The elder Dr. Pierce realized what a serious undertaking his son would be facing, but that wasn't really what was first and foremost on his mind at that time. He knew Hawkeye, as he has lovingly called Ben since he was a little boy, was still deeply smarting from a breakup with the love of his life.
"Dad, you don't have to do this, watch over me like this," Hawkeye told his father, without missing a beat in his packing. "See, I'm a big boy, no diapers," he grinned, holding up a pair of shorts.
"Yes, son, I know, but you've never been out of the country,"
"Look who's talking. When do you ever get out of Maine? Or the US? Much less Crabapple Cove?"
"True, but please be careful. I'm awfully proud of you, son. I know you'll do well over there, with your skills, and your talent and compassion."
"Thanks." Hawkeye hugged his father, then Daniel left the room for a moment.
"I want you to take this with you," he returned, handing Hawkeye a book.
"'The Last of the Mohicans'?" He was taken aback. "Dad, it's your favorite. Your only favorite."
"I know, but take it with you, anyway."
"All right, if you want me to," Hawkeye hugged his dad again.
"So, when are you meeting Trapper?"
"In about ten hours. It's easier for me to transfer buses at the depot in Boston, catching the one to Logan Airport, than to have him pick me up somewhere. Besides, he's got Louise and the kids to say goodbye to. Then we'll be bound for San Francisco to change our plane, if it needs changing."
"Boston. Anywhere, but Boston."
"Dad, I'll be fine." Hawkeye reassured him. "See, I've got my stethoscope," he pulled the instrument from his medical bag. "So I can check from time to time if my heart is still beating. Chances are very good I won't even see Car.. Carlye. I don't think we'll be in town long enough. Please take care of my clubs, the Desoto, your patients, and yourself if you get chance. Not necessarily in that order"
"Of course, I will," Daniel nodded, smiling at his son's stab at humor. An honest gift of his. He wished Hawkeye was in better shape of spirit and heart. "Hawk, uh, please..."
"Yeah, dad, I know.."
Hawkeye watched the Crabapple Cove station and his father get smaller in the distance as the bus moved steadily down the highway. He could still feel his dad's tight embrace, hear his whispered words of love, and see the mist of tears in his eyes. Part of him was still that little boy, wanting to get off the bus and run straight back to his father and home.
Where was this Ouijongbu, anyway? Sure in Korea, but situated in the madness of war? Three miles from the front? 'I'm off on my own to do what?' Hawkeye thought to himself as the bus rambled through the countryside. 'I've heard it called meatball surgery. What kind of term is that? Meatball surgery? And in a war torn foreign land. And here am I, not even liking to get near a gun. Crazy.'
It felt strange being in Boston again, although it had been home for quite a while. Funny. Hawkeye found himself glancing at every blonde that came into sight as soon as he'd stepped from the bus and entered the airport terminal. He tried to convince himself that looking at blondes came more from natural habit, than anything else. Likely assumption.
"Hey, Hawkeye!"
He perked up at the familiar voice, delighting in a friendly face. "Trap!" He called back.
"I see you made it back here all right."
"Yep, all in one piece." Hawkeye twirled around. He saw that Trapper's wife and young daughters were with him.
"You know Louise, and Becky and Kathy."
"Sure do! How are you all?" He graciously greeted Trap's family. That was nice. Real nice. They had come to see him off. Very nice. Hawkeye made another visual scan around the airport. Pointless. What was he looking for?
He stood back a ways, letting Trapper say goodbye to them with as much privacy as possible. Which really wasn't possible in the noisy, cavernous place. Hawkeye idly glanced around a second time when he noticed one of the big shots from Boston Mercy talking with another gentleman. And what was that? The other man was an Army officer? The guy had on the uniform. Curious, and with nothing better to do at the moment, Pierce wandered over to them.
"Pierce, right?" Dr. Torboug addressed as Hawkeye approached. He nodded in kind. "You're headed for Tokyo, am I right?"
"Unfortunately." Hawk answered. "Myself and Trapper, uh, John McIntyre are both headed in that direction."
"Well, I thought I remembered correctly," Torboug said. "Dr. Winchester here is also on his way to Tokyo."
"Really? Are you going on to Korea?"
"I should say not, Tokyo is as far as I go," he spoke haughtily. "Major Charles Emerson Winchester, the third, surgeon."
