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“In 60 days you’ll be fighting Billy Petrolle” the colonel with the big fat mustache roared “And you think it’s a big fat joke.”
“I don’t think it’s a joke, sir” Clevinger replied.
“Don’t interrupt.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And say ’sir’ when you do,” ordered Major Metcalf.
“Yes, sir”
“Weren’t you just ordered not to interrupt?” Major Metcalf inquired coldly.
“But I didn’t interrupt, sir” Clevinger protested.
“No, and you didn’t say ’sir’ either. Add that to the charges against him,” Major Metcalf directed the corporal who could take shorthand. “Failure to say ’sir’ to superior officers when not interrupting them.”
“Metcalf,” said the colonel, “you’re a goddam fool. Do you know that?”
Major Metcalf swallowed with difficulty. “Yes sir”
“Then keep your goddam mouth shut. You don’t make sense.”
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“What did you when you said we couldn’t punish you.”
“When sir?”
“I’m asking the questions. You’re answering them.”
“Yes sir I-”
“Did you think we brought you here to ask questions and for me to answer them?”
“No sir I-”
“What did we bring you here for?”
“To answer questions”
“You’re goddam right,” roared the colonel. “Now suppose you start answering some before I break your goddam head. Just what the hell did you mean, you bastard when you said we couldn’t punish you?”
“I don’t think I ever made that statement sir.”
“Will you speak up please? I couldn’t hear you.”
“Yes, sir I-”
“Will you speak up please? He couldn’t hear you.”
“Yes sir I-”
“Metcalf?”
“Sir?”
“Didn’t I tell you to keep your stupid mouth shut?”
“Yes sir.”
“Then keep your stupid mouth shut when I tell you to keep your stupid mouth shut. Do you understand? Will you speak up please? I couldn’t hear you.”
“Yes sir. I-”
“Metcalf, is that your foot I’m stepping on?”
“No sir. It must be Lieutenant Scheisskopf’s foot.”
“It isn’t my foot” said Lituenant Scheisskopf.
“Then maybe it is my foot after all,” said Major Mectalf.
“Move it.”
“Yes sir. You’ll have to move your foot first, Colonel. It’s on top of mine.”
“Are you telling me to move my foot?”
“No, sir. Oh no sir.”
“Then move your foot and keep your stupid mouth shut. Will you speak up please? I still couldn’t hear you.”
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“Didn’t you whisper that we couldn’t punish you to that other dirty son of the bitch we don’t like? What’s his name?”
“Yossarian sir.” Lieutenant Scheisskopf said.
“Yes, Yossairan. That’s right. Yossarian. Yossarian? Is that his name? Yossarian? What the hell kind of a name is Yossarian?”
Lieutenant Scheisskopf had the facts at his finger tips.” It’s Yossarian’s name, sir” he explained.
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“I may be stupid but the distinction escapes me. I guess I’m pretty stupid, because distinction escapes me. You are a windy son of a bit aren’t you?”
“No, sir.”
“No sir? Are you calling me a goddam liar.”
“Oh no sir”
“Then you’re a windy son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
“No sir”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?”
“No sir”
“Are you a windy son of a bitch?”
“No sir”
“Goddammit, you are trying to pick a fight with me. For 2 stinking cents I’d jump of this big, fat table and rip your stinking, cowardly body apart limb from limb.”
“Do it! Do it!” cried Major Metcalf.
“Metcalf, you stinking son of a bitch. Didn’t I tell you to keep your stinking, cowardly mouth shut?”
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“Popinjay, is your father a millionaire, or a member of the Senate?”
“No sir”
“Then you’re up shit creek, Popinjay, without a paddle. He’s not a general of a high-ranking member of the Administration, is he”
“No sir”
“That’s good. What does your father do?”
“He’s dead sir”
“That’s very good. You really are up the creek, Popinjay.”