From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [294]
“What?” the corporal said guiltily, trying to cover the comic book with his arm. “Oh,” he said. “Thats all right. Go right on back, Sergeant. You didnt need to bring them yourself, Sergeant.”
“Who the fuck would bring them,” the Warden snorted, “if I dint bring them myself.”
“I dont know,” the corporal said defensively. “I just said——”
“What’re you reading?” The Warden snorted viciously. “The story of J Edgar and Mel Purvis and the Stool Pigeon In Red? Dont tell me you want to grow up to be a G Man too? If the whole next generation becomes G Men who they going to find to arrest?”
“What?” the corporal said. He took his arm off the comic book. It was The Batman. “Oh,” he laughed, “I see. Thats pretty good, Sarge.” He closed the comic book and put it in the desk drawer guiltily. “Just passin the time was all,” he said defensively.
“Aint you going to search this bindle?” The Warden said. “Maybe I got a couple files in there.”
The corporal looked at him dumbly. Then he laughed, and shook his head.
“You’re sure you trust me now,” The Warden said. “How you know I aint a cop-killer in disguise?”
“Thats pretty good,” the corporal laughed. “I dont know,” he laughed. “Maybe you are. Go right on back, Sarge, if you want.”
Milt Warden snorted disgustedly and walked down between the two rows of cots that were empty now in the afternoon and the corporal wiped his face off with his hand.
“I dont know what I want to waste my wit on dumb jerks like that for,” Warden grunted disgustedly as he threw the fatigues on the cot. He looked at the hand spread out on the blanket. “You beating him?” he said.
“Not yet,” Prew said.
“Well, dont worry, kid. You’ll have plenty time yet to practice.”
“Aint they got a date fixed for the trial yet?” Prew said collecting the cards. “Jesus Christ.”
“No,” Warden said, “I mean after you leave here.”
“Oh,” Prew said. “But maybe they wont let me play sol in the Stockade.” He got up and began to strip off the musty stale fatigues. By god, they did smell bad at that.
“Probly not,” Warden said, watching him. “They’ll make you wear your GI underwear though. The trial’s for next Monday,” he said, “just come through while ago. Thats four days yet. Maybe you can run it out once by then.”
“I might,” Prew said. He put on the clean fatigues and sat down again. “Culpepper said he dint think I’d get more than three months and two-thirds. Since, like he said, this one’s all in the family.”
“Thats about right,” Warden said. “Unless you say something to make them mad at you at the trial.”
“I’m keepin my mouth shut.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Warden snorted. “Oh,” he said, “here.” He pulled a carton of tailormades out of his hip pocket. “Heres some butts.”
“Well thanks,” Prew said.
“Dont thank me, kid. Them’s from Andy and Friday. I wouldnt buy you no cigarets. You’ve made me about a week’s extra paper work as it is.”
Prew felt himself grinning. “Well I’m sure sorry,” he said. “I sure feel for you, Warden. But,” he said, “I cant quite seem to reach you.”
The Warden stood staring down at him angrily indignantly, then suddenly he grinned. “You’re sure usin up the fatigues in a hurry. What’re they doin, workin you for a change?” He sat down on the bunk and ripped open the carton viciously, opened one of the packs and lit one of Prew’s new tailormades.
“Not much,” Prew said. “Pull a few weeds up to the playground. I dont mind it.”
“That aint so bad.”
“You reckon,” Prew said, “all them cute little kids will all grow up to be officers.”
“Probly,” Warden said. “A shame, aint it?
“I got the forms out and sent in yesterday,” he said. “That was the best I could do. I had to light on Mazzioli all spraddled out to get the typescript witnesses’ statements done in time to go in that early. That son of a bitch is so lazy I even thought for a while I’d have to do them myself too.”
“I dont suppose,” Prew said slowly, “any of them mentioned the knife this time either, did they?”
Warden did not say anything. He studied him narrowly. “What knife?” he said.
“Old Ike’s knife he pulled on me,” Prew grinned.
Ward