“Beer, if you have it.”
“Beer! O.K., suit yourself. I’m always glad to save the real stuff.” He handed Martin a bottle of beer.
Loud music startled them. The Chaplain looked about him apologetically and quickly lowered the volume. “Finally got some music,” he announced. “The static isn’t so bad tonight.”
The Major agreed, “Yes, the static’s not bad at all tonight.”
The Lieutenant remarked that the static had been bad the night before.
That, thought Martin, takes care of the static. He often wondered why people spoke so inanely.
“These are very interesting works of ... of art, you have here,” remarked the Major somewhat archly. Martin could see that he was trying to be a good fellow.
“Like them?” The Captain came out from behind the bar. “Had a soldier do them for me. Very talented fellow he was, too. Quite lifelike, aren’t they?” He winked at the young Lieutenant, who blushed and looked away. Martin chuckled and noticed that the Major was smiling, too.
The Major said, “Lieutenant Hodges doesn’t care for modern art.”
The Captain laughed, “Oh, to be young! Wouldn’t it be nice, Major, if we were young again.”