CHAPTER SIX

The next day, after working in the mountains and visiting a medical camp full of wounded soldiers, I returned to the house at around five in the afternoon. I bathed and put on some clean clothes. Then I sat in the window and thought about writing my family back in the United States. The big fighting was supposed to begin the day after tomorrow. I would be sent to Plava to care for the wounded. I did not mention this in my letter though. This was a terrible place for war. We had no good leaders like Napoleon. The best we had was a handsome man in the third Italian Army. Sometimes I regretted not joining the British Army. It would have been less complicated, but it is almost certain that I would have died fighting with them. Here, I knew I was safe. The war could not hurt me. Besides, I think the Austrians would quit soon. I thought about all the places in Europe that I could go to, if this stupid war would just end. Then I thought about Catherine Barkley. I imagined us staying in a nice hotel in Milan. We would order expensive wine and drink it together while lying without clothes in bed.

I had my dinner at the dining hall. The meal lasted longer than I had planned. The priest was there as usual, and some of the soldiers were trying to joke with him. They told him a story about a Priest in another town who was arrested for stealing money. The soldiers were idiots, but there was lots of wine, so I drank and listened to their foolish talk. Suddenly, I realized that I had had a bit too much to drink. Looking down at my watch, I saw that two hours had passed. I jumped up from my seat and told everyone that I had to go.

I went straight to the British hospital and asked for Catherine. However, the receptionist told me that she could not come down.

"Is there anything wrong?" I asked.

"She is not feeling very well."

I left the hospital feeling sad and alone. Up until now, I had not taken Catherine very seriously. But now, after a few drinks and being turned away at the hospital, I was really missing her.

We found out the next day that the fighting was to begin later that evening. A couple of drivers and I would have to take some ambulances down the river to collect the wounded. On the way out of town, I stopped at the British hospital, and told the other drivers that I would meet them down the road. I then rushed into the waiting hall of the hospital and told them that I wanted to see Miss Barkley. After ten minutes, Catherine came down.

"Are you feeling any better?" I asked.

"I'm fine now. It was just too hot yesterday. I had to rest a bit."

"I'm on my way to Plava now. There is supposed to be some fighting tonight. I won't be able to see you until tomorrow."

She took off her necklace and gave it to me. There was a small figure hanging from it. "This is Saint Anthony. It can bring you good luck!"

"Thanks. I'll keep it safe. I need to go now."

"Please be very careful, and stay safe!"

I ran out to the car and got in, holding tightly onto the Saint Anthony Catherine gave me. It was in a little, clear box. I took it out and looked at it carefully. "Saint Anthony!" the driver said, "I'm wearing one too. It works!"

I put it around my neck and then forgot about it. A little later, when I got injured, I lost it. Somebody probably took it from me in one of the medical camps.

We started to drive very fast to catch up with the other cars. After a while, we passed them. I sat in the car, looking outside at the beautiful Austrian mountains.

About five minutes later, the road became wider and we saw the river that separated the Italian Army from the Austrians. Soon we came upon a hill. Down at the bottom was the village that we needed to take from the enemy.

(end of section)