So Proudly We Hail! Page #3

I'd do it myself,

only Rosemary's still a

little homesick and frightened.

That Olivia, I'd like to give her

an injection and leave the needle in.

But, okay, if I'm the victim.

Thanks. I don't know why I'm so nice.

Look, I'm perfectly all

right. When do I get up?

When you're told. Now, take

your shirt off like a nice boy.

What for?

Because I've got some

brand-new diapers for you.

Beautiful. Tell me, do you think I can

get my initials embroidered on those?

Sure. What are your

initials? D.O.P.E.? Here.

Great. This is going to be fine.

What's that for? A bath,

I'm gonna give you a bath.

Oh, no. No female's going to bathe me.

One of those.

Miss Davidson. Miss Davidson.

The patient's supposed to have a bath,

and he refuses to let me give it to him.

All right, Miss O'Doul.

Thank you, nursey.

Lieutenant John Summers. Mmm-hmm.

With the medical unit. Mmm-hmm.

Fine. A doctor and you

won't let a nurse wash you.

I'm not a doctor, I'm a technician.

I was associate professor

of Chemistry at Hawaii.

I see. A professor.

Well, that explains it.

What are you doing?

You're going to have a

bath, and don't be coy.

I don't care how dirty I may be.

You reek. I can still smell

that oil you were swimming in.

No female's going to bathe me.

Your mother did.

Only until I was big

enough to knock her down.

All right now, which is it to be,

the sheet or your arm?

Angels of mercy, huh?

You're a bunch of wrestlers.

What's the matter?

My head.

Feel dizzy? Yes.

No feeling in your hands and feet?

Yes, that's right.

You're lying.

When people get to know you

awfully well, what do they call you?

Lieutenant.

Oh.

All right. Turn over

and get your back done.

This isn't as humiliating as I thought.

Hey, that's nice. Do it again.

Get down.

Since you like this so much, I'm

gonna let you do it every day.

That'll be such fun. Now turn over.

Here.

Most of the patients were up

and about by Christmas Eve.

We'd been on the high

seas for almost a month,

and the people were

getting kind of jittery.

So the Chaplain

arranged with the Captain

to have a little Christmas party.

Joan, I think you were

with Janet that evening.

Maybe you could tell what

happened better than I.

Well, I remember we

all decided to dress up.

I wanted to make an

impression on Kansas,

and the only snakey thing

I had was a black nightgown,

which, with a few trimmings, did for me.

Hey, Rosemary, give me

a hand, will you? Sure.

Davy, aren't you dressing for the party?

I don't think so, dear.

How about here? Is that all right?

This is for Lieutenant Davidson.

Thank you.

Doesn't Rosemary look nice? Yes.

Where'd you get that sash?

Just part of an old surgical

gown I dyed with mercurochrome.

It's nice.

And he's never seen you out of uniform.

Who?

Who do you think?

You mean Lieutenant Summers?

It's still formal with you two.

Well, you better get informal

with him, or other people will.

He's a pretty cute guy, you know.

Pretty soigne, huh? How

does it look, Rosemary?

Haven't you got anything simpler?

Simpler? Well, I have some

other things in my musette bag.

I don't know if you'd call them simple.

Come on in. It's over there someplace.

This ought to be about

right, the locket.

That isn't mine, it must be Olivia's.

Let's see. I don't think she'd mind.

I like it!

Hello, Olivia.

Take that off.

Well, I only want to wear it tonight.

I said take that off.

What do you mean, snooping

around in my things?

She didn't. I found it...

Say, who do you think you are?

You wanna play rough!

Davy! Davy!

Stop it! Stop it!

She started it and I don't

get slugged by anybody!

Stop it! Now, I order you to stop it!

What are you, a couple of

children? Now what's up?

Sorry, Davy.

It was my fault, Davy! By mistake,

I opened Olivia's musette bag.

She had no right to open it.

She said it was a mistake.

Now I don't care whose fault

it was, you were both wrong,

you realize that, don't you?

I don't want to have to

take any official action.

Look, I know we're

all nervous and jittery

on a boat going nowhere, getting nowhere

but we've got to hang on a

little longer, that's all.

I don't want this to

go outside this cabin.

Now, forget it and shake hands.

Sorry, Olivia.

All right, Joan.

Joan's just impulsive. She

didn't really mean any harm.

Come on. Why don't

you go up with me? Hmm?

It may be our last party in a long time.

Leave me alone, can't you?

Silent night

Holy night

All is calm

All is bright

Round yon Virgin

Mother and child

Holy infant

So tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

May I have your attention, please?

Thank you. I'm sure we're going

to have a lot of fun here tonight.

Now, before we begin, I personally

want to thank the Chaplain

for producing this

seagoing Christmas tree.

Thank you.

All right, Reverend. It's your party.

Thanks.

Before we get on with it,

there is something in my heart

that I would like to say to you.

This is the night before Christmas

and because it is, you must

forgive me for being sentimental.

We're a sentimental people,

and I think we're proud of it.

Despite the fact that our

enemies deride us for it,

it makes us the stronger.

It is ironic even to try to talk

about the spirit of Christmas

when war is flaming

throughout the globe,

but we believe in this great truth.

And so all I want to say in

the tragedy all about us is,

have faith.

Not a blind faith,

but faith in those things

in which we believe.

We must have such faith in those things,

such faith in ourselves,

such faith in mankind

that we are tough about

the things we believe in,

so tough that we will fight to the death

to make those tender

and sentimental beliefs

like Christmas a reality forever.

Now, God bless us, everyone.

And let me wish you a merry Christmas!

How about some music?

Hey, Kansas!

Why don't you come on in?

All the rules are off

tonight. It's Christmas.

Yeah, a fine Christmas. No mistletoe.

All right, if it means

that much to you, here.

Merry Christmas!

See? What'd I tell you?

Get my present?

Yes, thank you.

Well, what's mine in return?

My thanks.

I suppose I'll have to be

satisfied with just that.

You realize this is the first

time you've been in my arms?

I've been in lots of arms.

Yes, but these are mine. I

want you to get used to them.

Say, Kansas, you know,

we've never danced together.

Wanna? Can you?

Sure. I used to fool around

a little bit. Used to...

Say, don't waste that.

Pretty hot stuff.

What's the matter with you, Davy?

Why?

You seem to be smiling all over.

Good heavens! Aren't you in bed yet?

Believe it or not, I was

on the top deck with Kansas

singing Christmas carols.

Can I bunk in here, Davy?

Did you have another row with Olivia?

No, but she's scary,

she just lies there and

stares and never goes to sleep.

It's like sleeping in a graveyard.

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