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mose say i can bunk with him till i find a place； but it is a terrible lonely time。 since we ain'；t
playin none for the moment； there ain'；t nothin much to do； an i be thinkin maybe it'；s time i go on
back home an see my mama an maybe start up that little srimp bidness down where po ole bubba
used to live。 perhaps i is not cut out to be a rock an roll star。 perhaps； i think； i ain'；t nothin but a
bumblin idiot anyhow。
but then one day mose e back an he say he was over to a saloon on the corner watchin
the tv news； an who should he see but jenny curran。
she is down in washington； he say； marchin in a big demonstration against the vietnam
war； an mose say he wonderin why she botherin with that shit when she ought to be up here
makin us money。
i say i has got to go see her； an mose say； 〃well； see if you can bring her back。〃 he say he
knows where she probly is stayin； on account of they is this group from boston that has taken an
apartment in washington to demonstrate against the war。
i packed up all my shit— everthin i own— an thanked mose an then i am on my way。
whether i e back or not； i do not know。
when i get down to washington； everthin is a mess。 they is police everwhere an people be
shoutin in the streets an thowin things like in a riot。 police be bongin folks on the head what thow
things； an the situation look like it be gettin out of han。
i find the address of the place jenny might be at； an go over there； but ain'；t nobody home。 i
waited on the steps for most of the day； then； bout nine o'；clock at night； a car pull up an some
folks get out an there she is！
i get up from the steps an walk towards her； but she turn away from me an run back to the
car。 them other people； two guys an a girl； they didn'；t know what to do； or who i was； but then
one of them say； 〃look； i wouldn'；t fool with her right now— she is awful upset。〃 i axed why； an
the feller take me aside an tell me this：
jenny has done jus got out of jail。 she have been arrested the day before； an spent the night
in the women'；s jail； an this mornin； fore anybody could get her out； the people at the jail done said
she might have lice or somethin in her hair cause it so long an all； an they had all her hair shaved
off。 jenny is bald。
well； i reckon she don'；t want me to see her this way； cause she has done got into the back
seat of the car an is lyin down。 so i crawled up on my hans an knees so i couldn'；t see in the
winder； an i say； 〃jenny— it'；s me； forrest。〃
she don'；t say nothing； so i start tellin her how sorry i am bout what'；s happened。 i tell her i
ain'；t gonna smoke no more dope； nor play in the band no more on account of all the bad
temptations。 an i say i'；m sorry bout her hair。 then i crawled back to the steps where my shit is；
an looked in my duffelbag an find a ole watch cap from the army an crawled back to the car an
stuck it on a stick an polked it thru the winder。 she took it； an put it on； an e out of the car； an
say； 〃awe get up off the groun you big bozo； an e into the house。〃
we set an talked for a wile； an them other people been smokin dope an drinkin beer； but i
ain'；t havin none。 they is all discussin what they is gonna do tomorrow； which is that they is a big
demonstration at the u。s。 capitol at which a bunch of vietnam veterans is gonna take off they
medals an thow them on the steps of the capitol。
an jenny suddenly say； 〃do you know forrest here done won the congressional medal of
honor？〃 an everbody get pletely quiet an be lookin at me； an then at each other； an one of
them say； 〃jesus christ have just sent us a present！〃
well； the next mornin； jenny e into the livin room where i is sleepin on the sofa an say；
〃forrest； i want you to go with us today； an i want you to wear your army uniform。〃 when i axed
why； she say； 〃because you is gonna do somethin to stop all the sufferin over in vietnam。〃 an so
i get into my uniform； an jenny e back after a wile with a bunch of chains she has bought at
the hardware store； an say； 〃forrest； wrap these aroun you。〃
i axed why again； but she say； 〃just do it； you will find out later。 you want to make me
happy； doesn'；t you？〃
an so off we went； me in my uniform an the chains an jenny an the other folks。 it is a bright
clear day an when we get to the capitol they is a mob there with tv cameras an all the police in
the world。 everbody be chantin an hollerin an givin the finger to the police。 after a wile； i seen
some other guys in army uniforms an they was bunched together an then； one by one； they
menced to walk as close as they can get to the steps of the capitol an they took off they
medals an thowed them。 some of the fellers was in wheelchairs an some was lame an some was
missing arms an legs。 some of them jus tossed they medal on to the steps； but others really
thowed them hard。 somebody tap me on the shoulder an say it is my turn now。 i look back at
jenny an she nod； so i go on up there mysef。
it get sort of quiet； then somebody on a bullhorn announce my name； an say i is gonna thow
away the congressional medal of honor as a token of my support for endin the vietnam war。
everbody cheer an clap； an i can see the other medals lyin there on the steps。 high above all this；
up on the porch of the capitol； is a little bunch of people standin aroun； couple of cops an some
guys in suits。 well； i figger i gotta do the best i can； so i take off the medal an look at it for a
secon； an i be rememberin bubba an all； an dan； an i dunno； somethin e over me； but i got to
thow it； so i rare back an heave that medal hard as i can。 couple of seconts later； one of the guys
on the porch that is wearin a suit； he jus keel over。 unfortunately； i done thowed the medal too far
an knocked him in the head with it。
all hell break loose then。 police be chargin into the crowd an people be shoutin all sorts of
things an tear gas bust open an suddenly five or six police pounced on me an mence knockin
me with they billy sticks。 a bunch more police e runnin up an nex thing you know； i am
handcuffed an thowed in a police wagon an hauled off to jail。
i am in jail all night long； an in the mornin they e an take me in front of the judge。 i has
been there before。
somebody tell the judge that i is accused of 〃assault with a dangerous weapon— a medal—
an resistin arrest；〃 an so on an han him a sheet of paper。 〃mister gump；〃 the judge say； 〃do you
realize that you have conked the clerk of the u。s。 senate on the head with your medal？〃
i ain'；t sayin nothin； but it look like i am in serious trouble this time。
〃mister gump；〃 the judge say； 〃i do not know what a man of your stature； a man what has
served his country so well； is doin mixed up with a bunch of tuity…fruities that is thowin away
their medals； but i will tell you what； i is gonna order you mitted for psychiatric observation
for thirty days to see if they can figger out why