*This story belongs to me; if you wish to use this idea for another story, please ask for my permission first ;) *
"I don't look old enough to be his father do I? I've never been sure you know. I spent a week in his home town once"- Lt Colonel Henry Blake- 'Payday'
******************************************************************************
***4077TH MASH UNIT, KOREA, OCTOBER 1950***
Dear Ma,
It's your boy soldier Walter here, writing all the way from Korea. I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner, but I've been real busy with the war and stuff. The mail is real slow over here that's why I couldn't write to you a few weeks ago when you sent me that package. Thanks for the chocolate chip cookies and sewing kit, my bear's eye fell off a few days ago and the needle and thread came in real handy. I try not to let the other guys see him when they walk in my office; I keep him in a shoe box under my cot, but I have to take him out every now and then otherwise the silverfish will eat his ears.
Your prob'ly wondering why I hide him, well, I don't sleep in a tent like the other enlisted men in this outfit do, my bunk is my office so I have at least a hundred people walking in and out every day. I'm the 4077th's Company Clerk, I take care of the paper work like filing and typing up daily, weekly and monthly reports (did you know that the army wants everything typed up in triplicate? That's a lot of paper) and I answer the phone, which rings morning, noon and night..mostly at night when I'm in bed, that's why my cot is in here and not in another tent. I don't mind, really, I don't get much privacy, but I guess its better than being put out with all the fighting and stuff.
Anyway as I was saying, I do lot's of other stuff being the Company Clerk and all; Lt. Colonel Henry Blake-that's our Commanding Officer say's that I pretty much run the unit. He told me once that I'm the best and that someday I'll be taking his job. I would, but I don't think I could handle all that Scotch he drinks and the sick people, but don't worry ma I don't think he means it, he's a swell guy.
Colonel Blake is from Bloomington, Illinois. He's one of the four doctors that we have in this unit (We had five, but Dr. 'Spearchucker' Jone's got transferred to the 8063rd MASH because their surgeon got killed on the way over when he was traveling in his jeep). I like Colonel Blake; he's real nice to the enlisted guys. He's not regular Army like some of the other officers that are on this base. He has two kids; Molly and Janie. Molly's the oldest and Janie's the youngest. Mrs. Blake is gonna have a baby soon, and the Colonel is real nervous about leaving her behind, but he said that she's got the best baby doctor in his home town ( I can't remember what they call baby doctor's. He told me once, but it's real difficult to say).
The other doctors that we have are Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, but every calls him Hawkeye. He said that it was from a book called "The last of the Mohicans", the only book that his pa ever read. Hawkeye's a real swell guy; he's from a small town called Crabapple Cove, Maine.
Hawkeye's other friend is Captain "Trapper" John F.X. McIntyre. He and Hawkeye always get in trouble for pulling practical jokes. Last week they glued Major Burns's boots to the floor of their tent called the "Swamp" (because it smells like one), but Colonel Blake talked the Major out of the charges.
Major Frank Burn's is the other surgeon that bunks with the two captains. He's not very nice and Trapper and Hawkeye told me he isn't a good doctor either. Once, Major Burns accidentally left an instrument inside his patient, and Captain McIntyre and Captain Pierce had to open the poor guy up again to get it out. He almost died.
Our camp has about 100 or so other enlisted men, 16 nurses including our head nurse Major Margaret Houlihan, and the base priest Father Mulcahy.
I have to go now ma, wounded are coming in and I have to tell the others. Don't worry about me, I'm pretty safe here and I'm eating fine. Hopefully this war will end quickly and I'll see you soon. Say hi to Uncle Ed and all the folks back home. I miss you all very much.
Love,
Walter
******
Radar quickly stuffed the letter into an envelope and chucked it with all the other out-going mail. He knew it would be weeks and weeks before his mother would get the letter, but he had to write it now, he missed his family so very much and writing home made him feel better. His mom sent him his first package the week he had arrived. He was supposed to get it back when he was in boot camp, but the mail runs so slow and it was forwarded to his new outfit. He'd only been there about three weeks and the routine of the field hospital had only just begun to grow on him.
Bursting out through his office doors and into the compound he yelled out "CHOPPERS!" A few nurses that were playing volleyball didn't hear him.
"I don't hear nothin". Radar jumped seeing a man wearing a pink frilly day dress speak to him from behind. He took a step back in surprise as the man extended his hand.
"Corporal Max Klinger, I'm new, I came in this morning"
Radar shook the Corporal's hand slowly. "Corporal Radar O'Reilly, Company Clerk" he replied looking the stranger up and down.
