Charade (Band of Brothers)

" THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS "

The months rolled by as Easy moved through Camp Mackall, Fort Bragg, and finally, Camp Shanks, getting increasingly battle-ready. The strenuous training was routine now, and Kate was holding her own amongst the men, oftentimes hardly breaking a sweat in the previously back-breaking PT sessions led by Captain Sobel. Even with their advanced fitness, none of the men minded the slower pace of Camp Shanks on the Hudson River, where their days consisted mostly of preparations for shipping out overseas. To many of the soldiers, their stationing on the East Coast came as a disappointment, as it ruled out the possibility of dropping on the Pacific. However, Kate was pleased to be heading towards the origins of the war, in the European theater of Operations. 

Finally, in September, the company was on the eve of the long-awaited date; they were to ship out the next day. Much to the men's delight, all but an unlucky few of them received an afternoon pass in New York City. While her friends were all itching to spend a night out in the Big Apple, Kate couldn't help but weigh herself down with memories of weekends spent in the city with her high school friends, indulging themselves in all the cheesy tourist traps and playing grown-up on their trips. She sure felt grown-up now, heading out with her fellow soldiers before being sent off to war. 

"Christ, boys, look at the skirt heading into that bar!" Bill Guarnere jostled the men next to him as they all ogled the various women mulling around the joint. Though she was one of the guys now, Kate still felt a little awkward when they started talking about women, unsure if she should 'join in' or just keep her mouth shut.

"This sure looks like the place for us, doesn't it? Got lots of... Locals," Toye referred to the fact that so far that evening, everywhere they turned, New York was inundated with sailors, looking for the same kind of fun as them. However, further out from the city center, this place was much quieter, and teeming with local ladies and Red Cross nurses. Without any debate, the men all filed into the bar, seating themselves at a corner booth. Hoobler took everyone's orders (easy to remember, nine beers) up to the bar as Kate sat back, wedged between Bill and Alley, opposite George Luz. Perconte, Liebgott, and Talbert were the other members of their little group. 

"This sure is a hell of a send-off," Luz looked over the shoulder before getting up to help Hoobler carry the drinks.

"Well, we gotta give ourselves something to remember for tomorrow, 'cause I got a feeling that boat ride won't be a party," piped up Talbert, half-groaning at the prospect.

"Hey, if this is a good send-off, we won't have any memories of tonight!" Bill cheered.

"You three ain't even old enough to buy yourselves a drink!" Joe Liebgott pointed at Guarnere, Kate, and Talbert in jest.

"You think that's ever stopped us?" Bill grabbed one of the glasses George and Hoobler set on the table. "Hi-ho, Silver!"

Kate laughed unabashedly at his enthusiasm, picking up a glass of her own and glancing over the room. Her gaze caught on a trio of nurses perched at the bar, daintily holding their drinks and quietly talking amongst themselves. She contrasted her own masculine and slightly boorish behavior with their ladylike demeanors. What were the odds that she was sitting here, amongst the men of Easy Company, instead of sitting with the girls at the bar in a pleated dress, waiting for a soldier to buy her a drink? My God, look at their hair. Kate stared enviously at their perfectly styled complexes of curls, rolls, and pompadours. I was never able to do that, even before all this. She had to remind herself just how bad of an idea it would be if she went and complimented them. As she looked scrutinously at their expensive-looking nylon stockings and lacquered shoes, one of the nurses made eye contact with Kate, making her cheeks blaze. Oh, no, no, no, no, that's not what I meant. She snapped her head back towards the men, only to see them snickering at her.