Show ANNIVERSARY PRESENT PREST u By Shirley Sargent D Dearest arEst Cairo Before I 1 launch Into Inlo any ex I want you to know that Ill I'll be thinking of you ou on our anniversary an Just lust think weve we've been morrl married d ivo ho weeks tomorrow I I know youve you've been worrying because you haven't heard from me Ine sine since I returned to camp camf The Th fact Is Is In Army terminology I overstayed my leave but those last two day of our honeymoon were worth It The rhe Army has a phrase for such uch a condition AWOL condition AWOL meaning absent without leave Even with those two days of stol stolen sto sto- l len 1 time lime I 1 figured to make It here all right and I would have If my plane hadn't been bump bumped d on account ac lie- count of weather What with a bus slower than Army red tape t and running out of cash I was six days late late Since Id I'd gotten gOllen right fond of my stripe and never liked the looks of the guardhouse I was one worried Gil In order to avoid the MP's stationed at the gate I had to sneak Into camp Unfortunately I tore my uniform as I slithered under the barbed wire Typical Atwell At At- well luck Cherishing a forlorn hope of slipping into the barracks unnoticed and making a deal with my first sergeant I was set to run for it when whenn along came Quincy Humphreys The major himself him self Well If It Isn't former Herbert Herbert Herbert Her Her- bert Atwell he said sharply Naturally Id I'd given considerable thought to my predicament planning plan ning ring on what attitude to take if I IWas Iwas was caught but I hadn't expected to jo o be confronted with old Quincy With my knees knocking while while the major stared right through me I decided to be bold I ripped my stripe off handed It to him Yes sir I said Former Herbert Atwell reporting to duty sir Six days late the major said acidly looking a trifle sta startled rUed at atthe atthe atthe the sight of my discarded stripe Yes sir AWOL the major emphasized each initial I Yes sir Reporting with a muddy torn uniform i Yes sir I admitted again All right Atwell I suppose youre you're going to give Rive me that corny line about a sick mother Oh no sir I 1 said I 1 was making mad love to my girl For six days Your girl From the outraged tone In his voice I knew he was a stickler for morals My wife wile sir I said proudly proud I I l married the girl sir Evidently that reassured him asto asto as ns to my honorableness I was all set setto setto setto to explain about being bumped when he started talking Im glad to meet a man with enough nerve to tell the truth Most men In your position would have handed me a cock cock bull bull story about missing their plane I 1 kept stillWell stillWell still Well he barked but there was an odd glint in his eyes as if he were testing me after sneaking into camp six days late with a torn uniform what do you have to say for yourself No excuses sir I said Im sorry Im I'm AWOL but Im I'm glad clad we had our honeymoon At ease case soldier he said While I took the stripes off the rest of my uniforms that night I wondered when the MP's would come for me My buddies felt so badly they retold all the old gua guardhouse guardhouse guard guard- rd- rd house stories and my finest sergeant sergeant sergeant ser ser- geant painted a future too horrible to put down on paper The following morning orders came through from the major that I be promoted to corporal with the Military Police I I dont don't like the black armband but my favorite favorite favorite favo favo- rite tour of duty dutT is past the guard house So you see Claire theres there's no sense worrying in the Army Consider the extra stripe your anniversary anniversary anniversary an an- present Much love HERB |