Battle Cry - Leon Uris [49]
“Beg your pardon.” Coleman stepped around him toward another booth.
“What the hell you talk like that for, you nuts?”
“All I said was…”
“Don’t talk to that Raider like that, it makes me nervous.”
The phone rang. Danny entered the booth.
“Hello…yes, this is Forrester.”
“Your call to Baltimore, Maryland, is ready.” He shut the door.
“Hello, hello, son. Danny, can you hear me?”
“Yes, Dad.”
“Are you all right, son? Are you in any kind of trouble?”
“No, I’ve just been busy. I’ll get a letter off tonight.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, sir.”
“We let Bud stay up. He’s hanging on my arm.”
“Hello, Buddy.”
“Danny…Danny…Danny!”
“Hi punk. You being a good guy?”
“Danny, I got the cap you sent me. I wear it. Get me a Jap sword soon. I told my teacher I’d bring one to class.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Hello, son. That’s all now, Bud, all right…just one word.”
“Danny, good night.”
“Good night, punk. Behave yourself.”
“Hello, son…this is Mother.”
“Hi, Mom.”
“Are they treating you all right, son? I’m chairman of the War Mothers’ chapter. Do they march you in the rain, son? I hear such awful stories about the way they treat our boys.”
“Everything is fine. Don’t worry, they treat me swell.”
“Have you lost weight, Danny?”
“I’ve gained.”
“We all miss you so much, Danny. Be a good boy and write more often.”
“O.K., Mom.”
“Here’s a kiss, son.”
“Good night, Mom.”
“Hello, Danny—Dad again. How is everything going?”
“Fine.”
“Sure?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Any chance of getting a furlough?”
“I won’t know till I’m finished school and in a regular outfit, Dad.”
“Chin up, boy, we’re all behind you, son.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve got a little surprise…” Danny could hear the noise of people moving around. There was a faint click of a door closing.
“Hello…Danny?”
His heart pounded wildly. “Kathy,” he whispered.
“I…I…are you all right?” He closed his eyes and bit his lip. “I haven’t had a letter for so long.”
“Kathy…Kathy, I love you.”
“Oh, Danny, I miss you so much.”
“Look…kitten…I had a little problem…but it’s gone now.”
“It’s still on between us, isn’t it, Danny?”
“Yes, yes! You’ve got to know it now, kitten. I love you with everything I’ve got…you’ve got to understand how I mean it now.”
“I love you too…I love you very much.”
“Your time is up. Please signal when through.”
“Take care of yourself, darling.”
“Don’t worry, honey.”
“Not—not any more. Say it once more, Danny.”
“I love you, Kathy.”
“Good night, my darling.” He touched his cheek as the sound of her kiss came.
“Good night, kitten.”
Ski leaned against the booth and stared in. He watched Danny’s eyes grow soft as he whispered into the phone. The door opened; he stepped out and stood silently. Then he returned to his friend.
“Why don’t you call Susan up?”
“How much will it cost?”
“About three bucks.”
“I’d like to, but I…I better just save it.”
“I’ll lend you the dough.”
“No.”
“Look, Ski. We’re buddies, aren’t we?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you let me write my dad, like I said before.”
“No.”
“I tell you it would just be a loan. She’ll get work when she gets out here and you can pay it back then.”
“I don’t want it that way. We’ll have time.”
“I hate to see you eating your heart out, Ski. You don’t go to Dago, you just sit around and think about it all the time. It makes your work lousy.”
“You don’t understand, Danny.”
“For Chrisake. You think I like to see you shining shoes for a dime, cleaning rifles and ironing shirts for pennies?”
“Lay off.”
“O.K., it’s your life.”
“Don’t be sore. I just don’t want no charity.”
Danny slapped him across the back. “Let’s get back to the barracks and study.”
They stepped from the PX and took off up the arched arcade again. A wind whistled over the parade ground.
“Getting chilly.”
“I’m thinking,” Ski said as they paced briskly. “Maybe I can get into the paratroopers. There’s fifty per cent more pay.”
“I wish you’d let me write my dad.”
“No.”
Marion ran breathless up to them. “Ski, Ski! The word just came through. Congress has passed the pay bill—retroactive!”
“From the halls