Perconte is vigorously brushing his teeth. "Keep cleaning those teeth, and the Germans will see you a mile away," jokes Skinny Sisk, his hole-mate. That sounds so saucy. It looks like wordplay is about the only fun we're going to have for the next nine pages or so. Roe descends and unceremoniously grabs Perconte's knapsack, dumping out the contents until he locates the hidden scissors. Perconte is steamed, but he can't fight too hard because Roe's the doctor and his needs are generally for nobler causes. Roe should abuse his power and demand medicinal earmuffs. Before Perconte can really protest, though, Roe is already gone, bolting past Gonorrhea's hole with a quick hello. "Marlene, is that you?" he jokes, then realizes the running man is Roe, and takes off after him. Meanwhile, Alley and Liebgott are singing, trying to stay merry in the hope that merriness can beget warmth. They're singing with an almost drunk vigor; contrary to the evidence, they claim to be without morphine. Gonorrhea grabs Roe and begs for help -- he still has "the itching, and every time I pee, it's murder!" Oh, my! Could it be that Gonorrhea got gonorrhea from a nubile townswench somewhere? That would be too pretty. Roe apologizes, but says he's got no penicillin, then notices a lieutenant nursing sore feet. Gently, Roe suggests he loosen his boots but keep them on, taking care to walk on his foot whenever possible. Finally, he tells Gonorrhea that he's sorry about his crotch, but that he should drink lots of water, which is that bogus cure-all everyone suggests for cleaning the body of disease. I prefer drinking plenty of Diet Coke and moving as little as possible from my bed. Gonorrhea doesn't like that answer, either. "Water? It's pissing that hurts!" he moans.

Finally, Roe gets another moment alone. A signal of some kind -- probably a flare -- shoots up into the sky and explodes like a firework, lighting the surrounding area. Roe stares at it, and recites a prayer which, set to music and modified slightly, is also a popular Catholic hymn called "Make me a Channel of Your Peace." And I'm totally calling my mother in a second, because she will never believe that I remember all this. Roe's recitation is as follows: "O Lord, grant that I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, and be loved, as to love with all my heart." Grimly, Roe tips his head back and repeats the last line, seeking some kind of guidance. If my count is correct, he's been to thirteen holes so far, back and forth and around and answering everyone's questions and risking his safety to ensure everyone else's. Fade to white.