From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [290]
It was very complex and that tended to make it confusing, somewhat. But then, he knew the real thing did not lie in these circumstantial coincidences. The real thing lay underneath that. He knew that. It was hard to remember, though.
As he dropped off to sleep he could hear the OD and the Sgt still sitting at the lighted desk talking in low voices.
Chapter 35
LT CULPEPPER WAS APPOINTED his defense counsel. The second or third or was it the fourth day (they were all the same, they were identical, every day they took him out under guard three times and fed him under guard at the E Company Mess where the guard was rationed, every day they took him out under guard two times and worked him under guard for the P&P pulling weeds under guard from the flowerbeds of the Officers’ childrens’ playground back of the married officers’ quarters where he pulled the weeds on his knees in the fatigues under guard the guard standing over him guarding him and the children laughing yelling playing on the teetertotters swings and in the sandbox, it was not especially unpleasant) the second or third or was it the fourth day, Lt Culpepper came bustling in through the line of bars with the open door of bars from the other world like a whirlwind bringing the smell of the sea inland to the heavy drought-stricken prairies, and carrying the brand new briefcase with the zipper on three sides he had bought to carry the papers of the trial in, when he was appointed his defense counsel.
It was the first time Lt Culpepper had been appointed a defense counsel and he was enthusiastic over the case. The case had good prospects, if not of making a winning fight for an acquittal, at least a Pyrrhic victory he said, and they did not take him out under guard to pull weeds under guard in the afternoons any more, only in the mornings, after Lt Culpepper started coming in to talk about the case.
“Its a big responsibility,” Lt Culpepper said enthusiastically. “Its my first chance to put in practice the semester of law and courts martial procedure they gave us at the Point, and they will all be watching to see how well I handle it. Naturally I want to do the very level best with it I can. I want to see you get the squarest deal I can possibly wangle for you and I mean to see you get it too.”
Prew, unable to stop remembering the night at Hickam and the unfinishing of the Re-enlistment Blues, felt unaccountably embarrassed. He did not say much. He did not mention anything about the knife, which was not mentioned in the witnesses’ signed statements Lt Culpepper showed him. He did not want to disappoint Lt Culpepper on his first case, but he absolutely refused to plead guilty. The whole of Lt Culpepper’s campaign for the defense hung on pleading guilty.
“Well, of course,” Lt Culpepper said enthusiastically, “that is your right. But I’m sure you will change your mind when I lay out our strategy for you.”
“No I wont,” Prew said.
“When you understand it is absolutely legally impossible to get you an acquittal,” Lt Culpepper went on enthusiastically. “They’ve got Wilson and Henderson as witnesses, and Sgt Galovitch’s own sworn statement, swearing under oath you were drunk and that you struck Sgt Galovitch when he remonstrated with you for causing a disturbance after lights out. We cant beat that.”
He showed Prew the charges. Prew was charged with Drunk & Disorderly, with Insubordination, with Disobeying A Direct Order, and with Striking A Non-Commissioned Officer In The Performance of His Duty. He was also charged with Conduct Unbecoming To a Soldier. They were recommending a Special Court.
“As you see, its practically the same lineup they had on Maggio,” Lt Culpepper beamed, “except for the Resisting Arrest.”
“Dont you reckon they could work that one in too some way?” Prew said.
“However this is all within the Regiment,” Lt Culpepper said. “Whereas with Maggio it happened downtown