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colonel gooch get to finish tellin me how to act tomorrow。
nex morning we up bright an early an walk on over to the white house where the president
live。 it is a real pretty house with a big lawn an all that look almost as big as city hall back in
mobile。 a lot of army people be there pumpin my han an tellin me what a fine feller i am； an
then it is time to get the medal。
the president is a great big ole guy who talk like he is from texas or somethin an they has
assembled a whole bunch of people some of which look like maids an cleanin men an such； but
they is all out in this nice rose garden in the bright sunshine。
an army guy mence to readin some kind of bullshit an everbody be listenin up keen；
cept for me； on account of i is starvin since we has not had our breakfast yet。 finally the army
guy is thru an then the president e up to me an take the medal out of a box an pin it on my
chest。 then he shake my han an all these people start takin pichers an clappin an such as that。
i figger it is over then； an we can get the hell out of there； but the president； he still standin
there； lookin at me kind of funny。 finally he say； 〃boy； is that your stomach that is growlin like
that？〃
i glance over at colonel gooch but he jus roll his eyes up； an so i nod； an say； 〃uh； huh；〃 an
the president say； 〃well； c'；mon boy； lets go an git us somethin to eat！〃
i foller him inside an we go into a little roun room an the president tell a guy who is dressed
up like a waiter to bring me some breakfast。 it jus the two of us in there； an wile we is waitin for
the breakfast he start axin me questions； such as do i know why we is fightin the gooks an all； an
is they treatin us right in the army。 i jus nod my head an after a wile he stop axin me questions an
they is this kind of silence an then he say； 〃do you want to watch some television wile we is
waitin for your food？〃
i nod my head again； an the president turn on a tv set behin his desk an we watch 〃the
beverly hillbillies。〃 the president is most amused an say he watches it ever day an that i sort of
remin him of jethro。 after breakfast； the president axe me if i want him to show me aroun the
house； an i say； 〃yeah；〃 an off we go。 when we get outside； all them photographer fellers are
followin us aroun an then the president decide to set down on a little bench an he say to me；
〃boy； you was wounded； wasn'；t you？〃 an i nod； an then he say； 〃well； look at this；〃 an he pull up
his shirt an show me a big ole scar on his stomach where he has had an operation of some kind；
an he axe； 〃where was you wounded？〃 an so i pull down my pants an show him。 well； all them
photographer fellers rush up an start to take pichers； an several folks e runnin over an i am
hustled away to where colonel gooch is waitin。
that afternoon back at our hotel； colonel gooch suddenly e bustin into my room with a
hanful of newspapers an boy is he mad。 he begun hollerin an cussin at me an flung the papers
down on my bed an there i am； on the front page； showin my big ass an the president is showin
his scar。 one of the papers has drawn a little black mask over my eyes so they can'；t recognize me；
like they do with dirty pitchers。
the caption say； 〃president johnson and war hero relaxing in the rose garden。〃
〃gump； you idiot！〃 colonel gooch say。 〃how could you do this to me？ i am ruint。 my
career is probly finished！〃
〃i dunno；〃 i says； 〃but i am tryin to do the right thing。〃
anyhow； after that i be in the doghouse again； but they has not give up on me yet。 the army
have decided that i will go on the recruitment tour to try to get fellers to sign up for the war； an
colonel gooch has gotten somebody to write up a speech that they expect me to make。 it is a long
speech； an filled with such things as 〃in time of crisis； nothin is more honorable an patriotic than
to serve your country in the armed forces；〃 an a whole bunch of shit like that。 trouble was； i
could not never get the speech learnt。 oh； i could see all the words in my head okay； but when it
e time to say it； everthin get all muddled up。
colonel gooch is beside hissef。 he make me stay up till almost midnight ever day； tryin to
get the speech right； but finally he thowed up his hans an say； 〃i can see this is not gonna work。〃
then he e up with a idea。 〃gump；〃 he say； 〃here'；s what we is gonna do。 i am gonna cut
this speech shorter； an so all you will have to do is say a few things。 let us try that。〃 well； he cut
it shorter an shorter an shorter； till he is finally satisfied that i can remember the speech an not
look like a idiot。 in the end； all i have got to say is 〃join the army an fight for your freedom。〃
our first stop on the tour is a little college an they have got some reporters an photographers
there； an we is in a big auditorium up on the stage。 colonel gooch get up an he begin givin the
speech i done sposed to have made。 when he is thru； he say； 〃an now； we will have a few
remarks from the latest congressional medal of honor winner； p。f。c。 forrest gump；〃 an he
motion for me to e forward。 some people are clappin； an when they stop； i lean forward an
say； 〃join the army an fight for your freedom。〃
i reckon they be expectin somethin more； but that'；s all i been tole to say； so i jus stand there；
everbody lookin at me； me lookin back at them。 then all of a sudden somebody in the front shout
out； 〃what do you think of the war？〃 an i say the first thing that e into my mind； which is； 〃it
is a bunch of shit。〃
colonel gooch e an grapped the microphone away from me an set me back down； but
all the reporters be scribblin in they notebooks an the photographers be takin pichers； an everbody
in the audience goin wild； jumpin up an down an cheerin。 colonel gooch get me out of there
pronto； an we be in the car drivin fast out of town； an the colonel ain'；t sayin nothin to me； but he
is talkin to hissef an laughin this weird； nutty little laugh。
next mornin we is in a hotel ready