Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 19:53:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Waddie Greywolf Subject: "Cabbage Patch Cowboy Part 9" DISCLAIMER: WARNING!! This is a work of homoerotic fictions written by an adult for the purpose of entertainment for other adults. If you are not eighteen year of age or you have any problem with this type of literature then this is a warning to read no further. The author will not be held responsible for any reason if you do. (Codes: M/M M/b M/t Gay Incest Anal Oral True) Comments/questions: waddiebear@yahoo.com Copyright 2002 Waddie Greywolf =============================================================================== CABBAGE PATCH COWBOY PART 9 A couple of months passed and the holidays were upon them with Thanksgiving/Christmas break for the kids from school. Waddie and Gip settled down into a routine. They'd get off the bus every afternoon. Go in the house give Momma Sue a hug and a kiss and Dad Dan if he was inside. They'd have something to drink and a couple of cookies or a brownie Momma Sue made. They'd do their homework around the kitchen table. They always waited for the other if one wasn't through. They'd put their books away and run to the barns to find out what Dad Dan was doing and if they could help. Usually he had something for them to do and they'd work their butts off `til Momma Sue called them for dinner. Waddie had gained back the weight he lost and then some. He was growing up fast. That year he shot up almost a third bigger than Gip. Gip was to get his growth later but Waddie was the largest kid in grades one though three. All the little kids loved and adored Waddie and Gip because they protected them, included them in everything and wouldn't let anyone put them down. They encouraged them and when it was Waddie or Gip's turn at bat they all went nuts screaming and yelling for their heros to put it away. When Morgan was home Waddie stayed there at his place to be with him in the evenings. Morgan got some stock `cause Waddie agreed to take care of them for him and help him. Waddie was good to his word. He and Morgan grew closer because of a common interest. He couldn't even get Willie to take a look at them. He told Morgan he wasn't no damn farmer. Waddie stayed with the Justins and sometime he and Gip stayed a Friday or Saturday night in town with the new sheriff and his lovely wife. Gip couldn't believe how Waddie could know that Buck and Linda Sue were his dad and mom and not go to pieces. Gip's strength began to come through. It wasn't as easy on Waddie as it appeared on the surface. He was being eaten up inside wanting to love Buck and Linda Sue as his mom and dad. They were proud of every accomplishment of both boys but it just wasn't the same. There's always that fine line of belonging and the conundrum for Waddie was he still deeply loved Morgan. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Waddie do you know why your Aunt Linda is going to see Dr. Dyer?" Gip asked in private. "Yes Gip, I do. I didn't tell you a couple of things `cause I didn't know how you'd take them. She's going `cause she can't understand why she can't get pregnant. Lord knows Uncle Buck is filling her full enough." Gip giggled. The boys had heard them going at it hot and heavy many nights and got so turned on they had to jack each other off. Their Uncle Buck was not a quiet lover and their Aunt Linda had gotten to be just as bad as he was. Gip and Waddie would giggle at them carrying on. They never said a word to Buck nor Linda Sue. They wouldn't if their lives depended on it. That was something that just wasn't talked nor joked about. "She's not gonna' be able to have any more kids, is she, Waddie?" "I'm not just saying this `cause you're my brother and I love you, but you're one of the sharpest damn kids I ever met. Nobody in that school picks up on things faster than you do, Gip. Yes, you figured it out." "I'm glad you didn't tell me. It makes me very sad, `cause I love Aunt Linda and I'm not as good at hiding my feelings as you are. My dad can take one look at me and know what I'm thinking." "To me that just means you're so close, like you and me, that your dad feels like you feel. Better that, Brother, than having a cold, distant dad, who doesn't know who you are and isn't particularly interested in finding out!" