LIEUTENANT GARRISON, 30s, sits at his desk dealing with
paperwork. He is in uniform. Standing in front of the desk
is PRIVATE BURTON, 20s. Private Burton is standing at
attention.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
I thought I had time, Private, but
I am under pressure to get this
report out.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir, this can't wait any longer.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Excuse me?
PRIVATE BURTON
There is a matter of some urgency I
need to discuss with you.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
I'm sure it can wait, private.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir, it has to do with Sergeant
McGill.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
What about him?
PRIVATE BURTON
This is difficult to discuss, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
If you can't tell your commanding
officer a simple thing, then how
are you going to survive in
fuckedupistan, Private?
PRIVATE BURTON
Sergeant McGill has been coming on
to me, sir.
This is the first moment where the Lieutenant looks up form
his paperwork.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Coming what?
PRIVATE BURTON
On to me. He has made it clear,
sir, that he wants to...
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Wants to what? Say it, boy.
PRIVATE BURTON
He wants to have an affair with me.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
An affair? Private, I have known
Sergeant McGill for four years. He
has a wife. He has two kids. What
the fuck you talking about?
PRIVATE BURTON
I know this is difficult to hear,
sir...
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
It is preposterous. You obviously
have misread his intentions. I
don't want to hear another thing
about it.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sergeant McGill has threatened to
ruin my career in the army, sir, of
I do not accept the relationship he
seeks to have.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Sergeant McGill is a good man. But
a hard man. He drives his men
hard. He is a good officer. His
men respect him. Is his level of
discipline been too grueling for
you?
PRIVATE BURTON
No sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You would agree he works his men
hard?
PRIVATE BURTON
Yes, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Do you know Sergeant McGill has
completed two tours of Afghanistan?
PRIVATE BURTON
Yes sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
What tours have you completed?
PRIVATE BURTON
None sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
And you stand there and make a piss
ass attempt at denigrating the name
of Sergeant McGill.
PRIVATE BURTON
I don't want to make trouble, sir.
I merely want him to stop. Maybe
you can talk to him, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
I will not dignify your accusation
by even mentioning it to Sergeant
McGill.
PRIVATE BURTON
Well, then, sir, I have no choice.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You have no choice as to what?
PRIVATE BURTON
I plan to file a complaint with the
Judge Advocate General.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You what?
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir, trust me, I do not want to do
this. I have told the Sergeant
that I do not appreciate his
overtures. But he nevertheless
continues to pursue me.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Tell me what he has done?
PRIVATE BURTON
He wants to bed with me, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
And did you?
PRIVATE BURTON
Excuse me, sir?
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Did you bed with him?
PRIVATE BURTON
He did not give me the choice, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Are you telling me you went to bed
with Sergeant McGill?
PRIVATE BURTON
He led me to believe if I did it
once that he would be satisfied and
it would end there. But it hasn't.
The Lieutenant takes a long beat. He stands.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
And what do you think will happen
if you file a complaint with the
Judge Advocate General?
PRIVATE BURTON
They will put a stop to it, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You will ruin the lives of Sergeant
McGill, his wife, his two beautiful
children.
Private Burton does not respond.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON (CONT'D)
But what you fail to realize is
that your career in the Army of the
United States of America will be
destroyed.
PRIVATE BURTON
My career?
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You bedded with Sergeant McGill.
You bedded with a superior officer.
To curry favor, to acquire special
treatment.
PRIVATE BURTON
No sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
That's the way I see it. And
that's the way the Judge Advocate
General will see it.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir, I did not start this thing.
This thing, this situation is all
the making of Sergeant McGill. I
came here to see if you could
manage it for me. If you could get
the Sergeant to back off so it does
not become a big thing. So
nobody's career is hurt.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You threatening me?
PRIVATE BURTON
No sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
It sounds like unless I confront
Sergeant McGill, you are
threatening to file a complaint.
PRIVATE BURTON
It's not a threat, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You are due for a tour in what, six
months.
PRIVATE BURTON
Yes sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
And where is it you are going?
PRIVATE BURTON
I put in for Germany, sir.
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You put in for Germany. Hah. You
think being in the Army is nothing
more than a European vacation? You
Private Burton are going to
Afghanistan. And I am personally
putting in for your tour transfer
myself.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir...
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Shut the fuck up. I'm trying to
help you, Private. I'm trying to
get you as far away from Sergeant
McGill as possible.
So you should be thanking me for
dealing with your unfortunate
situation. You are lucky man,
Private. You are heading for the
most fucked up place on Planet
Earth where you can be a hero, get
a Purple Heart, and maybe, if you
are lucky, come home in something
other than a box, and with all your
limbs.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir, please...
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
Your dismissed.
PRIVATE BURTON
Sir...
LIEUTENANT GARRISON
You are dismissed, goddammit.
A very long beat. Private Burton leaves. The Lieutenant
struggles to compose himself.
CUT TO BLACK.
THE END.
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