BJ

The war has been over for 10 years. It has been strange. Life has hardly changed in Crab Apple Cove. The same places I went to Pre-Korean War are still open and thriving, all the houses still look all perfect and pristine – every one of them has a white picket fence around it, even dad's house – and no new people have moved in. Well, there is one. Private Michaels moved here soon after I got home. We council each other or we did. He and I were the only two with AIDS. We became close friends…we were our own support group. Private Michaels, however, died two years ago. I'm thriving. I have opened my own practice. I do not do surgery. I love the job though. I am not sure, even if I could return to surgery, I would. Something happened that day with Private Michaels grabbing me and the results that followed. Also, I saw more surgery, blood and insides than anyone ever needs to see. I'd love to see you. Come to Crab Apple Cove any time you want – no need to ask.

Hawkeye

Hunnicut reread over the letter as he sat in the back in the cab. He was going on a surprise visit to see Hawkeye. This was the first time he had seen his best friend in a decade. As the cab stopped, BJ folded the letter up and put it in his pocket. He tipped the cabby and looked up at the light blue two-story house. It was very lovely and it had a white picket fence around it. There was a tire swing in the oak tree, though that did not seem as if it had been used in a long while. A large white porch starched around the perimeter of the home and there was outdoor furniture painted dark blue to the right of the door.

Sitting in one of the chairs was a thin, black haired man. For a moment, BJ did not recognize the person, but then when the man sprang up and rushed down wearing a huge grin, the balding man knew – it was Hawkeye. He had changed a lot in 10 years. The man looked sickly, but thriving.

"Beej! I can't believe you're here," Hawkeye said as he ushered him up the steps, "How are you doing?"

BJ was surprised by how Hawkeye was acting. The last time he had seen him, Hawkeye had not been in the best of moods and extremely depressed. "Good…busy. How're you doing? You look great," BJ said half-truthfully.

"I look sick, but anyway. I am great. I feel pretty good, sometimes I get tired, but I'm used to it," Hawkeye said, "I'm thriving and fighting. That's all I can do." The black haired man smiled at BJ and BJ knew that in life, there are lessons we learn from things that happen and there always would be. It is what people do with them that matters.