"Uh, Haw.. uh, Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, malcontent." Hawkeye replied, shaking the major's offered hand.
"That's understandable," Charles agreed with too much ease.
Dr. Torboug chuckled. "Pierce here is going to be in Korea at... what is the place again?"
"Ouijongbu."
"Oui... Oui.... yeah, at a MASH."
"Don't tell me you're a doctor." Charles looked Hawkeye up and down.
"Yes, and the best you'll ever see."
"But, alas, I won't be seeing. My loss, but really yours."
"Yes, it is. Your loss.."
"Well, well," Torboug broke in, "I'll leave you two fellows to get on your way. Good luck to you both. Winchester, we'll finish this at a later time."
"Most assuredly." Charles quipped as Dr. Torboug made his exit.
"Major, it's been nice," Hawkeye tried his best to sound as snide as possible. "But I guess I'll be taking my leave, too."
"If you must," Winchester was just as snide, and matched it with a smirk.
Hawkeye walked away to rejoin Trapper. Who was finishing up his goodbyes with his family. Right on time, the call for their flight to San Francisco came over the PA.
"Things good with the wife and kids?" Hawkeye asked Trapper as they headed for the gate.
"Yeah, just fine," he gave one last look to them before going through the doors.
The plane was nearly as big as the airport itself, Hawkeye decided. He was quite surprised to see someone newly familiar come on board. Major Winchester, himself.
"Look out for that guy, Trapper."
"Who? Why?"
"He's the world's best doctor."
"What? You're lying. I am."
Charles just shook his head, and went into the forward section of the cabin.
"Oh, we got to be in first class," Trapper retorted.
"You've got to have class to be in it."
"Very true."
Both Hawkeye and Trapper were amazed at the total cultural difference between the two coastal cities, Boston and San Francisco. There in California, the atmosphere had a much more loose feel to it. Hawkeye felt he could adapt to it eventually. He wouldn't mind the effort. If only his dad and Crabapple Cove could move there as well. It would be perfect. But that happening was highly unlikely. And the San Francisco International airport was huge, bigger than the one in Boston. How would they ever find the connecting flight to Tokyo?
"Trap, how do we find our way around this place?"
"My guess is we ask somebody. Like at one of those desks?" He said, and hustled over to one. "I'll be right back. Watch the gear, Hawk."
"Or, you can look on your ticket for the gate number," Charles politely advised, with just a touch of smugness. "And find out where the particular gate is."
"Ah, where'd you come from?" Hawkeye looked around.
"I believe I was on the same flight as you."
"Well, you've done your good deed for the day." He didn't care for Winchester's knowing chuckle as the major left to make his way through the terminal. But smiled at the thought, 'at least we're rid of him.'
'What am I doing here, again?' Hawkeye sighed, walking up to one of the departure announcement boards, dragging both his and Trapper's duffel bags. 'These time differences are really... Omigosh!' He glanced at his ticket, then back to the board. According to it, their flight was to leave in less than five minutes! He turned blindly, and in a headlong rush toward the area where Trapper disappeared into, he careened smoothly into an unsuspecting fellow traveler.
"So sorry! I'm late!" Pierce got to his feet and helped up the other man and noticed he had been carrying a bunch of journals that were now scattered about on the airport floor. He again muttered an apology, and began to help pick up the books. "Medical journals? You a doctor?"
"Yep, I've just come from a seminar in Sacramento."
"Seminar? I wouldn't go to one of those if... well, to each his own, I guess." Hawkeye shrugged. "I'm on my way to Korea. It's me and a buddy of mine. We are also doctors of the same medical persuasion."
"Oh?" The fellow chuckled.
"B.J.!! There you are, we got to go!"
"I know, Leo, I'm coming." He yelled to his companion. "Korea? Well, take care over there."
"We sure will. Thanks for letting me bump into you, and uh, blocking my fall."
"Ah, anytime, I guess."
Hawkeye excused himself, and started on to find Trapper and get to the plane. But he couldn't help a pause to glance back over his shoulder at the guy with whom he had collided. Then, shook off the odd feeling, and continued on.
"What happened?" Leo asked once B.J. had caught up with him.
"Nothing, just got run over. That was all it was.. to.. it?" He looked in the direction Hawkeye had gone, and shook off the sudden odd feeling. "That guy's a doctor headed for Korea."
