Chapter 6 chapter Five

At first, war was a nightmare for Toby Temple. In the army, he was a complete nobody.Not only that, he was just a number in uniform like thousands of other soldiers.No titles whatsoever.No one knew his name either.He has become "black". He was sent to boot camp in Georgia.After receiving training, he was dispatched to England by ship.In England his troops were stationed at a barracks in Sussex.Toby told the sergeant that he wanted to see the commander.He only saw one captain.The captain's name was Sam Winters.He was in his early thirties, with a dark complexion and the appearance of an intellectual.

"What do you want from me, soldier?" "Well, Captain," Toby began, "I'm a comedian. Put on a show or something every day. That's what I did before I enlisted." Captain Winters smiled when he saw that he was serious. "So what's the show?" he asked. "A little bit of everything," Toby replied, "I, for example, imitated somebody, made fun of sarcasm, and . "Where are you performing?" Toby was about to speak, but stopped.There is no hope.The captain is probably only interested in places like New York and Hollywood. "You haven't heard of any of these places." Toby replied, knowing that he was wasting his time now.

Captain Winters said, "I don't have the authority, but I can see what I can do." "Of course," said Toby, "thank you very much, Captain." He saluted and exited. For a long time after Toby had gone, Captain Sam Winters sat at his desk thinking about the young man.Sam Winters enlisted because he believed the war had to be fought and won.But he hated the war because it would bring disaster to young people like Toby Temple.And if Toby had talent, he would succeed sooner or later.Because talents are like weak flowers and plants growing under the rock, they will grow gently and quietly, and no one can stop them from revealing their fragrance.Sam Winters was originally one of the Hollywood film producers.Now he gave up his wonderful career and enlisted in the army.He had made several successful films for Pan Pacific Films and had seen dozens of promising young men like Toby Temple.At least they deserve a chance too.

Later that afternoon the captain informed Colonel Beach of Toby Temple's condition. "I think we should try him out with the Secret Service," Captain Winters said. "I have a hunch that maybe he's really good. God knows, these soldiers deserve some entertainment too, if possible." circumstances." Colonel Beach glanced at Captain Winters and said coldly, "Okay, Captain, write me a memo." Then he watched Captain Winters walk out the door. Colonel Beach was a career soldier, a West Point graduate.He despises all civilian and military officers.In his opinion, Captain Winters was that kind of civil servant.It's just a military uniform, a military cap, and the rank of captain.In fact, he argues, that doesn't make a person truly a soldier.When Colonel Beach received Captain Winters' memo concerning Toby, he glanced at it, savagely and without thinking, scribbled a horizontal line across it, "This request is inappropriate," and marked it with his name. Initials signed the back.

He felt a burst of relief. Toby's greatest distress was the lack of an audience.He needs the audience to hone his sense of proportion and technique.He would tell a joke, do a parody or put on a routine whenever he got the chance.He doesn't care who his audience is or under what circumstances.Two soldiers with him on duty in the quiet of the countryside would do, or a bus full of soldiers on the town-bound bus, or just a soldier who helped cook, or a soldier who washed dishes.Toby was going to make them laugh and applaud him. One day, while Toby was performing one of his regular performances in the Civic Hall, Captain Sam Winters saw him.Afterwards, he approached Toby and said, "Temple, I'm sorry that your transfer didn't work out. I think you have talent. After the war, if you go to Hollywood, you can come to me." Then he smiled and said, "If I still have a job there."

The next week, Toby's battalion moved to the front line. In later years, when Toby recalled the war, he remembered not the battles, but his own story.In 2010, he performed a simulcast on Bing Crosby's records, which was a huge success.Now, he sneaked into the hospital, told jokes to the wounded for two hours, and was finally driven out by the nurse.He also remembered with glee a soldier who broke all the stitches in his wound after a fit of laughter.It wasn't popular with him, but Toby thought it was because the Nazi planes were flying overhead and the audience was too nervous.

