Read Little Girl Lost 6: The Return of Johnnie Wise Online
Authors: Keith Lee Johnson
“Excuse me, sir,” Lynchburg said, about to mention the racial slur. “But that’s not what happened. Chicago tried to—”
Without so much as turning around, Cornsilk yelled, “When I want your opinion, Lynchburg, I’ll give it to you. Understand?”
“Yes, sir!”
“That’s the second time you screwed up. There won’t be a third! The next time you have something to say to me, say it to New Orleans first!”
“Yes, sir!”
“You are now the fourth squad leader! Cheyenne is third now! You can’t go any lower, Lynchburg. Understand?”
“Yes, sir!”
“New Orleans, there’s somebody here to see you?”
“Who, sir?”
“Come and see.”
“Yes, sir,” Lucas said. “Give me one second.” He looked at the man from the Bronx and said, “Pick as many men as you need and carry Chicago to his bed. Tell him that I said we’ll finish our discussion when I return.”
“You through flappin’ your lips, New Orleans?” Cornsilk said.
“Yes, sir.”
Chapter 67
“
And after I finish with them, I’m takin’ on all challengers.”
A
fter taking a few steps to the left, Lucas saw a Negro officer with brass on the shoulder straps of his uniform jacket. He was standing near the doorway, watching everything that was happening. His face was clean-shaven, and his skin was very dark, like a coffee bean. He was tall and lanky like a basketball player, easily six-two or three, but solidly built and fit. An overcoat draped his right arm and an attaché case was in his left hand. It didn’t take him long to figure out that the officer was Colonel Strong. Smiling from ear to ear, he practically ran past Cornsilk to meet him.
“Slow down, son,” Cornsilk said. “The Colonel isn’t going anywhere.”
“Yes, sir!” Lucas said, still moving quickly, nearly running over his drill sergeant.
“Sergeant Cornsilk,” Colonel Strong said, “I’d like to have a word with private Matthews alone if you can spare him.”
Cornsilk came to attention, saluted, and said, “Certainly, sir!”
“Thank you, Sergeant. I’ll bring him back in a little while.”
“Excuse me, Colonel,” Lucas said. “I’m wondering if my friend, Nicolas, can come with us. I think you’ll like him, sir.”
Colonel Strong looked at Cornsilk and said, “Can you spare two of your recruits?”
“Yes, sir,” Cornsilk said. “They’re done for the day.”
“San Francisco,” Lucas called out.
Nicolas Lee went over to where Lucas was standing and said, “Yes, sir.”
“You’re coming with us,” Lucas said, smiling.
“I understand you have a car, Matthews,” Colonel Strong said.
“I do, sir.”
“Good. I want you to drive us over to the Officer’s Club,” Colonel Strong said. He looked at Cornsilk. “I’ll bring them back in an hour or so.”
Cornsilk came to attention, held his salute, and said, “Yes, sir.”
Colonel Strong returned his salute. Then the colonel, Lucas, and Nicolas left the barracks. A few minutes later, they walked into the Officer’s Club. The smell of cigarettes and cigars lingered in the air. They took their seats at a table near the entrance. Strong looked at Lucas and said, “You’re probably wondering why I brought you and your friend here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I wanted you to see what you’re up against.”
“Sir?” Lucas questioned. “I’m not following you.”
“Look around you, son,” Strong said. “You see how angry the white officers are that we’re in here? Can you feel their hatred?”
Lucas and Nicolas looked around. Not only were they the center of attention, but judging by the looks on the white officers’ faces, they could tell that if they could, they would kick them out of the club violently. Unmoved by the venom he sense, Lucas returned his attention to Colonel Strong and said, “Yes, sir.”
“Good,” Strong said. “Don’t ever forget what you see just beyond their eyes. And know that the only reason they don’t come over here and voice their opinion of us being in here, in what they
think
is their domain, is because of these birds on my shoulders.” He pointed at his rank. “Herein lies the lesson. Get an education, ally yourself with powerful friends, and always seek advancement in whatever endeavors you pursue. You need to understand that you . . . both of you . . . represent your race. Whether that’s fair or unfair is immaterial. That’s the reality of being nonwhite in America. That’s the responsibility foisted upon you. You don’t have to like it, but I expect you two to embrace it, and more important, carry it well. Be proud and behave like it.”
“Yes, sir,” Lucas said.
“Me and the Sergeant saw what happened in the barracks,” Strong said.
“The whole thing, sir?” Lucas asked.
Strong nodded. “While I admire your quick solution to the problem, that’s not the way to handle someone who challenges your authority. You have to leave all of that behind when you become an officer. You must learn to control your anger, or someone will use your anger against you and have you drummed out of the Army with a dishonorable discharge. Before you start officer training, you’ll need to keep a cool head and still be able to dispense discipline to the undisciplined. You’ll see lots of things you won’t like, but you cannot solve all your conflicts with your fists. Almost any problem can be solved with your mind. Take Mr. Lee here. He knows I’m right. He’s smart enough to keep his mouth shut, to listen, and to observe. He’ll let you think he’s an idiot until he’s ready for you to know he’s not. He could prove to be a powerful ally. Learn whatever you can from him and men like him, even if they’re white. It doesn’t matter where knowledge and skill come from. The only thing that matters is that you absorb it, and use it for advancement in the office you work in or on the battlefield.”
“Yes, sir. I was wondering if you could recommend him for officer training, too.”
