TRAVELER
Chapter 171

by CARL DICKSON

Our hope is that every homosexual youth in this country can find a home and someone to love them as they are.
No one deserves to be discriminated against, no matter what their differences from society's norm
.

A tidy quote from chapter 137
"titles belong on books, not people" ©Carl Dickson—2007

Does your mother know you're reading this shit?

Warning: This story is PORNO. I have tried my hand at friction, now I'm trying fiction. This story contains vivid descriptions of sexual activity between men and teen boys.
It contains no truth, partial truth, or half truth. What it does contain is stroking material. If this kind of story turns you off, or offends you, please find something else.
The author does not encourage or condone sex between adults and underage children.

If you are underage, or if this is illegal where you are, then please go away. If you're under 18, Adios come back when it is legal for you to read this smut.
If you lied about your age in order to access this story, remember this is our story. Life doesn't always work out like a story.

A strongly worded suggestion has resulted in this statement.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitioiusly,
and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business
establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Thus said, this story is copyrighted, ©2005-2012. It is therefore illegal to copy or use any part of this story on any other web site without my written permission.


You may download the CHEROKEE TONT for free at this link. Dowload it, install it, then enjoy seeing the TSAIAGI names in this story. This font is included in the full version Send an e-mail for it.
    "Dad, do you know where Jay Jay is?" Jeff looked worried as he stood at my office door.
    "No, if he's not in the house he might be over at the dorm with Bahir."
    "Dadee, I am to here and Jay is no with me." I looked at the boy who was near tears. Something was wrong and I needed to find out what it was, quickly. The boys told me that Jay Jay had not come home from the concert two days earlier and that he was not answering his cell phone. Instantly I had his code entered into the computer. The cell phone was at Wilson High School and Jay Jay's signal was at the medical center.
    I was out of the door and into the nearest vehicle that I could get into as two boys buckled themselves in beside me. We had taken the 442 and I was glad that I had it equipped with lights and a siren as both were in use for our quick trip down the mountainside. I had Andy on my earbud as he checked the hospital records and found nothing about Jason Farley listed as either an in patient or an out patient. Andy did have the boy's signal on his screen, it was stationary in the portion of the hospital where the pediatrics intensive care unit is located.
    When I pulled up to the door nearest to the ward an FIS vehicle pulled in behind me. I left my keys in the car as an agent ran over to take my car to a parking space. Andy guided us through the hospital and eventually I spotted Jay Jay sitting with his head resting on the side of a bed where another boy lay with tubes in his arms, up his nose, and down his throat. I breathed a short sigh of relief, my boy seemed to be alright, but I knew nothing about the other boy.
    A nurse tired to make us leave, but I just pushed my badge in her face and asked Jay Jay to step out into the hall with me. I heard the nurse call for security. Moments later Smitty came around the corner accompanied by the nurse who was pointing at me.
    "Oh hi boss," Smitty said extending his hand to me. He was wearing new master Sargent's stripes on his uniform. I had hired the ex-city police officer before Cory Stevens was born in the same hospital where we stood facing a frustrated nurse.
    "Mam, this man is okay and he can go anywhere that he wants to at anytime that he wants to." That did not set well, but the nurse was out gunned. She turned on her heel and stalked off. I led Jay Jay to a chair sitting in the hall as Smitty retrieved another chair from a nearby room. I asked Jay Jay to quickly tell his brother and his boyfriend what was going on so that they could go sit in the waiting room. An intensive care ward, by its very name, is not a place to fill with people. We respect that and wanted to comply, as soon as we knew that our boy was okay.
    I sat with Jay Jay as he sat where he could see his friend. Jay had known Dwyer Noe since grade school. The two boys had been close friends at school. Jay never invited Dwyer around his family, but he enjoyed playing at the park or at school with his friend. The two boys had planned to slip off to talk after the concert on Sunday night.
    Jay Jay had gone outside and crossed over to a restroom away from the auditorium. When he entered the hallway he heard someone yell for help then he heard shouting and more cries for help. He hurried to the restroom door just as it opened and two bullies stepped out. One boy said, "Fucking queer, I'll kill his ass."
    The other boy looked at Jay and said, "You're next faggot," then the two moved on down the hall. Fearing the worst Jay rushed inside where he found Dwyer laying in a pool of blood and unconscious. Jay called 911 and sat with his friend until help arrived.