"Don't worry kid, I don't wear dresses as hobby, I'm trying to get out of the army on a section 8" Klinger whispered quietly as he pulled the creased dress flat. Radar nodded his head as if to say he understood, even though he didn't.
"So why the name Rad..."
"Because I can tell when things are gonna happen before they happen" Radar answered the cross-dressing Corporals sentence before he finished.
Klinger was about to say how did he know what he was going to ask, before he asked, when a pair of choppers came flying over the Korean mountains. A few moments later an announcement blared over the P.A.
ATTENTION ALL PERSONNEL, INCOMING WOUNDED, CHOPPERS LANDING ON THE UPPER AND LOWER PADS!
A few seconds later the whole camp came alive as doctors and nurses raced up to greet the unfortunate casualties.
"That's why they call me Radar" He called out to Klinger as he sped off following Colonel Blake close behind. Klinger stood in spot dumbfounded.
******
It had been over two months since his first letter home, and nothing had arrived for him. All the other personnel had received letters and Christmas cards in the last few months since the 4077th had been established, but nothing, not a thing, even Frank Burns got something.
The mailing system had been a bit slow during the holiday season; only because of the amount of holiday mail that families and friends had sent over piled high to the ceiling at the mailing center in Seoul, with only 5 clerks to sort it out, but now that Christmas was long over the mail was running smoother and more consistently than ever and he should've have gotten something by now.
Pacing back and forth across his office nervously, waiting for the chopper with all the mail, Radar looked at his watch for the 10th time that hour.
"C'mon darn it, it's past 1500, where could that guy be?"
Suddenly he snapped his head up looking towards the ceiling. He could hear the familiar sound of the chopper blades from a distance and he raced out to the parked jeep, jumped in, and sped off towards the chopper pad.
"About darn time!" he yelled over the loud noise of the chopper engine. "Where have you been?!"
The pilot jumped out and dragged the heavy bag, heaving it into the jeep. "Sorry it took so long, I went to the wrong MASH unit, and I gave them the wrong bag"
Radar rolled his eyes as the pilot hopped back into the cockpit and lifted off without waving goodbye. Mumbling about how rude the guy was, he drove back to his office to sort the mail out.
******
CHAPTER TWO: One phone call can change your life forever~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The moment he skidded to a halt, Radar could see the large group of people racing to his jeep after seeing the chopper stopping briefly, they knew what had came. As quickly as his small body could, he dragged the heavy mail bag into the office and locked his and the Post-Op doors.
"Whew" he said leaning against the wall and wiping his forehead in relief, hearing the personnel banging for their mail.
"C'mon O'Reilly, let us in, we want our mail!" One man shouted impatiently. "Yeah!" another one replied as they attempted unsuccessfully to open the door.
"Go away! I can't give you your mail until I sort it out!" Radar yelled back through the door ignoring the obscenities that came flying through.
As Company Clerk he was responsible for handing out the mail, and it isn't a pleasant experience. The whole camp had a clear view of the chopper pad, and when an announcement came over the P.A saying that it wasn't for wounded, they knew it could be only one thing.
The first week that he arrived his first job was to collect it, and he found why it wasn't a pretty duty. Literally, a hundred people ran up to greet the whirly-bird, and poor unsuspecting Radar was trampled over by a mob of homesick personnel. He soon learned quickly how to make a hasty getaway when it came to "Mail-Call".
After about 10 minutes of irritating and childish complaints, the large group of people eventually dispersed one by one. Radar finally opened the bag and spread the contents all over the floor. Normally he would start by sorting out the officer's mail and then the enlisted, but he was desperate to see if anything came for him. Sitting cross-legged on the floor he carefully but quickly sifted through the mountain of envelops making a second pile. An hour later he was finished, and again, nothing had come for him.
He sat numbly as he tossed the last envelop on the pile. The feeling of heat came to his face as he felt tears prickling his eyes.
"I'm in the army" he said to himself as bravely as he could. "Men in the army don't cry all because their mom's don't send them mail". He got up, dusted himself off and stuffed certain envelops in his delivery bag getting ready to visit the officers. But just as he was going to open the doors, a frightening thought ran across his mind. 'What if something happened to ma and nobody wanted to tell me?'
In a surge of panic and fear, he dove towards his desk. Putting on his headset, plugging some cords in the switchboard and cranking up the phone, he reached a fellow clerk in Seoul.
"H.Q Seoul, Sergeant Pryor speaking"
"Hey Sparky, it's Radar"
"Oh hiya boy, howya doin? Did you get that movie I sent you?" Sparky laughed as he recalled the unsavory parts of the film.
