Catch 22

The biggest catch there is. ...

When I was in the 11th grade, I ran across a paperback on a drugstore book rack that had a bomber and airman on a bright blue cover, and the title "Catch 22".

I had never heard of the book, but it looked like a novel about World War II derring do. So I bought the tome and took it home to read. And QUICKLY discovered "Catch 22" was something WAY different than an adventure novel. Like for instance:

... "I want someone to tell me," Lieutenant Scheisskopf beseeched them all prayerfully. "If any of it is my fault, I want to be told."

"He wants someone to tell him," Clevinger said.

"He wants everyone to keep still, idiot," Yossarian answered.

"Didn't you hear him," Clevinger argued.

"I heard him," Yossarian replied. "I heard him say very loudly and very distinctly that he wants every one of us to keep our mouths shut if we know what's good for us."

"I won't punish you," Lieutenant Scheisskopf swore.

"He says he won't punish me," said Clevinger.

"He'll castrate you," said Yossarian. ...

And so on and so forth.

"Catch 22" is one of the great, wise novels of the 20th century, highlighting the insanity of war, the insanities of life. Some critics think it's over the top, but funny thing: I've run across veteran after veteran who's said to me, "yup, that's just what the Army/Navy/Air Force is like ..." But then, author Joseph Heller flew sixty combat missions in B-25s during World War II, so he knew what he was writing about.

Me? I recognized Heller's military after I'd been on active duty for six months. I was attending my third group meeting held by an amiable warrant officer. His standard response to every complaint and unhappy question was: "I hear what you're saying, but I can't do anything about that ..."

A petty officer in the back of the room finally said, "So what are these meetings FOR then?" The warrant officer smiled, shrugged and said, "Command wants me to hold them, and answer questions."

(The words "CATCH 22" flashed through my E-3 brain.)

Hollywood is taking another run at Heller's novel with a six-hour miniseries that drops on Hulu in a week. The trailers I've seen look good, but reviews have been mixed. Several critics give the six-hour series an "A" for effort, but say that it hasn't captured the full width and breadth of the novel.

But that makes sense. Because there is likely no way in hell that it could.