. . . matter, really. Goes faster if you know the time, “Rats. Don’t don’t anyhow.” “Sure.” name, “What’s your buddy?” “Paul.” to meet he said, and in the dark beside the path, they shook hands. “Nice ya,” The hand was strangely “Mine’s Toby. Everybody calls me Buffalo, though.” soldier’s warm and soft. But it was a very big they just call me he hand. “Sometimes Buff,” said. And again they were quiet. They lay in the grass and waited. The moon was very high now and very bright, and they were waiting for cloud cover. The soldier suddenly snorted. is “What it?” he said, but then he snorted again. heart the soldier “Nothin’, ” “A bloody attack!” said. get over it—old Billy Boy croaking from a lousy heart attack. . . . A heart “Can’t attack—can you believe it?” Literary Focus Characterization What do you learn about Buffalo from this dialogue? The idea of it made Private First Class Paul Berlin smile. He help it. couldn’t of such a “Ever hear thing?” said Private First Class Paul Berlin, still smiling. “Not till now,” said the soldier in the dark. of a heart attack. “Me neither,” “Gawd, dying Didn’t know him, did you.” “No.” as “Tough nails.” “Yeah.” what happens? A heart attack. Can you imagine “And it?” said Private First Class Paul Berlin. He wanted to laugh. “Yes,” “I can imagine it.” And he imagined it clearly. He giggled—he help it. He imagined father couldn’t Billy’s opening the telegram: SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON BILLY BOY WAS YESTERDAY SCARED TO DEATH IN ACTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, SUCCUMBING TO A HEART ATTACK SUFFERED WHILE UNDER ENORMOUS STRESS, AND IT IS WITH GREATEST SYMPATHY THAT . . . He giggled again. He rolled onto his belly and pressed his face into his arms. His body was shaking with giggles.
“Rats. . . . Don’t matter, really. Goes faster if you don’t know the time, anyhow.” “Sure.” “What’s your name, buddy?” “Paul.” “Nice to meet ya,” he said, and in the dark beside the path, they shook hands. “Mine’s Toby. Everybody calls me Buffalo, though.” The soldier’s hand was strangely warm and soft. But it was a very big hand. “Sometimes they just call me Buff,” he said. And again they were quiet. They lay in the grass and waited. The moon was very high now and very bright, and they were waiting for cloud cover. The soldier suddenly snorted. “What is it?” “Nothin’, ” he said, but then he snorted again. “A bloody heart attack!” the soldier said. “Can’t get over it—old Billy Boy croaking from a lousy heart attack. . . . A heart attack—can you believe it?” Literary Focus Characterization What do you learn about Buffalo from this dialogue? The idea of it made Private First Class Paul Berlin smile. He couldn’t help it. “Ever hear of such a thing?” “Not till now,” said Private First Class Paul Berlin, still smiling. “Me neither,” said the soldier in the dark. “Gawd, dying of a heart attack. Didn’t know him, did you.” “No.” “Tough as nails.” “Yeah.” “And what happens? A heart attack. Can you imagine it?” “Yes,” said Private First Class Paul Berlin. He wanted to laugh. “I can imagine it.” And he imagined it clearly. He giggled—he couldn’t help it. He imagined Billy’s father opening the telegram: SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON BILLY BOY WAS YESTERDAY SCARED TO DEATH IN ACTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, SUCCUMBING TO A HEART ATTACK SUFFERED WHILE UNDER ENORMOUS STRESS, AND IT IS WITH GREATEST SYMPATHY THAT . . . He giggled again. He rolled onto his belly and pressed his face into his arms. His body was shaking with giggles.
where_have_you_gone_charming_billy.docx