"Oh yeah, yeah, I got it" he said totally uninterested. " Listen it's sorta an emergency, I need you to patch a call through to Ottumwa, Iowa"
"Ottumwa, Iowa?"
"Yeah, Ottumwa, Iowa" Radar repeated annoyed that time was being wasted "It's my home town"
"Oh yeah, I forgot, you told me once. O.K whose it to?"
"It's to my mom, but we don't have a phone, you'll have to patch it to my neighbor Mrs. Rose Clarke"
"OK sure pal, anything for you, but it's gonna be at least 2 hours, the lines are real busy"
"Two hours!?" Radar groaned into the phone. "But I need to talk to her now!"
"Sorry guy, I'll call you back when I get the connection, o.k.?"
Radar didn't have a choice, he had to wait. Two hours is a long time when you're desperate.
"O.k. Sparky thanks". He placed the receiver back in the bag and went about delivering the mail.
******
"Father? Father Mulcahy mail call, sir". Radar knocked at the priest's tent door. Inside he could hear the priest talking to someone.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir, I'll come back later if you're hearing confessions".
"Come in, Radar" Mulcahy said pushing the door open.
"Are you sure? I heard you talking to someone."
The priest smiled warmly. "Only to God, now what can I do you for?"
"Mail call" Radar answered sadly handing the chaplain his two letters and he turned around walking out. Father Mulcahy sensing something was troubling the kid, quickly stopped him.
"Is anything wrong my son?"
"Well..." Radar started. He wanted to say no, but he couldn't lie to a priest. He sighed as the Padre gestured for him to sit down on a folding chair.
"It's my mom" He started slowly. "I wrote her my first letter home a few months ago and she hasn't sent me one back". Radar looked down at his hands sadly.
"Well, maybe she addressed the envelope wrong, my sister the nun did that the first week I was here. It went to the 8063rd instead, that's probably what happened"
"Yeah, I guess. I got someone from H.Q to patch a call through to her, it's gonna take two hours for it to connec.." He was cut off by an announcement.
CORPORAL O'REILLY YOUR PHONE IS RINGING, CORPORAL O'REILLY YOUR PHONE IS RUNNING OVER!
"Oh hey, I bet that's her now! Thanks for listening Father, seeya later!" Radar raced from the priest's tent and flew straight to the phone.
"4077th MASH, Corporal O'Reilly speaking!"
"Hey Radar it's Sparky, I've got Ottumwa, hang on while I patch it through"
"Gee thanks Sparky, that was fast"
"No prob's boy, I hope you'll be sending that movie back real soon"
"I will, and thanks again" Radar answered quickly hearing the other line ringing.
"Hello?" He heard a familiar elderly voice over the phone. It was his neighbor.
"Mrs. Clarke? It's me Walter"
"Walter?" the voice asked confused
"Walter O'Reilly, Mrs. O'Reilly's son" Radar replied quickly. He didn't know how long the line would last.
"Oh, Walter!" Mrs. Clarke exclaimed happily. "I thought you were in Korea?"
"I am, listen, I don't know how long this line will hold, can you get Ma? I need to talk to her"
"Sure hun, hang on, I'll go get her". Radar heard the phone receiver being placed on the side table as the old women quickly ran over to his farm. A few minutes later she picked it up again.
"Here she is, now look after yourself and be careful!"
"I will Mrs. Clarke and thank you"
"H-hello?" The sound of his mother's unusually nervous voice sent a pang of worry through his stomach.
"Ma, it's me Walter!" He yelled into the receiver as it started to crackle. He picked the phone bag up and stood on top of his desk clearing away the static.
"W-walter?" she stammered "W-why are you calling?" Radar felt slightly hurt that his mother wasn't that happy to hear from him, but he ignored it and continued talking.
"Ma, did you get the letter I sent you back in October? Coz I haven't gotten anything from you"
An awkward silence fell over the line, and for a moment he thought that they got cut off.
"Uh, uh...yeah" She answered, quivering. Radar felt even more worried than before.
"Well, why didn't you write back? I've been waiting a long time, was it something I said, did someone die? Please tell me, I can handle it."
Again all he got was more silence.
"Ma, you can't hide it from me, if it's Uncle Ed I have to know". He was persistent, even being 10,000 miles away from home he could sense his mothers anguish.
"In your letter you said that a Henry Blake is in your camp, is that true?"
Her question threw him off a bit, and confused he replied "Yeah, why?"
