Final scene

Where it all ends up..

They gathered on the ridge just East of the new borderline, Colonel Grappler, Rowdy, Jess, Guns, Raj, Serena and right by Grappler’s side, Temple , and they watched the activity across the fenceline where the Chinese were setting up their very serious looking border control posts.

 

“Looks more like an occupying force than a peace force to me!”, said Jess.

 

“Second that!”, said Rowdy, “We do all this fighting and lose so many and so much to get this back, and the Guv just hand it over without an argument!  I heard Darin and Sarrain got a special spot in Arlington.  Thought they’d run out of room there by now…Sarrain got a bronze statue in his home town, too… one of those ones with him looking off into infinity, you know…… for this!”…

 

Rowdy looked at the ground, shaking his head…Grappler pursed his lips, snorted and gave a disgusted clicking sound with his togue, sucking in an angry breath,

 

“Yeah, they earned it.  You know Georgie Patton wants us to kick their Chink asses back across the Pacific right now, while we still can, don’t you?  Damned REMFs in Washington want to can her for that. I feel like we’re living Nellie Chamberman all over again.. .. Pieces in Our F*****g Time”. 

 

Raj had his Indian view, of course, shaking his head,

 

“It is a shame here.  Very difficult for my people, my Troopers, now to go home to India.  We still have so much studying to be done here and life to restore to normal, and we must proceed with that, but I see trouble ahead for all!”

 

Grappler kicked the loose, dry soil underfoot,

 

“Can’t say I don’t agree with Georgie there.  Those f*****g Chinese in our backyard now, and half the Pacific behind their Great Wall Curtain. Maybe if we get Serena back in the White House?” 

 

He looked over at the former President, who looked back, and shook her head.

 

“I’m done with all that.  Don’t want that responsibility again, and this mess is way too much for me. Let Carter sort it out.  He started it.”

 

Guns didn’t have much to say,

 

“Time for us to go home, I reckon.  I’ve had enough for a while.  Fish are biting in the creek.”

 

Temple moved in to Grappler’s side and gently took his arm in hers, pulling in close,

 

“What do we do now?” she asked.

 

Grappler gave her arm a little squeeze with his own, drawing her close, and looked at her face,

 

“Go home …….. wait for the next one!”

 

Temple shuddered and held a little tighter, looking off into the distance,

 

“I don’t want there ever to be another one… ever!  Let’s go home.”

 

*     *     *     *     *

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[The Grappler]

Wow (digs up Dorothy Dix).. what an ending! Shows clearly the basic human drive to fight for a better life, clearing the wilderness of life in a true Frontier style, and then hoping to move on to a better existence for all, with life going on despite the never-ending threat of the world, and a real future for all.

Touches a part of my soul previously untapped... Hollywood is missing a great talent for a screenplay.....