Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 15:02:57 -0500 From: Eff Del Subject: the oak and the ash-chapter 9 The Oak and the Ash-Chapter 9 By Eff Del Nolitimere156@gmail.com There's just a basic truth about anxiety. Anxiety is just practicing for failure before it even happens. We mostly experience anxiety not because we fear the future but because we fear that we can't control it. Arlen was out on the big lawn playing fungo with the two younger boys. He popped the ball high and out and the two of them howled in laughter as they chased it down and tossed it back to him. These two thirteen year-old boys were like swift little deer and they ran through the world with grace and joy and I just couldn't keep my eyes off them. Their pleasure from every moment was just extraordinary. I often wished that every child on earth could be that happy but finally realized that you save who you can. I walked down the lawn and told them that I needed them up in the library. "I'll join you just as soon as I retrieve Robin Hood." That of course meant that Jack was down at the archery range. The boys grinned and almost at once exclaimed; "Thanks Arlen! That was fun." "It was fun for me boys as well. Perhaps more than for you." It was Brian and not Sean who approached the man and pulled him into a hug. He stood there almost bewildered but he held the young boy tightly. Finally they released their contact but Arlen whispered to my boy; "I love you Brian and I always will. You're like the son that I never had." The two of them collapsed into each other and tears streamed down their eyes. I allowed that to go on for a few minutes before announcing that I need them up in the library right now. I then jumped onto a golf cart and headed to the new archery range. He'd just released an arrow as I pulled up. "OK Robin Hood, I need you back at the house right now." He turned and grinned. "Did you at least see that last shot Dad?" I looked at the target and saw the arrow was in the actual dead center of the bull's eye. "OK William Tell, climb on board. The guys will take care of your bow and arrows." He was smiling as he jumped onto the cart. ********************************* "So now boys, we enter the game of paintball seriously and not like amateurs. These are state of the art paintball taggers. Each of these are your own and therefore, they are your own to clean and protect. If we're going to play this game, we're going to play it well armed." Richard had made certain that these taggers were created in a very light and dull green color not `Skuggor grey' but still very sinister looking "Sean, this is yours and please notice that it's engraved `Tadpole'." He grinned and pulled it against himself. "Jack, this is yours and of course it is engraved `Rufus'" He was almost in tears as he accepted his tagger and looked at it. "Brian, what else could yours be but engraved with `Spider'eh?" The boy couldn't hold it in and as he accepted the tagger he broke out in tears. "H-how am I so lucky to be part of this? How can all of this be my life...how can all of you be my family...how is it possible that everything can be so wonderful?" The young boy was sobbing uncontrollably. He collapsed into a weeping heap and we all gathered him up and drew him into a large loving communal hug. Eventually, I carried him up to bed though he was still sobbing. I gently removed his clothes and placed the comforter over him. Tomorrow would be another day for us all and especially for Brian. Smiles had to replace tears, but for now, one young man needed a nap and he was going to get it. Perhaps he'd awake and calm down in time for supper but if not, he'd certainly have a substantial breakfast in the morning. I'd considered placing him under the covers on my bed but I chose to let him sleep in his own room. After I'd pulled the heavy quilt over his trembling little shoulders, he'd fallen to sleep almost at once. I'd turned his room light down to almost dark, kissed his little forehead and left him alone. Brian's emotions were still very fragile. Beside everything that had happened to him recently, the idea that his mother had walked out of his life to become a nun rather than a mother was still very new and certainly had a very important impact upon him emotionally. I met the other two boys down in the library and we were soon joined by Doc Swaim, Gary and Bobby as well as Richard, John and his Dad; Tim. "Well then since I'm a professional barkeeper, I'll do the honors men, just let me know what your pleasure is eh?" Tim had risen to his feet and as his fine son, climbed up belong side him. "Dad, I suspect that I can help you out here." John smiled and hugged his father by the neck and walked with him to the bar. It only took a few moments before everyone even the two boys were served. The truth of course was that most of our tastes were