"Henry Blake from Bloomington, Illinois, wears a fishing cap with lots of shinny lures?"
"Yeah...hey, how did you know that, I never mentioned that in my letter?"
Again silence.
"Ma,..Ma..?"
"Oh Walter" she cried into the phone "I should've told ya years ago when you were young"
"W-what, what should you have told me years ago?" he stammered.
He almost blacked out after what she told him next.
"H-he's your real Pa, I-i'm so S-sorry". Radar's stomach iced over as the receiver slipped out of his hand.
******
CHAPTER THREE: Edna's Story ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Walter...Walter?!"
Radar could hear his mother's shrill voice coming from the floor. With shaky hands he picked the receiver up and held it to his ear. For a moment his mind was blank with shock, and he wondered if what he had heard was just a part of his imagination. But deep down he knew it wasn't.
"W-what do you mean Henry Blake is my real Pa? H-how?" he finally spoke up, stammering.
Silence again met the line.
"MA!" he yelled into the phone. He had never, ever, spoken to her like that before, and it shook her up a bit. "Tell me now, I have right to know!"
Mrs. O'Reilly sighed. In the background Radar heard his mother cover her end and a muffle of voices talking. He dragged his chair from underneath his desk and sat down, not because he was trying to get comfortable, but because he felt dizzy and hot.
Finally his mother returned. "Are you still there Walter?" she asked cautiously. "Sorry bout' that, I was asking Mrs. Clarke for some privacy"
"Yeah" he mumbled dazed, his mouth felt like cotton. "How did it happen?" He said cutting straight to the point.
She took a deep breath and sighed.
"It all started eighteen and a half years ago...."
******
*MONDAY DECEMBER 17TH 1932*
"Oh Gosh darn it, what's wrong with it now?" Henry murmured, seeing smoke rising from the engine of his 1928 Ford Tudor. His windscreen wipers worked feverously against the Iowan downpour.
"Come on, baby" He said desperately as it spluttered. "Just one more mile", and as if it purposely went against Henry's will, it shuddered to a stop. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?" he said irritated, opening the car door. The rain had died down long enough for him to see where he was, and stepping out of the vehicle he saw that the car had stopped just in front of an old weathered sign.
"Welcome to the town of Ottumwa, population: 316. Oh great a hick town, this is jussst perfect"
Kicking the tire, he unlatched the hood and peaked inside. A fog of steam rose up into the icy winter air and he felt a slight comfort in the warmth, but not for very long, the engine had died on him.
"Now what am I gonna do?"
Closing the hood he studied the surroundings only seeing a stretch of paddocks and fields that seemed to go on and on. Pulling his pocket watch out from his coat, it read twenty past five. The sun already started to set and dark shadows appeared in greater numbers by the minute.
"Well, I guess there's no sense spending the night in my car; I'd better find somewhere to stay." Gathering his overnight bag and umbrella, he made his way down the forever-stretching road.
After about half an hour of walking and soaking wet, he saw a small farmhouse in the distance. By the time he reached the front door the sky was pitch black and the temperature dropped below zero.
"Hello, anybody home?" Henry called out as he knocked. Outside he could hear the quick movement of shoes approaching the entrance, and a moment later the door opened the only few inches that the lock chain would allow.
"Who is it?" a gentle nervous voice softly asked.
"Oh, hi ma'am, my name is Henry Blake and my car died on me a few miles down the road, I was wondering if you know of any place I could stay at for the night?" Henry smiled warmly lifting his fishing hat politely.
The women closed the door and unlatched the chain. "Come in" she told him, quickly closing it before the cold air got in.
"Thank you" he replied relieved. "Nice home"
Leading him in towards the warm kitchen she offered to take his coat. Henry shrugged it off and gave it to her.
"My name is Edna, you can stay here for the night if you like, there's no point in sending you into town at this time of the evening, there's talk of a huge storm brewing" she said hanging the coat on a small hook. "You must be famished, would you like some supper, I have some leftover lamb stew?"
The thought of warm food made him smile from ear to ear. "Yes thank you, that'd be great"
He watched Edna as she prepared the plate. She was a small women, around 5"4' with long wavy brown hair and chocolate colored eyes to match. She wasn't gorgeous but she had a pretty face, her glasses slipped down as she talked, and Henry found it cute.
"Would you like some hot tea, Mr. Blake?"
"Yes, thank you, and please, it's Henry"
Edna smiled as she placed the plate and mug down in front of him. "Mmmm.smells great, Edna" He said as he started to dig into the meal, he closed his eyes in delight. "Tastes great too!"
