Page 27 of All We Thought We Knew
I did.
“Have a seat.” He motioned me to one of two wooden chairs in front of a desk that was covered in neat stacks of files and papers.
I settled in the chair, pen poised to take notes, when he said, “Tell me about yourself.”
The request caught me off guard. What did he want to know? “I... um... I worked as a secretary in Nashville. For an insurance company.”
“What brought you to Tullahoma?”
“My husband grew up here.” I paused. I hadn’t talked about Richard to anyone other than Gertrude, but she suffered her owndeep grief and had no desire to understand mine. While I’d rather keep my personal life private, this military man was now my boss and was entitled to know the basics. “He died at Pearl Harbor.”
A look of compassion crossed the colonel’s face. “I’m sorry for your loss.” He looked out the window. “A good friend of mine was killed at Pearl. John and I attended medical school together. He joined the Navy and I joined the Army. He was tending the wounded when a Japanese bomb struck his ship.”
Only the sound of typing from the next room filled the space between us. Knowing the colonel had lost a friend reminded me that he was human. It took away some of the apprehension I’d felt since he entered the building. Although he had a commanding presence, I appreciated this small glimpse of his softer side.
He turned to face me again. “As you’re no doubt aware, Camp Forrest has only been in operation since the spring of ’41. We’ve had much to accomplish in a short amount of time. In our first month, over one thousand patients were treated here at the hospital. Now, with troops heading to Europe every day, I expect we will begin to receive wounded from overseas soon. My previous secretary was woefully inadequate. She couldn’t keep up.”
I swallowed.
“What I need, Mrs. Delaney,” he leaned forward, his expression stern, “is someone who will work hard, ask questions, and follow orders.”
My mouth went dry. “I understand, sir.”
“Very well.” He reached for a large stack of files and handed them to me. “These personnel files need updating. We’ve had so many doctors and nurses coming and going, I need to be certain of each person’s qualifications and experience. It’s imperative we give our servicemen the best care we possibly can, and that means positioning our staff where their skills and knowledge are best utilized.”
I nodded in agreement.
“This will be a time-consuming project, but it will also giveyou the opportunity to become familiar with the hospital and staff. Can I count on you to have it completed by week’s end, Mrs. Delaney?”
“You can, sir.”
For the first time since our meeting, he offered the slightest smile. “I can be a bit of a curmudgeon at times, but you’ll find I’m fair.”
He stood, and I did too. “I appreciate the opportunity, sir. I won’t let you down.”
He inclined his head. “You may close the door on your way out.”
I did as I was instructed, then returned to my desk.
Bren hurried over. “How did it go?”
“Good, I think. He gave me these personnel files to update by the end of the week, but I must admit I’m not sure how to go about it.”
Bren glanced at her wristwatch. “How about I give you a tour of the hospital complex and introduce you to the principal chief nurse. Captain Leonard is a jewel, and she’ll gladly help if she can.”
“Thank you, so much, Miss Marsh. I truly appreciate it.”
“Call me Bren. And, if you don’t mind, we secretaries will call you Ava when it’s just us.”
We put on our coats and walked out into warm sunshine. Snow was predicted by the end of the week, so it was nice to get outside while we could.
“How long have you worked at Camp Forrest?” I asked.
“I started last summer. My father is retired from the Army, so when he heard Camp Forrest was hiring, he encouraged me to apply. It was a quiet place to work at first, but after Pearl Harbor, everything changed.”
I knew exactly what she meant.
We walked to the building adjacent to the administration building and climbed a set of wooden steps. I followed Brenaround like a puppy, trying to take notes and remember names and locations, but with sixty-eight buildings and hundreds of staff, I soon gave up.
