| 3:15a |
@@@@@
The deck under their feet shuddered as the
@@@@@
The deck under their feet shuddered as the boat slapped against a few wavesThe sun was almost down, and the sky overhead was clouding overIt was the least bit chill, and they drew closer to light cigarettes
Gallagher had worked his way up to the bowHe stood quiet beside them, his thin knotted body shivering a littleThey listened to the water sloshing about the bottom of the boat"One minute you're hot, and then you're cold," Gallagher muttered
Stanley smiled at himHe felt it necessary to be tactful with Gallagher since his wife had died and it irked himBasically, he had only contempt for Gallagher and annoyance, for Gallagher made him uncomfortable"How're you feeling, boy?" Stanley said, however But Gallagher was depressedThe grayness of the sky made him mournful; he had been exceptionally sensitive to the moods of the weather since Mary's death, and often now he languished in a gentle melancholy close to easy tearsHe felt little volition, and surprisingly little bitterness; the fa?ade of anger remained, even erupted occasionally in a spate of profanity, but Red and Wilson and one or two of the others had recognized the change"Yeah, I'm all right," he muttered againStanley's sympathy irritated him, for he sensed it to be false; Gallagher was more perceptive now
He wondered why he had come up beside them, and thought of moving back to his cot, but it was warmer hereThe bow lurched and bumped under his feet and he grunted"How long are they gonna keep us here like goddam sardines?" he growled
Croft and Stanley, after a pause, were talking about the patrol again, and Gallagher listened with resentment"You know what the mother-fugger'll be like?" he blurted"We'll be lucky to get out of there with our goddam heads on He felt a quick remorse which was mixed with fearI got to cut out that swearing, he told himselfIn the past week and a half since the last letter had come, Gallagher had been making attempts to refor |