Chapter 187 President's Lunch
"Honor belongs to every brother of E Company!" Parks straightened his chest and waved his right hand. As soon as his words fell, there was a flash of magnesium light, and the reporters fixed the movement of Parks raising his right arm.
The radio waves are transmitted between the streets, factories, rooms, men, women, the elderly and children of the United States. They wait quietly by the radio and listen to every word of President Roosevelt and Parks. Of course, Parks hasn't had such a big influence. All Americans want to hear what U.S. President Roosevelt is saying. But under the impetus of President Roosevelt, he directly became a well-known hero. This makes Parks a little confused. But those don't matter now.
After the award, the colonel quickly stepped forward, stopped Parks, who had stepped down and was ready to leave, and whispered in Parks' surprised eyes, "Please wait a moment, Lieutenant."
"Is there anything else? Mr. Colonel!" Parks looked very polite.
The colonel nodded and smiled, "Mr. President wants to invite you to lunch. Lieutenant!" The colonel's tone was full of envy. He looked at the lucky guy and even felt a little jealous.
"What?" Parks couldn't help looking at him in surprise, "Are you telling the truth?" Then he immediately realized that it was impolite for him to answer like this, and quickly smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Colonel, I mean, it's my honor, a great honor!"
The colonel is very satisfied with Parks's reaction. This is normal. This honor is not for everyone, and not everyone who has won the Congressional Medal of Honor. Parks is an exception.
Lunch is served in a small dining room in the White House. Roosevelt was still rich, sitting in a wheelchair. Lunch is also very simple, with mashed potatoes with steak and a little onion.
Two people eat at a large table, and the others stand aside, which makes Parks a little reserved, and he is even a little restless. It is true that Parks II is a person, but after all, in front of such a high-level reception, in front of such a great man, he could not maintain complete composure, so that his movements and expressions were a little stiff.
At lunchtime, neither of them talked about too much. Roosevelt simply asked about the taste of the dish and let him relax. Of course, Parks didn't plan to say more, but simply nodded and answered.
After the dull lunch, the waiter quickly cleaned up the table. But President Roosevelt didn't mean to leave immediately. He looked at Parks with a smile and waited for a moment before slowly smiling, "You are amazing, Lieutenant!"
Parks knows what he is referring to. So he replied cautiously, "Mr. President, that's not the credit I can get alone. I just did my duty as an officer."
Roosevelt nodded and said, "I know. But the power of the individual cannot be ignored! This is also the biggest reason why you can win the Medal of Honor. I really look forward to you winning again in the European battlefield and even in the Pacific.
"I will try my best to fight for it!" Parks's answer was still cautious.
President Roosevelt looked at Parks's solemn face with great interest and smiled, "I've always wanted to be a soldier, but I couldn't do it. This wish can only be a dream since I was a child, and you are a hero among beautiful people, so I This meeting means a lot to me.
"My pleasure, Mr. President!"
The two talked about some etiquette, and then Roosevelt said goodbye. He asked the staff to send Parks back. Roosevelt's preferential treatment for Parks puzzled a senior secretary around him. Roosevelt watched the staff send Parks away and smiled softly at the senior secretary beside him, "You must be wondering why I give this person special treatment. You know, he almost relied on one person's strength to change the situation of the whole European battlefield. Although we failed in the end, the problem is not him! It's our Allied generals. I am a gesture to let people know that I am not satisfied with the whole European battlefield and the market garden action.
"Will they understand?" The secretary said doubtfully.
"I hope General Montgomery can understand!" Roosevelt shook his head slightly, "War is not a whimsical game. Don't throw American soldiers into the damn cemetery to fight for those command! The whole Allies failed in this operation, but for Parks personally, he was a great success!" President Roosevelt unexpectedly used the word "dead", which he rarely used, but he used it today.
Parks saw Virginia outside the White House. She saw Parks coming out from afar, and her eyes were full of love. When she saw the straight and handsome face and the resolute eyes, she couldn't help running to him quickly, regardless of etiquette and image. The whole process of Parks's award is like an honor he has won. She empathizes.
"Honey, I love you!" Virgelia ran up and wrapped around Parks tightly. Regardless of the surprised eyes of the staff, she just wanted to hold the man in her arms. This was the man who belonged to her. And her honor.