The battles Toby went through were insignificant.He had been praised for his valor when he captured a German orderler.In fact, Toby didn't know what happened to him at the time.He was playing John Wayne, and he was so engrossed in it that it was over before he could get scared. In Toby's view, making people happy is what matters.In Cherbourg, France, he visited a brothel with two of his friends.The two friends went upstairs, but Toby remained in the living room, telling jokes to the landlady and the other two girls.After finishing speaking, the proprietress sent him upstairs and entertained him for free.

This is Toby's war.All in all, it wasn't a very bad war.time flies.When the war ended, in 1945, Toby was almost twenty-five.As far as appearance is concerned, it's as if he hasn't lived a day, the same sweet face, seductive blue eyes, and indelible expression of innocence. Everyone is talking about coming home.Someone has a bride waiting in Kansas City; someone has parents waiting; or a business in St. Louis.But Toby has nothing.Only reputation, reputation awaits him. He decided to go to Hollywood.This is the time for God to fulfill his promise. "Do you know God? Have you ever seen the face of Jesus? I have seen Jesus, brothers and sisters, and I have heard His voice, but only those who kneel before Him and confess their sins, Jesus is right." They speak. God hates the unrepentant. God has drawn the bow of punishment, and his arrows of righteous anger are aimed at your sinful hearts. He will shoot them at any time, and let the arrows of vengeance pierce your hearts! Head up Look at God before it's too late!"

Josephine looked up at the roof of the tent and was terrified.She dreaded to see the fiery burning arrow shot towards her.She clutched her mother's hand tightly, but her mother paid no attention.Josephine's face was flushed, and her eyes were bright and passionate. "Praise Jesus!" cried the assembly. On the outskirts of Odessa, the revival meeting was held in a huge tent, and Mrs. Zinski, with her daughter Josephine, attended all the meetings.The preacher's pulpit, a platform of wood raised six feet above the ground.Immediately in front of the pulpit is the Circle of Glory.Sinful people are brought here to repent and repent.Rows of hard wooden benches outside the circle of glory were crowded with believers singing hymns and fanatically seeking salvation.Hell and the threat of eternal torment filled them with dread.For a six-year-old, it was terrifying.Evangelist is an umbrella term for fundamentalists, religious zealots, Pentecostalists, Methodists, and rebirthists.They all tell of hellfire and God's punishment.

"Kneel down, you sinful people, tremble before the power of the Lord! Your sinful deeds have broken the heart of Jesus Christ, and for this you will be punished by the wrath of the Father! Look at these young children around you face, conceived of lust, and full of sin." Little Josephine felt so ashamed that everyone was watching her.When her headache came, Josephine knew that this headache was God's punishment.Every night, she prayed that the headache would go away so she would know God had forgiven her.She really wants to know what things she did are bad. "I'm going to say hallelujah, you're going to say hallelujah, when we get home we're all going to say hallelujah."

