Jesus! The General heard the whole damned conversation.
When he turned to face Bellmon, he found Bellmon's eyes on him, thoughtful. But all the General said was, "Let me know when, and for how long, you'll be on leave, Johnny."
[TWO]
The Gramercy Park Hotel.
New York City .
17 March 1964
When Liza Wood came out of the bathroom in her bathrobe, she found Johnny Oliver in the living room of the two-room suite. He was sitting with Allan on the made-up convertabed. Allan was asleep, sitting up, in his lap. The television was on. The picture was flickering. Liza wondered about that; she would have thought that a TV image in New York City would be perfect.
"Isn't that uncomfortable?" she asked.
"Allan doesn't think so."
"Sssh, you'll wake him up."
"No, I won't," Oliver said. "But if you whisper, that'll have him hanging from the chandelier."
She said what she was thinking: "He really has been hanging on to you, "hasn't he?"
"If I were his age, and in this place, I would be hanging on to the nearest friendly large body myself."
"Well, you wanted to bring him."
"And I'm glad we did."
"But you're not having a good time, right?" Liza asked.
"There are moments," Oliver said, "from time to time, when I am in hog heaven, but on balance-"
"Well, get on the phone, call the desk, and arrange for a babysitter."
"You have someplace you want to go?" he asked, seeming surprised.
"I don't want to leave him alone. Jesus!"
"I said that to please you," Liza said. "Now you're making me feel lousy."
"I didn't mean to. How did we get on this subject, anyhow?"
"Because I walked in here and saw the look on your face," she said. "We should have left him with Mother Wood."
"Allan's not the problem."
"What is, then?"
"New York City," he said. "I am appalled at the prospect of another four fun-filled days in this place."
"Three. "
"Ah, you've been counting, too."
"What would you really like to do?"
"You're dressed for that." She flushed slightly and shook her head in resignation.
"Aside from that?"
"Go skiing."
"Skiing? "
"You put these boards on your feet," he said, "and go sliding through the snow."
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"And afterward, you sit-full of hot buttered rum or other 'booze of your choice--in front of a fireplace and fool around. "
"You mean go to Colorado?"
"I mean go to Vermont."
"You mean go see your family." There was a moment's hesitation before he replied.
"I guess we could. But I was thinking of Northfield."
"What's in Northfield? I never heard of it. "
"There's a small motel, for one thing, and a real cheap ski lift, and my alma mater."
"We don't have skis, or the right clothes, not to mention that I have never been on skis in my life. And how would we get there?"
"Fly into Boston, rent a car, and drive. It's about a hundred and fifty miles from Boston. Then we drive back to Boston, get rid of the car, and fly back to' Alabama. So far as skis and ski clothes go, no problem. And I think you would be adorable with both legs in a cast."
"You're crazy," she said. "The' whole idea is crazy~ But I like it.."
"Good. "
"What did you mean, no problem about skis and clothes?"
"I meant, no problem. I called a guy I know there, a math professor, and I said if I happened to come up, what would I do about skis and ski clothes. And he said, no problem."
"You mentioned Allan and me?"
"He said to get two rooms at the motel. General Harmon does not approve of officers sharing quarters with ladies to whom they are not lawfully joined in holy matrimony."
"Who is General Harmon?"
"President of Norwich."
"You get to be a general as a college president?"
"You get to be a major general by commanding the 2nd Armored Division and then you get to be president of Norwich. "
"How far is this place from your sister's?"
"About sixty miles."
"Why don't we stay there. . . or near there?"
"Can I take that as a 'Yes, whoopee, I'd love to go skiing!'?" Oliver said, and then added seriously: "I'm not sure I want to see her, Liza."
"If we go up there, you'll have to see her," Liza said practically. "My God, what happened between you, anyway?"
"Nothing, really. I'm just not in the mood for her." Liza looked at him, concern and curiosity on her face, but she didn't pursue the issue.
He noticed.
Another manifestation of our unspoken agreement not to talk about things that might be awkward and uncomfortable, he thought. I didn't ask her if she had changed her mind about me, and I didn't ask her how come she wanted to go away with me for a week.
