Fourth company starts off by the narrator talking about his time in the military. He states that even though he failed the exam to become an officer and even though no such title really existed, he was awarded the title of “honorary” sergeant. He didn’t have the two red stripes on the green shoulder strap of his left arm (signify the mark of a sergeant), but he still sat shoulder to shoulder with the officers and NCOs.
One day the sentry or a solider standing guard came up to him and exclaimed that the captain wanted to speak to him. He quickly stuffs his mouth with the largest chunk of bread that was soaking in the soup, and got up to go. He marched into the captain’s office, but the captain wasn’t too quick to notice him standing there. After the captain acknowledges him, the captain explains that Sadi Barlas, the regimental battalion commander had requested a sergeant from the Fourth Company. The narrator quickly runs to speak to Sadi Barlas and is informed that he will be replacing the sergeant stationed in the regimental HQ. Barlas asks what does he knows about highway maintenance and explains to him that there will be a parade the following day and that the general will be inspecting it, and that the parade ground is a disgrace. He suggests that the narrator enlists a hundred and twenty men, ten from each company to level out all of the potholes in the ground.
The narrator proceeds to go to the parade grounds and inspect the area finding that the clay was as hard as rock and that the rain from two days earlier hadn’t even sunk in a centimeter. He then went round to each company and enlisted twenty men instead of the suggested ten. Pick-axes, shovels and wheelbarrows were passed out among the men and the digging begun. All day long they dug, carted earth and filled up holes to almost no avail. Dusk was falling and the men took their first break since lunchtime. The narrator asked if any men know how the to play the Black Sea fiddle or the Zurna (drum)....