story # 4 based on the painting NIGHTHAWKS by Edward Hopper 1942. It hangs in the Instutute of Art in Chicago.

NIGHT HAWKS

AOWL

by

Archie L. Tautfest, Jr.



"You want a cup of Joe"

You ask what's new? Well I'll tell ya. After readin' the paper today, and listenin' to Edward R. Merrow last night, I'd say the war is almost over. Romell's done for in North Africa. -- Our boys should be home in a few weeks. That reminds me, let me tell you 'bout the other night.

I was cleanin' as usual, and its 'bout eleven thirty. The door swings open and in comes these two G.I.'s, they both look like they got a snoot full. You know, their ties're undone, they're not wearin' their hats, and they're hangin' on to each other. They're hootin' and hollerin' and just makin' dumbies of themselves.

It was a good thing that the place was empty 'cause they woulda run'em out if there would'a been anybody in here.

Anyway they staggered over to the far end of the counter and sat down.

"Looks like you two need some java.", I says.


They both look at me kinda blurry eyed, and then the taller of the two says to me with a shout, "Yes sir.", and he gives me a half salute.

"Yes sir.", the other one chimed in.

"Look boys, could ya hold it to a low roar?", I asks.

"Yes sir.", they said in unison, then they proceeded with their imitations of a lion roarin'.

While they were roarin' like lions, I got them a couple of cups of java and set the cups in front of the two G.I.'s.

They stopped the noise while they sipped their coffee . After I gave them a refill the taller G.I. spoke up, "Pisssst... You want me to tell you a secret.", he says to me. As he spoke, he half stood up and leaned over the counter.


Somethin' told me I was goin' to be sorry for listenin' to these two, but sometimes I ain't too smart.

Anyways I leaned over to hear the G.I.'s secret.

"You know you seem to be a good sport, so I'll tell you a secret. Me and old Carl there,", as he spoke he looked toward his buddy and indicated with a wave of his thumb, "We're going to see his girl in Wyoming.".

"Yeah.", I says.

"Yeah, you see he got a "dear John" today and old Carl and me we're going to go and take care of the 4-F's that moved in on Carl as soon as he left for boot camp." As the tall one spoke, he leaned closer to me. Let me tell you, his breath would've taken paint offa my coupe.

Anyways, I says to him, "How you two goin'a get to Wyoming, thats almost a thousand miles.

"Yeah, really?", he asks, as he blinks his eyes trying to figure out how far a thousand miles was.

"We'll ride the train.", he says. His eyes light up with the idea of riding the train.

"You got leave orders?", I asks.

"No. Nobody'll know.", he answers.

The M.P's ride the train. They check leave orders.", I says.

"We'll hitch-hike.", he says.

"A thousand miles?".

"We'll drive.", he answers back.

"You got a car?", I asks.

"No.".

"You got any money to buy one?", I asks.

"No. We spent all our money tonight, trying to forget what Carl's dame did to him.", he says.
While me and the tall one are talking, Carl just sits on his stool shaking his head and mumblin' somethin' 'bout, "... How could she...", and "... I love her ...", and "... I'll never find anyone again ..."

The tall one and me look at old Carl, then we start talking again after I poured them more mud.

"Say, how come you two are out on a week night?".

"We snuck out.", he says.

"You AWOL?", I asks.

"Shh... not so loud.", he says as he holds a finger over his lips.

"Look guys, why don't you go back to camp and sleep it off?", I asks.

"Can't. Got to go see Carl's girl.".

"You askin' for trouble? The Army don't like guys that go Awol. Haven't you heard that durin' war time they shoot guys who go AWOL."

"Huh!", asked Carl. It sounded like he was gettin' drunker not more sober.

"We're AWOL now.", Carl added.

The tall G.I. looked at his watch, then says to me, "Is it really 0200?".


I looks up at the clock up there on the wall, and says, "Yeah... sure is.".

'bout the time, the two G.I.'s and me are decidin' that it's 0200, an Army jeep pulls up in front of the Diner, and the two M.P.'s get out and come inside for their usual 2:00 AM cup of joe.

As they sit on the two stools closest to the door, I says, "Hi Sargent. Hi Langley.".

Sargent is an old horse soldier by the name of Samuel Murphy, and Langley is a private from Kansas, who's been in the Army all day and he likes it.

When the M.P.'s sat down, Carl and his buddy tried to clean themselves up as best that they could. They could've saved their time it was a no-win.
Then I set the Sargent and Langley's java in front of them the Sargent says, "What's with them two?".

"The young kid there got a "dear John" at mail call today. The tall one is helpin' the young one try to forget.", I says to the Sargent …


"They permanent at the camp?", asks the Sargent.


Now I knows that what he's askin' is if their stationed at the camp, then they might have passes to be in town in the middle of the week. If their trainin', then they don't belong in town on a week night. And if their trainin', their AWOL. 'Cause it's lights out at 9:30 P.M. for trainees.