Scooping up the remainder of his dinner, he leaned back in his chair satisfied. "You know Edna that was the best meal I've ever eaten. My new wife Lorraine would really like this, if you don't mind, could I have a copy of the recipe?"
Edna beamed at the compliment." Sure, I don't mind at all, I'll write it down later" she got up and cleared the table. "So where bout's are you from Henry?"
"Bloomington, Illinois" He answered as he helped her with the dishes. She seemed surprised as Henry started to dry the plate, mug and spoon. "Bloomington, Illinois? What are you doing all the way out here?"
"Oh, I was coming back home from California visiting my parents, there're staying there for a few months looking after my grandfather"
"You drove all the way from California to here in a car? Why didn't you take the train?"
"Oh, I don't really like trains they make me nervous, besides I wanted to see the countryside."
"Well, you've got it" she giggled. In the background a grandfather clock ticked softly.
"So" Henry said looking around the kitchen "Do you live alone?"
"Oh no, my husband and three kids are visiting their cousins in the next town; they won't be back till New Years Eve. They wanted me to go with them, but I needed the time to myself"
Henry nodded. "How old are your children?"
"My eldest daughter is 12, and the twin boys are 11"
Henry raised his eyebrows "12 and 11? I was expecting younger, if you don't mind me saying, you don't look a day older than 25"
Edna smiled at the observation. "Thank you, actually I'm 29"
"29!" He counted back 12 years "So you were only 17 when you had your daughter?"
"Yeap and I got married at that same age too, folks round' here marry young. My husband Eugene wasn't though, he'll be 45 next month"
Henry almost choked on the piece of chocolate cake that she gave him. But he didn't say anything sensing her embarrassment.
"So what do you do for a living?" she asked changing the subject.
"Well right now I work part-time as a fisherman. I'm studying medicine at the University of Illinois; I'm into my fourth year. The money I earn from the fishing goes towards my fees, and boy, are they expensive, I was considering selling my car, but my parents gave it to me 5 years ago when I got turned 20, so I really don't want to do that, besides, I probably wouldn't be able to sell that hunk of junk, it doesn't even work"
"I know a good mechanic in town, Joe, he does wonders, I'll drive you in tomorrow"
"Oh that's not necessary, really" Henry held his hands up.
"Nonsense, I don't mind at all" Edna replied smiling from ear-to-ear. She really liked Henry, she felt comfortable around him, and he seemed caring. She liked his goofy smile and awkwardly tall build. She liked her husband, but she never really loved him. They married out of wedlock, and being a naïve 17 year old back then, she thought that she could learn to eventually love him as a wife should, but she never did.
"Well I guess I should show you to your room"
Henry nodded yawning as he followed Edna up a set of stairs.
"I'm afraid we don't have indoor pluming, you'll have to go to the out house if you need to use the bathroom during the night. I'll get you a pitcher of water and soap to wash up before bedtime and extra towels are in the linen cupboard" She pointed towards an antique piece of furniture.
"Thank you" Henry said as he entered the small room closing the door.
******
The next day Edna drove Henry into town as promised, but the mechanic said that it wouldn't be finished until Christmas Eve because he didn't have the part that was needed. He had to send out his assistant to the next town.
Angry, he had no choice but to wait. He wanted to be home in time to spend his and Lorraine's first Christmas together, but there was no way that it was going to happen.
She felt a pang of jealously when he asked to make a phone call to his wife. The only phone that Ottumwa had was in the Post Office, but the storm from the night before tore the lines down.
Over the last few days she made him feel at home. She baked cakes, cookies, fruit buns and banana pies. During the day they went fishing and picnicking under the old oak tree by the creek and at night they would share a happy meal. Edna, fearing the town's people would start gossiping, told them that he was a visiting cousin from out of town, and they seemed to believe her.
By Christmas Eve the car was ready, but Henry didn't want to go just yet. He felt a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, which he hadn't felt since first meeting his wife and he probably wouldn't have forgiven himself if he didn't act on it.
That evening Edna fixed him a special Christmas dinner that consisted of roast lamb, vegetables, pumpkin pie, jellies, and puddings.
"That was the best Christmas dinner that I'd have ever eaten, and I shared it with the most perfect, kind, generous and lovely person ever." Henry said as the both of them stood outside his bedroom door.
She blushed at his complement. "Same goes here Henry" Edna replied softy.
"Hang on." He disappeared into his room, and retuned with a small package. "Open it; I got it for you in town the other day.