    He was crying as he told me that he was so scared that he forgot to call me. He held onto Dwyer's hand and would not let go. The paramedics came and tended to Dwyer, they agreed to allow him to go to the hospital with them in the ambulance. I managed to draw it out of Jay Jay that one of the paramedics was Jeff Taylor.
    Dwyer had been in a coma since the beating and Jay did not want to leave his friend's side. I asked him when he had eaten last and he shook his head at me and said that he hadn't. I told him that I was not pleased. Jay stood up to me and told me that he was not going to leave Dwyer for a minute. I made him listen to me and he agreed that he would go to eat if Jeff would stay with his friend until we returned.
    I led Bahir and Jay Jay to the car where we found Cory waiting with my Caddy SUV. An FIS agent handed Jay Jay his telephone, it had been turned into the school's office and had laid there for two days. Cory, ever thinking and always on the ball, had brought clean clothes for Jay Jay to change into. I asked Cory to drive as I had to almost lift Jay Jay into the tall SUV. The boy was dead on his feet, but I could understand, and admire, his desire to stay at his friend's side.
    Cory drove to a pancake house that is a mile east of the hospital where I knew that they have a wide selection of good food. I took Jay Jay straight through the restaurant and into the restroom after I took a menu from our waitress. I pulled Jay Jay's shirt over his head and then pulled his pants down before sitting him on the toilet. As I suspected the boy had not even stopped to tend to his own needs.
    I passed the menu to him and asked him to tell me what he wanted. He asked for a chicken fried steak with extra mashed potatoes and lots of gravy over all of it. I also asked Cory to order him a salad and a large glass of milk. Cory returned to the table to place our food order with the waitress as Bahir stood watch on the door. I stripped Jay Jay naked and washed his stinky body with paper towels and liquid handsoap. Of course he sprung right up there, but that was not what we were in the restroom to take care of. I did give him a kiss so that he would know that I wasn't upset with him.
    Once he was dressed and smelling better I rolled his dirty clothes up and passed them to Bahir, along with Jay Jay's dress shoes. He told me that his feet were dying because they had been trapped inside the hard shoes for two nights. Jay Jay sat down at the table and dug into his salad as if he had not eaten in two days, Cory and I sat together and smiled at the boy.
    The four of us enjoyed a good meal as well as each other. A nice menu item at that particular pancake house chain is their fresh, home baked pie assortment. All of us agreed on the French Silk chocolate pie. As we dug into the decadent desert I watched fatigue sweep over Jay Jay's face. I wanted to take the boy home and put him to bed, but I knew that he would resent that when he awakened.
    The following day was a school day. It was the final week of the year and the boys all had final exams to take. I took the boys back to the hospital then I asked Cory to take Jeff and Bahir home in the 442 as my young sentinel returned to his post.
    I had called Smitty from the restaurant and asked him to locate a wide, soft chair for me to sleep in with a young boy in my lap. When we returned to Dwyer's room there was a wide recliner waiting for me. The duty nurse was not happy with me, but I still had her outgunned.
    I had asked Jay Jay about Dwyer's family and he turned beet red with rage as he told me that the father had come to the hospital and he heard him screaming at the nurses to give his son a lethal injection. He had been told that his son was beaten up because he was an abomination and not worthy of his breath.
    I left Jay Jay holding his friend's hand as I went to the nurses station. The father had signed a DO NOT RESUSCITATE order. If Dwyer should aspirate, or slip into any life threatening seizure, the hospital had been ordered not to use extraordinary means to help him. I called JC and Bull to get a court order into my hands at once.
    Fifteen minutes later JC was at my side with temporary paperwork granting me full custodial care of the boy. My first act was to rescind the DO NOT RESUSCITATE order. Ten minutes later Bull had a court order signed by Judge Thoms in my hand. Dwyer was my ward. I looked at the nurse and told her that I was the boy's next of kin and that I would be spending the night at his bedside. She scowled, through a faint smile.
    Although it was only mid-day we were so deep inside the hospital that it was dark. Even then I drew the drapes across the front of the glassed in room where Dwyer lay fighting for his young life. I pulled the chair around so that Jay Jay could hold the boy's hand and sat him in my lap with only the lights from a large bank of medical monitors offering any illumination. I pushed Jay Jay's head to my shoulder and told him that I would take the first watch. Jay Jay kissed me and fell asleep.

