Chapter 19: Massage
Rhys was not making empty promises. Alton More had described Rhys's miraculous massage to the brothers of Easy Company so many times, and in such vivid detail, that many of them had the distinct impression that Rhys was some kind of witch doctor.
Rhys didn't care what the brothers thought. The main reason Easy Company was chosen as the lead company for this march was because his training methods had improved their fitness so quickly, on top of the fact that they were already the hardest-training company.
"Hey, brothers of Easy Company! When we get to Atlanta first, I'll help you take some girls to the movies!" soldiers from First and Third Battalions shouted as they left the camp, forming up to head to the nearby train station.
"What a bunch of bastards," Perconte muttered under his breath.
"Hey! You bunch of cowards! You just wait and see Colonel Sink awarding us medals when we arrive!" Private Alley shouted back at the soldiers who had just mocked them. "You're just jealous!"
"Shut your mouth, Private!" Sobel's voice came from behind them. "You will be held responsible for your words. Now, you're going to run Currahee. You have thirty minutes. Move, move!"
"Sir?" Alley looked at Sobel in confusion, clearly stunned by the undeserved punishment.
"Captain," Winters said, walking over. "We are departing on a long-distance march tomorrow. It is not advisable to engage in strenuous exercise right before."
Sobel glared at Winters and shouted, "Lieutenant Winters, are you telling me not to punish a soldier who has committed an infraction? That is not the conduct of an officer."
Winters persisted. "What infraction did he commit?"
Sobel looked at Winters with surprise. In his experience, Winters rarely acted this way, questioning him to this extent. His gaze hardened. "Private, are you not going to run?" He ignored Winters, turned, and walked away, leaving his aide behind. "Keep a close eye on that private and report back to me."
"Yes, sir," the aide replied.
Alley had no choice. He shrugged at Winters and started running toward the mountain.
As soon as Captain Sobel was gone, some of the men couldn't help but grumble.
"Damned Sobel."
"God knows what will happen tomorrow. Does he want Alley to collapse on the road?"
Despite their anger, there was nothing any of them could do to help Alley.
In fact, Alley was completely exhausted. When he returned, he was soaked in sweat from head to toe. It was hard to imagine how he would endure the 118-mile journey the next day.
The other brothers had dispersed, but Rhys waited for Alley to return. He saw the utterly exhausted and dejected soldier walk back into camp. Rhys quickly went over. "Hey, Alley, how are you feeling?"
When Alley saw it was Rhys, he sighed helplessly. "I feel like I'm about to fall apart. I really don't know about tomorrow. Parks, can you help me? Like you helped More?" Alley's voice was filled with obvious hope.
Rhys smiled and walked closer. "That's why I was waiting for you. Come on, let's go to the barracks. Lie down on your bunk, and I'll give you a massage. I guarantee your strength and energy will be back to how they were before the run."
Rhys's gesture clearly moved Alley. He had only asked on a whim and wouldn't have blamed Rhys if he had refused. He never expected Rhys to be even more serious about it than he was.
"Thank you." Alley stammered, the words coming from the bottom of his heart.
Rhys's massage skills were no joke. Many of the men in the barracks loved to watch him perform his seemingly magical movements.
Rhys did this for two reasons: first, to help Alley recover his strength quickly, and second, to show the rest of Easy Company the power of his massage techniques. He wanted to give them confidence. This would be a great benefit on the long march ahead. After all, a journey like this depended less on physical strength and more on willpower, which often determined the final outcome.
"Ooooh—" Alley moaned as Rhys's fingers moved across his back, legs, and arms. It was a groan of pure comfort.
"Fuck," Guarnere swore. "Alley, is that better than being with a girl? Please don't make noises like that. It makes you sound indecent, like a total degenerate."
"No, no, Guarnere, it's like Parks's fingers are magic. Hmm… how do I put it? It's like pleasure in the pain. Yes, that's the feeling!" Alley couldn't keep his mouth shut.
"That's enough, Alley. You're exaggerating. It's just a massage," Rhys said, amused.
The watching brothers burst out laughing. But Alley didn't care. He just closed his eyes and enjoyed it.
"Alright, Alley, don't just lie there," Rhys said, finishing. He slapped Alley's backside a couple of times. "Get off the bed, move around, and see how you feel."
The effect was incredible. That was Alley's assessment. Although he was still tired, he was feeling much better. "I can't believe it worked so well, Parks. What do I have to worry about now? With you here, I think I could add another fifty miles with no problem."
Alley's expression was definitely not that of a liar, and for the brothers of Easy Company, this was fantastic news. Rhys Parks was now like the backbone of the company; many of the men trusted him completely.
Although this was just a small incident, its effect on morale was significant. The dejection among the men lessened, and some even began to dream that Colonel Sink might award them a medal when they reached Atlanta.
It also caught the attention of Lieutenant Winters. That evening, he called Rhys to his quarters.
"Lieutenant Winters, Lieutenant Nixon," Rhys said, standing at attention and saluting both men.
When Nixon saw Rhys enter, he smiled, poured a glass of liquor, and handed it to him. A slight smile touched Winters's lips. He returned the salute and said, "At ease, Staff Sergeant Parks. Relax. Sit down. We're just going to chat."
Rhys took the whiskey from Nixon and sat down in a nearby chair.
"Whiskey," Nixon said with a smile. "Vat 69. Try it, it's good stuff."
"Thank you," Rhys said, taking a sip. He smiled. "It really is good liquor."
Hearing Rhys's praise, Nixon laughed. "Finally, someone who appreciates it. You know, your Lieutenant Winters here is no fun at all. He doesn't even know what liquor tastes like. It's one of life's great regrets, I tell you."
"Perhaps a life without liquor is a life without regrets, Lieutenant," Rhys said with a smile.
"You really know how to side with your lieutenant," Nixon whistled. "Should I take this as you sucking up to your superior officer? Just kidding, of course," he added at the end.
Winters cleared his throat, a bit embarrassed, then smiled at Rhys. "Alright, let me tell you why I called you here. I know there have been some rumors in the company lately about your various abilities."
Rhys nodded. "I know, Lieutenant Winters. I have been in the spotlight quite a bit recently. And today I helped Alley. You know that I did it out of my love for the brothers of Easy Company. Nothing is more important to me than my love for this company. And you, sir, are one of the most respectable officers I have ever met."
Nixon smiled at Winters, as if to say, 'I told you so'.
"Parks, this is what I'm thinking," Winters said. "If any problems arise during this march, I hope you will step in at critical moments to help the brothers. You know we are supposed to be a single unit, united in mutual support, sharing both joys and hardships." He then looked at Rhys very seriously. "I don't want to lose a single brother from this company because of this march."
Rhys was deeply moved. Winters genuinely cared for every brother in Easy Company. He stood up and said solemnly, "You can rest assured, Lieutenant Winters. They are my brothers. I will do everything in my power to take care of them."
"Alright, Staff Sergeant. I hope what was said today does not leave this room," Winters said, looking at him frankly.
"Yes, sir. You can count on it," Rhys nodded and prepared to leave.
Nixon stopped him. "How do you like the liquor?"
"It's excellent."