by Arnie
"Aww...don't make him use the knife," Goniff said, almost pleadingly.
The French collaborator swallowed, nervously eyeing the pointy end of Chief's blade as it was waved in front of his face. He capitulated. "Mais oui, I will fetch them! Please, do not hurt me!" Quickly he scurried into the barn and pushed open the doors to reveal a large truck.
Chief stepped forward and peered inside the tarpaulin. They were there, just as he knew they would be.
"Thanks, Pop!" he said casually, as he and Goniff climbed into the front of the truck. "I won't forget you for this."
The collaborator watched them drive away in his precious truck, then wiped his forehead with his handkerchief. Between Allies armed with knives and Nazis demanding tributes to the Fatherland, soon all he'd have left would be his barn.
~*~
The road back was clear, but Chief and Goniff were relieved when they pulled up in front of the bombed convent. Now, the responsibility belonged to Garrison.
Actor appeared in the doorway and waved them forward. "Hurry, we're about to start!"
As quickly as they could, Goniff and Chief unloaded the cargo from the back of the truck and carried it into the convent. As they placed it carefully in the corner of the basement, Goniff grinned.
"'Ere, Chiefy. You excited then?"
Chief frowned. "What about?"
"Your birthday, mate! Blimey, if I 'ad that many presents, I'd be too excited to sleep!"
"Presents?" Chief frowned as he realised their precious cargo was a pile of carefully wrapped birthday presents.
"Yeah! Can't 'ave a birthday without birthday presents! It ain't right!" Goniff declared.
"Chief!"
The Indian turned as he heard Garrison's voice. Then stared in shock. Where did they get a birthday cake from?
"Come along, Chief," Actor said, holding out a knife to him. "You have to cut the cake."
"Cut the cake?" Sweat ran down Chief's face as Sister Therese and the orphans started singing 'Happy Birthday' very loudly. "Aren't we supposed to be getting the kids out of here?"
"Sure," Casino said, "but not until you've blown out the candles and made a wish."
"I wish none of this was happenin'!" Chief declared fervently.
"'Ere, we went to a lot o' trouble!" Goniff pointed out indignantly.
"That's right!" Casino chimed in. "You know how hard it was getting Major Richards to attend?"
"Major Richards?" Chief echoed. Surely he'd misheard.
But he hadn't. Chief's eyes widened as he gazed at the major who was wearing a clown's hat and blowing a hooter.
The major removed the hooter and regarded it thoughtfully. "Hmm...there's a war on, y'know," he commented.
"I know there is, Major," Garrison replied. "But we can't do anything until Chief blows out the candles."
"Chief?" Goniff asked, laying a hand on the Indian's arm. "Chief?"
Chief gasped with shock as he woke up to find Goniff bending over him.
"What's the matter with you?" Casino asked.
Chief stared around the big room, his eyes taking in the lines of washing and the bunks, no sign of Majors, nuns, orphans or birthday cakes. He'd been dreaming. Slowly he sank back onto his pillow. "Nothin'," he muttered.
"Well, there better hadn't be," Casino told him. "It's your birthday today and you're buyin' the first round at the Doves."
"My birthday!" With a howl, Chief leapt from his bunk, pushed aside the bars and was climbing down the ivy before anyone could stop him.
Actor shook his head, sadly. "Some people just don't like buying a round of drinks."
THE END