for simple drinks that required no complicated mixologist skills. "Next week, we open the bottles of our second batch of ale. If it turns out as well as our first batch, we'll move on to something different like an IPA or a brown ale." Jack grinned as he raised his own glass of Tucker home brew. "As we go on Dad, we might need a couple of more carboys to handle the increased brewing." I smiled warmly at my red haired wonder. "Jack, if you boys continue with the skill and precision you've demonstrated this far, I'll expand the cellar for you...hell, I'll even construct a building for you but for now son, don't grasp further than you can reach. Let's see how your second batch of pale ale turns out." His wonderful countenance was glowing. "It'll be better than last time Dad." "I'll hold you to that Jack." As we were all walking down the hall to the dining room, a rather bleary-eyed Brian greeted us wearing just underpants and rubbing his eye sockets. "D-dad I just..." I scooped him up and hugged him. "Brian, you don't need to explain anything however...if you're planning on haveing dinner with us, well...you need to be wearing a few more clothes. Guys, please excuse us and we'll be back down in a few minutes." I held Brian closely against my chest with his head over my shoulder and we quickly reached the elevator and headed to his bedroom. "You go wash your face Bri and I'll lay out clothes for you. "K-kay Dad." He almost whimpered as I guided him down the hall into his bathroom. "The only thing that you've done Bri is to be sad and happy at the same time... there's no shame in either my son.. Trust me about that." "T-thanks Dad. I just hope I haven't embarrassed you or my brothers." "Well of course you haven't Brian. You've only shown that you care about things very deeply and that you're glad for your new life. It's ok to cry about that little boy but tonight, let's just be happy and get you dressed and run down for supper." I dried his very wet little face and he quickly pulled on the shirt and shorts I'd grabbed from his big dresser. He was lacing up his sneakers while I stood behind him and softly ran a brush through his tender brown hair. "You and I had to work very hard to become father and son Brian. Don't be sad or guilty about our family happiness. Just be happy about us...about you, me, and your two brothers. You are one of the family and therefore, everything you receive is something you deserve. Don't cry over happiness Bri...laugh when you're happy little boy. Laugh so that the whole world knows that you're happy. Too many people don't even understand happiness Brian but I must tell you that if you learn nothing else about happiness, it shouldn't make you cry son. It never should make you cry. "B-but you're my Dad now and I've got two great brothers and I never did anything to deserve this." "Brian, you've got everything that we all agreed you needed. You've got a family and quite a bit of love besides." He hugged me and I hugged him back and then, finally urged him to come down stairs with me. "Sorry that we're so late guys, it turns out that Brian didn't like the first shirt I picked out for him." Brian turned to me with a smile and a loving glow on his face. It was obvious that he quickly understood that I'd just tried to prevent any more embarrassment for him. "Come on Brian, Sean and me saved a place between us." Jack waved from across the table. Brian looked at me and I nodded. He was soon seated between his two brothers and smiling. Mrs. Edwards moved in quickly and supervised the serving of the meal. After a wonderful soup of cheese and tomatoes, we were served broiled chicken with roasted small potatoes and grilled tomatoes as well as country green beans. These were followed by a crisp greens salad soaked in olive oil and vinegar. Martha herself walked towards the kitchen with a twinkle in her eye. She turned at the door with a large smile. "This desert is for Sean who it seems doubted it was something I could do." "No Mrs. Edwards...NO! I think you could cook anything. Please don't be mad at me!" She smiled from the kitchen door. "My sweet Sean, I can't imagine anything you could do that would make me mad at you. It's just that you asked me if I could cook it and therefore I have... just for you." She walked into the kitchen and returned bearing a large pan which she placed in front of my boy. "Tarte tatin as per your request Sean and the first slice is yours." The boy looked up at Martha and his eyes were almost overflowing with tears. "You remember everything Mrs. Edwards and you take care of everything an you just do it quietly with no big fuss. I love you so much. If I could remember my grandma, I hope that she would be just like you." The young man was suddenly crying and Martha moved in and wrapped him in her arms hugging him tightly. "The tarte is for you and your