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Show J M .FAULKN R J R 1 2 0 Nin t en eventy-two, I think it was one or two I wa in alt Lak ity nd thi guy passed me and I thought, holy mackerel. I said "Gil harp? He turn d ar und and he said, "Yes." I said, "Jim Faulkner." He said, "Oh, I remember your last words to me." And I said, "I've forgotten those, too. Help me." He said, "Remember when I asked you to be my first sergeant in Japan." I said, "I do." "You know what you said?"' I think I said 'I couldn't', or something." He said, "No, it wasn't quite that gentle." I said, "Well, what'd I say?" He said, "You'd rather stick tin in your eyes." I said, "I can't envision myself saying that to you." He goes, "Well, you were two days from going home and had you become my first sergeant you'd had to stay two more months." I said, "Oh." BEC: Oh. JIM: I said, "I'll tell you how I remember that," I said, "I wouldn't stay one day to have my teeth checked." I said, "I was happy to get out; I didn't want to stay in the service." Anyway, he said, "Can you come and eat with me?" And I said, "Sure." And we sat down and he said, "Would you like some coffee?" And I said, "Gil, remember you set an example for me; you didn't drink coffee and you didn't drink any booze and you didn't smoke any cigarettes." I said, "I remember those examples you set." And he turned absolutely red and he said, "I apologize," he said, "I've kind of drifted." And I said, "Well, cease to drift, pal, because I've joined the clan; I'm one of you, now." And he was just delighted with that. And he said, "I want you to meet my wife. Saturday. I'll give you a call and I'll tell you what time to come Saturday." This was Monday. Saturday came and went and finally next Saturday I called and she said, "Well, he had a heart attack and died Friday." BEC: Oh, my word. 40 |