"Wine is the devil's blood, smoke is the devil's breath, and adultery is the devil's pleasure. If you have sinned with the devil, you should sink into hell forever, burn yourself with fire, and never recover, because the devil is coming to take you go!" Josephine looked around tremblingly and grabbed the wooden bench, fearing that the devil would take her away. They sang: "I want to go to heaven and find the peace I have been looking for for a long time." But little Josephine heard it wrong, and she sang: "I want to go to heaven and wear my long short clothes." After thunderous sermons, miracles will follow.Josephine would be horrified and curious to see rows of disabled men and women limping, crawling, or sitting in wheelchairs, walking towards the circle of glory.Here, the priest touches them with his hands and empowers them with the power of the Father to give them healing.So they threw away their canes and crutches, and some of them babbled hysterically in strange tones, which made Josephine cringe even more. At the end of a revival, there is always a basket of money to be passed around. "Jesus is watching you—he hates misers." The revival is over.However, the fear in Josephine's heart will last for a long time. In 1946, people in Odessa, Texas liked dark brown.Long ago, when the Indians lived there, people liked the sand of the desert.What people like now is oil. In Odessa, there are two kinds of people: those who are in the oil business and those who are not.People in the oil business don't look down on those other people -- they just regret that other people didn't get to be in the industry.Because sure, God wants to make people happy, to have private jets, fancy cars, swimming pools, and the money to throw champagne parties for hundreds of people.It was God who gave Texas oil. What Josephine Zinski didn't know was that she was one of those people outside the oil industry.At the age of six, Josephine Zinski was a beautiful little girl.Shiny black hair, a pair of dark brown eyes and a lovely oval face. Josephine's mother was a skilled seamstress who worked for the rich men of the town, turning bolts of the finest cloth into stunning evening gowns.She always brought Josephine with her when she had the oil ladies try on clothes.Those in the oil business liked her because she was a very polite and affectionate kid.Moreover, they were relieved to like the little girl.Because they think it is a manifestation of their democratic spirit that they can let a poor kid from the other side of the town interact with their children.Josephine is Polish, but she doesn't look like one.Although she was by no means a member of that club, they were more than happy to invite her to some events.They allowed Josephine to play with the children of the oil industry with their bicycles, ponies, and hundred-dollar dolls.So, she lived a double life from a young age.Her home was a small thatched hut with partition walls and shabby furniture.The water pipe was outside the door, and the door was also distorted.This is her home.Besides, she was constantly in and out of the gorgeous colonial mansions on the estate.If Josephine stayed overnight at Sussie Toppin's or at Lindy Fowlin's, she had a large room to herself, and breakfast was served by a maid and maid.Josephine liked to get up in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, and look at the beautiful furnishings in the room, the beautiful paintings, the heavy custom-made silver, and the relics worn by time and history.She would study these things, touch them, and think to herself that one day she would have them all.Someday she too will live in a mansion surrounded by all these goodies. But despite her double life, Josephine felt terribly lonely.She dared not talk to her mother about her headaches and her fear of God.Because her mother has become more and more fanatical and devout, she seems to be obsessed with God's punishment, and even welcomes this kind of punishment.Josephine also didn't want to talk about her fears with the kids in the oil industry.Because they expect her to be as cheerful and happy as they are.Therefore, Josephine could only hide her fear in her heart and bury it deeply. On the day of Josephine's seventh birthday, the Brubecker department store held a competition for the photo of the most beautiful child in Odessa.Photos of children entering the competition must be taken by the department store's photography department.The prize is a gold cup with the winner's name engraved on it.The gold cup is in the window of this department store.Josephine went to the window every day to look at the trophy.She yearns for this trophy more than she desires for anything in her life.Josephine's mother did not allow her to enter the competition. "Vanity is the devil's mirror," she said.But there was a woman in the oil business who liked Josephine so much that she offered to pay for her photoshoot.From then on, Josephine was sure, the golden cup was hers.She imagined that the gold cup was already on her dresser.She wipes it carefully every day.When Josephine was about to enter the finals, she was too excited to go to school.She lay in bed all day, thinking about it over and over again.Her happiness simply overwhelmed her heart.You know, this is the first time for her to get the most beautiful thing she has longed for. But the next day, Josephine found out, and the contest was won by Tina Hudson.Tina Hudson is a child of the oil industry.Tina was far less beautiful than Josephine.However, Tina's father happened to be a member of the department store's board of directors. When Josephine heard the news, her head ached immediately.It hurt so much that she wanted to cry.But she's afraid God knows.What a precious thing that beautiful gold cup meant to her, but God must know, because her head continued to ache.At night, she hugged her pillow and cried, so that her mother could not hear her cry. A few days later, the contest was over and Josephine was invited to spend the weekend at Tina's house.The golden cup was covered with a layer of tulle and stood in Tina's room.Josephine gazed at the golden cup for a long time. After Josephine brought the gold cup home, she hid it in a small box next to her bed.When Tina's mother came to the door specially for this, the gold cup was still in the box, and Tina's mother took the gold cup away. Josephine's mother beat her hard with a long green stick.However, Josephine does not resent her mother. For a few minutes she played with the beautiful golden cup in her hand; those few minutes were worth all her pain.

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