guests Sean, let's cut it and share it yes?" "Y-yes Mrs. Edwards but remember that the first slice is mine." His smile was teary but they were in fact happy tears. Martha knew that. She sliced the large tarte onto many dishes and upon request, placed a large dollop of whipped cream upon individual servings. The combination of the caramelized apples and the fresh cream as well as the puff patisserie and other things (not excluding a bit of brandy), made every mouthful extravagantly decadent. When they'd all finished, the three boys crowded around Martha and with bright smiles hugged her. "You know how much we love you Mrs. Edwards right?' Jack asked as he pulled her close. "Mrs. Edwards, you ARE love as far as I'm concerned." Brian joined into the hug with Jack. After that broke up, Sean walked up to Martha and quietly said; "You know Mrs. Edwards that you are the closest thing that I've got to a grandma and that I love you like that don't you? I love you so much and I wish that you could love me that same way. It would be really nice." She was on the verge of crying as she pulled him into her embrace. "Sean, I've loved you since I first set eyes upon you. I love you and now, both of your brothers as well. I could never love anyone as much as I love you. I can never be your grandmother child because that's purely biological, but I feel as though you belong to me and I hold the three of you in my heart. You've brought life back to this big old house. You've certainly done that" ******************* We were settled down in the library having some final drinks and talking about politics. Although that didn't particularly interest me, I did understand the need for my participation. "I truly think that we need to finance the candidacy of young senator Preston Boyd. He's a clear-eyed young liberal right now but if we can move him up in the senate, in a couple of years we could easily move him to the White House. Although we're actually more powerful than this, it's important to be in control of the official shit. I recommend that we advance the career of Mister Boyd." "Of course we'd own him Phil?" "Certainly can't promise you that Eric. He's extraordinarily intelligent; he keeps up to date with all of the important issues...goes WAY beyond just reading magazine articles and daily summaries if you get my drift. He's a passionate American with strong liberal tendencies but he's anti-socialism and he's a strong defender of the Constitution. The fact is, he's a perfect American politician. If we supported him, he'd be grateful but I couldn't say that we'd `own him' Eric. He's not like most of those political whores out there that sell their votes and `influence' to the highest bidder regardless of what they know to be right or wrong Although he's a politician he isn't that kind of man and at least to this point, he always works with his personal moral compass as his guide." "Good Phil, if I can't own him then nobody can. That's something this country has needed probably since Harry Truman." "The problem with this young man as a candidate is that he's so studious and so involved in actually doing his job, most people have never heard of him and those that have, find him boring. He got elected to his first term kind of on a fluke. We'll have to work to change his public image into something much more exciting and dynamic up to and including secret acting lessons. We'll have to destroy some of his purity in order to move him into the national position that he needs to occupy. Otherwise, he might as well not run for re-election and spend the rest of his life teaching history at some University. We'll need to quickly turn him into and exciting political hero...a major super-star if we want to get him on the fast-track." "OK then let's do it...let's create a new American hero. What a crock of shit is that?" "One that's been going on for over two hundred years Eric. It's how the country runs and your family has been a major player for many years in this game." "OK then I trust you Uncle Phil, let's put our power behind the right candidate...the one we can't own and control." Just like that, Preston Boyd's journey to the White House had begun, and Preston Boyd didn't even know it yet. Great men don't often seek or assume the veil of greatness upon themselves, It is more often than not draped upon them quietly and usually clandestinely. I think you should avoid people who actively grab for or seek the mantel of greatness like the plague because there is no greatness in them...only greed. I can't say that I was very surprised to find Brian naked and asleep in my bed. He'd had a very emotional day and I suspected he would have many more for a while. I undressed and turned the room lights off and walked over to the bed and stubbed my toe on a small stool that had been left out of place. I silently screamed; "Fuck!" as