English
Springandsummerwentby,andIcontinuedtoplaymyharmonicawiththegroup.Itwasmyhappiesttimeofall.But–you’veguessedit–somethingwentwrong.
Howdidithappen?Idon’tknow.ButonenightIwassittingoutsidetheHodaddyClub,smokingacigarette,whenagirlsmiledandcameuptome.Shesatdownacrossmylegsandputherarmsroundme.Shewaslaughingandkissingme,andIdidn’tknowwhattodo.
Suddenly,thedooropenedbehindme,andtherewasJenny.
‘Forrest,it’stimeto-‘Shestoppedwhenshesawmewiththegirl.Thenshesaid,‘Oh,no!Notyou,too!’
Ijumpedupandpushedthegirlaway.‘Jenny!’Isaid.
‘Stayawayfromme,Forrest!’shesaid.‘Youmenareallthesame!Juststayawayfromme!’
Shedidn’tspeaktomeagainthatnight.Andthenextmorningshetoldmetofindanotherplacetolive.
IwenttolivewithMoses,oneoftheothermeninthegroup,andsoonafterthatJennywenttoWashingtontotalkandworkagainstthewar.Moseswrotedowntheaddressforme.
SoIwentbacktoWashington,too.
Therewasalotoftroublethere.Policewereeverywhere,andpeoplewereshoutingandthrowingthings.
Andthepoliceweretakingsomeofthemaway.
IwenttofindJenny’saddress,buttherewasnobodyathome.Iwaitedoutsideformostoftheday.Then,ataboutnineo’clock,acarstoppednearthehouseandsomepeoplegotout.Andthereshewas!
Istartedtowalktowardsher,butsheturnedandwalkedaway.Theotherpeople–twomenandagirl–didn’tknowwhattosay.
‘What’swrongwithher?’Iaskedoneofthetwomen.
‘Shejustgotoutofprison,’hesaid.‘Shewasthereallnightbeforewecouldgetherout.’
Jennywasinthebackofthecarnow,soIwentoverandtalkedtoherthroughthewindow.ItoldherhowIfelt–Iwassorryaboutthegirl,andIdidn’twanttoplayinthegroupwithouther.Shelistenedquietly,thenopenedthecardoorformetogetin,andwesatandtalked.
Theothersweretalkingaboutsomethingthatwouldhappenthenextday.SomeAmericansoldiersplannedtotakeofftheirVietnammedalsandthrowthemawayinfrontofthecrowdsofpeople.
SuddenlyJennysaid,‘DidyouknowthatForrestwonamedal?’
Theotherswentquietandlookedatme,thenlookedatJenny.
Nextmorning,Jennycameintotheliving-room.Iwassleepingontheflooroftheirhouse.Shewokemeup.
‘Forrest,’shesaid.‘Iwantyoutodosomethingforme.’
‘What?’Isaid.
Iwantyoutocomewithustoday,andIwantyoutowearyourarmyclothes.’
‘Why?’Iasked.
‘Becauseyou’regoingtodosomethingtostopallthekillinginVietnam.’
YoucanguesswhatIhadtodo,can’tyou?IhadtothrowawaymymedalwiththeotherAmericansoldiers.Butbecausemymedalwasamorefamousmedalthantheirs,itwasmoreimportanttoJennyandherfriends.
Butitgotmeintomoretrouble.Oh,Ithrewmymedalaway,OK–butithitsomebodyreallyimportant!OneofthePresident’smen!Sotheythrewmeintoprison.
Whydothingslikethatalwayshappentome?
Asithappened,Ididn’tstayinprisonlong,becausetheysoonrealizedthatIwasanidiot,andtheyputmeinaspecialhospitalforidiots.ItwasthedoctorsatthehospitalwhodecidedtosendmetoNASA–that’sthespacecentreatHouston,inTexas.
‘You’rejustthekindofpersonthatthey’relookingfor!’thedoctorstoldme.
Isoonunderstoodwhy!NASAsentmeonajourneyintospacewithawomanandanape!Me,aspaceman!Itwasverystrange.
Allkindsofthingswentwrongbecauseofthatape.Insteadofcomingdownintheseawhenwereturned,thespaceshipcamedowninthejunglesomewhere,anditwasfouryearsbeforetheNASApeoplefoundus!ButtheapeandIweresoongoodfriends.HisnamewasSue(yes,Iknowit’sagirl’sname,buttheysentamaleapeupbymistake,andNASAdidn’tliketotellthenewspapersthat).AnditwasinthejunglethatImetBigSam–amanwhotaughtmetoplaychess.Andthatwasimportant,asyouwillseelater.
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