Two Blind Men and a Fool
by Sherman Smith
Chapter 50: Goodbye, Sarge
“Ivory, you are a piece of work,” the doctor said. “In all my career, I’ve never dealt with anyone who was more determined to heal himself than you are.
“Oh, there were a few who gave it everything they had because they wanted to return to their outfits. I guess they felt guilty about being here instead of being back in the fight with men they thought of as their brothers.
“You, on the other hand, are the lone survivor who should, by all rights, have died from any number of causes. And yet, here you stand, walking on an artificial leg three months earlier than anyone here thought possible.”
“Thanks, doc,” Ivory said as he took another step, his hands tightly gripped to the support bars to help relieve the pain and stress of trying to toughen his leg stump. “If it hadn’t been for the sarge, I would have given up a long time ago.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then spoke softly as if thinking aloud. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen the sarge in four or five days now. I sure hope he’s all right.”
“Maybe the sarge reported back to the old outfit, knowing that it won’t be long until you check out of here, a civilian, cloaked in honor...” the doctor suggested, as he made a note on a clipboard.
Ivory thought about that but didn’t say a word. He just took another step, and then another.
“You have any plans?” the doctor asked.
“I sure do. There’s a guy named Henry Akita I’d like to look up and say thanks to. Him and two blind guys I owe a round of drinks to, and a swell nurse...” Ivory stumbled and fell painfully on his artificial leg. He choked back the pain and waved the doctor off as he struggled to rise.
Copyright © 2013 by Sherman Smith