    Dwyer began to stir around six o'clock, forty two hours after he had arrived at the hospital. I heard him first and moved suddenly which startled a sleeping Jay Jay still in my lap. Jay Jay leapt from my lap as Dwyer made a horrible sound around the tube down his throat. I quickly pushed the reclining chair against the wall and pulled Jay Jay to stand beside me a split second before a nurse rushed into the room
    Within seconds the small room was filled with people assisting the youngster, Jay Jay and I moved out into the hallway. A battery of machines, each sounding its own alarm, was once again silenced. The medical staff left the room, one at a time. When the last nurse stepped out she smiled at us, "Your friend is going to be alright. It is a relief to us that he is awake.
    "You may go back in, but understand that he will have a very sore throat and it will uncomfortable for him to talk. The doctor is on his way into the hospital and should be here in about fifteen minutes." I pushed Jay Jay toward the door, he grabbed my hand to drag me along with him.
    "Hey, dude." Dwyer's voice was raspy. I leaned forward so that he could see me.
    "You have been hurt and you should rest your voice. Don't try to talk right now. Jay is here with you and you are going to be okay." He looked at me with questioning eyes.
    "This is my dad, Chris. He now has custody of you and we will take you home with us when you get well. D, I love you and you are safe now. D…, I saw who done this shit to you, but I never said anything. The police want to know who it was and I think that they should go get those faggots and hang 'em."
    Fear crossed Dwyer's face then a slow smile walked across his thin mouth. "Tell them. Fuck that mic, let him get his." He started to cough and I told Jay Jay not to talk, but to just hold hands and let Dwyer feel his presence.
    The doctor came in and found Jay Jay sitting on the edge of Dwyer's bed still holding hands with his sleeping friend. Jay Jay started to rise and the doctor pushed him at his shoulder, indicating that he should stay seated. The doctor checked Dwyer over and smiled at us. Dwyer opened his eyes and the doctor asked him how he felt.
    "Like I been beat to hell," the boy rasped.
    "Rest your voice. You are going to be just fine in a few days. I am going to have to look at one more part of you." He looked at us and I rose to lead Jay Jay from the room. Dwyer gripped his hand and would not let go. "I need to check his testicles to see if the swelling has gone down. I don't wish to embarrass either of you."
    "I checked them myself, I just thought that he had bigger balls than when we used to go swimming together." Both boys giggled, which caused Dwyer more coughing.
    "You are Chris Dickson? I am Samuel Mastenbaum. I have heard a lot about you. I am told that you have temporary custody of my young patient?" He looked at the boy in the bed then back at me, "That is good. I will help you wherever I can." He raised the sheet a bit higher and indicated that I should look. What I saw made my blood pressure rise. The boys scrotum was discolored and the testes within were severally swollen. I guess the doctor could read my eyes as he shook his head. I hope that he was wrong, Dwyer is too young to loose his batter makers.
    A nurse stepped in to stick the needle of a syringe into the IV tube in the back of Dwyer's hand. In moments the boy was fast asleep. Dr. Sam looked at Jay Jay. "He will sleep soundly for six to eight hours. He is out of danger now, but you are not. I want you to go home and get some sleep, that is doctor's orders young man. You may come back this tomorrow when we will move your friend to another room."

    I practically had to carry Jay Jay into the house. I had called Cory and he met us at the door with Bahir at his side. The two boys led Jay Jay to his bedroom then Cory returned to our room and slipped into the bed beside me. I told him that I had a protein deficiency, he turned so that both of us could get our sleeping potion.

