we're on each other's team [band of brothers / hbo war]

17: a horrific discovery

So, when the young children flocked around Madison, she made sure to give them candy—those kids were lucky, seeing that Madison had a huge sweet tooth. It was worth it, though, seeing the smile on their little faces before they ran off.

* * * * *

Being in Germany and having no current or frequent orders meant that more replacements came in. Madison was never hard on the new kids like some of the others were, but she didn't make her way out to become best friends with them, either. Let them come to her. Like how most of the veterans felt, she didn't want to become friends with them in case they got hit. It was always the replacements that got wounded or killed the most. They weren't as properly trained or experienced as the veterans.

Madison and other members of Easy were sitting and lounging around, listening to Nixon rattle off the war time news. As she semi-listened to Nixon, she couldn't help but think that he was getting worse. Just yesterday, he rejoined the company and looked quite stricken. Apparently, he was jumping with a different Airborne Division and by judging Nixon's demeanor, it didn't end well. She heard that his drinking was getting heavy; worse, and that was never a good sign. It wouldn't come as a shock if he had been demoted. According to rumor, that has already happened.

Madison sighed, as she stared up at Nixon through her aviator sunglasses. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. She liked Nixon, he was always informative and helpful to her when she needed it.

"I'm sure you'll all be happy to know that Oklahoma! is still playing on Broadway," Nixon read off from his clipboard, reeling Madison back into reality. She wasn't a big Oklahoma! fan, but she was sure that her friends back home would enjoy it. She knew Matt would enjoy it, as he liked to sing as one of his hobbies. He wasn't the best, but she always loved hearing her brother and father sing together, albeit off-key.

"Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain," Luz, Christenson, Babe, and a few more men started singing. "Where the waving wheat can sure smell sweet, when the wind comes—" Luz effectively cut everyone else off just in time for Patrick O'Keefe, a replacement, to finish it off in his high pitched, off key singing voice.

"—right behind the rain!"

Everyone started to laugh. They laughed even harder when Christenson asked, "O'Keefe, are you sitting on your bayonet? Why don't you leave the singing to Luz?"

"Unless you wanna do, like, 'Surrey with the Fringe on Top', O'Keefe," Luz added as he and the rest of the men cackled.

"You guys are so mean," Madison couldn't help but keep that grin on her face as she said it. What she said was true, but she couldn't help but be amused by their antics. Poor O'Keefe, but the men needed something to laugh at after enduring months of hell in the French region.

"Hey, you chose to be friends with us," Luz said.

"Not true," Madison denied.

"Aww, Rita Hayworth is getting married," Nixon informed the group.

"Oh, Rita, say it isn't true," Luz lamented.

"Like she would ever go for you," Madison remarked, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses. The men laughed again.

"War time news," Nixon started up again, and everyone quieted down. "Resistance in the Ruhr's crumbling. It looks like there might be a breakout in Remagen. Apparently, the Krauts forgot to blow up one of their bridges when they headed back over the line. I guess the boys in the 17th Airborne did okay after all."

"Ah, forget it. We'd be in Berlin by now, sir, if it was us instead of them, huh?" Luz questioned.

Everyone around agreed to Luz's claim. Everyone knew that the 101st Airborne, specifically Easy Company, Second Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment, were the best around.