Homecoming Page #3

Whole war's over now that we've come in.

Wishful thinking.

Hmm?

I say, wishful thinking.

Think so?

Know it. That's how

We got here.

I wonder what

My wife's doing now,

This minute.

Mine's just putting

The kids to bed.

You got any kids?

No. Never felt

The need for any.

You don't know

What you've missed.

Really? How would

You know?

I have one, a boy.

How old is he?

Then why

Are you here?

Because I want him

To be 12.

Where's your husband?

Somewhere in china.

China?

Yes. He's buried there.

Oh. Sorry.

It was 6 years ago.

Anyway, he was fighting

For what he believed in.

Fighting in china?

Was he chinese?

No. He was

An american pilot.

6 years ago?

Yes.

Then why-

"swanee river"

Yep.

Takes you back.

Why can't people

Just stay at home

And live their own lives,

Enjoy the good things,

Their work,

Their home, music?

Why must they always

Be chasing around,

Sticking their noses

In other people's affairs.

Comfortable philosophy,

Major.

Look, young lady.

Would you mind terribly

If I just sit quietly

And talk to my friend here?

Do I disturb you?

Frankly, yes.

That's what I mean,

Everybody sticking

Their noses

Into other

People's affairs,

People butting into other

People's conversations,

American pilots

Fighting in china.

It's all the same.

You can't understand that,

Can you, major,

Why an american should

Be fighting in china?

No, I can't.

A man leaves

His wife and child

To go fight in a war that

Wasn't any of our business?

Wasn't it?

Not 6 years ago.

My husband hated

Aggression even 6 years ago.

Look, young lady. It's

People like you that-

Yes? That what?

Never mind.

No. Go on.

People like me

That what?

Oh, drop it. When women

Talk world politics,

It makes me laugh.

Do the women

Of the bombed cities

Of europe make you

Laugh, major?

Now what's that got

To do with it?

I'm talking about women who go around

Thinking they have all the answers,

Thinking that they even know

The reasons we're in this war.

I know some

Of them, major.

Because people didn't care

What went on over there

Until the murderers

Got so far

The whole world

Was in danger.

If we'd had a little simple

Humanity at the very start,

All this might

Have been stopped.

Oh. That means me,

I suppose.

Well, you're quite a specimen,

Major, as far as I can see.

Look, young lady.

I'll tell you

The reason I think

People like you

Are in this war.

I think

They enjoy it.

It's a new sensation

For them.

If I were you, I'd leave

The glory to the others

And run along home and,

Well, take care of my child.

My child is well

Taken care of, major.

May I?

Thanks.

And thanks a lot

For the lecture.

Oh, not at all. Never

Too late to learn, major.

Of all the fresh-

Who is she?

Snapshot,

They call her.

Her name's, um,

Mccall.

Yes, that's it-

Lieutenant mccall.

Whose nurse is she?

Not yours, I hope.

No. She's yours.

Put that lamp over here

And this one over there.

Captain, move this table this

Way. Give us some more room.

Right, major.

Let's see if we have

Enough plasma.

Captain gellar said

His unit is short of it.

Well, this

Must be it.

I ordered it

Last friday. Yes.

Good.

What about

Plaster of paris

And sulfanilamide?

Enough?

Just brought in

Two boxes of each, sir.

Lieutenant mccall said this

Morning that we need a lot.

Ok.

You're a very good nurse,

Lieutenant mccall.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, major.

I've been wanting to

Tell you for some time,

I'm sorry I spoke

Out of turn

That day

On the boat.

Oh, forget it. We all

Get excited at times

And say things

We're sorry for later.

Well, I'm not sorry

About what I said.

You're not?

No. Just that

I said it.

You see, I wouldn't have had I known

That you were

Chief of surgery.

But you'd have thought

The same, is that it?

Well, I can't help

What I think.

In that case, if you'll

Continue to think things

And not say them, we'll get

Along together all right.

Thank you, sir.

Major Johnson.

Major Johnson.

Major Johnson!

Major Johnson.

Yes. What is it?

The colonel wants you.

Casualties coming in, sir.

All right.

I'll be right there.

Everything's set,

Colonel.

Good, Johnson. Ever

Operate in the field before?

No, sir.

Well, good luck.

Thank you.

Captain.

Yes, sir?

Let's go. Send them in.

Remove the dressing.

Ready, major.

Direct transfusion.

Medicine 299. Give me

The army surgeon's office.

Hello, hello?

Operations officer.

Hello. This is medicine 299.

We have 380 patients

And expect more in.

When can we get

Ambulances to evacuate?

What?

We have 90 patients

Ready for evacuation,

60 litter

And 30 sitting.

Ok.

Medicine 299.

50 patients coming

From your station

Will arrive in 30 minutes.

Ok.

"it was my

First experience in the field, penny,

"but I'll never forget it.

"operated for 16 hours straight.

"these boys they bring in,

Just kids,

"but the courage they have

Makes you sort of proud somehow.

"wouldn't know what to do

Without this nurse-snapshot-

"immensely efficient

But difficult.

Miss you terribly, my darling."

"just heard a bird singing.

Crazy, isn't it?"

Good morning,

Miss mccall.

Good morning, sir.

These are

The case reports

Of the patients

To be evacuated.

Oh. Thank you.

This is sanchez. He's to

Leave this morning, sir.

Hmm?

Kind of warm today.

Yes, sir. Would you

Care to sign these two?

They're

To leave tonight.

Brown. Is he all right?

Yes. Been

Without temperature

For the last

3 days, sir.

Good. Anything else?

Chuck crandall's

Emergency furlough papers

For your approval,

Sir.

He'd like to get away a little earlier.

I can't sign this.

His furlough doesn't begin

Until the day

After tomorrow.

Well, that's right, sir, but if

He could get away early tomorrow,

He could catch

A plane to america.

If he waits, there's no

Telling when he can get home.

I can't help that.

After all, this is the army.

If I start making

Exceptions like that,

There will be

No end to it.

Yes, sir.

Anything else?

You're wanted

In ward 3.

Lieutenant.

Yes, sir?

I suppose you think

I'm too severe

In not granting

This request.

I'm not supposed to

Say what I think, sir.

All right. Say it.

If you want my opinion,

Sir, I think it stinks.

Lieutenant, I'll not have

Disrespect in my department.

You asked

For my opinion, sir.

That was my error.

Yes, major.

Anything else?

You're still wanted

In ward 3.

Major Johnson

Will be right in.

Oh!

Well, you're not going

To a dance, you know.

You're just going to

Look over the patients.

Good morning,

Miss bradford.

Hello, major.

Let's go.

2,000 c.c.,

5% glucose and saline,

Sodium luminal,

And musculin.

I know this man.

When did I operate on him?

This morning at 2:00.

Monkevickz.

Of course.

He's from

My hometown.

Monk. Hello, monk.

Remember me?

Doctor Johnson.

Yeah?

That's right.

From back home.

Yeah. How are you,

Doc?

Feeling a little cold?

Yes, sir.

Still in shock a little.

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