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "You've had a child before, Mrs. Claymore." Dr. Dyer told Linda Sue. Buck was not present. "Yes Doctor Dyer but I gave him up for adoption. I did a terrible thing. My husband and I had intercourse before he went to war. He didn't want me to get pregnant because he didn't want me to have to raise his child by myself if he didn't come back. He used a condom..." Dr. Dyer held up his hand. "And you took some of his sperm and impregnated yourself. You don't know how many times I've heard that story. Then gave the child up `cause if he came back and was angry with you he might not marry you. Is that right?" "Yes Sir." "Well, is there anyway you can find that child? Do you know who adopted it?" "No Sir. Why Doctor? What do you have to tell me?" "I don't think you're going to be able to have anymore children, Mrs. Claymore." Linda Sue broke into tears and the Doctor comforted her. "Are you sure, Doctor?" "As sure as any doctor can be but I suggest you have your husband take you to Temple, Texas to a couple of young doctors there that specialize in obstetrics. There names are Dr. Scott and Dr. White. I would recommend you get their opinion." "Oh my Lord! God's punishing me for disobeying my husband." Linda Sue wailed. "We aren't living in biblical times, Mrs. Claymore. I doubt seriously God would do that to you for making a mistake. Tell me, did you get to see the child before they took him away?" Linda Sue nodded. "Was it a boy or a girl?" "He was a beautiful boy." "Did you notice any distinguishing features?" "Yes Sir. He had mole on his left big toe in the very center just above the toenail and he had a reddish, wine colored looking birthmark on his left leg near his groin that was a perfect `cowboy boot.' Dr. Dryer dropped his clip board on the floor and stared off into space. Bells went off in his head, sirens, flags and he was desperately trying to think which child had- ? Oh my God! It came to him but a voice told him not to say anything until he investigated. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Claymore. I became befuddled when I dropped my clip board. I've been having trouble with my grip lately and drop a lot of things." Linda Sue nodded her head she understood. "Do you plan to tell your husband, Mrs. Claymore?" "I don't know yet. I have to think about it." "I'll be discrete. If he asks, I'll tell him I referred you to Dr. Scott and Dr. White in Temple because I'm unable to made a firm diagnosis. Which is true. There is a margin of error in any doctor's diagnosis. To be honest, I hope that was a day I was sick in medical school and didn't learn enough to diagnosis you properly. I know how you must feel. My wife can't have children either. I've known your husband since grade school. He's one of the finest men I've ever known. I'm so thrilled he got elected sheriff and I was so honored to be included in his bachelor party. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! Was one of the best times I've ever had in my life! My point is, I have faith in Buck Claymore. He will not turn away from you if you're honest with him, even now. He's a man of great commitment and we're just lucky to have him as sheriff." "Thank you, doctor for those kind words and I think you're right." "Don't give up hope. Knowing Buck like I do. He will find your boy." "Good to see you again, doctor." Linda Sue turned to walk away. "Oh by the way, Mrs. Claymore, is the Lovejoy boy still living with you and Mr. Claymore?" "No Sir. I wish he were, we love him like he was our own. He's back with his father but he's spends as much time with us and the Justins than he does Mr. Lovejoy's house. We worry about him but he has people who love him that look out for him constantly." "I need to do a follow up on him at no charge to anyone. It's required by state law because there was some suspicion of child abuse. Could you bring him in the next time he's over, it won't take very long?" "He's in the car with my husband, is now okay?" "Sure! That would be fine. If you and Mr. Claymore have the time to wait for him. I promise I won't be more than fifteen or twenty minutes. I'll wait for him here, just send him in." Linda Sue went to the car and told Waddie, Gip, and Buck the doctor wanted to do a yearly followup on Waddie at no charge that would take about fifteen minutes. He's waiting inside for you. Is that all right with you, Dear?" "Oh sure! There's no problem. Don't let `em give you a finger wave, Honcho." Waddie laughed as he walk toward the hospital doors. He saw Dr. Dyer inside and ran to his open arms. He picked him up and went, "Oooofff." "You have grown, young man. Another month and I won't be able to do that." He put Waddie down and took him by the hand to an examination room. "This isn't a check up, is it Doctor?" Dr. Dyer let out a laugh you could've heard all over the hospital. "Why don't you tell me then. I know you can! I have that much faith in you. That angel told you who you had to live for, didn't he Waddie?" Waddie started crying and Dr. Dyer took him in his arms. "Shuuu, don't worry I didn't say anything. I