"That's rough. Aren't you glad not to be going?"
"Oh, yeah, but you never know."
"Trapper!" Hawkeye ran full steam to one of the information desks. "Trapper!!" He yelled again, for Trap had one of those lady desk attendants in quite a conversation. And Hawkeye knew it wasn't about the departure of their plane.
Just as he was nearing the desk, the announcement came over the PA for the final boarding call to Tokyo. Hawkeye threw Trapper's duffel to him and managed at long last to get his friend pried away from the much amused young woman.
They made it onto the plane, just barely and they were the last ones to board. They tried to be as careful as they could with their duffels, offering aspirin to anyone they knocked in the head with them.
"Oh boy, Trap, do you see who I see?" Hawkeye pulled up short, pointing to a seat just ahead. "This must be the only flight to Tokyo."
"That's the doctor from... this is good," Trapper grinned in reply. "Boston's together again."
Charles saw them about the same instant as they spotted him. He dropped his head in disbelief. Hawkeye and Trapper settled into seats directly behind him.
"Miss," Charles stopped a passing stewardess. "Tell me, there is positively no first class section on this airplane?"
"No, I'm sorry sir. There is not."
"Fine. I'll just have a seat far away from this area as possible."
"My apologies again, sir, but we're about to take off, and we need for everyone to remain seated." She looked around the cabin. "And I don't believe there's an empty seat to be had."
"Too bad, major," Trapper leaned forward, and with a little laugh, "guess you're stuck with us lower ranks."
"Shut up."
Hawkeye dug out the information pertaining to the new MASH unit # 4077.
"Okay, it looks like we meet with a Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, and a Major Frank Burns at the camp."
"How much put together is this 4077?" Trapper took the documents from him.
"Very new. Real new. So new it's old." Hawkeye said with a little chuckle. "They're probably building the hospital as we speak. That, or the latrine."
"Hawk! This says we'll be three miles from the front? Three miles? You know how far that is? Or should I say, how close?"
"Calm down, we'll be fine," he reassured, then added, "I hope."
"Yeah, I hope, too," came Trapper's sarcastic reply.
"Here, amuse yourself with this," Hawkeye handed him a memo.
"What is this?" Taking the paper.
"It's the nurse, the new head nurse of the unit. We're to meet her in Tokyo."
"And she goes on with us?" Trapper's eyes danced.
"Yeah, it says so right there," he slapped the piece of paper. "She goes to Kimpo, then to the 4077th. With us. What does it say her name is, again?"
"Oh, Houlihan. Major Margaret Houlihan. And a major! Wow, and me being just a captain!"
"Down boy."
"What? You can't tell me you're not excited about meeting this new nurse?"
"Head nurse."
"Well, head nurse."
"Okay, okay," Hawkeye snorted, making a show of wiping his chin. "Does my drooling show that much?"
Hawkeye and Trapper eyed the sandwiches on the tray before them with less than partial anticipation.
"The food at the 4077 is probably going to be better than this." Hawkeye said, as he lifted a piece to his nose, then placed it back on the plate with a grimace.
"I don't know about that," Trapper dared to take a bite. "Then, I could be wrong."
They gave each other a quizzical look at the sound of muffled laughter coming from the seat ahead of them.
"Hey, Hawk, he's got tea," Trapper whispered, quickly looking over Charles' shoulder. With a broad grin, he pointed to their uneaten food, then over the seat in front.
"I gotcha," Hawkeye chortled with equaled deviousness.
So with hushed glee, they tore off bits of bread from the sandwiches, rolled the pieces into little balls and began to lob them over the seat. After about five shots, Charles finally turned around.
"Would you two delinquents knock it off!"
"Delinquents? Us?" Hawkeye acted with effrontery. "How can you call us delinquents?"
"Yeah! We're not delinquents," Trapper echoed. "We're juvenile!"
"That's obvious," Charles agreed, then warned, "not one more wad to be thrown, you understand?"
Once Charles had turned back, Hawkeye and Trapper exchanged mischievous expressions. They couldn't resist a challenge. So both tossed a bread ball at the same time. Nothing. All was still from up there.
"Pardon me, miss," Charles quietly called to the stewardess."I am finished with this, thank you."