He had a theory-a theory that was in a way flattering, even if it didn't offer much hope of a solution: She ,didn't want to give him up, which was flattering. But neither had she changed her mind about not marrying a soldier. She was giving him a chance to see all the benefits that would accrue to him, providing he put on two-tone shoes and started selling real estate. She was trying to get him to back down.
He had given backing down a good deal of thought and concluded it just wouldn't work. Not only would he probably be a lousy real-estate salesman, but he just didn't want to get out of the Army.
"Well, I suppose you better get on the phone and see about plane reservations," she said, "while I am temporarily bereft of my senses."
"Eastern 203, departing LaGuardia at eight-fifteen, arriving Logan eight fifty-five, where the friendly folks at Avis promise to have a Cadillac or equivalent luxury automobile waiting for us.
"A Cadillac?"
"They don't rent Rolls-Royces-I asked."
"You want to tell me what that's all about?"
"Two reasons," he said. "I couldn't make my triumphal return to Norwich driving a Ford, for God's sake."
"And the second?"
"I don't think you want to hear that."
"Oh, yes, I do."
"I always wanted to rent a Cadillac, and see how the rich people live."
"That's not true. You're lying."
"Yes, I am." She met his eyes for a moment and then shrugged.
"If the plane leaves at eight-fifteen, we'll have to get up early. You want to come to bed or would you rather watch television?"
"I'll go to bed with you now," he said. "To be a nice fellow. And then I will get up afterward and watch Johnny Carson. "
"You would, too, you bastard!"
"Only if modesty overwhelms you again, and you insist on putting a nightgown on," he said. "I have this rule: never leave a naked woman's bed."
Liza gave him the finger and walked into the bedroom.
Oliver very carefully removed Allan from his lap and slid the child under the covers. He looked down at him a moment, then leaned ~own and quickly kissed him.
Then he went in the bedroom and quietly closed the door.
[THREE]
Burlington, Vermont
1730 Hours 19 March 1964 .
"There it is," Johnny Oliver said to Liza Wood, gesturing with his hand.
Allan, in a car seat, and Liza looked in the direction where he pointed.
"What am I looking at?" Liza asked. All she could see was a truck stop, a sprawling, concrete block building, garishly lighted, topped by an enormous sign: JACK'S. It was surrounded by fuel pumps and fifty or sixty enormous tractor trailers.
"My truck stop," Oliver said.
"It says 'Jack's,' " Liza said, chuckling.
"Jack was my father.'"
"You're not kidding, are you?" Liza asked, leaning forward on the seat of the Cadillac to look at his face.
"No, M
a'am. Allan and I never kid pretty ladies, do we, pal? "
"Uh uh," Allan said.
"See?" Johnny said.
"You have stock in it, or what?" Liza asked.
"Yeah. It's a corporation. The Bank of Burlington owns ten percent of the stock, and my sister and I own the rest."
"So that's what this Cadillac is all about," Liza said. "Your oh so --cleverly subtle way of letting me know you have money."
"No," he said immediately and automatically.
"No, what?"
"It's kind of complicated, honey."
"Meaning it's none of my business?"
"Oh, Jesus, Christ!" he said. "No, that's not what I meant.
I have no secrets from you. Or I don't want to have."
"OK, so tell me why we're riding around in a rented Cadillac when I know how much you make as a captain on flight pay."
"I don't think you want the answer to that."
"Try me."
"Fantasy," he said. "We are on our honeymoon. You don't worry about how much things cost on your honeymoon. You just want it to be perfect. So you go in a Cadillac."
"Taking an eighteen-month-old baby with you, of course," Liza said.
"Tell her you're not a baby, Allan," Oliver said. "Tell her you go on all my honeymoons with me, to fill in the dull periods. "
"OK, OK," Allan said.
"Goddamn you, Johnny," Liza said. She sounded close to rears.
"Mommy said a bad word," Johnny said. "Mommy is a naughty girl."