wanted to talk to you first. I think your angel whispered in my ear. I definitely heard a voice tell me to investigate before I told your mother anything. You've known since you were here in the hospital, haven't you? That's how you knew Morgan Lovejoy's wife wasn't your mom. Remember telling me that?" Waddie nodded. "In fact I remember you telling me the angel told you who you had to live for, but you didn't say." Waddie nodded. "Son, you're an amazing child, but why haven't you told anyone?" "I can't Dr. Dyer and you can't either. Would you get my brother, Gip, he can help me explain." "That's George Gipson Gentry Justin, right?" the doctor smiled wickedly at Waddie. He nodded. "Alice would you ask the Justin boy to join us? Please. He's with the Claymore's outside." The nurse walked to the car and brought Gip back with her. "I'm going to check you both for mumps." The nurse left. He sat Gip up next to Waddie. "The angel came to Gip and me and told us, I could share with him what I knew. He said having my brother know would help me through. Gip's my buddy, doctor, but he's more'n that, he's my little brother. I love him Dr. Dyer." the doctor choked back tears and put his arms around the boys and hugged them both. "Why can't we tell anybody?" He asked plaintively. "Because God gave Mr. Urial permission to tell me who I had to live for. Before that I didn't know I had other parents. I thought I was stuck in that horrible place with no help. It was my choice to go with the angel or come back but they knew I wouldn't come back unless they told me these things. If you remember, my brother Gip is one of the people I returned for." "I remember well, young man. Gip, he told me all about you before he met you. He knew your full name and the name that he would call you and that was `Gip.' All right,--- but you still haven't told me why." Gip spoke up. "Mr. Urial told us that it would upset the balance of the future if they were to find out before something happens." "When is this `something' suppose to happen?" "He didn't say but both of us feel it's going to happen when Waddie's ten or eleven." "My Lord! That's three to four more years. It's been almost two years since you were in here Waddie. So you two have known that long?" "No Sir, the angel told Waddie and I the night of our aunt and uncle's wedding Waddie could share it with me. Waddie's great aunt in Dallas put two and two together when I told her about Waddie's birthmark. I didn't know what Waddie's birthmark meant until later that night after the angel came to us. Then Waddie told me. His great aunt was sent to him to help him. She knows almost everything." "May I call her and speak with her, Waddie?" Waddie looked to Gip for guidance. "I don't see what it would hurt, Waddie, they both know. Did he find out about your Aunt Linda?" "You know about her? What do you know?" asked the doctor. "She can't have any more children." Dr. Dyer stood there and just shook his head. Amazed. "Okay! You've convinced me. You told me something no one could have known about my daughter, Waddie, and I believed you then. I believe both of you now. I won't say a word but I would like to talk with your aunt to let her know she has someone that she can contact that cares about the two of you. She could probably give me some advice." "She's a wise and good lady doctor and we both love her. Here's her name, address and phone number. Aunt Agatha won't know for sure that you talked with me. Tell her Waddie said that she would believe you if you told her his special name for her is Auntie Boo and our secret pass words are `cherry cordial'" Waddie handed him a small square of paper. Dr. Dyer quickly copied it down on his clip board. He wrote the secret name and the two passwords." "I'll walk you out to the car, but first I get a hug from both of you!" The boys gladly gave him a hug and thanked him again for their saddles. He walked them out to the car. Buck got out and shook his hand. "Good to see you, Buck, as always. I just wanted to check the both of `em for signs of mumps. It's going around. If there's any swelling under their jaws or in their groin area don't wait a minute get them in here immediately. Don't wait over night to see if it goes away. If I'm not on duty you have them call me, if they won't here's my card and one for the Justins. Please tell `em I checked Gip out and he shows no signs. Tell them the same thing I'm telling you. You call me, day or night! They checked out okay. I thought since you had his brother here I'd check him too. Another thing, Buck. If either of these boys gets hurt in anyway, if you have to get them to the hospital in an hurry call to make sure I'm on duty or call my home. If I'm not home my wife will know where