"Yes, sir," she took the cup, puzzled at the strange balled up substance floating in it, but said nothing and went on her way.
Then without a word, Charles precisely flipped his chair back in the full reclining position, hard. And onto the lap of an unaware Hawkeye.
"Ow! All right, I give. We give. You happy? We give. Ow!"
"Uncle! Uncle!" Trapper screeched, trying to push the chair up. "Now, get off!"
Satisfied, Charles leisurely pulled the seat upright. The remainder of the trip passed pretty much uneventful.
"So this is a foreign country?" Hawkeye surmised his surroundings, when he and Trapper were passing through customs at Tokyo's Narita airport. "Didn't we go over that date thing? Are we a day late? Or early?"
"Japan. It's called Japan, Hawkeye." Trapper advised. "I'm not sure about the date thing."
"Oh, and Japan? Just point me toward the geisha."
"Oh my, please show a little restraint, and do not embarrass your home country. And gentlemen, it's a bit past 0800 hours here, Saturday morning."
"Hey, didn't we get rid of you upon landing?" Hawkeye snickered. "I thought you weren't going on to Kimpo."
"Do not be absurd," Charles let out a sigh. "This is my stop, gentlemen, I am so happy to say. I go on to Tokyo General to demonstrate my expertise of the newest surgical techniques, while you two go and practice your dilettante skills in less than affable conditions."
"That's so? Well, we'll be.." Hawkeye began a nice retort but Charles had left to go over to the bank of telephones.
"Please tell me, that is her." Trapper grabbed Hawkeye's arm, watching the blonde in a WAC dress uniform walk nearby.
"I sure hope so," Hawkeye took a deep breath. And blonde, too. "Excuse me, Major Houlihan?"
"Yes, I'm Major Houlihan." She came closer, eyeing them cautiously. "Are you... ? You're not the doctors I'm supposed to meet, are you?"
"Yes, the very ones!" Trapper stepped up and took her hand. Margaret removed it promptly.
"Don't mind him," Hawkeye ooged in between them, shoving the duffel bags at Trapper. "He's just the bag boy. So, you are the nurse going with us to Ouijongbu, and the new MASH?"
"Yes, I am, and quite proud to be doing so." Margaret was still unsure about going on with them, personally. "At least I think so."
"And you're a major, too."
"Yes."
"Nice clusters," Trapper dropped the bags at Hawkeye's feet.
"Wh.. what?" Margaret sneered at the questionable jest.
"Well, gentlemen, I shall finally be taking my leave of..." Charles had approached the group then halted mid-sentence. Everything seemed to freeze for the moment as the two majors locked gazes.
"Major Houlihan?" Trapper put his face in front of Margaret's. "Maybe we should be getting to our plane right about now."
"Yeah, uh, sure," she answered absently. "You can go and find that out, all right?"
"Pardon me for staring, major." Charles regained his composure. "I couldn't believe anyone like yourself would be taking on such a tremendous and dangerous assignment. Especially with these two ruffians." He smiled the sweetest of smiles, "Major Charles Emerson Winchester, the third, at your service."
"Ohhh," Margaret gasped as he kissed her hand. "I am Major Margaret Houlihan, and I must say, as I've told the captains, I'm quite proud of serving my country in this way."
"And I'm sure you will carry forth with the utmost skill and ability." Charles said easily. "The work you do is quite admirable. Watch yourself at this MASH unit."
"Thank you," she beamed. Then added eagerly, "wait a minute, I know my orders said that it would be the captains and myself going to the MASH unit, but when I saw you... ?"
"No, I am stationed here, thankfully and temporarily."
"Now, that we have all of this cleared up," Hawkeye spoke up. "We can be saying our good riddances to the major."
"Oh, but.. "
"Saved by the broadcast," Trapper picked up his duffel, and shoving the other one at Hawkeye when the PA announced the Kimpo flight. He went to take Margaret's arm, but Charles got to it instead. He pulled her to him.
"What? Yes, all right," she replied as he whispered something in her ear. "Yeah, I sure can do that. Oh? And yes, I'll remember."
"Come on, major, we've gotta go be good little soldier doctors for democracy." Hawkeye threw his bag over his shoulder and picked up the larger one of Margaret's.
"Yes, of course," she answered, taking up her small case. A nice smile shared with her fellow major, and she, Hawkeye, and Trapper were finally on their way. Again.