    Dwyer was awake and sitting up in his bed when Jay Jay and I returned the following morning. He had been moved into a private room in the pediatric's wing. A large window looked out into a quiet garden area that was filled with greenery. A small pond supplied water to five or six birds that flitted about in merry freedom. Dwyer pointed to the birds as Jay moved to give the boy a light kiss on the lips. Dwyer smiled. He asked if it was true that Jay would not leave his side for three days. Jay Jay told him that it was only two, but that he had ridden with him in the ambulance then he went to the room with him after he came out of surgery. Dwyer didn't know what had been done to him.
    Jay Jay explained that he had broken ribs and some teeth were kicked out. He told the boy that his spleen was injured, but that the doctor thought that it would be okay. He drew silent before turning to me, I nodded at him. He raised the sheet then looked back at me with a smile on his face. I'm a letch for boi goods. I slipped my hand under a sweet looking pair of young balls and lifted them gently.
    "I'm no doctor, but these look better than they did last night. I feel good about it, Jay." He smiled at me then told Dwyer that he had the world's biggest balls for two days, but that they looked good enough to eat now."
    Dwyer looked at Jay Jay and told him that they needed to talk about what he had to say at school when he was hurt. He had heard stories about what had happened to Jay and he needed someone to talk to. He was certain that he was gay. He had made the mistake of sucking the cock of Bane O'Bannion. Bane told his friends about a faggot cocksucker.
    Someone had told Dwyer's father and he had been chased out of his house. He went to the school concert as he tried to figure out where to go and what he should do. When he saw Jay Jay he knew that he had a friend that would not judge him and might be able to help him.
    Bane had been harassing Dwyer for several weeks. He saw Dwyer enter a restroom at the far end of the school, alone. The restroom was far away from the auditorium where the concert had been and the chances of them being seen were small. Bane and a friend followed Dwyer inside. Dwyer said that they jumped him at the urinal and began to hit and kick him as they yelled at him to die. They called him names and continued to beat on him, even after he was on the ground. He said that he didn't remember anything until he woke up with Jay holding his hand.
    I had my pocket recorder going, but I called for a police officer to come and take a statement. I placed a guard at Dwyer's door and a no visitors order at the nurse's station. Two days later we had a new boy in our house, balls and all. Dwyer is adjusting to his new family. He has to be careful with some foods until his teeth mend, the doctors were able to put all of them back into place.

    A cute face peeked in the door, "Is this Dwyer Noe's room?"
    "Hey KW, come on in man." Dwyer called out. Jay Jay jumped from his seat and ran over to the boy and shook his hand.
    "Hey dude, ain't seen much of you lately."
    The boy named KW looked at the tall boy with him and smiled. "Mr. Tim and I don't get out much. School is about all I can handle for now and Tim is up to his balls in finals at the U."
    "Sorry dad. This is Ken Worth, KW, get it? You know the truck…"
    "I'm not that slow Jay." I reached out to shake hands with the two visitors. "I am pleased to meet you. Your name must be Tim?"
    "Yes sir. I am Tim Evers." I was looking up into the clear blue eyes of an athletic looking young man that I guessed to be about twenty years of age. The hospital has a rule on the number of people that can visit at one time. As Dwyer's next of kin I would be allowed to stay, but I suggested to Jay Jay that the two of us go find something to do for a few minutes.
    Jay Jay kept looking back over his shoulder as we walked from the room. He saw me looking at him and smiled, "They're boyfriends. KW saved Tim's life a couple of years ago when he pushed him from in front of a drunk driver, but the car hit him and he ended up hurt pretty bad. Tim says that he owes his life to KW, twice. KW saved his life from the out of control car and then he saved it again when he made Tim fall in love with him."
    He was giggling as he recalled something. I stayed quiet as we took a seat in the family waiting room with a cold soda in our hands. "Dad, they are so funny. You will really like them." We sat in silence for several long minutes. Jay Jay would break out in giggles as he recalled something from his life.
    After about twenty minutes he sprung to his feet as KW and Tim came into the room. "Whazzup?"
    "Just hanging. Like I said, school has both of us going." I offered to buy sodas around and sat with the boys as they talked. Some of the stories that I heard made me want to know more and I invited them to come up to the house after graduation.
    Jay Jay quickly filled them in on the size of the family and the school. Tim scooted forward in his seat and told us that they knew about the school and wanted to know more. KW seemed excited when Jay Jay told him that he was a student at the school and that his brother Jeff was too. KW looked at me and then he asked about Jeff and his old friends.
    "Boys, I am proud that Jeff, and his friends Chad, Evan, Kyle, and Mark are all members of our household." I smiled at Jay Jay as he seemed about ready to go ballistic on me. I nodded at him.
    "And guess what? Our name is Dickson." He paused to watch KW's face. "Dad adopted all six of us and he is our father. He is the nicest guy a kid could ever have for a dad too." I had to tousle his hair, I am proud of all my boys, but I get gishy when they brag in front of me.

    Both boys were eager to come up the following week end. Monday had been the Memorial Day observed holiday, but I still hold out for the actual thirtieth day of May to go to the cemeteries to visit those that have given so much in the service of my country. I have three very close and highly decorated young Vets in my family, and of course Sven is the main love interest in the life of my first fuck buddy, Randy.
    I got an evil gleam in my eye as I asked the boys if they would share their story for our family story time. Jay Jay quickly agreed. I explained that I had a very heavy week coming up in New York City and part of my family would be away with me. After that the family has some very big life changing plans of their own that would take place on the beaches of Southern California throughout most of June.

