Soft Boiled Sergeant

From Bananafish

Soft Boiled Sergeant Status Underpublished Original publication source Saturday Evening Post Original publication date April 15, 1944 Salinger.org rating 2.6 Previous Next Both Parties Concerned Last Day of the Last Furlough

Original art from the Saturday Evening Post

Originally to be titled Death of a Dogface. Here, a somewhat gruff army man tells of a friend and mentor in the army.

I looked up at him a couple of times, I figured I seen about the ugliest-looking guy I ever seen in my life. Even in uniform Burke was no beaut, but that first time I seen him he had on a fancy store bath robe, and in the old Army only Burke could get away with that.

Deck

A story that offers this unassailable recipe for permanent wedded bliss: Don't never marry no dame until you find one who will cry over a guy like Burke.

Sources

• (April 15 1944) Soft Boiled Sergeant. Saturday Evening Post CCXVI: 18, 32, 82-85.