Strong looked at Lee and said, “You haven’t said much, son. Do you want to be an officer? Do you want the responsibility of being a Chinese officer in an American Army, knowing that your fellow officers may not accept you as a man, let alone as one of their peers?”
“I’m not sure, sir,” Nicolas said. “I haven’t given it much thought. New Orleans just asked me about it today. He told me that you were going to bring him over to Germany. Is that right?”
“Yes,” Strong said. “Would you like to come with him? I could arrange it, but you need to be sure.”
“Can I think about it, sir?” Nicolas said. “I was hoping to get assigned to the Presidio, but Germany sounds like a good assignment, too.”
“I can get you either assignment,” Strong said. “I just need to know about a month in advance.”
“How long are you going to be here, sir?” Nicolas asked.
“About a week,” Strong said.
“I’ll let you know before you go.”
“Great,” Strong said. “I’d love to have you aboard, and I know Lucas would, too. Just so you know, there aren’t that many Asian officers in the Army. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I’ve met even one. The Army could use loyal men like you in its officer ranks.”
“Can I ask you a question, sir?” Lucas said.
“Sure.”
“How did you know I’d be here?” Lucas said. “Your letter said that I could take a couple of weeks off before I came here for basic training, sir. So, how did you know since you were in Germany?”
“Actually, I didn’t. I’m here TDY. That’s an acronym for temporary duty. Over time, you’ll learn that the Army has lots of acronyms.”
“Yes, sir, like SOS.”
“Yes, that’s another one. I’m here because I had to handle some administrative things, and I thought I’d check to see if you were here. I was surprised to learn that you were on post. I thought for sure you’d want to spend two weeks with your girlfriend before your training began since you probably won’t see her again for sixteen weeks. Is everything okay between you two?”
“No, sir,” Lucas said. “We broke up, so I decided to get started early. And it’s a good thing I did. If I had waited two weeks, I wouldn’t have met my man, San Francisco.”
“I think he would have been okay without meeting me, sir,” Nicolas said. “He’s pretty good with the ladies. And he’s obviously pretty good with his fists, too.”
“I saw how good he is with his fists,” Strong said and smiled. “And I know the Army is lucky to have you. The Army is about fighting, but not our own people. We fight our enemies.”
“Yes, sir,” Nicolas said. “But it appears that our enemies wear the same uniforms as we do. They live in the same quarters and eat in the same Mess Halls.”
“That they do, son, but you gotta be bigger than them until the hearts of men change,” Strong said.
“But the hearts of men change so slowly, sir,” Nicolas said.
“That’s why it would be a good idea to become an officer together. That way you two can serve together and watch each other’s backs. You can’t trust most of the white officers to behave like we’re on the same team. That’s the advantage you two will have. You can trust each other. You’ll have to.”
“I understand, sir,” Nicolas said.
Strong looked at Lucas. “And do you understand, son?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Good. So, you met someone here in Columbia already, have you, Mr. Matthews?”
“Yes, we went out to dinner last night. Nice girl. Smart.”
“And drop dead gorgeous,” Nicolas said.
“Well, I hope it works out for you, but Germany is a long way from Columbia, South Carolina. Maybe you shouldn’t let it get too serious because there are a lot of women in Germany, and I’m sure you’ll find one or two that you like. Perhaps more.”
“Lots of women, huh?” Nicolas said. “Put me down for OTS and Germany, sir.”
Strong laughed heartily and said, “Are you sure, son? If I recommended you, I’d be putting my reputation on the line. So, I need you to be sure this is what you want.”
“It is, sir,” Nicolas said.
“Okay, great. It’s a done deal. Now, would you like to get something to eat before we leave?”
“No, sir,” Lucas said. “We’ve already eaten dinner.”
“A drink perhaps?”
“No, sir,” Lucas said. “We’re fine, sir.”
“Okay, then. If there are no more questions, drop me off at my quarters, and then head straight back to the barracks. I gave Sergeant Cornsilk my word.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thirty minutes later, Lucas and Nicolas entered the barracks. They went straight over to Chicago’s bunk to confront him. Lucas said, “Glad to see you’re finally awake. I think it’s time we finished this thing. I wouldn’t want you to think I got a lucky punch in.” He looked at the man from the Bronx and said, “When I finish with him, you’re next.”
Nicolas said, “Let me take care of this one after you take care of him, sir.”
“No,” Lucas said. “I want them both. And after I finish with them, I’m takin’ on all challengers. That means you white boys can get some of this, too. Now make a circle.”
After Lucas knocked Chicago out a second time, he knocked out the man from the Bronx, too, but it wasn’t quick. He punished him.
Chapter 68
An Inauspicious Arrival
A
fter a wonderful meal and discussion of
Murder on the Orient Express
, Johnnie returned to her room. Gloria Schumacher was quite the storyteller. She could have regaled Johnnie for hours without running out of stories about her deceased husband’s family. However, when Johnnie asked her who her favorite character in the novel was, she quickly pointed out the Belgian detective—Hercule Poirot. Gloria explained that Poirot had been her favorite because he only used his mind to figure out who committed a particular crime. When the talk of novelized murder was over, Gloria subtly switched the conversation to stock portfolios in an attempt to get a clue as to what stocks might be worth looking at. Gloria thought that since she had loaned Johnnie the typewriter, she would be more forthcoming with stock information. But Johnnie stuck to her business principles and quickly reminded her new friend that her fee was still eleven hundred dollars, and the stock market conversation came to a swift end.