten I'm out this time and you better not try to make me stay."
"Fair enough." Hawkeye said, "see you at 8."
Once Ellie Marie finished collecting supplies and restocking Post Op, she made her way to the mess tent and piled her plate with some spaghetti and meatballs, and a sad looking salad. As she looked around, she saw B.J. and Hawkeye in the far left corner and moved towards them.
"May I join you?" She asked.
"Are you kidding? Two interactions with you in the span of a few hours? I insist." Said Hawkeye motioning to the seat across from him. She sat and began spinning spaghetti on her fork.
"So Hawkeye can I ask you a question?" She said.
"The answer is yes, I'd be happy to take you out tonight, when should I pick you up?" He answered.
She shot him an amused glare and continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"I heard you and Radar in the office earlier. Were you talking about a poker game?"
"He was indeed. We hold one in the Swamp, the third Tuesday of every month." B.J. answered.
"Is it a closed game or can anybody join?"
"We have our regulars, but it's open to anyone interested." He said.
"Why? Do you play?" Hawkeye asked.
"I've been knowing to toss in a chip or two in my day." She responded with a smile.
"Then by all means, join us." He said enthusiastically.
It was 5 minutes to 8 that evening when Ellie Marie headed from her tent towards the Swamp. She could see the cluster of men already gathered inside. When she opened the door, the smell of tobacco and booze hit her like a cloud. They had moved the unoccupied cot in the far left corner to the side and were using one of their large steamer trunks as a table. Seated around it were Colonel Potter, Radar, B.J., Hawkeye, Klinger, and surprisingly Father Mulcahy. She'd only had a handful of interactions with the priest, but found him to be a kind, sweet, if not somewhat soft spoken man.
"Ellie Marie ! Glad you could join us!" Hawkeye said, making room for her next to him on the cot that was now serving as a bench.
"Glad to be here." She answered, "have to admit I'm a little surprised to see you though Father." She added with a smile.
"The Lord works in mysterious ways my child.' He said with a small grin, "I use my winnings from these monthly games to supplement what I give to the orphans."
"Very noble." She said, grinning back as B.J. handed her a drink.
"I gotta say, we don't see too much of our nurses at these sorts of shindigs." Colonel Potter pointed out.
"Well sir, it just so happens your new Assistant Head Nurse can't resist a good poker game."
"You sure you're up for this?" teased Klinger directly across from her. "We can get kinda intense around here."
"Don't worry Max, I won't take too much of your money." She shot back with a wink, as she took a long sip of her drink. The stuff wasn't so bad when you got used to it.
"Alright let's get down to it, who's dealing first?" Said Hawkeye.
"I gotcha." Said Klinger raising his hand. He was quite a sight that evening in a bright blue pea coat, with matching pillbox hat, and a cigar clamped between his teeth. "Alright now the game is five card stud, ten cent ante, twenty to raise and jokers are wild." He began dealing the cards. As Ellie Marie picked hers up she noticed Winchester walk through the door and lie down on his bunk without acknowledging them.
"I'll take two." She said, when the deal came around to her.
"So where'd you learn to play cards?" B.J. asked, taking two more cards as well.
"At Brown," she said, "when you're one of only three women in the pre-med program you tend to learn how to play with the boys or it gets mighty boring."
"Brown, that's one of those fancy schools isn't it?" Asked Radar. Ellie Marie was about to answer when she heard a huff from behind her.
"Do you have something to add Charles?" Hawkeye asked, using his mocking aristocratic voice.
"Hardly." He said flatly.
"Don't mind Charles." B.J. said vaguely to the group, "if a school isn't Harvard he feels it unworthy of mentioning." Winchester simply shook his head.
"Remind me agan Ellie Marie...where did you say you had been accepted, before you decided to come over here on the fun parade?" Hawkeye asked.
"That would be Harvard Medical College my good man." She replied haughtily.
Charles looked up quickly over the top of his book.
"You? Were set to attend Harvard?" He said in disbelief.
"Would you look at that Major..." said Klinger grinning, "looks like you're not the only high falooting Ivy Leaguer in the camp."
"Being accepted to Harvard Medical, and successfully completing Harvard Medical, are hardly the same thing." Charles shot back, returning to his book.
Hawkeye opened his mouth, no doubt with a scathing rebuttal, but she nudged him and shook her head.
"It's not worth it." She said, "and he's not exactly wrong. Even if he is a pompous pain in the ass. Oops sorry Father." She looked at him apologetically.
