15

Crabapple Cove, Maine
Christmas Eve 1969

"I have an announcement everyone!" exclaimed Fr. Mulcahy.

"Go ahead father! What is it?" asked B.J. Hunnicutt.

"I'm leaving the priesthood! I've met someone, well I met her a long time ago in Korea, but I ran into her a few months ago at the hospital where I work. Well we went out for lunch and one thing led to another and I proposed to her because I had really come to love her, I've invited her over this evening, she should be here any minute, Hawkeye, Margaret I hope you Don't mind."

"No not at all father."

"Just John now."

"Does this mean our marriage isn't legal?" asked Hawkeye Pierce with a mock serious tone.

"Yea, mine too father, I mean uh... John?" asked Klinger.

"Oh no, don't worry they are still very much legal."

"So who is the lucky girl?" questioned B.J.

"Do you remember Gail Harris?"

"Yes, she was one of my nurses, she wanted to be a doctor."

"Yes, she is now."

"Well I'd like to propose a toast to John, may he and Gail have many happy years together, and that we always have these wonderful Christmas surprises," toasted Hawkeye.

Everyone couldn't believe the news, but the only one who could was B.J. because he knew of their brief romance in Korea. John and Gail were married on February 14, 1970 and the two adopted orphaned Korean twins.