From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [469]
“No,” Warden said.
“Was he a friend of yours?”
“No,” Warden said. “Not a friend.”
“Well, I wanted you to know we were all awfully sorry.”
“Everybody’s always very sorry,” Warden said. “Afterwards.”
“Thats right,” the S/Sgt said. “He was tryin to get back to his Compny. I could have let him gone. But I didnt. I didnt know. I wasnt sure. This sand,” he said vaguely; then he said it again, viciously, “this sand. This goddam sand. Its like a goddam fuckin desert.”
“Its all in the game,” Warden said. “The whole thing was all in the cards. It wasnt your fault. Forget it.”
“I’m going to put in for relief,” the S/Sgt said, “from this place. And request another beat on the other side of town. I dont like this goddam sand.”
“You cant get away from sand in Hawaii.”
“Well, I just wanted you to know, Sergeant,” the S/Sgt said.
“Okay,” Warden said. He put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Thanks a lot, Sergeant.”
He went on back over to the jeep by the trap, where Weary was still talking earnestly to the two men from the patrol, and signed the receipt for the effects that was still lying on the hood. Then he found the Lt Col and saluted.
“Is that everything now, Sir?”
“Have you signed for the effects?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Then I think that is all. You found the notebook?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I must apologize again for the oversight, Sergeant,” the Lt Col said formally.
“Thats quite all right, Sir,” Warden said formally.
“I do not like things like that to happen,” the Lt Col said. “Well, you’re free to leave any time, Sergeant.”
“Thank you, Sir.” He saluted, and went over to the trap. “Weary! Come on, lets go.”
After they had got back on the Highway and Weary had put the jeep back into high range, Warden turned in the seat and looked back at the dwindling cluster of lights. All he seemed able to think about was how there wasnt even going to be any boxing season this year at all now, anyway.
“It gives me the creeps,” Weary said. “You’d think he would of at least jumped down in the trap.”
Warden swung back around in the seat. At least he had been able to do those two things for him, anyway. That of the Service Record, and the getting of him buried in the permanent cemetery at Schofield. Which was where he would have been buried anyway, if the Provost’s Lt Col had known he didnt have relatives. Once they had him in the ground they would never bother to move him.
“Remember that time at Hickam?” Weary said. “When you and him got all drunked up and passed out in the middle of the road and I nearly ran over both of you?”
Warden did not answer. There was still the third thing. He knew he ought to go down and see Lorene. She would want the key to her house back, if nothing else. But then, he could mail the key with the letter if he took the keychain off it.
“Boy, you were both of you sure drunk that time,” Weary said.
“Yeah,” Warden said. He would rather take a beating, than to have to go down and see her. But he knew he would go.
“What the hell do you suppose made him do it?” Weary said.
Warden did not answer because he was wondering why did it always all seem to come in bunches?
Chapter 53
MILT WARDEN HAD, that morning, received the confirmation of his appointment as a Second Lieutenant (Infantry) in the Officers’ Reserve Corps.
In the same batch of dispatches was another letter, from Regiment, informing G Company of the impending removal of its Weapons Platoon Sergeant, Peter J Karelsen.
But they did not know about Pete until later. Lt Ross opened Warden’s appointment first.
It was a War Department letter, addressed to the CO of G Company for approval, and it had a long string of endorsements on it. It must have been kicking around channels on the Island since clear before Pearl Harbor. The effect upon Warden, when Lt Ross (with studied indifference) tossed it over