Cassie DePeckel

Sap from rubber trees can keep bandages in place.

Stringy fibers from banana leaves can be woven into mosquito nets and pillowcases.

To fill the pillows, they can use fluff from the seed pods of kapok trees.

By the time she wraps up, Steward realizes she's been speaking for an hour.

The other nurses applaud.

Steward blushes.

She wishes her husband Jerry could see her.

She's never been certain where she stands with the Navy nurses, being a civilian and the only Filipina among all these Americans.

But today, she feels proud.

Chief nurse Laura Cobb hears a knock on the infirmary door and braces herself.

She's fearful of the confrontation she expects to occur.

She's worried things could even get violent.

She opens the door to find the medical officer for the local garrison of Japanese troops, who are stationed a few miles from Los Banos.

He sent word he wanted to see Cobb today.

She doesn't hold the officer, whose name is Shigeru, in high regard.

He freely admits he knows nothing about medicine.

He comes from a rich family and simply wanted an easy job in the army.

So every few days, he stops by to see Cobb with a list of ailments his soldiers are suffering from.

He expects her to write down remedies.

As usual, Shigeru starts with pleasantries.