"You didn't say our work would be admirable," Hawk couldn't resist pausing for a last remark. "But that's okay, you seem like a guy who doesn't tell what his true feelings are. Again, it's been, um, pleasant? Well, so long, doctor."
"Pierce," he turned back at Charles' address. "Ah, look after yourself over there."
"Yeah, thanks, and the same to you, at here though," Hawkeye winked, and shook hands with Charles one last time (for now) and rushed to catch up with Trapper and Margaret.
"Major Winchester?"
"Yes?"
"I'm Sgt. Carson, an aide of Col. Baldwin, welcome to Tokyo," the sergeant said brightly. "I'm here to take you to your quarters, the colonel wishes to meet with you as soon as you get settled in. That your gear?"
"Yes."
Carson picked up Charles' case, and led the major out of the airport.
Hawkeye and Trapper both rejoiced that it would be the final plane ride in what will hopefully be a really long time.
On this flight to Kimpo, Margaret was able to carefully choose her seat, a row back of and across the aisle from her traveling companions. Both had vied for her to sit with either one of them. But she won out, and sat by herself.
"What did that higher-ranking, lesser-skilled fussbudget say to you?" Trapper turned in his seat towards Margaret. "Let us guess, where to sit?"
"Among other things," she replied with a slight grin.
"Captains Pierce, and McIntyre? And Major Houlihan?"
Hawkeye and Trapper made a show of looking around, then down at the young corporal in front of them. They had just gotten off the plane, and entered the tiny Quonset hut of a terminal there on the Kimpo base.
"Hello, I'm Cpl. Walter O'Reilly, the 4077th's company clerk. But you can call me Radar. Welcome to Korea."
"Why R..?" Trapper began.
"It's just I sort of know things beforehand." Radar explained with a shrug. "Lt. Colonel Henry Blake, and Major Frank Burns, second in command, are expecting you and I'm to get you to camp ASAP."
"Corporal, there's to be about.. "
"Yes, ma'am, ten nurses are expected, and should arrive at camp in a day or two."
At the number ten and of course, the term nurses, Hawkeye glanced at Trapper with a smirky grin. Trapper returned it in kind.
"Major, if you need any help with those nurses, seeing to their job duties, and to any comfort they might need... remember, we'll be nearby, and only too glad to help out."
"Down captain. Too eager is more like it. Thanks, but no, I can handle this command just fine."
"Remember also, we're the ones with the great hands," Trapper had to add. "Handle. Get it?"
Margaret just shook her head at their wisecracking, while Radar snickered at it. He took Margaret's case and led the group to the waiting jeep.
Hawkeye sat down in the front passenger seat and indicated for Margaret to sit in his lap. With a firm no, she urged he and Trapper in the back seat with all their gear. They did so reluctantly.
"You're driving?" Trapper exclaimed when Radar climbed behind the wheel.
"Yeah, can you reach the pedals?" Hawkeye added.
"Sirs, please cut it out, once," he started the jeep and pulled it out of the base. They were on their way.
"How much of the camp..?"
"The hospital is nearly complete," doing a remarkable job of dodging the bigger potholes, Radar was able to answer Hawkeye's question. "So is the latrine."
"Now, that's the most important facility." Trapper proclaimed.
"It's what I've come to Korea to see." Hawkeye exchanged an 'I told you so' look with Trap.
"A few of the tents are up and usable. In one of the bigger tents is where you will be bunking with Major Burns." Radar went on with his describing of the camp.
"Us, or Major Houlihan?" Hawkeye easily asked.
"You, sirs, of course! We can't put a male personnel and a female personnel together!"
"And I thought that was what made the world go around."
"So did I, Hawk."
"Well, I don't believe Major Houlihan would want anything to do with Major Burns." Radar shook his head at the thought.
"I should say not!" Margaret was indignant.
The beautiful, it's-difficult-to-believe-there's-a-war-going-on-there countryside sped by at a rapid pace. All passengers were eager to be getting to their final destination. Just one more rise to go.
"Here we are," Radar stopped the jeep at the outskirts of camp, allowing Hawkeye, Trapper, and Margaret to get their first look at the 4077th. "Welcome again, here it's the Best Care Anywhere."
And so it begins.
The End. :)