"No worries." He said jovially, "Can't exactly say as I disagree with your assessment." He added under his breath.
"Pre med eh?" Said Colonel Potter, "what kinda Dr. were you planning on becoming?"
"A surgeon." Ellie Marie answered, "and I'm still planning on being one Colonel. This is just a pit stop."
"Meaning no offense."Charles commented again from behind his book.
"But I'm sure you'll offend nonetheless." She muttered, folding her hand.
"Do you really think someone like you has the right constitution for surgery?" Charles asked.
"By someone like me, I take it you mean a woman?" Ellie Marie shot back, "it may have escaped your notice Major but the nurses in this unit are in the thick of the blood and gore just as much as the Doctors and I haven't seen one of them break under the pressure. Also, as a medical professional I would hope it hasn't escaped your notice that on the whole, women see a good deal more blood in their lifetime than men."
B.J. choked on the sip of his martini he'd just taken, and Colonel Potter raised his eyebrows and laughed.
"She's got ya there Winchester." He said.
"What's she mean by that?" Radar asked.
"I'll tell ya when you're older kid." Hawkeye teased before turning his attention back to Klinger, "Alright you swarthy minxâ.I call. What've you got?"
"Pair of Kings." Klinger said, laying them down.
"I see your Kings, and raise you a Full House!" Hawkeye quipped, making Klinger curse under his breath.
"Laverne's gonna kill me." He muttered, "She told me last month if I lost our petty cash in poker again, she was selling my bowling shoes."
"Is that your girl?" Ellie Marie asked.
"My wife." Klinger corrected, "been together since we were twelve, and she's been kicking my tail for doing stupid stuff like this every step of the way."
"Wow since you were twelve." Ellie Marie said, "that's amazing. I don't think I'm even in contact with anyone I knew when I was twelve."
"How about you? You ever tied the knot?" Hawkeye asked.
"I've been doing nothing but studying and working since I turned twenty." She pointed out, "when would I have had the time? Besides, a woman hell bent on breaking into a male dominated profession isn't exactly considered a prize in the dating pool."
"That's a load of malarkey." Colonel Potter interjected, "any man worth his salt knows the best kind of woman is a strong woman who challenges him."
"Well Colonel I hope to meet some of these real men you speak of one day." Ellie Marie replied, "because as of yet I haven't found one up to the task."
"You can feel free to challenge me anytime you like." Hawkeye interjected.
"Oh I'll bet I can." She retorted, before calling.
The game went on for a few more rounds pleasantly. During a tense stand off between B.J. and Father Mulcahy she shot a glance in Klinger's direction.
"Hey doll face." She said, "those cigars just yours or are you open to sharing?"
"You want a cigar?" He said, raising an eyebrow.
"If you're willing."
He pulled one out of his black velvet purse and handed it to her leaning across the makeshift card table to light it. She took a long puff and leaned back against the stove, savoring the flavor.. She opened her mouth and let the smoke drift up inhaling through her nose to pull it back in again. When she refocused on the group she realized everyone was watching her.
"Can't say I've ever seen a woman that comfortable with a cigar before." Colonel Potter commented, and she felt herself blush slightly.
"Sorry." She said, "It's been awhile, but I have to say back when I was studying for my Harvard entrance exams, nothing relaxed me quite like sitting in the window of my room enjoying a good cigar."
"I wouldn't call what you're smoking now a good cigar." B.J. pointed out, and she smiled.
"Fair point," she agreed, "is it my deal?"
The game went on for hours, and it was well after midnight when she found herself all in against Klinger head to head. She raised a quizzical eyebrow at him, trying to gauge his reaction, but he simply mirrored her expression and smirked.
"I don't know Toledo.." she teased, "I think you're bluffing."
"Only one way to find out." He countered, "unless you're scared."
"I ain't scared of nobody no how." She said, "I call. Two pair, Jacks and Aces." There was a murmur of appreciation from around the table.
"Damn that's a good hand." Said Klinger shaking his head and sighing, "but remind me what's it called when you've got all the numbers in the right order? Oh right, it's called a straight!"
He threw down the cards to the collective cheer of the group, and it was Ellie Marie 's turn to shake her head.
"All right then gentlemen, you have officially cleaned me out of the money I brought with me from Tokyo. I hope you're happy. I am going to retire with the last shreds of my dignity and the promise that next month, I will get you back!" She rose to leave, and as she did Father Mulcahy raised a hand.
