Shortly thereafter, we were granted shore leave into some small port along the coast of South Korea, accessible only by launch. Since I had to stand watch that evening, I was unable to go ashore. But that didn’t stop those whose noses had sniffed out some free p___y. Hootin’ ’n’ hollerin’, like a pack of wolves hot on the trail of a stray pack of females, they all but stumbled over each other as they grabbed their genitals and scurried over the side into the launches, which sped them off to the lairs of their precious little whores.

That same evening before the next watch, I ran into Ruelly up topside. As we approached each other, I sensed that something was not quite right with him, for he looked terribly jaundiced. “What the hell’s the matter with you?“ I asked, halting ere I got too close to him.

Smiling, he replied, “I’ve got hepatitis.“

“No kiddin’!“ I exclaimed. “How the hell d’ya get that?“

“I don’t know,“ he answered.

“Are ya contagious?“ I inquired further.

“Only if I spit, piss, or shit on ya,“ he responded with a chuckle.

“Maybe I’ll keep my distance,“ I said. “I wondered what’d happened to ya, when I hadn’t seen ya around for awhile.“

“Yeah,“ he began, “I’ve been stuck in sick bay ever since they found out what I got. I’m bein’ quarantined till they transfer me off the ship.“

“When’s that?“ I asked.

“As soon as we pull into Yokuska,“ he answered.

“Ya lucky stiff!“ I exclaimed. “I mean you’re lucky to be gettin’ off the ship, not that ya got hepatitis.“

Again he smiled. “I know what ya mean,“ he said.

“Hey,“ I hastily added, “I’m sure gonna miss ya.“

“Yeah,“ he concluded, “I’ll miss you too, Dury. But I sure as hell ain’t gonna miss this f___in’ can or any of the motherf___in’ lifers on it.“

“Listen, Dury,“ he continued, “I gotta get back down below fore the corpsman finds out I’m up here. Havin’ been cooped up down there for a week now, I needed a little fresh air, if ya know what I mean.“

“Yeah, sure,“ I replied. “You take care of yourself now.“

“And I hope ya get over this thing soon,“ I added.

“Are they gonna put ya in the hospital in Yokuska?“ I asked.

“Nah,“ he replied. “They’re gonna ship me back to the States.“

“Ya lucky dog!“ I exclaimed.

“Yeah, ain’t I real lucky now,“ he muttered as he turned to walk below, with that wry little smile of his on his face.

I was shocked. Poor Ruelly! I felt sorry for him. At the same time, I almost wished I were in his shoes, except for the hepatitis. I wouldn’t have wanted that for anything, even if it did mean getting off the ship. At one point, I almost wished he had spit on me, as he had so often in the past whenever he got up in my face to speak to me. I had stood off from him for that very reason. But the more I thought about it, I had to find the real reason why I wanted off this ship so badly.