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He immediately saw on the captain's face that it was not appropriate.
After a moment's hesitation, however, the general said, "I would really like a drink, if that's possible."
Miller then saw genuine surprise on the captain's face.
"Very possible, sir," Miller said. He gestured at a wet bar. "Would the general prefer bourbon or scotch or gin…"
"Scotch would do nicely," Wilson said. "Neat."
"Yes, sir."
"You can have one, too, Tom," Wilson added. "And I would feel better if you did."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. The same, Dick, please."
Lieutenant C. G. Castillo, wearing only a towel, came into the living room as General Wilson was about to take a sip of his scotch. Wilson looked at him for a long moment, then took a healthy swallow.
"Sir," Miller said, "this is Lieutenant C. G. Castillo."
"I'm Harry Wilson," the general said.
"Yes, sir," Castillo said. It was obvious the name meant nothing to him. "Is there something I can do for the general, sir?"
"I'm here to straighten something out, Lieutenant," General Wilson said.
"Sir?"
"I was your father's copilot," General Wilson said.
"Jesus Christ!" Castillo blurted.
"Until I saw the story in The Army Flier right after lunch," General Wilson said, "I didn't even know you existed. It took us this long to find you. The housing office had never heard of you, and Blue Flight had shut down for the weekend."
Castillo looked at him but didn't speak.
"What your father said," General Wilson said, "just before he took off…that day…was, 'Get the fuck out, Harry. The way you're shaking, you're going to get both of us killed.'"
Castillo still didn't reply.
"Not what it says on that plaque," General Wilson added softly. "So I got out, and he lifted off."
He paused, then went on: "I've been waiting-what is it, twenty-two years, twenty-three?-to tell somebody besides my wife what Jorge…your father…really said that day."
"Sonofabitch!" Miller said softly.
"I think, under the circumstances," Castillo finally said, obviously making an effort to control his voice, "that a small libation is in order."
He walked to the bar, splashed scotch into a glass, and took a healthy swallow.
"Sir," Castillo then said, "I presume Lieutenant Miller has introduced himself?"
General Wilson nodded.
"And you remember Captain Prentiss, don't you, Charley?" Miller asked.
"Yeah, sure. Nice to see you again, sir."
"With the general's permission, I will withdraw," Miller said.