"Would you like me to walk you back to your tent Captain? It's after midnight." He said.
"It's barely fifty feet from here Father, I think I can manage." She said.
"Fifty feet is longer than you think it is in this kind of dark, with snipers in the hills above us." B.J. said.
"Well that's a sobering thought..." Ellie Marie said, now slightly nervous.
"I'll walk her back." Said Klinger standing, "I'm due on guard duty in twenty minutes anyway." He walked to her and held out his arm with flare.
"Shall we, my good lady?" He said austerely.
"Quite right, good chap!" She responded, taking his arm.
As soon as they stepped out of the glow of the tent light she was overwhelmed by how dark it actually was. She wasn't accustomed to being in a place with so little ambient light. It was as if the entirety of the world had disappeared outside the dim lights from the tents of the camp.
"Man, he wasn't kidding about the dark." She whispered as they walked, "I've never seen dark like this before."
"You're telling me." Klinger replied, "I'm a city kid, remember?" First night out here I felt like I was going blind."
"And you have to be on duty out there, by yourself?" She asked.
"Twice a week," he said with a sigh, "it's my least favorite job. Worse than KP even. At least with KP it's just disgusting. When you're out there alone in the dark. Well let's just say your mind goes to places it probably shouldn't."
"I'm sorry." Ellie Marie said.
Klinger looked sideways at her. "For what, you didn't do anything."
"I know. I'm just sorry you have to do that." She said shrugging, "it sounds awful."
"All part of this man's Army." He replied, "why do you think I'm trying this hard to get out?" He motioned to his outfit.
"Fair point." She said with a smirk, "Thanks for walking me back. Good night Max, and good luck out there."
"Thanks Ellie Marie." He said, and he turned and walked back into the dark.
Three nights later Ellie Marie woke with a start, quickly turning off the alarm clock she had smothered with her pillow to keep it from waking the others. Bigalow rolled over and looked at her blearily.
"What was that?" She said.
"It was nothing Meg, go back to sleep." Ellie Marie whispered.
Bigalow sighed and rolled over. A minute later Ellie Marie heard her breathing become slow and even. She slipped out of her bunk as quietly as she could and pulled on her boots. She'd worn her clothes to bed, intentionally turning in early so none of the other ladies would notice. She grabbed the two books on the windowsill next to her bunk and quietly crept out the door.
Though it was dark, there was a full moon tonight, illuminating the camp in its eerie glow. She saw the dim lights of the mess tent across from her and headed that way. Even now, when the summer heat barely cooled in the evening, the cook made sure to keep a steady supply of hot coffee available in a carrif next to the serving line, for anyone who might need a pick me up on the various night shifts. She tucked the books under her arm and carefully filled two mugs. She exited the mess and walked across the compound, past post op and around the shadowy corner to the furthest outpost on the edge of camp, just before Rosie's bar. She could see the lights from the bar a little ways down the road, and hear the murmur of its patrons, but the area that delineated the edge of camp was as dark as ever. As she got close, the guard on duty jumped, and swung his rifle in her direction.
"Halt! Who goes there!" Klinger demanded, his pearl clutch slipping down his arm as he leveled the gun at her.
"Keep your skirt on Max! It's just me!" She whispered. He lowered the gun immediately, breathing a sigh of relief and rolling his eyes.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on a man with a gun?" He snapped, "I could've shot you!"
"Yeah but you didn't." She said casually walking towards him and handing him one of the mugs of coffee.
"Hey thanks." he said, taking a sip, "you mind telling me why the hell you're out here in the middle of night?"
She walked past him and hopped up to sit on an old oil drum that was next to the road. She sipped her own mug of coffee and then smiled.
"To keep you company obviously." She said.
"Seriously." He replied, "you got outta your bed in the middle of the night and walked out here just to keep me company? Why would you do that? We barely know each other." She shrugged.
"I dunno I find you interesting and you said you hated the quiet out hereâ I don't have an early shift tomorrow or anything so why not?" She answered.
"That's..." He seemed at a loss for words, "that's a really swell thing to do." He finished.
"It's really not that big of a deal." She said with a smirk, "I get just as bored as the next person around here and hanging out with you is entertaining. So if you think about it, it's just as self motivated as it is altruistic." He laughed.
"Whatcha got there?" He said, pointing to the books under her arm.