"This could be our honeymoon," Liza said, "if you'd get out of the goddamned Army."
"Can I take that as a 'yes, I love you'?"
"Go to hell."
[FOUR]
242 Maple Avenue
Burlington, Vermont
1915 Hours 19 March 1964
Tom and Shirley fed Johnny, Allan, and Liza a pot roast. Tom and Shirley's kids wolfed down their meals, and then Shirley drove them to what she called' 'their activities," the Boy Scouts and something for the girl at the church.
When the oldest Chaney child, Jerry, who was almost as old as Johnny Oliver, made a brief, awkward appearance, Shirley told Johnny. that Jerry had had a little trouble in college and had left school. He was now working at the truck stop. He was spending a lot of time now with the Dowell girl, Shirley said. "You remember Steve and Dottie Dowell, Johnny, their girl?" And she was afraid it was getting serious.
As Shirley was leaving, she asked Liza to ride along with her, and there was no way Liza could decline. The purpose of that, Johnny knew, was to give Shirley a chance to put Liza through an interrogation, because she was having a hard time concealing an enormous curiosity about her. It was also pretty clear that Shirley didn't think a married woman, even a widow, should be running around the country with a single man.
Allan did not want to go with his mother. He had been building a wall with small, colored plastic cups; and when he had grown hyperactive with that, and Liza had taken them away from him, he had started to throw a fit. When Liza slapped his hand, he glowered at her and sought the comfort of Johnny's lap. And so when she asked him if he wanted to go for a ride, he replied with a firm no and wrapped his arms tightly around Johnny. A minute after she and Shirley left, he was asleep.
There had been an invitation~ to spend the night. Liza and the baby could sleep in Johnny's room (which was no longer Johnny's room; the girl was in there now) " the girl could sleep on the couch, and Johnny could sleep in the other bed in Jerry's room.
But the invitation was declined. Johnny thought it was pro forma and was surprised at his sister's disappointment and insistence.
"Shirley, they expect us in Northfield," Johnny finally said, firmly. "What I told you on the telephone was that we could come for supper if that wouldn't interfere with anything; "
"But we never see you," Shirley protested.
That was when Johnny realized there was a reason for her insistent hospitality: she wanted something. Aside from satisfying her curiosity, or perhaps delivering a moralistic message on his relationship with Liza, he couldn't imagine what.
His openness to Shirley's request would have been more profound if he and Liza had come here because he had insisted. But it was Liza who was the one who wanted to meet his sister, to see where he had grown up.
Well, now she's truly finding out. She's off with Shirley, enjoying the full force of her friendliness and concern. . . .I'd rather walk through land mines than spend an hour alone with my sister.
"So how long have you had the Cadillac?" Tom Chaney asked as he came back in the dining room carrying a bottle of Canadian whiskey.
He was a small, muscular man in his forties, bald, with a neatly trimmed pencil-line mustache.
"I rented that in Boston," Johnny said. "You don't have any scotch, do you, Tom?"
"No, but I can run out and get a bottle."
"Canadian's fine."
"They're great cars," Tom Chaney said. "I just got a new Coupe de Ville."
"Did you?"
"That's right, the garage doors were closed when you came, weren't they? No way you could have seen it."
"The one I rented is very nice," Johnny said. "It does everything but bark. "
"Excuse me?" Tom said, pouring two inches of the whiskey in a small glass and setting it in front of Johnny. "You want Coke with that, or ginger ale? "
"A little water. I've got some right here."
"There's 7-Up, too, if you'd like."
"Water's fine, Tom, thank you."
"What did you say before-the Caddie you rented barks?"
"I said it does everything but bark," Johnny said. "Even automatically low-beams the headlights."
"You have to adjust that very carefully," Tom said. "Otherwise it puts them on low every time you get near a street lamp. Or else it doesn't put them on low at all."
"The dimmer on the car I rented seems to work fine," Johnny said.
He took a sip of the whiskey. It burned his mouth and throat, and he quickly chased it with a large sip of water.
The Aviators Page 33