Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-27
By MAC LYMAN
copyriEht, 1854. by Mac LYMAN
CHAPTER XIV


bounding over with his face all red like he
was going to jump all over me.
But I didn't pay much attention to him
because warnt talking to him nohow, and
besides the Colonel held up his hand at the
Captain to shut him up. and then he looked
at me for a while and asked me to go over
what had said again. So I did, and this
time I really laid it on good too. told him
how Sergeant King had told me to clean 1t
up so good because he had never seen man
in his life that would come back and stick
his head right down in the bowls the way he
done, and think the Colonel kind of appre-
ciated it too. because he looked around and
said, And which one is Sergeant King?"
So I pointed him out, though Sergeant
King was right embarrassed and kind of
white in the face, and the Colonel went over
to speak with him for minute. I couldn't
make out what he said. though, because the
Captain begun talking to me. and seemed
like he had got kind of interested in the
latrine himself He asked me if had been
doing all the cleaning by myself and I told
him, "Yessir, / been cleaning it for about two
weeks now. I'm the permanent latrine Or
Derby"
you mean you haven't even started clas-
sification yet? You've, been here two weeks
and haven't even started !. Oh. Sergeant
King. step over here minute, will you, when
the Colonel finishes speaking with you"
So we all kind of gathered around. the
Colonel and the Captain and the Leutenants
and Sergeant King and myself. and had a
real nice chat about it. They wanted to know
about what had been doing and told them
about the latrine and how Sergeant King let
me work there, and how at first was on KIP
for while, and how nice Sergeant King had
been to me, not making me bother with clas-
sifcation but letting me help wash his car
and all; and we kept talking about 1t. only
Sergeant King didn't say much but kept his
head ducked down and kept blushing and act
ing modest and verything-anyhow. we
talked and talked-and finally they got ready
to leave, and the Captain said, King. you
come over and wait in the Office. I want to
talk to you a little while" and Sergeant
King come to attention and said. 'Yes-sir,"
so it all seemed to come of all right And
they was about the incest bunch OF officers
had ever seen and must have knowed me
from somewhere too because Just as they
were leaving. the Captain looked at me and
said, .tYou must be Stockdale."
"Don't Recall Meeting
And I said "Yessir, that's right but I
don't recall meeting you :" but he didn't
stay around no longer; he only turned to the
Lieutenant and said, THAT ones Stockdale,"
and the Lieutenant looked at me and said.
"Oh, YEAH" and said "Yessir, that's right.
but don't recall meeting but they were
already headed out about that time.
Anyhow you could never tell how Ser
geant King would feel about things, as
changeable as he was, and when ne come
back from talking with the Captain. he was
most Withholding in a way. He stood in his
room and kept blinking his eyes and shaking
his head like he didn't even know was there.
,y,k I1oy tr an II - flnaliV SAID.
You really didn't have to do that"
1T know it." said But didn't seen no
sense in me taking all the credit when it was
your idea and all. You done lot for me and
I thought could help out some and
But ne kept shaking bis head. and said.
"Yes. but did you think that would be help
ing ." and then he stopped and rubbed
his hands over his face and said. YES l
guess you would. I'm not surprised at all.
But look here now. you don't have to help me
out no more, see? get along all right here.
got four stripes and my own barracks and l
don't really need no help, You've done enough
for me already Look, you help somebody else
out for while Look, know loud -mouthed,
low-down, four-striper over in the orderly
room, why don't you help him out little bit?
Why 2" But then he waved his hand like
he didn't want to talk about it no more, and
said I would if / got the chance. but he
waved IlS Ildilu AGAIN anu tuAASN SoS'N
around and said Look. VIII. just forget
everything else now. The main thing now
is to get you classified That's something
we've got to do
And then he seemed to get all upset
about that too. He got to pacing up and
down talking about it, seeming right anxious
about it, and looking all worried again. SO
tried to calm him down bit; said 1t
probably didn't amount to much and that
there really warnt that much to worry about
because liked the latrine fine and had just
as soon stay right there as long as I was
on the field.
But that seemed to upset him too. He
said mo, Will, no! You wouldn't want to
spend the rest of your hitch here, would you?
You want to get out and do something. Nosir.
what we want to do is get you classified and
shipped out Of here, because the Captain
said that if you didn't. you would stay right
here and d. &. Look viii. If it's the last thing
we ever do, I think We ought to get you
classified. It's the only thing"
Just Too Upset
well, was only thinking about the la
trine and helping you out and :"
But he was the most upset I ever seen
him He said, "Nosir Nosir! Absolutely not
The Captain said ;" and then he got all
jumbled up with it all. He shouted "Nosir!'
few more times, and then, They'll ship you
a thousand miles away from here!" and a lot
of other stuff like that. getting more and
more upset. And finally he wore himself out
and just laid down on the bunk and covered
up his face with his arms, upset the way he
was So just as 1 was leaving. said. We'll.
If they do ship me a thousand miles away
from here. might manage to hitch ride
back every once in while" but it didn't do
no good He only inoaned, his face still
covered up and didn't answer me at all.
SO anyhow, that next day got started
with classification and there really warnt too
much to 1t ifn Sergeant King hadn't Of been
so anxious the way he was. But he kept trying
to tell me all the time just how to do and how
I should act and ALL he would get me off to