"Or else he writes the reply-by-endorsement letters, right?" Pick asked.
"That sums it up neatly, Mr. Pickering."
"Or has us assigned here flying students in goddamn Yellow Perils," Dunn said.
"Precisely, Mr. Dunn. Or both. I don't suppose you really give a damn, but one of those letters would probably derail the promotion I'm sure The Corps has in mind for someone who's been a squadron exec and has the Navy Cross."
"Fuck a promotion!"
"You don't mean that, Billy," Pick said, and looked at Carstairs. "When?"
"Colonel Porter suggests the day after tomorrow, if that would be convenient. It will take me that long to set it up."
"What are we supposed to talk about?" Pick said.
"What you would have liked to hear when you were about to get your wings. About the Zero, for example. How do you fight the Zero?"
"If it's one Wildcat and one Zero," Dunn said, "you run. You're outnumbered."
Pick laughed. "Very well said, Mr. Dunn."
"Unfortunately, I didn't say it first," Dunn said. "Joe Foss... you remember Foss, Captain Foss? From out west someplace... ?" Pick nodded. "That's his line."
"Is it that bad?" Carstairs asked.
"It's that bad," Dunn said. "The Zero is one hell of an airplane."
"Then that's what you talk about," Carstairs said. "This inspirational speech of yours will take place at Corey Field commencing at 0800 the day after tomorrow. I'll send a car for you-"
"There's wheels here," Dunn interrupted. "I know where Corey Field is."
"I think the Colonel expects that you will appear in the prescribed uniform, which means with brimmed cover, and wearing your decorations."
"I don't have one of those hats," Pick said.
"Me either," Dunn said.
"Then if you will each give me your head size, and... I think they're $21.95... I will buy them for you at the sales store and have the corporal bring them to you."
"Yes, Sir," Dunn said. "Thank you."
"What I will do," Carstairs said, "is pick you up here at 0700. If you want to follow me over to Corey in your car, fine. That would spare me another trip here to bring you back."
"I know where Corey Field is," Dunn said. "You don't have to come over here."
"That wasn't a suggestion, Mr. Dunn," Carstairs said. "This is The Marine Corps. I am a captain, and you are a lieutenant, and I say what we are going to do, and you say, 'Aye, aye, Sir.' "
"Aye, aye, Sir."
"Now that we have our business out of the way, do you suppose I could have another Bloody Mary?" Carstairs asked.
"Won't Colonel Whatsisname be looking for you?" Pick asked.
"If the nasty sonofabitch thinks it took me all afternoon to find you two, why should I correct him?"
They were on their third Bloody Mary when, almost together, two automobiles appeared in the long driveway under the arch of the enormous live oaks. One was an Oldsmobile sedan, the second a Plymouth convertible.
"Unless I'm mistaken," Dunn said, "here comes the paratroops."
"In two cars?" Pick asked.
"You ever go to see the Andy Hardy movies?" Dunn asked, and then went on without waiting for a reply. "You remember when Andy Hardy got a Plymouth like that when he graduated from high school? Sue-Ann thought it was darling, so Mr. Pendergrast bought her one."
The cars came closer.
"No, it's not the paratroops. It's the Reverend Three Names."
He put his Bloody Mary down and walked down the wide steps to wait for the cars to drive up.
A tall, slim, gray-haired man in a gray suit stepped out of the Oldsmobile and grasped Dunn's hand with both of his own, shaking it with great enthusiasm.
"Here comes another car," Captain Carstairs announced. "Maybe that's the paratroops. What's he talking about?"
"His brother's in the Army at Fort Benning," Pick explained. "He's coming down here."
The Plymouth pulled up. A long-legged blonde in a sweater and skirt got out, squealed "Billy!", and then kissed both the Marine officer and the cleric. She kissed the Marine officer with somewhat more enthusiasm.
Then, hanging on to his arm, she marched him up the stairs.
"Hi, y'all," she called cheerfully to Pickering and Carstairs. "Let me say hello a minute to Miss Alma, and then I'll be with you."
She and the Reverend Mr. Jasper Willis Thorne went into the house.
"Nice," Pick said, vis-a-vis Miss Sue-Ann Pendergrast.
"Very nice," Captain Carstairs agreed.
"I'll be a sonofabitch," Lieutenant Dunn said, visibly shocked. "She gave me tongue, with the rector standing right there."
The second Oldsmobile slid, rather than braked, to a stop. The door opened, and a very large man wearing major's leaves and paratroop boots jumped out and ran up the stairs, taking them three at a time.
Captain Carstairs stood up, decided the porch was outside, and saluted.
"Good afternoon, Sir," he said.
Major Frederick C. Dunn, Infantry, Army of the United States, returned the salute crisply, if idly.
"If you're waiting for me to salute you, Fred, don't hold your breath," Bill Dunn said.
"Goddamn, Runt!" Major Dunn said emotionally. "You're a sight for goddamn sore eyes!"
He went to his brother, wrapped him in a bear hug, and lifted him off the ground.
After a moment, he set him down.
"Gentlemen," he said in an accent that was even thicker than Bill Dunn's, "if you'll excuse me, I'll go say hello to my momma and see if I can't find something decent for us to drink."
He wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders, giving him no choice but to accompany him into the house.
Carstairs looked at Pickering.
"Nice people, aren't they?" he said.
Pick started to agree, but what came out was, "Do you ever see Martha?"