    We took Dwyer home with us later that afternoon and I arranged for him to take all of his final exams so that he could move into his senior year of high school at BAW. One father and two bullies are resting in holding cells as the county prosecutor drafts charges of hate crimes and felonious assault with intent to murder, Dwyer's dad had paid the two boys for their handiwork.

    The time had come for a new batch of boys to spread their wings and go out into the world. A highpoint in every kid's life is his high school graduation. Living in my house with me were twenty two young men; each of whom had lived with me for at least three years—each one a part of my soul. I took all of them to the country club for a graduation dinner, no boyfriends or lovers, just graduating seniors.
    Country clubs like to show how snobby they can be and don't give a damn for what tastes good, they only want good taste. I was with some things with great taste that also taste good, but they were mine to taste, even though we were sure that a few of the staff had designs to gain a little carnal knowledge for themselves.
    I had spent some quality bed time with each boy and asked him what he would like to eat for his graduation dinner that could be eaten in sight of a mixed public. That stifled their ideas, but each of them told me that they would really like to have a huge piece of burned cow with all of the fixings. I had thought about rare, still mooing, prime rib, but a thick, artery clogging, steak cooked over cancer causing charcoal smoke did sound good.
    By no means will anybody ever call me a gourmet; I have simple tastes and would rather sit down to a bowl of pinto beans, without ham, and a thick slice of cornbread with a half a pound of real butter on it. A tall glass of milk to wash it down and I have a feast on my table. Of course if I get really ambitious a pile of greasy, thin sliced potatoes with a small amount of onion mixed in can clog my arteries as well as a piece of dead animal flesh will.
    I ordered a large pot of beans, cooked with only black pepper until the beans were tender and the water began to thicken, then the salt could be added. Cooking anything with salt is dangerous because salt releases antigens into the food when it is subjected to a long period of heat.
    Baked potatoes was the fare for a good steak, but they had to be accompanied by more fat and cholesterol than a modern army could consume in a single day. Pure butter, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, finely chopped chives, and artificial bacon bits round out a potato for me, but some of the boys like to spread a little chili con carne on their spuds. This was their meal and I ordered everything that any of them told me that he liked.
    The salad chef was a master and he prepared a salad bar for us to pick and choose from that rivaled the daily fare in our own home. The boys did feel a little disappointed when I would not allow them to whip up a little fresh dressing for each other, they had to settle for what the club served us.
    I do try to think of the boy's bodies—not in that way, perv, I'm talking about their health—so I asked for one pound top sirloin steaks for each of us. We could actually cut the fat and bad cholesterol by almost ten percent over the more popular fat cuts of T bone or porterhouse cuts. I know that most people will tell you that the flavor in a steak comes from the fat in the meat. I like to feel my heart beat against the flesh of my chest without a layer of fat around it to retard its beats. When I was born God granted me a certain number of heart beats. I don't know how many there are, but I want to keep that little muscle healthy so that I can enjoy every beat of my heart.
    No self respecting cow is going to walk into a greasy kitchen and lay his ass on a griddle and expect to be told that he tastes good. To properly burn a cow a bed of glowing coals from real wood should be used to start the process. Slow cooking under a tight fitting cover lets the carcinogenesis smoke permeate the flesh to flavor it, with the chance of health threats to the subsequent eater.

