Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:40:01 -0700
From: Richie-BlueAngel <richie-blueangel@cox.net>
Subject: Benji (Chapter 1)

Disclaimer:
This story is pure fantasy from a hopeless romantic boylover.  No part of
this story may be used without consent from the author. 

Feel free to send comments to richie-blueangel@cox.net.
Make sure to include the name of the story in the subject line.

*Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you have the
opportunity to change a person's outlook....try to do it in a positive
way. 


Characters:
Benjamin Scott Antler: age 8
Kathy Antler: age 42
Richie (Me): age 36


Chapter 1


It was a hot day, as always in Arizona, so I decided to go for a swim.  I
got out to the pool area and there he was, playing in the pool all by
himself, his mother not too far away looking after him.

Benjamin Scott Antler, as I would soon learn, was 8 years old and cute as
he could be.  Lightly tanned skin, soft blue eyes and dark brown hair.

I headed for the Jacuzzi to relax and figured I could watch him as he
played.  Closing my eyes for a moment, I was shocked when all of a sudden,
splash, and water is going every where.  I open my eyes to see Benji
standing in the middle of the Jacuzzi with a big smile on his face at
having got me.  Still shocked, I heard his mother yell at him for splashing
me.  I calmly told her "It's ok, If I didn't want to get wet I wouldn't
have come to the pool in the first place" at which point I started
splashing him back.  His mother looked at me kind of strange but said
nothing more.  We got to splash back and forth for a few minutes till his
mother called him to leave.

As they were leaving, many thoughts ran through my head, like any other
time I saw a cute boy out at the pool.  Who is he, what's his name, does he
live here or is he just visiting (a whole other story) and will I ever see
him again?  I stayed at the Jacuzzi for another thirty minutes before going
back to my apartment, still wondering would I ever see him again.

It was several days later before I saw Benji again, though I still didn't
know his name.  I had just gotten home from work early and with nothing
better to do, I went out to the pool again.  As I got there I spotted him
immediately and apparently he spotted me as well.  He yelled "Hi" and
waved.  I couldn't help myself; I waved back yelling "Hello!"  This time,
after putting down my towel, I dove into the pool instead of going to the
Jacuzzi.  As soon as I came up for air he was right next to me, with a
smile that wouldn't quit.  I said "hello" again to break the ice and he
asked if we could play again.  I said "sure" and told him I just wanted to
get used to the water and proceeded to go under again.  As soon as I came
up he started splashing me.  Well, that was it!  No way was I going to be
had again by this squirt!  Sure he's cute and all, but come on, the war was
on!  We went crazy, splashing each other over and over again.  Several
times I saw his mother looking over, but that was it.  What she thought I
didn't know and at the time I was having too much fun to care.  I figured
if she was really worried, all she had to do was call him to leave.

I don't know how long we played like that, but finally worn out, we calmed
down.  I got out and headed for the Jacuzzi with Benji right behind me.  We
both just relaxed for a while till his mother came over and introduced
herself.  Now up to this point I didn't know their names, nor they mine.
She introduced herself as Kathy and thanked me for putting up with
Benjamin.  She went on to tell me they had just moved in and Benji didn't
have many friends yet.  I told her my name (Richie) and said it was my
pleasure, that I was having a great time and it was just like being a kid
again.  They left a few minutes later.

It was over a week later before I saw Benji again.  I was checking my mail
and walked past the pool and there he was playing in the pool.  Well I just
had to stop and say hello.  As I got closer he started splashing me, till
his mother told him to stop because I was still wearing my clothes.  He
stopped but looked sad.  Well, we couldn't have that, so I said I was just
getting home and would be out in a few minutes.  This put a smile back on
his face.

As soon as I got through the gate, he was screaming at me, so I dropped my
towel and dove in after him.  I popped up just in front of him and was
ready for him this time.  Just as I came up I splashed him, catching him
off guard.  Seeing his "you'll get yours" look, I chuckled.  He wasn't
going to have any of that and was all over me, trying to dunk me.  Now up
to this point we'd never touched.  Well all bets were off now.  Here I am
with a very cute and playful little boy trying to dunk me.  I grabbed him
and threw him up in the air. He came right back asking to be thrown again.
So I grabbed him around his slim waist and off he went. He was loving it,
squealing and giggling the whole time.  Several times I caught his mother
looking on with slight concern but didn't let it bother me.  Like before, I
figured that if she's bothered, all she needed to do was call him to leave.

We played like that for I don't know how long, just both of us having a
good time.  Finally I needed some rest.  While playing with a fun-loving
boy is a great energizer, I was starting to get worn out.  So I headed off
to the Jacuzzi, with Benji right behind me.  I turned on the Jacuzzi and we
both got in.  At first we just relaxed for a few minutes.  I had closed my
eyes so I didn't realize he was watching me.  When I opened my eyes he was
staring at me.  I looked him straight in the eyes, and he blushed at having
been caught.  Not really knowing what to say, I started asking him some
simple questions, just to get us talking.  I asked him how old he was; he
told me eight.  I ask what grade he was in, he said he just finished third
grade.  I asked him about what kinds of things he likes, to which he
replied that he enjoyed swimming.  Big surprise there.

Our conversation went on for thirty minutes or so until the Jacuzzi shut
off.  Benji went over and restarted the timer, but when he returned,
instead of sitting on the opposite side from me, he sat right next to me.
I had my arms outside the Jacuzzi so when he sat down, I couldn't help
myself and started tickling his neck.  This just sent him off into a fit of
giggles.  We keep talking about many different things, just getting to know
one another, with me tickling his neck every now and again.  I was in
heaven!  Here I was sitting next to a wonderful boy just having the time of
my life.  Finally his mother said it was time for them to leave.  I
followed Benji out of the Jacuzzi and said my good-byes as we walked to our
towels.

The next afternoon after work, while again checking my mail, I saw Benji or
maybe I should say he saw me.  He was just riding around on his bike and
pulled up next to me to ask if I was going to be out at the pool.  I told
him I was thinking about it and asked if he was going to be going swimming.
He said he didn't know, as he wasn't sure if his mother wanted to watch him
swim today and asked me if I would watch him.  I said sure, as long as it
was ok with his mother.  I gave him my apartment number and told him to
drop by when he was ready.  Now I've played with other kids in the pool
before while they were there with a parent but never before had I looked
after any of them.  Sure, I made sure they were safe (Who wouldn't?), but I
was never responsible for any of them.

I hadn't been home more then fifteen minutes when there was a knock at the
door.  I opened it to find Benji standing there.  He wasn't wearing his
bathing suit, so I figured his mother must have said no and he was just
coming over to tell me.  He just kind of stood there not saying anything,
just looking sad and dejected.  I let him in and offered him a drink, which
he declined.  I sat down on the couch and asked him if everything was ok.
Finally, he confided in me that his mother had said no but he persuaded her
to talk to me first.

Well, apparently his mother wasn't so sure about me after all, or so it
appeared.  Anyway, I grabbed my stuff and followed Benji over to his
apartment.  As we were walking there, I started getting nervous.  I had no
idea what his mother was going to want to talk about, but had my
suspicions.  I also noticed that Benji seemed nervous as well.

When we got to Benji's apartment, his mother was in the kitchen puttering
around.  She offered me a drink and I accepted some water.  Benji and I sat
down on the couch and she gave me my drink, then sat down across from us,
not saying anything.

To Be Continued...