"Hey, there soldier, care to buy a gal a drink?"
Roy quickly found an older woman with an ample bosom, only inches from his face. Her whiskey laced breath, and husky voice frightened Roy. She began rubbing her body against him causing physical stirrings for which he had no frame of reference. Nervously smiling, Roy attempted to back up but found himself pinned against the bar. She snatched Roy's free hand and pressed it against the top of her breast, and then began massaging herself using Roy's hand. Roy had never touched a woman ever before, and certainly not in this fashion. He wrestled his hand free and gently pushed the woman away.
"Ah, no ma'am, I don't think so," Roy sputtered as he tried to put some space between them.
She pulled her top down and exposed two enormous breasts and started playing with them in her hands. "Come on boy, don't you want to play with these?"
In a panic, Roy bolted for the exit door.
The cold outside air felt great. Roy was flushed and hot, beads of perspiration dotted his brow, which he wiped off with his sleeve. Roy remembered that evening quite well and considered the numerous Germans he fought and killed on the battlefield, a milder bunch when compared to the whiskey-woman who assaulted him in the bar.
Being with Nurse Lefebvre was extraordinarily different. She was soft, gentle, easy to talk to, and she made Roy feel invincible. Even her breath was sweet, and Roy remembered how her skin was velvety soft, like a rabbit's fur. One day, without warning, she made a statement that shocked Roy from his dream state.
"Monsieur Folsom, tomorrow you return to duty. I will be sorrowful to see you go."
"Excuse me, what did you just say?"
"Monsieur Folsom, tomorrow you will be leaving the hospital. Today will be our last day together. The doctor has released you from the hospital for regular duty."
Roy was speechless and sat in his wheelchair with an open mouth. Somehow, he never considered this day could happen. He was at a loss for words. He could not protest because it was not her choice or his. His stomach clenched into a knot. Without any warning, Nurse Lefebvre leaned over and lightly pressed her lips to Roy's.
"I am sad, Monsieur Folsom. I will never forget you."
It was a glorious day of firsts because Roy had never felt a woman's lips or kissed them before this moment. His face tingled, and his heart raced, beating fast. It reminded Roy of when he was twelve and the day he ran so hard to catch the Santa Fe train. Nurse Lefebvre stroked her hand across Roy's face. Electrical current passed from her fingers to Roy's face, causing the man to shudder. As she walked away, somewhere deep inside Roy's heart a painful ache stabbed. He felt shortness of breath.