I am and get in touch with me. I'll be here when you get here." "Thank you, Doctor, but you know they're not real brothers don't you." "I don't agree. Trust me Buck, they're brothers. I don't care that they had separate parents. They are brothers. Just like you and Morgan all those years. He's still your brother, Buck. Do your best to help him! He's a good man, but he's lost and he needs to be separated from those people." "I try doctor and I'll keep on trying." "Haven't seen you since you won the election, Sheriff. My deepest congratulations and our community will be better for it. I'll have my wife give your wife a call; we'd love to have you and the Justins over for dinner some evening; be sure and bring the boys." "Great Dr. Dyer we'll look forward to it. And thanks for checking out the boys." "My pleasure." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thanksgiving proved to be rather unusual. Dan had invited a cousin to Thanksgiving dinner with him and his family. According to Dan she'd been sort of ostracized by the rest of the Justin family because of her sexual "preferences" and because she looked more like a man than a woman. Her name was Enid and she arrived in a pickup truck with a cattle rack on the back loaded with small boxes. She brought western boots for the boys and the whole damn family. Seems she broke away from the main family of boot makers and formed her own company. She met a man that showed her he could make a pair of boots out of splitting one hide thereby doubling the productivity with less material cost. She believed in him and invested heavily the money her family bought her out with. She was on her way to being a wealthy woman; although you really couldn't tell, whether she was wealthy or a woman. She wore her hair shorter than most men. She wore men's cowboy boots, smoke cigars, and cussed like a truck driver. She loved to laugh and tell outrageous stories to the men. Who should she most enjoy and who would most enjoy her? You guessed it! New elected, Sheriff Buck Claymore. They got along famously. Buck treated her just like one of the guys; a buddy! Buck was quick to offer her a pull off his hip flask of Southern Comfort he carried with him everywhere and she saw that as fine gesture of comradery; of being accepted. (Buck told everybody Southern Comfort was medicinal- he got laughed at a lot, too!) Buck had her eating out of his hand. Not purposely but rather unwittingly. Buck was Buck. He was the same to all people. She needed that feeling of belonging. She loved Buck for providing it and he did with gentility and sincerity. It made her feel welcome and included. She pulled out the best in Morgan, and Dan was her baby. She was so thrilled that of all the family, he thought enough of her to invite her for Thanksgiving. She was thrilled that Buck was the new sheriff. She heard Buck had become sheriff and was all congratulations. She'd met Buck on several occasions and heard him speak about the war. Like everyone else that was exposed to Buck Claymore, he won her heart. For years after when she came to visit `her boys' her first stop would be the sheriff's office. All business would stop and she'd have new boots for all the men. She knew everybody's boot size. Quinton always got a couple pair. He loved her, too. Buck always got three or four pair. Well, after all, he was the sheriff. The rest of the families, the Claymores, the Davenports, the Tates, Ma and Pa Lovejoy, and Dr. and Mrs. Dyer were good country folk that accepted her as readily as anyone else because she was a Justin and part of Dan's family. They could see underneath her need for masculine bravado beat a good and generous heart. All she wanted was to be loved and accepted for who she was. The men of that county, Buck, Dan, Quinton, Morgan made her feel welcome and she loved them in return. She and Buck would sit for hours in his office, smoke cigars, swap pulls off his hip flask, and have a grand time. She charmed Waddie and Gip. To them she was a female Uncle Buck. They started calling her Uncle Enid and she loved it! She outfitted them with four beautiful pair of boots each. Waddie and Gip were agog and couldn't thank her enough. She told `em she'd make damn sure her cowboys wore the finest Justin boots available and they were indeed a fine pair of boots. She got Gip and Waddie off by themselves. "You men been knocking boots?" she asked. The boys looked at each other and Waddie finally figured out what she meant and started laughing. He leaned over to Gip and whispered in his ear and then Gip started laughing, too. They'd never heard that term before and thought it was a riot. "Yes Uncle Enid, Gip and I been knocking boots. Every chance we get. It ain't the same as grown