    I picked at my meal as I looked at boys who have become such a part of me; I regret their having to grow up. I suppose that I fear losing them, they are of age, or will be very quickly, and there is nothing to hold them from spreading their wings and leaving the nest.
    You have heard the story time and again, but I had to look at each young soul and recall the first time that he appeared in my life. The boys wanted me to vocalize my thoughts so I began at the beginning.
    "Turner, you nearly knocked me down when you ran from the restroom and cursed at a man who jumped in his car and sped away. My heart went out to you when you told me your story and I had to do whatever I could to help you find your brother. You made a big mistake when you made me fall in love with you and I am not ready to let you grow up." Turner's eyes were sweating as he came over to wipe the sweat off of my cheeks and told me that I wasn't about to get rid of him easily.
    "Alec, Trevor, the two of you were chasing each other around the campground while wearing the skimpiest of cut off jeans and I nearly lost consciousness from all of the blood rushing from my brain to my unthinking head. When Turner, Tyler, and I got your asses naked and in bed I did not want you to go home with your folks.
    "I am sorry about the loss of your mother, but I am thankful to your dad for bringing you to live with me for the past three and a half years." They both assured me that they had more pleasure from living in my house than I would ever know. I think that we all have a lot of fond memories of the time.
    "Jimmy sat between two buildings holding everything that he owned in the whole world to his chest holding no hope for his future. I got hold of a very stiff handle that was attached to the biggest bundle of love that I had ever met," I looked at him through eyes blurred by my sweat as I told the others how I met him. "I was overjoyed when you contacted me at Christmas time and I learned that you actually lived right here in town.
    "Babe, I know your love for me and believe me, I love you very much. I am so sorry that I can not be what you want me to be, but know this, my love will always be here for you, no matter where you choose to go in life."
    "I'm not going anywhere. Cullen and I have talked about it and we are going to take you and Cory with us when he has to go sit on his throne, but then we are coming back here and live until we are all so old that we have to go to a nursing home together. That got a big laugh from all of us as we looked over that picture of the future.
    "Lew, Cas brought you into the house and I just had to stare at your perfect beauty. You had the look of fear, but you looked like a lost boy. You were glad to be reunited with Cas, but you didn't know exactly what that meant.
    "I know that you call my house your home and I hope that you will continue to do so for many more years." I am not sure about Lew, Sean has told me that he thinks that Lew wants to go live close to his mother and go to school there. My fledglings are spreading their wings for their future.
    "Art walked into the fŗĩęñďşÇłųß when I was working the desk. He asked me for a cum and coke to drink and I was more than happy to molest his young body and try to give him whatever his hard desired."
    "You made me hard; I couldn't believe that I was actually with a man that could love a faggot like me…"
    "Arthur, don't go there. You are worthy of love and I hope that I have proven that to you. I did adopt you and give you my name didn't I? I would like to adopt each one of you, but some of you still have families that prevent my doing that.
    "Jan can tell you how I have to fight your families for the right to make you my legal sons. When Lew dragged you home from school you looked like a little lost puppy. I petted your favorite parts and decided to keep you. It took three years to clear the obstacles before us, but now you bear my name."
    "And I want you to know that I will honor my new name and I will make you proud of me."
    "Jan, you already have made me proud of you. If I ever have anymore pride in any of you my chest will swell up so large that it will burst apart." I do love my boys so much and even sitting at the table with them I feared losing them. I am sure that they will be around through college then I will have to go through this scene again.
    I looked at the Tucson six; I tried not to love those boys in the beginning. "You guys had been through so much hell and I did not want to add to your pain. I sat down at pizza with you, Jeff. Your brother Jay Jay told me everything about you as his mouth ran like a runaway train yet I could not help but love both of you.
    "The story that I finally got out of you ripped my heart right out of my chest and I knew that I had to help you. Your families and I have a long history and it was a battle for me. Not so much that night, but very shortly there after.
    "You got in the car with me and we went to find Mark, Chad, and Evan. Fuck dudes, I was in trouble. I molested Evan right in front of his mother and dad and they liked it. I took you with me and you watched me molest Mark in front of his mother and father, his father creamed his pants as he watched.
    "Chad, you were so perfect as you came to me and asked for service. I was ready to do oral service to you because I was hot as hell and needed hot, creamy protein. That was not what you wanted. I was surprised at the size of your cock, but you were eager to feel the size of mine up in you. You let me molest you on the front porch of Mark's house while your friends watched. I was impressed as you took my cock in your chute without any preparation or lube."
    Suddenly I realized that I had stepped over the line. Kyle was the first one to reach me, "Stop it!!! It's done and over, live with it, we do."
    "Dad, you sent us to the best doctor and he helped all of us to get through it. Why can't you let it go? Oh, daddy, if you hadn't come…well we don't know what might have happened."
    "Tell him Chad, he should know." I looked at Mark as all six of the boys were huddled about my chair as I waited for Chad to continue.
    "Daddy this is hard for us to talk to you about. We know about what you did to help all of us to become a family. Alim is Mark's boyfriend and Bahir is with Jay Jay, they talk when they are alone and we have learned all that happened in that castle.
    "We know what happened in France; you didn't kill that guy so let it go. But…" his face clouded and the other boys looked around the room, as if to make sure that we would not be overheard. "Daddy, dad…we are proud to know you and even more proud to bear your name. We have pledged to each other and now we will pledge it to you, in front of our brothers here assembled."
    All six of the boys came and stood around my chair. I was asked to turn and face them as they put their right hands across their chests and covered their precious hearts. "We pledge and swear forever to be the very best that we can become. We will never lie, nor cheat, nor steal as we go though life doing good where we can and making the name of Dickson a shining name for the world to remember."
    I don't know when you last had the chance to hug five large and beefy seventeen year old boys to you at one time, but that was the very best hug that I had ever had. I hope it won't be my last, but those boys have suffered much at the hands of those that they expected to protect and shelter them. My heart ached.