"Oh Henry, it's beautiful!" She beamed with happiness as she wrapped the baby blue shawl around her shoulders, but her joy faded away.
"What's wrong Edna?" Henry asked concerned "You don't like the color?"
"Oh no! Blue's my favorite color, it's just that I didn't get anything for you" She hung her head sadly.
Henry bent down to her eye level. "You've given everything to me, Edna." He whispered, and he kissed her softly on the lips. She kissed him back.
"I wouldn't be pushing it if I asked you for one more favor would I?" he asked looking into her warm brown eyes.
"Anything" she whispered
"Make love to me"
She smiled in reply. "Your room or mine?"
******
The next morning was crisp and clear. The dewy grass glittered in the early light. The whole world looked perfect.
Joe the mechanic parked the car just outside the house, and Henry paid, giving him a large tip.
"Mornin’ Joe, Merry Christmas, would you like a cup of coffee?" Edna asked cheerfully.
"No thanks, Edna, I don't have time for one, I have to visit Rose, her chimney has a blockage and I have to fix it. Merry Christmas" The pair watched as Joe rushed over to the Clarke's farm.
A sad silence hung in the air. They knew that is was goodbye, and probably forever, but they both didn't want to spoil the moment by saying it.
"Here's my number if you need me, day or night." Henry kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you"
"No, thank you, I haven't been this happy for as long as I can remember." She gave him the tightest warmest hug ever.
He smiled as he got into his car and waved. She waved back, watching him drive out of her life forever.
"Goodbye Henry Blake, take care." Wrapping her new shawl around her shoulders tightly, she slowly made her way back into the house.
******
CHAPTER FOUR: Avoiding Henry~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mrs. O'Reilly paused, waiting for Radar to say something. During the whole story he sat silent listening to every word with disbelief.
"Walter, dear, are you still there?" she asked quivering. He still didn't say anything, but she heard him breathing on the line and continued.
"Your father, sister and brothers came home bout' nine days later, and a week after that, I found out I was pregnant with you." She paused again, taking a deep breath. "I told your pa that I knew about it before he left, and that I wanted to keep it a surprise, and he believed me. Eight and a half months later you were born. You were such a tiny thing, you came into the world early, and for a while the doctor didn't think you were gonna make it, but just like Henry, you were persistent" she chuckled slightly, Radar, however, didn't find it so amusing.
Shaking with anger, he griped the receiver tight trying to suppress his rage. "How can you be sure that Colonel Blake is my real father, it's quite possible that he isn't?"
"No, you're definitely Henry's. With him the timing was right. With your Pa, it wasn't, but he didn't know that"
Hearing that made him feel sick and he wanted to throw up. "Does Colonel Blake know?"
His mother sighed sadly on the other end. "No, I never told him. When you were born I almost did, there were times when I started dialing, but I hung up when I thought about his wife. I always felt guilty about keeping the whole affair a secret. Just after your second birthday I planned on telling Eugene about Henry, and how you weren't his, but on the day I wanted to confess he suddenly died. After that it didn't matter, I should have told you, but I couldn't do that to ya, you're such an honest person Walter, the school children would've made fun of you."
"I still had a right to know anyway" Radar replied angry. "I still had a right to know!" He slammed the receiver hard into the bag, hanging up on her. He sat silently at his desk for what felt like forever. He was hit with the biggest bombshell of his life, and thinking about what Colonel Blake and his mother did made him feel nauseous. Getting up slowly he gripped the chair for balance as he took a step towards the outside doors, but the shock of it all was too much. His whole world started spinning up- side down and left to right. Just before he made it to his cot the office grew dark and he blacked out.
******
"Radar, son are you o.k.?" Henry asked, leaning over him in the Post-Op ward. Trapper and Father Mulcahy stood beside the Colonel with looks of concern.
"Uh, uh." Radar stammered sitting up quickly. "I have work to do." He stood and grabbed his boots, making his way towards his office.
"Not so fast, Radar" Henry said, stopping him. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me why we found you unconscious on your office floor?"
Not looking up or making eye contact, the young Corporal shrugged his shoulders. "Uh, I dunno sir, I feel fine now, can I go?" Before Henry could refuse Radar hurried off, not wanting to be found for the rest of the day.
The rest of the week dragged on and on. He still couldn't believe what his mother had told him and he tried to block it from his mind, but every time the Colonel would call for him, the pain of his mother's week with Henry Blake ripped at his heart.
He wanted to tell Henry badly, but the only thing that stopped him was the thought of the Colonel's wife, Lorraine Blake. He knew that such an affair, which resulted in him, would cause Henry's family to split in two.