men but it sure as hell feels good to us! We ain't never had it, so we don't know what we're missing but thanks to you we'll have more boots to be knock'n in!" Waddie put his arm around Gip pulled him close and kissed him on the cheek. They were both still laughing and Uncle Enid thought Waddie's gesture to his brother was wonderful. They weren't embarrassed around her a bit. She roared with laughter and hugged both of them. She loved the boys and they had the best looking boots of any kids in school all the way through high school. Hell, they gave away almost as many pair as they got. Some kid would admire a pair of boots they were wearing and if they wore the same size they'd take them off right there and give them to him. They'd walk around in their bare feet the rest of the day. Everyone knew, Gip or Waddie had given away another pair of their boots. The boys couldn't wait to tell Dan and Buck about knocking boots. They laughed with the boys until they cried. They'd never heard that term before either. Dan didn't know about inviting her anymore and the boys were ready to boycott Thanksgiving if he didn't. They thought she was wonderful. Buck, too, he had three, new, handsome, expensive, pairs of Justin boots. She gave Dan five pair. Buck told him he was crazy not to invite her. Everybody liked her. She became a regular Thanksgiving and Christmas guest. She'd taken on a hard shell but she had a soft heart. She always said she wanted to be buried face down so the rest of the world could kiss her ass. She met a lady that she fell in love with that mellowed her somewhat but she was still a pistol with Waddie and Gip. Enid Justin was a very giving and big hearted woman. She was especially generous with the boys, with the lawmen of the county and her cousin, Dan, and they loved her in return. The boys would not allow anyone to say a discouraging word about their Uncle Enid. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Waddie got a call from Aunt Agatha on Thanksgiving. She called to the Justins because that's where all the family had gathered for Thanksgiving dinner. She called under the guise of speaking to her niece but she didn't fool anyone. The person she wanted to talk to was Waddie. He was so glad to hear her voice he broke down and cried on the phone. Agatha was so touched by that she asked if he would like it if she and the girls drove down for a day or two at Christmas. Waddie made her promise she would. "Oh by the way, young man, that was terribly clever of you to give your doctor our secret pass words. I knew I could trust him after that and our secret is still a secret." She giggled like a school girl and Waddie laughed with her. He seems like a fine young doctor, gave me his address and phone numbers, at the hospital and his personal number. He said to call him if we needed anything or there was anything he could do. Not including myself, I'm far too modest, you have some wonderful people looking out for you." "I put you at the top of the list Aunt Agatha. I can't wait for Christmas I need to see my Aunt Agatha again. Things are going better than I expected, Auntie Boo. Aunt Linda went outside so I can speak freely. I love you, Auntie Boo. I'm sorry I haven't called but I feel funny about calling collect. I promise if I'm in trouble you'll be the first I call but it's so wonderful hearing your voice. Gip's here and sends his love too." Agatha could barely speak she was so taken with Waddie's genuine sincerity for her. She told him she would make arrangements to stay with her niece and his uncle at Christmas and looked forward to seeing him again. "What do you want for Christmas, young man?" "You, Auntie Boo. Only you! That will be Christmas enough for me." After goodbyes were said, Agatha hung up the phone and she was shattered. Shattered to her core. `How could any child have that much love in them?' she thought. Her heart was full of love. No wonder God placed his hand on the boy. He was indeed special. She did something she hadn't allowed herself to do in years. She sat there, had a second glass of `cordial' and had herself a good cry. Not tears of regret but tears of love, joy, thankfulness and forgiveness. Agatha's felt her cup, truly runneth over. