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Audie Murphy's To Hell and Back
Audie was shot in the hip and visits a wounded buddy.
When I regain the use of my leg, I catch a ride to another hospital twenty miles away. I have learned that Kerrigan is there.
His back is to me when I enter the ward. For a moment I watch as he awkwardly shuffle a deck of cards with his bandaged hand.
"Is this the venereal ward?"' I ask loudly.
"No sir," says a white-faced youngster with his arm missing. 'This is casualty. Convalescent.'
"Then what is that syphilitic sergeant doing here? Kerrigan, I mean."
The ward becomes as silent as an empty church. Kerrigan turns slowly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Why you mule-headed, rattle-brained, scrambled-eyed whore of a lieutenant!"
Mouths drop open.
"You crawling, creeping crap from Texas. You battle-happy sonofabitch!"
"He never did show the proper respect for officers," I explain to the other men.
"Respect!" he spits. "Why-why, you beagle-eared bastard, what are you doing in the rear area?"
"You'll be tickled to know that I got shot. Yeah. Lost a hunk of my hip."
"Oh, Lord, to think I missed that. Brother, am I glad to see you. You haven't changed a bit."
"And you're uglier than ever."
The ward relaxes.
P. 229-30.
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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. Molon Labe!
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