The other reason why he didn't want to say a word was because of embarrassment. He felt dirty and betrayed from his mom's infidelity and no matter how much he scrubbed at himself in the shower, the dirt wouldn't come off.
Two weeks had past since the phone call, and for that entire fortnight he barely spoke two words to Colonel Blake, trying to avoid him as much as he could. Eventually, Henry noticed.
"I need you to sign the weekly reports, sir." The young clerk said, shoving a pile of papers underneath Henry's nose. Henry quickly signed the reports with annoyance." I'll tell ya kid, I will never understand why the army wants everything in triplicate, lucky for us they couldn't find another two Frank Burn's" he joked, leaning back in his chair with a glass of Scotch in his hand.
"Yeah" mumbled Radar as he quickly walked out of the Colonel's office. But Henry stopped him.
"Wait a minute Radar" he said sternly. "Come back here, I need to talk to you, close those doors."
Obediently the Corporal did as he was told and returned to the desk. On it he could see the photos of Henry's two daughters and wife, and he felt a twinge of jealously.
"Sit down" he motioned at the wooden chair. "Now, I want you to tell me why you have gone to great lengths at avoiding me?"
He felt panicked from the sudden question, but he held his cool. "I don't know what you're talking about sir; I haven't been trying to avoid you?"
"You could've fooled me, you've barely spoken a word to yours truly since after you woke up from your fainting spell. Is there something wrong that I should know about?"
"Uh, no, I've just been real busy, that's all." He answered, not sounding very convincing. "Can I be dismissed now sir? I have a lot of filing to do."
Reluctantly, Henry let him go. "Alright, you're dismissed, but if something is troubling you, you can always come and talk to me, o.k.?"
'No I can't' He thought. "Thank you sir" Radar replied, exiting through the door.
******
Later that day when he had an hour off, he asked Hawkeye if he could borrow his camera. With only one shot left on the film, Hawkeye gladly did so.
"Sir, are you busy?" Radar asked knocking at the Colonel's door.
"No son, come in, what can I do you for?"
"If it's o.k. with you sir, can I take your picture?"
"My picture, what for?"
"Well, uh, it's for my scrapbook." He lied.
"Of course." Henry stood up and straightened his fishing cap and jacket. "Is this o.k.?" He asked smiling.
"That fine." Radar took the snap. "Thank you sir"
The next day he got the film developed, and with the snapshot he headed over to the one person he trusted the most out of the entire camp. Father Mulcahy.
******
CHAPTER FIVE: Cold Korean days.
Radar paused out front of Father Mulcahy's tent. He shoved the photo in the top pocket of his shirt and pulled his jacket tight, wrapping his paratrooper scarf around his neck. The Korean winters were harsh, and the slight but icy cold breeze fell way below zero.
He had hesitations about telling the friendly priest the true identity of his real father. But on many occasions he had heard Mulcahy saying that all confessions, talks and chats of personal nature will well and truly stay between him and his charge.
The bitter cold finally got to him and he gently knocked on the priest's door.
"Father, father Mulcahy, it's me Radar, can I talk to you for a moment?"
The priest quickly got up, happy that someone needed his help.
"Of course Radar, please do come in." He opened the door and shut it behind him fast before the heat got out.
"Sit down my son." Mulcahy struggled to open the folding chair as it kept snapping back. Finally opening it he motioned for the corporal to sit. "Would you like a cup of coffee? I've had some brewing on the hot plate."
Radar nodded and with his woolen army gloved hands he took the drink, warming them on the white mug.
For a few minutes the pair sat in silence sipping away. Father Mulcahy knew that something was troubling his young friend, sensing that he wanted talk to him about it.
"Now, what can I do you for? I get the feeling that something is bothering you."
He held his mug tight, looking down into the drink. "I have a huge secret that I want to tell badly, but I can't."
"Radar, you know that everything you say to me will never leave this tent or my lips. I'm not just a priest I'm your friend too."
He smiled slightly. "Thank you, Father."
"Now, what is this secret that you want to tell, but can't?"
Sighing, Radar set his cup down on the tent floor and loosened his thick jacket, reaching into his shirt pocket. He handed the picture of Henry over. The priest looked at it and smiled.
"That's a nice picture of Colonel Blake, when was it taken?"
"Yesterday." He answered. Father Mulcahy handed the photo back, but Radar stopped him.
"No, look at it more. Does Colonel Blake remind you of anybody?"
The padre looked at it closely for a moment longer and shaking his head he replied "No, not anybody that I can think of, why?"
