Everyman's War Page #2

Conservatory of Music.

Wow, that sounds like

the chance of a lifetime.

lt is the chance of a lifetime.

l want to go, but to tell the truth,

l'm kind of scared.

l know what you mean.

But that's great. l'm...

really happy for you.

There's a lot l'm going to miss.

Please deposit ten cents

for the next three minutes.

Hello?

Operator, l don't have the change.

- Don? Where are you at?

- Doreen?

l'm sorry, sir.

l have to disconnect you now.

Now boarding the 2:15, Portland to Chicago.

This is your last call.

Mom, did Don Smith call earlier?

Yes, he called while you were out.

He said he'd try later.

Was that Don on the phone?

Yes, but it was long distance.

Well, he said that he's been drafted.

He's in Portland now, probably

at the bus or the train station.

No, no. All l could talk about

was San Francisco.

l didn't even ask about him,

or where he--

Mom, l'm such an idiot.

You're lucky to be going back

to your old unit.

That don't happen much anymore.

All l've seen was just replacements.

So what happened to you?

l heard you were in Nennig.

l heard it got pretty nasty up there.

Couple of the guys told me

there's not much left of that town.

Sh*t, we got them Krauts

on the run now, though.

Dear Doreen, l am going overseas.

l wish we could have had

more time together,

as there are things

that l would like to have said.

l've wanted to send you this letter

so many times,

but l don't know now if l will ever

have the chance,

or if it will even matter.

Too many bloody Yanks.

Starks.

Starks, l lost you boarding.

l wasn't sure if--

Where'd you go?

Throw my bag on the pile.

Something wrong?

My wife took the bus down

from Sackets Harbor.

l was supposed to meet them.

l had to go pick up the troop's

berthing assignments from the lieutenant.

That's tough. l'm sorry.

Well, at least you know his transport's due.

My life, four words--

Didn't see that coming.

- That sounds familiar.

- Yeah.

Maybe l'll bring it up as one of our topics

of the day so we can all b*tch about it.

Excuse me, l'm in the wrong section.

l am in supply.

l am American.

The hell you say.

Sh*t, target practice, maybe.

Hey, this rack taken?

Want another card or what?

Come on, take one. l bet it's good.

Hey, greaseball, this rack taken?

l'll greaseball your sorry ass.

Sure, come on, goomba.

Hey, Benedetto, save it.

Come on.

Come on, Ken, you're not supposed

to show me your hand.

You dumb farmer.

l'm out.

Farmer?

Where from?

Kansas.

Near Norris.

Never heard of it.

Feels like we're on the move.

You know, l feel like a cattle down here.

Here.

Write your V-Mail.

V-Mail?

How am l supposed to write

on something so small?

Keep it short and sweet, you know.

Dear folks, off to war.

Having fun.

Love, Angelo.

Can't say nothing anyway.

First class accommodations.

Not like any first class l can remember.

When were you that lucky?

Back when l was rich, young, and stupid.

Never was lucky.

Hey, speaking of young and stupid, here.

l'm giving this back to you.

Why? You won it.

Do you know how

to whip-shot dice, Smith?

- No.

- Yeah, well, l do,

and so does Benedetto.

The game wasn't straight.

The bet wasn't fair.

l'm giving it back.

Well, thanks, but l--

No buts. Just stay out of

Benedetto's dice games.

Money's not that important,

and you're no good at dice.

Try your hand at poker.

Hey, Smith, want to play some cards?

Hey, Fuller.

Cards? Not this time, Benedetto.

Come on, l'll go easy on you.

Okay, cut the chatter and listen up.

For those of you l do not know,

my name is Corporal Starks,

and l get to take care of your sorry butts

for the next week.

Now you need to remember

that we are in the blue section--

troop compartment 4.

There are thousands of soldiers

on this boat,

so the important stuff first.

We eat in shifts.

Only two meals a day.

- Come on.

- You got to be kidding me.

Just eat hearty.

Physical training will start

at 1 100 hours each day,

followed by lifeboat drills.

You will be there.

Take a look around, boys.

This might be the last time you're on

a boat as nice as the Queen Elizabeth.

You're free to wander the mid-decks

until 2100 hours,

unless battle stations are called.

lf battle stations are called,

your battle station is here.

Do not get lost.

Do not get in the way of the gun crews.

And do not bother the limeys.

There is absolutely no smoking

above decks at night,

and no throwing trash overboard.

U-boats are looking for targets.

Do not make us one.

Otherwise, try and have a good time,

if you can.

Where we going, Starks?

We're going to war, son.

This is the real thing.

We're going to fight the Nazis.

And we're going to kill them all.

Every last one of them.

On our way overseas,

we had a lot of time to think about things.

After a short stop in Scotland,

we were back on our journey to a war

that up until now, we'd only heard about.

l think we all masked that fear in our gut

with false bravado and nervous laughter.

You feel lucky today?

l guess he ain't superstitious.

Three on a light. lt's bad luck.

Counting me, that makes four.

So what does that mean?

Either you're really screwed,

or we are,

and you get to make a wish.

Either way, it's a hell of a call for a light.

Go ahead, Smith. Make a wish.

A wish?

Some 50,000 German troops

had been cut off when Patton

pushed through after Normandy.

They were stuck, their backs to the sea,

and the 94th,

along with the French resistance,

dug in in protective and log bunkers

in the hills surrounding them.

Our orders-- keep them there,

which on most days wasn't too hard.

lt was the nights that got interesting.

lt's quiet for a change.

No artillery.

Maybe they ran out of ammunition.

We can hope.

Shut it down, Fuller.

You're going to wake the Germans.

You know, Smith, l think l spent more time

sleeping with you guys than my wife.

That's a sad commentary, Starks.

l suppose l should write her again

pretty soon.

She might forget who l am.

Yeah.

She made the best pies you ever ate.

Your mom make pie?

Where'd Benedetto go?

He must be taking a piss or something.

God damn it.

He left his carbine here.

What's he doing without his weapon?

Maybe he thinks he needs both hands.

That boy's got light fingers

and a nature for a deal.

What? What do you mean?

l mean the army's the only thing

that kept him out of jail.

Hey, watch it.

That goomba--

You better check if he took your wallet.

Maurice, my friend, how you doing?

Benedetto.

l have been expecting you.

Yes.

What the hell is this?

Calvados.

Brandy.

Regrettably these days,

it has no chance to grow old.

But this is finely aged.

With this, you can start fires,

refill lighters.

You can even drink it.

l bet half your buddies

make this in their canteens.

Well, my friend,

l guess this is too good

for your American taste.

Hang on, hang on.

l got more taste than your mother.

So you want to deal?

Maybe l do, maybe l don't.

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