    "Cecil, I am proud of you. You fucked up, but you proved yourself as a man and took your stripes. You have worked hard and you earned every grade that you have. Nobody carried you, nobody gave you anything. You hunkered down and did your work with never a gripe. I am glad that you are a part of this family."
    "And I am glad to be a part of it. I talked to mum and da and I do want to go home for a bit this summer, but if you will have me, I would like to go on to college here. I got me papers back and I 'ave been accepted and I think that I am going for business administration. I told me da that I was going to come take over his seat at his bank and he told me that he would be proud to turn over the reins to me."
    Adam was sitting with Turner and their eyes were locked on each other. I felt as if they were about to slip under the table and into each other's pants. "Adam," his head spun around like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I am so very glad that you turned up in California. I can see devoted love in both of you and I hope that you two can be together forever and always.
    "Frank, I am so happy to have you for a son. I fell in love with you when you ran up to me and kissed me because your father was going to buy you a car with his dividend check. You have led as a true trooper. You are a terrific asset to our football team. You are an excellent student and you are a great guy. A very happy moment in my life was when I walked into the sheriff's office and was able to leave with you. I looked upon your bruised face and wondered if there was anyway that I could take you home with me and keep you forever. Babe, you have been a model son, one that I am very proud of."
    "Dad, when Mr. Rothsfeld jumped up and down on my body I knew that I couldn't be his son. Nobody would treat their son like that. I didn't know what to expect when you called me over to your car, but when you told me that you were going to take me to my boyfriend I just knew that everything about my life was fixing to change.
    "When you took me back to the lake where I had seen Jace a few days before, then he ran out to greet me…dad, I knew that I owed you my very life. I made a silent vow to honor you in my every act and deed. I have worked as hard as I could to make you proud of me so that you would never regret taking in a faggot that would rape and brutalize a boy smaller than himself." I got out of my chair and moved to kneel next to the boy. He threw his arms about my neck and we pulled close together.
    "You never needed to work to receive my love and acceptance. I hope that you may soon realize that all of the work that you did made you the strong one. You are the first son that the Congress of the United States gave to me and I will always cherish every moment that we have had together and all that we will have from this day forth."
    "Jace, you have a remarkable boyfriend here and I have enjoyed seeing the two of you grow together. I watched your progress through your first year at BAG Boys and I was impressed. When I killed the man that you knew as your father I wasn't sure what you would do, but you showed me a real man as we sat in St. Tropez for a few days.
    "You have more money than anybody else in the country, except me. You are neck and neck with Uncle Andy and I believe that you may have surpassed the personal wealth of most of our oil rich neighbors. You learned who your father was and you did not let it change you. You learned from your uncle about your money and yet you did not change. You are still one fine boy and one that I will always be proud to call my son.
    "There is not a dick swinger at this table that I am not proud of and I will always be more than happy to bend over backwards for you, if you need help."
    "Malcolm, you are a late comer to our family, but one that I am glad to have around. You blew your way into our lives and I know that your love for Ronnie is real. Ronnie still has two years of school to finish because of his captivity, but I know that he has progressed rapidly under your tutelage and I can only hope that you will continue to help him."
    "We have a young man here that has overcome so much adversity and started his race through life under the worst of circumstance. Bryan, it is only you that is responsible for your being here tonight. You overcame obstacles that nobody believed possible. You showed the world what a man can do when a man sets to work on it. There were those that wanted to hold you back, but you proved all of them wrong."
    "And you know why I proved them wrong? Because you believed in me; you wouldn't let them hold me back. You stood up to them and told them to give me a chance before they passed judgement. I had to work to prove to them that you were right, and I would do it again because you are the only one that ever loved me without expecting anything out of me
    "I know that my grandfather is rich and he has told me that everything he has will pass on to me. That is not love, dad. You are what love is, and everyone of us here knows it.
    "You stood up for Lance and Les and helped them to be placed in school where they could prove themselves. Dad, we talked when we got home that night and we vowed to help each other to be the best kids that you ever knew. We know now that we could never do that because all of the kids in the family are great kids and we all love them. But we would never know them to love them if you didn't believe in us and show us what love is." Lance and Les were at my chair as they each hugged me and kissed my cheek. I was almost out of it.
    "Vic, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You came from the very worst of circumstances and proved your mettle. You dove directly into your class studies and you have achieved remarkable grades. Your mind is like a steel trap, once you grasp onto a concept you make it a part of you. You have achieved a perfect four point zero grade average for the past two years and you were promoted a grade within two months of joining our family. I bow to you, Mr. graduating senior."
    "I bow to each and everyone of you." I stood and did so.
    "Sean, you had every advantage over the boys in the family yet you chose not to let that hold you back. You have proven yourself time and again. Your efforts on the football field will never eclipse your efforts in the classroom. You have always been an attentive participant in class and have shown great analytical skill as you work through a problem with little to no assistance."
    "Mike, my precious Indian cousin and my son; you never had any advantage in your early school years. You were bounced about from one military base to another and then you found yourself under the influence of a greedy man who only wanted to use you to his benefit.
    "We let his influence over you influence our feeling about your actions and we are truly sorry. I would like to think that our treatment of you made you strong, but I believe that the man inside made you the man that you have become. You dove into your studies in New York and never complained. You proved to the head of that school something that I told him many years ago.
    "We can measure a person's height, we can weigh them, we can test their IQ, but none of these matter if the person does not have the desire to succeed. Desire, gentlemen, the desire to be all that you can be is what each and every one of you possess. It has been your desire that has brought you together tonight. I don't care what motivated that desire, I am only proud that you have expressed it and have let it build you and shape you."