Radar fidgeted nervously in his chair. He didn't know how to say it. "Uh, because, because, uh.."
"Yes?" Mulcahy encouraged him, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Because Colonel Blake is my father"
******
Father Mulcahy sprayed the mouthful of coffee all over Radar. "What?" he choked out wiping his face with a handkerchief. "Did you just say that Colonel Blake is your father?!"
"I knew this was a bad idea, I should've kept it to my self!" He quickly got up headed towards the door.
"No wait!" the priest said making it before his friend could. "No, you did the right thing, please tell me about it."
Radar looked into the priests clear blue eyes. He could see that he was serious . "O.K" he replied sitting sat back down on the chair again.
Father Mulcahy returned to his spot and listened carefully as Radar told his mothers story about Henry's car breaking down in his hometown and how he ended up staying a week.
When he finished, the padre shook his head in disbelief. "Amazing, what are the odds of you and Colonel Blake being stationed in the same MASH camp, or anywhere else?" suddenly he turned serious. "Does he know?"
Radar shook his head. "No, he doesn't, I couldn't do that to him or his family. Mrs. Blake will be real upset, she might get a divorce. I didn't want to be responsible for breaking a family apart." His eyes filled with tears and one slipped down his red cheek. He quickly wiped it away. "I wanted to tell him you know, but I see his kids photo's on the desk and it makes it worse. What do you think I should do father, do you think I should tell him or keep it to myself?"
Mulcahy had never been faced with a question this serious before. His own personal opinion was 'yes, Henry needs to know', but it mightn't be for the best. The relationship between the Colonel and the Company Clerk was a strong bond and telling Henry could rip that friendship apart.
"Radar, I can't tell you what to decide, but I can tell you one thing."
"What's that?"
"Be true to your self, whatever you're decision may be. Remember God is on your side and so am I"
Before he could say anything else an announcement boomed over the PA.
CORPORAL O'REILLY REPORT TO COLONEL BLAKES OFFICE
Radar cringed knowing that he had to see the Colonel. He slowly walked out, and thanked the priest for listening. On his way over he decided to tell Henry everything. He went over the words in his mind as he took a deep breath, pushing open the double doors.
"Radar guess what!?" Henry announced excited. "General Hammond has invited me and another person to stay with him and his wife in Tokyo for three days!" He took a swig of Rye and filled the glass again. "I leave tonight; Major Burns will be in charge."
Henry pulled a set of keys from his pocket. "Here are the keys to my liquor cabinet, tent and footlocker. You're the only person I trust with my stuff Radar, I need you to keep Captains Pierce and McIntyre away from my booze, got it?"
He nodded his head sadly. "Yes, sir"
Henry was too happy to notice the Corporal's sad face, and he exited to pack his bags for the trip. That afternoon he and Leslie took off in the chopper on their way to Tokyo.
Radar was annoyed that he took his mistress with him and it only encouraged him more, but he had to wait until Henry got back. His biggest fear was that another mistake was going to happen again. He hated referring to himself as a 'mistake', but that's what he felt like.
At dinner he sat at an isolated table wanting to be alone with his own thoughts for a while. He didn't feel like listening to Trapper and Hawkeye stirring up the Major who, had been bumbling around in surgery all day.
Father Mulcahy noticed his friend sitting by himself. He walked over and sat down across from him. "Are you ok Radar?" he asked concerned. "Your picking at your food, you usually seem to like hash and potatoes"
Radar didn't say anything for a few moments. Looking around to see if anybody was listening he set his fork down and leaned forward.
"I went to tell Colonel Blake today after our talk"
Mulcahy raised his eyebrows. "Did you tell him?"
"No, I didn't get a chance. He was so excited about going to Tokyo; I didn't want to spoil it for him. I'll tell him when he gets back" he paused for a second "I don't look anything like him at all, do I?"
Father Mulcahy smiled softly. "Physically, no, but I do see a lot of him in you though"
He looked confused. "What do you mean, Father?"
"Well, you both have the same facial expressions when you talk and laugh. Did you know that you and Colonel Blake have the same smile?"
"No I didn't" the Corporal answered smiling. In a way he felt proud.
Later when the entire camp was asleep Radar got out of bed. He put his glasses and cap on, and took the Colonel's keys from the tin cup that was nailed beside his cot. He pulled the articles of clothing tight, making his way over to Henry's tent.
Unlocking the door, he entered, and locked it behind him. Using his torch he shone it around the tent until he found what he was looking for; Henry's footlocker.
******