"Oh, two of my favorite books. Figured maybe if the conversation lulls I could read to you. I've got Little Women, and And Then There Were None. You read either of them?" He shook his head.
"Well I wanted to have options, because I obviously don't know what you like. Little Women is a story about four sisters growing up back in the days of arranged marriage and titles, that kind of stuff. And Then There Were None is a murder mystery about a group of people abandoned on an island who find a creepy poem and then all start mysteriously dying in the order the poem says."
"Ooo spooky." He said with a wink.
"Yeah, of the two it's the one I prefer. I love a good mystery" Ellie Marie said.
"Me too." Klinger agreed, "I got a couple of those Rex Mansfield courtroom drama Mysteries back in my tent."
"Max!" She teased, "From what I've heard those get a little racy you dirty bird."
"Hey...I'm a city boy remember? I've survived two gang wars and more pool hall brawls than I can count. A scandalous novel or two isn't about to make me blush."
"And here I am...from a town so small the most scandalous thing that ever happened was when Mr. Jenkins decided to display copies of Vogue magazine next to the register at the local supermarket."
She leaned in as if she were about to spill some terrible secret.
"They had pictures of women with exposed cleavage on the cover." She whispered dramatically and they both laughed.
They didn't end up reading either book that night. Once they began talking Ellie Marie was amazed how easy she found talking to Klinger to be. He was funny, lighthearted and so incredibly different from her in every way. He told her all about his upbringing in Toledo. How his parents were second generation immigrants from Lebanon who only spoke Arabic, about his best friend Gus, and his wife Laverne. She in turn told him all about life in the small town of Meadville Pennsylvania, where nothing exciting ever really happened, and their only claim to fame was that Clark Gable lived there briefly as a child with his grandparents.
"You know I still can't get over the fact that you actually gave up a chance to go to Harvard to come here." He said a few hours later.
"I deferred." She corrected, "my place is still there waiting for me when I get back."
"Right," he corrected, "but still...coming all the way out hereâwhen you didn't have to."
"I want to help people..." she answered, "most of the people doing the really horrible stuff out here got dragged here without a choice. If someone like me can help make their life just a little bit better. That's worth it to me."
"Damn..." he said, "can't imagine what you must think of me then doing all this." He motioned to his pleated red skirt and lace blouse, "just to get out while you're doing everything you can to get in. Talk about cowardly."
Ellie Marie sat up straight and looked at him in confusion.
"You're not a coward Max." She said, "That's not how I see you at all." He gave her a snort of disbelief and rolled his eyes slightly.
"I mean it." She said, "You know those people I was talking about who didn't have a choice? Hate to break it to you bucko, but you're one of them. I don't for one second, blame anyone who wants to get out of here. And you know what's funny? Hawkeye pointed this out the day we met, and as I've gotten to know you better I realized he's completely right. You may spend your free time coming up with every scheme in the book to get your Section 8, but when the chips are down and the wounded roll in, you're out there working just as hard as any other corpsman and you do it in pantyhose!" He smirked.
"The fact of the matter is." She continued, "You could get yourself a dishonorable discharge in two seconds flat just by bungling something in triage or hell even here on guard duty, letting the wrong person into camp."
"Yeah, but if I did that I'm risking someone getting hurt." Klinger pointed out, "the way I do things the only person at risk is me. I wanna get out more than I can even say, but if it was at the expense of someone else? I couldn't live with it."
"And that's exactly why you're not a coward." Ellie Marie said pointedly, "a coward doesn't care about anyone's best interests but his own. You're just...a practical self preservationist." He laughed again.
"I gotta remember that one." He said. Somewhere behind them a rooster crowed.
"Holy Toledo! What time is it?" He said.
Ellie Marie looked up and saw that the sky was turning the gray color it did before dawn.
"I'd say it's creeping towards 5 o'clock." She answered.
"We've been talking for almost three hours." He said, "I think that was the quickest night shift I've ever had."
"Then my mission was a success!" She proclaimed, "you want me to come back again?"
"I mean I wouldn't shoot you if you did, at least not on purpos." He replied, "but only when it's not going to interfere with your schedule. If you go falling asleep on duty, Major Houlihan will have both our butts in a sling."
"You make an excellent point," she agreed.
Behind them she heard the unmistakable sounds of the camp waking up for the day, and hopped off the barrel.
"Until next time then Max." She said with a smile, and he tipped his hat to her as she left him at his post.