    I firmly believe that my boys need to begin to spread their wings and soar as eagles across the world. I expect each of them to share his values, hopes, dreams, and aspirations with others that cross paths with him. I have done what I can to help every boy that sought help from me. I have helped myself to all of their delicious attributes as often as possible. I was not always the one that instigated our personal liaisons, but I have never turned a single boy away.
    I was seeking a true motivational speaker to appear at commencement and was meeting stone walls everywhere. Homophobia knows no bounds in America. People that I knew would take any boy in my charge to his bed for a week of hot sex were afraid to be identified as having delivered a speech before a school of homosexuals.
    With no further time to locate anyone I yielded to my confidants and appeared before thee bright young faces that represent the future of your world and mine. We had our hearts warmed when many extended family members joined to see their young men walk across the stage for his little piece of sheepskin, his ticket to the world outside.
    I guess that I bore you with too many details when you have come to stroke the little fellow and go in to crawl up in bed with your unsuspecting wife. Just know that mothers that had been so vocal when they threw their son's belongings into the street. Fathers that had beat their sons for his perversion and loving grandparents that found themselves separated from a sweet child that was totally loved; all were seated behind the rows of young men decked out in their dark blue caps and gowns.
    I had no wisdom to impart. By that time in their lives the boys knew my values, my hopes for them, and my love. Bryan was the class valedictorian, an honor well earned. He made an impassioned speech that brought his grandfather and grandmother to their feet at its conclusion.
    I took the podium as I tried for one last time to offer some trite inspiration when a thought crossed my mind. I had heard parent offer her son a chance to mend their fences by returning to her home. For the first time in several months I watched Trey cling to his cousin-brother as Alec told his aunt that they had to line up for the grand procession and that she needed to take her seat.
    The Thomas brothers were sitting on the front row and staring at me as I tried to find the words to a short speech that was fitting to my special people. I smiled and said, "You are only as good as the company to keep. The world will be quick to tell you all that you can not do, but it is slow to step up with a 'job well done' when you show that you are not from the same mold as others around you.
    "You may shine as a star if you stand amongst the mediocre and not strive to attain a loftier position. The world loves to look up to a winner. You climb to the very top and ask for a ladder so that you can go higher still. Don't stand on the backs of others. Make your climb with your eye always on what is beyond. Take the time on your way to the top to offer your hand to another who is faltering, but don't fall back, for any reason. Keep moving forward. No battle was ever won in full retreat, it is always those that never learned the word quit that win."

So there you have it. Is your friction enhanced by my fiction?
Tell me about it at fisherman@iname.com
PREVIOUS    HOME    NEXT

50% of all donations go to NIFTY
to support their fine work.