I hopped to the bed...'so much for a graceful silent entrance' I thought. I sort of hip-rolled onto the bed and worked my way under the covers. The little boy never moved until I'd snuggled into the warmth of the bed and then his sleeping body instinctively rolled into mine pressing against me tightly. It was a good way to go to sleep. ****************************** "We're slaughtern' them!" Sean called out as he raced down the hill and sped to his left. The Skuggor designed paintball guns (taggers) had instantly proved their superiority and we all quickly wiped out the red team without any of our fellow blue team members hitting an opponent. As we were eating lunch, it was suggested (probably in jest) that everyone else take on the seven of us. Richard and Jack put their heads together and talked about it and then, with a giggle, Jack said; "You're on. It's our seven against you but we're playing `Last Man Standing' the team that gets wiped out first loses no steal the flag stuff OK?" The group of other players agreed obviously thinking that because they out-numbered us a bit more than two to one, they'd do all right. We'd been given fifteen minutes to walk to the north end of the field. Richard gathered us together. "They've given us the height as well as the back of the territory. With our taggers we have the range and the accuracy also, if you get close, remember your four shot advantage and switch your trigger to it. Sean, you and Brian are at the top of that hill, Eric and Chris, you are at either side down here and Jack and I are going to be the `Lone Rangers' and we'll clobber them. These guys have minimal skills and we'll be ready for all of them. TEAM TUCKER yes?" We raised our taggers into a bunch and declared; "Team Tucker!" The other team had a plan and it wasn't a bad plan but because the net fence at the very back of our hill marked the end of the park's property, we were completely safe from behind so they couldn't actually surround us. Realizing this, several of them charged into the grove below the hill and the young boys stationed there tagged five players. You could hear them howling with laughter, they were having so much fun. Just about that time, I detected movement to my right. I watched him move out of the trees and painted him in one straight shot. "Shit!" was all he said before he raised his arm and left the field. Sean was tearing down the hill followed closely by Brian. Richard drew us closely together. "There are only four of them left guys. We'll move out in a circle but we'll keep the base of our circle right here so Jack, you will be the base of our circle, the two little boys will move up next and then you Eric on this side and Chris on the other and I'll take the top of the circle. We'll move way out and then, we'll move slowly in and trap them in our circle. Be alert because most of them will be hiding in the trees so right now spread out to the borders of the field and then begin moving in. These taggers are so good that you should shoot at anything. About an hour later we were all at Deegan's devouring burgers and fries as well as onion rings and jalapeno poppers. Jack and Richard had tagged two of the remaining "Red" team. Sean had tagged another and Chris had gotten the fourth. Brian and I had certainly not been scoreless in this game. Brian had tagged three and I'd gotten four. We were all very satisfied and very happy. We'd had a great time. ************************************ "So Dad" Sean asked over the table. "Will says that Commodore Tipton would like for him to be up at Camp West Wind for the closing of the season. I was thinking that this time you might stay home and my brothers and Will might fly up there and spend the week-end. It would be like a `brother's weekend'. We've never done that before." I smiled as I realized that they were growing up on me and were ready for their own lives. "I've got no problem with that Sean just so long as you find your way back before soccer practice next week." "So, you'll tell Windy and LC to expect us then?" "Consider it done my man." "Thanks Dad." *********************************** For our part of the country, it was a rather chilly morning and we all wore jackets. "If it's this cold down here, it might be very cold up there, so I hope you've all packed warm." "I think we've got it covered Dad." I smiled as they all boarded the airplane. "Have fun boys." "Course we will Dad." Sean smiled as he climbed the little ladder into the pontoon boat and assumed the pilot's seat and Will moved into the seat beside him. Within minutes the boy had the propeller turning and shortly after that, the little craft was airborne and sailing above the green hills. That was the last time I ever saw `Duck' in flight. ************************************ Thank you for your feed-back it certainly encourages us for writing