14.2.10

The Mission!

The South Pacific 1944.

"Once you drop all your bombs on the munitions factory outside Tokyo," said the General, "you won't have enough fuel to make it back to the carrier."

"Will I be landing in China?" asked the Colonel.

"Still too far away," said the General. "Instead you will fly Southeast and ditch your plane on this island, where a small boat will pick up your crew."

The Colonel leaned close, but the name on the map was smeared and unreadable.

"What's the name of this island?" asked the Colonel.

"Oh," said the General, "It's... um-- It's --- ah--"

"What's it called?"

"Monster," mumbled the General, "Island."

"Monster Island?" asked the Colonel. "Did you just say Monster Island?"

"Maybe," said the General, "maybe I said 'Munster Island.'"

"But you didn't say 'Munster Island,'" said the Colonel, "you said 'Monster Island.'"

"Yes," sighed the General, "but you don't have to worry. It's just a name."

"If you tell me that it's really a peninsula I will be forced to slap you," said the Colonel.

"No," said the General, "It's not a peninsula. It's more accurately an archipelago."

"So it's really Monster Archipelago?"

"Yes," said the General. "Nothing to worry about."

"Why is it called Monster Archipelago," asked the Colonel. "Is it shaped like a monster?"

"No"

"Does it have a rock shaped like a monster?"

"No."

"A tree?"

"Nope."

"Then why is it called Monster Island?"

The General shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Well you see," said the General, "it has a slight infestation of...." his voice trailed off.

"What?" asked the Colonel, "Crabs?"

"Some of them are kind of crab like," said the General. "But most are kind of like lizards."

"So it has big lizards?"

"Yeah," said the General, "a few big crabs, and some big fire breathing lizards."

"Wait a minute," said the Colonel, "did you just say fire-breathing?"

"Ha!" said the General with a smile. "I had you going with my little joke." He then gave the Colonel a friendly pat on the back.

"You're so silly," said the Colonel. "You did have me going. I thought you were off your nut."

"Well," said the General, "you just do your job, and a boat will pick you up at this perfectly harmless little archipelago."

"All right," said the Colonel, giving the General a sharp salute. "I'm on it."

"Good hunting," said the General as the Colonel left, "you poor gullible bastard."

1 comment:

Edward Ott said...

made me smile.