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“What’s so important, Cronley,” Colonel Mattingly demanded, “that you have to get back to Munich today? You don’t actually expect Major Derwin to come to Munich to ask you what he wants to ask you, do you?”
“Colonel, if Major Derwin wants to ask me anything, I’ll be in Munich,” Cronley said.
General Greene, before Mattingly could reply to that, said, “Why don’t we head for the generals’ mess? It’s always wiser to be earlier for an appointment with a general than late.”
“Colonel Ashton,” Cronley asked, “would it be all right if I waited for you and Lieutenant Schultz here after I get a sandwich in the snack bar?”
“Certainly.”
“The guest list I got from General Smith’s aide has you on it, Cronley,” General Greene said. “You, Colonel Ashton, Lieutenant Schultz, and me.”
Oh, so that’s why Mattingly’s pissed. He didn’t get invited to break bread with Beetle Smith and I did.
That should delight me. But it doesn’t.
I suppose I really am afraid of Colonel Robert Mattingly.
[FOUR]
The General Officers’ Mess
The I.G. Farben Building
Frankfurt am Main
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
1159 16 January 1946
General Walter Bedell Smith, trailed by his aide-de-camp, a full colonel, marched into the general officers’ mess, where General Greene, Ashton, Schultz, and Cronley were standing waiting for him just inside the door.
“Homer, why don’t you check inside and see everything’s set up, and then catch a sandwich or something while we eat? This is one of those top secret lunches behind a curtain one hears about, and you’re not invited.”
“Not a problem, General,” the aide said, smiling, and went into the dining room.
“How are you, Paul?” Smith asked General Greene.
“Holding up under difficult circumstances, General.”
“Welcome to the club, General.”
Smith turned to Cronley.
“How are you, son? And how’s our midget friend holding up?”
He means Tiny.
“Very well, sir. Tiny’s holding the fort up in Munich.”
“I’m Walter Smith, Colonel,” Smith said to Ashton. “I guess you’re the one I should have asked how he’s holding up.”
“I’m all right, sir. Thank you.”
“And you,” Smith said to Schultz, “by the process of elimination, must be ‘the chief’?”
“Some people still call me that, General,” Schultz said.
“Including Admiral Souers,” Smith said. “He tells me you two are old shipmates?”
