Iwasatthehospitalfortwomonths.Afterthefirstfewweeksmylegwasgettingbetter,andonedayIwentdownintothelittletown,tothefishmarket. Iboughtsomeshrimps,andoneofthecooksatthehospitalcookedthemforme. Twodayslater,Iwentbacktothefishmarketandtalkedtoamanwhowassellingshrimps. ‘Wheredoyougetthem?’Iaskedhim. HeimmediatelystartedtalkingfastinalanguagethatIcouldn’tunderstand,buthetookmesomewhere–pastalltheboatsandthebeach. Therehetookanetandputitinthewater. Whenhetookitoutagain,itwasfullofshrimps! Everydayforthenextfewweeks,IwentwithMrChi(thatwashisname)andwatchedhimwhileheworked. Heshowedmehowtocatchshrimpswiththenet,anditwassoeasythatanidiotwasabletodoit! ThenonedayIgotbacktothehospitalandaColonelGoochsaid,‘Gump,we’regoingbacktoAmericatogether! You’regoingtoseethePresidentoftheUnitedStates,andhe’sgoingtogiveyouamedalbecauseyouwereverybrave.’ TherewereabouttwothousandpeoplewaitingforusatSanFranciscoairportwhenwegotofftheplane!Whatasurprise!Alotofthemhadbeardsandlonghair. Ithoughtperhapstheyweretheretowelcomeus,butIwaswrong. Theywereshoutingunpleasantthings,andthensomebodythrewatomatoatColonelGoochandithithimintheface. Hetriedtocleanitoffandnotlookangry,butIdidn’twanttowaitforthemtostartthrowingthingsatme!Nosir!Istartedrunning. Thepeopleranafterme–alltwothousandofthem!–buttheycouldn’tcatchme. Iranallroundtheairport,andthenIranintoatoiletandlockedthedoor. IwaitedinthereforalmostanhourbeforeIcameoutagain. IwenttolookforColonelGooch,andIfoundhiminthemiddleofagroupofpolicemen.Hewaslookingveryworrieduntilhesawme. ‘Comeon,Gump!’hesaid.‘TheplaneforWashingtoniswaitingforus.’ ThearmysentacartomeetusatWashingtonairport,andwedrovetoareallynicehotel.Afterweputoursuitcasesinourrooms,theColonelaskedmetogoouttoabarwithhimforadrink. ‘Peoplearedifferenthere,’hetoldme.‘Theyaren’tlikethepeopleinCalifornia.’ Whenwegotthere,heboughtmeabeer,andhewastellingmeaboutthePresidentandmymedalwhensomethinghappened. Aprettygirlcameuptoourtable,andtheColonelthoughtshewasawaitress. ‘Getustwomoredrinks,please,’hesaid. Shelookedathimandsaid,‘Iwon’tgetyouanything–notasmuchasaglassofwarmriver-water,youpig!’ Thenshelookedatmeandsaid,‘Andhowmanybabieshaveyoukilledtoday,youbigape?’ Well,afterthatwewentbacktothehotel. NextmorningwegotupearlyandwenttotheWhiteHouse,wherethePresidentlives.It’sareallyprettyhousewithabiggarden. Alotofarmypeoplewerethere,andtheyimmediatelystartedshakingmyhandandtellingmethatIwasabravemanandthattheywerepleasedtomeetme. ThePresidentwasagreatbigoldmanwhotalkedlikesomebodyfromTexas,andtherewerealotofpeoplestandingroundhimintheflowergarden. Thenanarmymanstartedtoreadsomething,andeverybodylistened. Everybodybutme,becauseIwashungryandwantedsomebreakfast. Atlastthearmymanfinishedreading,andthenthePresidentcameupandgavemethemedal.Afterthat,hebegantoshakemyhand. IwasjustthinkingofgettingoutofthereandhavingsomebreakfastwhenthePresidentsaid,‘Boy,isthatyourstomachmakingthatnoise?’ SoIsaid,‘Yes,’andthePresidentsaid,‘Well,comeon,boy,let’sgoandgetsomethingtoeat!’ AndIfollowedhimintothehouse,andawaitergotussomebreakfast. ThePresidentaskedmealotofquestionsaboutVietnamandthearmy,butIjustsaid,‘Yes,it’sOK’orshookmyheadtosayno,andafterseveralminutesofthiswewerebothsilent. ‘DoyouwanttowatchTV?’thePresidentaskedsuddenly. SomeandthePresidentofAmericawatchedTVwhileIatemybreakfast! Later,whenwewerebackinthegarden,thePresidentsaid,‘Youwerehurt,weren’tyou,boy? Well,lookatthis...’Andhepulleduphisshirtandshowedmetheplaceonhisstomachwherehewashurtonce.‘Wherewereyouhurt?’heaskedme. SoIpulleddownmytrousers,turnedroundandshowedhim. Well,lotsofnewspapermenstartedtakingphotographsbeforeColonelGoochcouldrunacrossandpullmeaway! Thatafternoon,backatthehotel,hecametomyroomshoutingandthrowingnewspapersontothebed.AndthereIwas,onthefrontpage,withmytrousersdown! ‘Gump,youidiot!’shoutedColonelGooch. ‘Yes,sir,’Isaid.‘That’swhatIam.ButIjusttrytodotherightthing.’ 