"I figure their new.", I answers the Sargent.

"Langley, it looks like we're goina' have some business tonight after all.", the Sargent. says, turning to Private Langley.

"Look Sargent is there any way we can let this magilla pass?", I asks.

"Sorry Phillie. It looks like these two are in trouble.", the Sargent says.

"You been around a long time. Didn't you ever get a "dear John?"., I asks the Sergeant.

"Na, not me. Didn't have time for many skirts until I met the misses.", answered the Sargent.

I remember back in "19" I was setting in a truck in France, when out of the blue, a bag of mail is dropped off at out company Headquarters. We hadn't seen mail in a couple of weeks. I remember to this day how worked up I was, when the mail clerk hands me a letter from Molly McClain. She and me was goina’ be married when I got back home. Anyway when the clerk called out, "Private Larson", I jumped to my feet and down the truck, stumbling over leg and feet, that belong to my buddies, who were already reading their mail.

I remember holding the letter real close, while I slowly picked my way back to my kip. That was my "dear John".

"Give the kids a break Sargent, "dear Johns" are a real kick when you get'em." I says to the Sargent and his side-kick Langley.

The Sargent didn't say anything after my little speech. He kinda looked at me, and then at Langley, then he placed his two ham like hands on the counter, and picked himself up to a standing position. After hitching up his 45 and billy club, he walks to where the two young G.I.'s are sittin', tryin' to blend into the stools and counter.

"You two had a party?", the Sargent asks in a booming voice.

"No Sargent We've been trying to forget.", the taller G.I. says to the Sergeant.

"What you forgetting?", asks the Sargent.

"My buddy here got a "dear John today.", the tall G.I. said, as he jerked his head towards Carl, his buddy.

"Ain't that a shame, that'll teach you to not to get tangled up with some Jane, -- dames are bad news --
'specially when there's a war -- Yeah, dames only good for makin' babys and cleanin' house. Yeah lucky you got the letter now, and not when you was in some fox-hole across the pond.", says the Sargent. to the two young AWOL G.I.'s.

The two young G.I.'s stared at the Sergeant. They didn't know what to say. That's when I spoke up, "Say Sargent., me and these two guys were talkin' before you and Langley came in. They was tellin' me that they missed the last bus that went out to camp, and they didn't have anyway to get a cab, even if they could find one. And I was tellin' them that if they waited here that I knew a couple of M.P.'s that were good eggs, and I knew they would tak'em to camp when they stopped for coffee. Ain't that right guys? Ain't that what I told ya?", I says.

The young tall G.I. said, "Sure that's what you said alright."

And Carl chimed in, "Yes.".

The boys were soberin' fast, the fear of bein' sent to the stockade did the trick.

"Langley, what do you think? Should we take these two to the brig?", said the Sargent.

Langleys eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a sneer. It was like a vulture waitin' for his meal. I can tell ya that I haven't seen that side of Private Langley 'till that night.

But before Langley could answer him, the Sargent went on, "Now if we do take them to the brig it will take a couple of hours to fill out forms, we won't have time to stop at the train Depot.".

When the Sargent told Langley that they couldn't stop at the train depot if they took the two G.I.'s to jail, Langleys sneer dissappeared, and it was replaced with a deep frown. He looked like a hurt puppy.

Well when I saw the hurt puppy look on Langley's face I looked at the Sargent, I musta' had a big question mark painted on my face, cause without sayin' anythin', the Sargent said, with a nod of his head towards Langley, "He's got a little blond at the depot, who sells tickets on the graveyard shift. He likes to have lunch with her."

"Sargent maybe we could take them to the camp. Their story sounds good to me... I wouldn't want them to get in any trouble.", says Langley.

"Private, that sounds like a good idea.", says the Sargent.

Turning to the young G.I.'s, the Sargent says, "You two!".

"Yes sir", they say back.

"I'm no sir. I work for a living."

"Yes Sargeant.", they says.

"You two pay your bill, and get in the jeep. You got fifteen seconds, 'cause the bus's leavin' then.

"Yes Sargeant.", they says.

The tall G.I. reached in his pocket, in search of two nickles.

"It's on the house.", I says to them.

"Thanks -- Thanks for everything.", they says to me.

"Anytime -- Come back anytime.", I says to them.

They were in the jeep in ten seconds, waitin' for the Sargent and Langley to mosey out of the Diner.

I can tell you they finished Boot Camp and they didn't go AWOL. Carl got a ten day leave after boot, and he went back to Wyoming to see his girl.

When he passed through town after his leave, he stopped and told me that he had gotten married. He showed me a picture of the new bride.

Well just between you and me, judgin' from the picture, I would've let her go. But you know how it is, young and in love and all.

"You want another cup of Joe"

08/13/87