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“Catch-22” <strong>By</strong> <strong>Joseph</strong> Heller 179<br />
‘Because Scheisskopf has experience with parades, and you haven’t. You can call off<br />
U.S.O. shows if you want to. In fact why don’t you? Just think of all the places that won’t<br />
be getting a U.S.O. show on any given day. Think of all the places each big-name<br />
entertainer won’t be visiting. Yes, Cargill, I think you’ve hit on something. I think you’ve<br />
just thrown open a whole new area of operation for us. Tell Colonel Scheisskopf I want<br />
him to work along under your supervision on this. And send him in to see me when<br />
you’re through giving him instructions.’<br />
‘Colonel Cargill says you told him you want me to work along under his supervision on<br />
the U.S.O. project,’ Colonel Scheisskopf complained.<br />
‘I told him no such thing,’ answered General Peckem. ‘Confidentially, Scheisskopf, I’m<br />
not too happy with Colonel Cargill. He’s bossy and he’s slow. I’d like you to keep a close<br />
eye on what he’s doing and see if you can’t get a little more work out of him.’<br />
‘He keeps butting in,’ Colonel Cargill protested. ‘He won’t let me get any work done.’<br />
‘There’s something very funny about Scheisskopf,’ General Peckem agreed<br />
reflectively. ‘Keep a very close eye on him and see if you can’t find out what he’s up to.’<br />
‘Now he’s butting into my business!’ Colonel Scheisskopf cried.<br />
‘Don’t let it worry you, Scheisskopf,’ said General Peckem, congratulating himself on<br />
how adeptly he had fit Colonel Scheisskopf into his standard method of operation.<br />
Already his two colonels were barely on speaking terms. ‘Colonel Cargill envies you<br />
because of the splendid job you’re doing on parades. He’s afraid I’m going to put you in<br />
charge of bomb patterns.’ Colonel Scheisskopf was all ears. ‘What are bomb patterns?’<br />
‘Bomb patterns?’ General Peckem repeated, twinkling with self-satisfied good humor.<br />
‘A bomb pattern is a term I dreamed up just several weeks ago. It means nothing, but<br />
you’d be surprised at how rapidly it’s caught on. Why, I’ve got all sorts of people<br />
convinced I think it’s important for the bombs to explode close together and make a neat<br />
aerial photograph. There’s one colonel in Pianosa who’s hardly concerned any more<br />
with whether he hits the target or not. Let’s fly over and have some fun with him today. It<br />
will make Colonel Cargill jealous, and I learned from Wintergreen this morning that<br />
General Dreedle will be off in Sardinia. It drives General Dreedle insane to find out I’ve<br />
been inspecting one of his installations while he’s been off inspecting another. We may<br />
even get there in time for the briefing. They’ll be bombing a tiny undefended village,<br />
reducing the whole community to rubble. I have it from Wintergreen—Wintergreen’s an<br />
ex-sergeant now, by the way—that the mission is entirely unnecessary. Its only purpose<br />
is to delay German reinforcements at a time when we aren’t even planning an offensive.<br />
But that’s the way things go when you elevate mediocre people to positions of authority.’<br />
He gestured languidly toward his gigantic map of Italy. ‘Why, this tiny mountain village is<br />
so insignificant that it isn’t even there.’ They arrived at Colonel Cathcart’s group too late<br />
to attend the preliminary briefing and hear Major Danby insist, ‘But it is there, I tell you.<br />
It’s there, it’s there.’<br />
‘It’s where?’ Dunbar demanded defiantly, pretending not to see.<br />
‘It’s right there on the map where this road makes this slight turn. Can’t you see this<br />
slight turn on your map?’<br />
‘No, I can’t see it.’<br />
‘I can see it,’ volunteered Havermeyer, and marked the spot on Dunbar’s map. ‘And<br />
here’s a good picture of the village right on these photographs. I understand the whole<br />
thing. The purpose of the mission is to knock the whole village sliding down the side of<br />
the mountain and create a roadblock that the Germans will have to clear. Is that right?’<br />
‘That’s right,’ said Major Danby, mopping his perspiring forehead with his<br />
handkerchief. ‘I’m glad somebody here is beginning to understand. These two armored<br />
divisions will be coming down from Austria into Italy along this road. The village is built<br />
on such a steep incline that all the rubble from the houses and other buildings you<br />
destroy will certainly tumble right down and pile upon the road.’<br />
‘What the hell difference will it make?’ Dunbar wanted to know, as Yossarian watched<br />
him excitedly with a mixture of awe and adulation. ‘It will only take them a couple of days<br />
to clear it.’ Major Danby was trying to avoid an argument. ‘Well, it apparently makes