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big mouth shut。 perhaps it be in the natural scheme of things。
anyhow； after they is gone； i go on over to the tensive care ward to see dan； but when i git
there； his cot is empty； an the mattress all folded up an he is gone。 i am so scant somethin has
happen to him； an i run to fine the orderly； but he ain'；t there either。 i seen a nurse down the hall
an i axed her； 〃what happen to dan；〃 an she say he 〃gone。〃 an i say； 〃gone where？〃 an she say；
〃i don'；t know； it didn'；t happen on my shif。〃 i foun the head nurse an axe her； an she say dan been
flown back to america on account of they can take better care of him there。 i axed her if he is
okay； an she say； 〃yeah； if you can call two punctured lungs； a severed intestin； spinal separation；
a missing foot； a truncated leg； an third degree burns over haf the body okay； then he is jus fine。〃 i
thanked her； an went on my way。
i didn'；t play no ping…pong that afternoon； cause i was so worried bout dan。 it e to me
that maybe he went an died； an nobody want to say so； cause of that bidness bout notifying
nex of kin first； or somethin。 who knows？ but i am down in the dumps； an go wanderin aroun by
mysef； kickin rocks an tin cans an shit。
when i finally get back to my ward； there is some mail lef on my bed for me that finally
catch up with me here。 my mama have sent a letter sayin that our house done caught on fire； an is
totally burnt up； an there is no insurance or nothin an she is gonna have to go to the po house。 she
say the fire begun when miss french had washed her cat an was dryin it with a hair dryer； an
either the cat or the hair dryer caught afire； an that was that。 from now on； she say； i am to send
my letters to her in care of the 〃little sisters of the po。〃 i figger there will be many tears in the
years to e。
they is another letter addressed to me which say； 〃dear mister gump： you has been chosen
to win a bran new pontiac gto； if only you will send back the enclosed card promising to buy a
set of these wonderful encyclopedias an a updated yearbook every year for the rest of your life at
a 75 per year。〃 i thowed that letter in the trash。 what the hell would a idiot like me want with
encyclopedias anyway； an besides； i can'；t drive。
but the third letter is personally writ to me an on the back of the envelope it say； 〃j。 curran；
general delivery； cambridge； mass。〃 my hans is shakin so bad； i can hardly open it。
〃dear forrest；〃 it say； 〃my mama has forwarded your letter to me that your mama gave to
her； and i am so sorry to hear that you have to fight in that terrible immoral war。〃 she say she
know how horrible it must be； with all the killin an maimin goin on an all。 〃it must tax your
conscience to be involved； although i know you are being made to do it against your will。〃 she
write that it must of been awful not to have no clean clothes an no fresh food； an all； but that she
do not understand what i mean when i wrote about 〃havin to lie face…down in officer shit for two
days。〃
〃it is hard to believe；〃 she say； 〃that even they would make you do such a vulgar thing as
that。〃 i think i could of explained that part a little better。
anyhow； jenny say that 〃we are organizing large demonstrations against the fascist pigs in
order to stop the terrible immoral war and let the people be heard。〃 she go on bout that for a page
or so； an it all soundin sort of the same。 but i read it very carefully anyway； for jus to see her
hanwritin is enough to make my stomach turn flip…flops。
〃at least；〃 she say at the end； 〃you have met up with bubba； and i know you are glad to have
a friend in your misery。〃 she say to give bubba her best； an add in a p。s。 that she is earnin a little
money by playin in a little musical band a couple of nights a week at a coffeehouse near the
harvard university； an if ever i get up that way to look her up。 the group； she say； is called the
cracked eggs。 from then on； i be lookin for some excuse to get to harvard university。
that night i am packin up my shit to go back home to get my medal of honor an meet the
president of the united states。 however； i do not have nothin to pack cept my pajaymas an the
toothbrush an razor they have gave me at the hospital； cause everthin else i own is back at the
firebase at pleiku。 but there is this nice lieutenant colonel that has been sent over from field
force； an he say； 〃forgit all that shit； gump— we is gonna have a bran new tailor…made uniform
sewn up for you this very night by two dozen gooks in saigon； on account of you cannot meet the
president wearin your pajaymas。〃 the colonel say he is gonna acpany me all the way to
washington； an see to it that i have got a place to stay an food to eat an a ride to wherever we is
going an also will tell me how to behave an all。
colonel gooch is his name。
that night i get into one last ping…pong match with a feller from the headquarters pany
of field force； who is sposed to be the best ping…pong player in the army or somesuch as that。 he
is a little wiry feller who refuse to look me in the eye； an also； he bring his own paddle in a
leather case。 when i be whippin his ass he stop an say the ping…pong balls ain'；t no good cause the
humidity done ruint them。 then he pack up his paddle an go on home； which be okay with
me； cause he lef the ping…pong balls he brung； an they could really use them at the hospital rec
room。
the morning i was to leave； a nurse e in an lef a envelope with my name written on it。 i
open it up； an it was a note from dan； who is okay after all； an had this to say：
dear forrest；
i am sorry there was no time for us to see each other before i left。 the
doctors made their decision quickly； and before i knew it； i was being taken
away； but i asked if i could stop long enough to write you this note； because
you have been so kind to me while i was here。
i sense； forrest； that you are on the verge of something very significant in
your life； some change； or e