The deep kisses of the two moved the staff who stood not far away, and they applauded them. This finally woke up to Virginia, and now she is doing something ambiguous in broad daylight. She shyly hid in Parks' arms and let Parks almost carry her into the car.
Parks went straight to the hotel. He packed his things and returned to the battlefield as soon as possible. Virginia watched Parks clean up, and she couldn't help helping him fold his clothes and tidy up his suitcase.
"Honey, can you stay for me for a day?" Virginia suddenly stopped, with tears in her eyes, looking at Parks, "Do you know how long we will see each other? Do you know that I worry about you and miss you every day?
Parks stopped. He came over and picked up Virgelia's face with a look: "Honey, there are some things that can't be done. I promise you that once the war is over, I will be with you every day!"
"But--" Virginia seemed to struggle in her heart.
"Don't do it, honey. I know how you feel, and I am the same. I miss you on the battlefield, and I promise you that I will come back alive. Parks gently kissed the soft lips.
With a long suffocating kiss, Virginia gave in. She had to give in. She knew that the man's decision was difficult to change, and she didn't want to go against the man's will. She didn't want him to be unhappy.
The car slowly drove to the airport, and Parks will return the same way, which will get faster time to Europe. Parks knew that the brothers must still be trapped in a deep trench, bearing almost unstop German shelling. He wants to meet with his brothers as soon as possible, even if he hides in the trench and eats the greasy British supply food.
The plane stopped in New York, and then Parks and Virginia said goodbye. He looked farther and farther away from him on the plane, but still insisted on standing on the edge of the runway. He couldn't help but be deeply moved, but he knew that his brothers needed him more, and he also needed to stay with his brothers more, which was his responsibility as the company commander of Company E.
Parks's speech quickly spread to the United States and the European continent through radio waves and newspapers. There are a few newspapers on the table of Colonel Sink of the regiment, with photos of Parks waving his right arm.
"Lieutenant Parks should be back!" Colonel Sink said to Lieutenant Colonel Stry with an inquiring tone, "I hope this child doesn't get lost in Washington!"
Colonel Stryll suddenly read the newspaper carefully, and then smiled and said, "Sink, have you found an interesting phenomenon? I mean the content of the newspaper!"
"What's the problem?" Obviously, Colonel Sink has some doubts.
"President Roosevelt not only held a grand award ceremony for Parks on the lawn of the White House, but also broadcast it all over the United States through radio," Stryr pointed and said.
"Yes, this ceremony is very grand, but I think Parks is totally worthy of this!"
"No, no, I'm not talking about this. I mean, after the award ceremony, Mr. President left Parks alone for lunch." Stryll suddenly smiled, "Don't you think it's very interesting?"
Colonel Sink took the newspaper, then looked at it under the guidance of Stryll, and then nodded, "What's this? Maybe Mr. President is more interested in Parks personally.
"Do you really think so?" Lieutenant Colonel Stry couldn't help laughing, "I believe that the people in the Allied Command will definitely pay attention to this paragraph. And it seems that the White House staff have leaked some topics, saying that President Roosevelt praised Parks's achievements to the secretaries after Parks left. Although the whole plan failed, Parks was successful!"
As soon as Colonel Sink heard this, he immediately reacted. He couldn't help shaking his head and laughing and said, "Styr, we don't have to worry about this. Let those people talk about it. It seems that they must be in a panic! Especially the British!"
"I believe General Taylor will be very happy to see such news!" Stry couldn't help nodding and laughing.
"Of course." Colonel Sink nodded.
"Well, our hero should also be back! I hope the people in the Allied Command won't bother him!" Stryll put down the newspaper and leaned comfortably on the chair.
"Don't forget, Parks is in my group. It's not their turn to make trouble!" Colonel Sink laughed.
Obviously, these things are involved in a lot, but this will not make Sink and others worry, not even General Taylor's turn. Maybe General Patton's hot temper will read this newspaper and make a big shot in the Allied headquarters.
No matter what these bigwigs thought, the brothers of E Company were encouraged. West brought them the latest newspaper, and then they knew what had happened.
"I really hope it's me who will accompany the president to lunch!" Gerry said with envy.
Wales put his legs on the table and was nibbling apples. Then he looked at Grenly and smiled, "If it were me, I wouldn't think so. Can you eat apples comfortably with your legs in front of the president?"
(to be continued)