@@@@@ The officer left, and the doctor stared at
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The officer left, and the doctor stared at Red"What's the matter with you?"
"Nephritis
"Let me do the diagnosing if you don't mind
"I know what it is," Red said, "I been told by a doctor in the States
"All you men seem to know just what your trouble is The doctor asked him for the symptoms and listened inattentively"All right, so you have nephritis, what am I supposed to do?"
"That's what I came here for
The doctor looked at the ridgepole with an expression of disgust"You wouldn't mind going to the hospital, I suppose
"I just want to get fixed up The doctor's words made him uneasyWas that why he was here?
"We got a report from the hospital today to watch out for malingerersHow do I know you're not faking the symptoms?"
"There's some tests you can give me, ain't there?"
"If there wasn't a war on He reached under his table, and handed Red a package of wound tablets"Drink these with a lot of water, and if you're faking the whole thing, just throw them away"Next man," the doctor said
Red turned and strode out of the tent"That's the last goddam time I ever fool around with those fuggin medics He was quivering with rage He thought of the places he had slept, the park benches, and frigid hallways in the middle of the winter
Red remembered a soldier who had died in the States because he had not been admitted to the hospitalHe had gone through training for three days with a fever because the post hospital had a rule that no men could be taken into the hospital unless their temperature was over 102The soldier had died a few hours after he came into the hospital on the fourth day; he had had galloping pneumonia
Sure, they got it all figured out, Red thoughtIf they get ya to hate 'em enough you'll crack a nut before you'll go to 'em, and that way they keep ya on the