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Aunt Agatha came for Christmas with her two daughters. Linda Sue and Buck had plenty of room for them. Waddie spent a great deal of time with his great aunt at Christmas. Most times they included Gip and Agatha fell in love with him as well as Waddie and marveled at the love that passed between the two boys. She even gave Gip the honor of calling her Auntie Boo in private. Gip was thrilled, he didn't have a great aunt. Christmas that year was a little different for Waddie. He knew more of what to expect. He did tell his uncle he didn't want anymore toys. He didn't have time to play with the ones he had. They were carefully put away when he went back to Morgan's and he hadn't played with them since. He told Buck he would appreciate a couple of good books to read. Well he got his books and more than he could imagine. He didn't spend much time at Morgan's because he had no intention of spending Christmas around Judy and her kids. Morgan didn't really have much to say about it `cause he didn't want to be there either. Besides that Waddie had become such an integral part of a larger family that Morgan somewhat turned his back on because of Judy and her two. He walked over to the Justin's where everyone of both families were invited to come spend Christmas day. Waddie spent the night with Gip and they were up early Christmas morning helping Momma Sue, Aunt Linda Sue, Aunt Agatha and her two daughters, and Ma Claymore in the kitchen. The boys had taken on clean up duty and any time a bowl was left empty and used it was whisked away and washed. There was more folk in the kitchen than any other place. It was the first Christmas that Waddie got to participate and began to appreciate the joy of the season with family and friends. Buck and Linda Sue got a huge Christmas tree. Waddie and Gip, Dad Dan, Momma Sue, Buck and Linda Sue decorated it. Couple of nights later they were invited to the Claymores and helped decorate their tree. They went to the Davenports, Ma and Pa Lovejoys, and the Tates. Quinton was thrilled to have them all and especially the boys. Waddie didn't known such joy and love was possible between people. It was a new world for him and he was participating as a valued member of this extended family. He couldn't have been happier. Lastly, Buck, Linda Sue, Waddie helped the Justins decorate their tree. Waddie and Gip allowed it was the prettiest of all. Morgan was invited but was on another run. He spent as much time as he could with Waddie and the other folks. Judy and her kids were always invited. Jimmy Sue would call and make a special effort to invite them. They never came. Morgan never had to apologize. They knew but were glad he could spend time with them. Uncle Enid came for Christmas and brought more boots and gifts for everyone. She bought the boys a pair of matched `bat wing' rodeo chaps. They were beautiful. They were black with red and white trim. Each boy's initials in big white letters and the bottom of each chap. For some strange reason Waddie's initials were W. C. on his chaps. Uncle Enid apologized to him. "Cowboy, I'm sorry. It's my damn fault. I thought you were Buck's boy. Shit! You look just like him! I didn't know your last name but I remembered Buck's. Got it written down. So I thought your last name was same as Buck's. I'll take `em back and have it changed for you." "No, no! Not necessary, Uncle Enid. My middle name is the same as Uncle Buck's. It's Claymore. Same's his. So that's fine with me. It'll bring me luck. Don't wanna' start messing around with luck." "That's for damn sure!" replied Uncle Enid. Waddie hugged and thanked her again. "If'n anybody asks me what W.C. stands for, I'll tell `em `wild cowboy!' You could could've heard Uncle Enid hoot for a mile. She thought that was priceless. "Well, there goes our gift!"said Buck and bellowed with laughter. He and Linda Sue got the boys a beautiful pair of, hand tooled, latigo leather working chaps. They were every bit as handsome as the pair Uncle Enid gave them. The boys went nuts. Aunt Agatha gave the boys five books each and some wonderful western shirts. Every book was different so they could trade. Aunt Agatha got along splendidly with Uncle Enid and she was enchanted with Aunt Agatha. They had several long talks together and would laugh in joy with each other. Waddie didn't know what to expect before Christmas a year ago and now here he was part of the most remarkable family anyone could hope to have. He impressed on Aunt Agatha that her coming for Christmas was the highlight of his holiday. He even loved and appreciated Clara and Zelma for coming with her and was not stingy with his love to them. They thought Waddie was wonderful. Aunt Agatha met Dr. Dyer and Waddie soon noticed them having a nice long chat under one of the huge oak trees on the property in some lawn chairs. Agatha was pleased and thrilled to have another adult confidant about Waddie's secret. The holidays ended with lots of tears, hugging, promises to visit and keep in touch. It was a wonderful time but the boys were looking forward to getting back to school. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Buck had been all ready installed as sheriff. The old sheriff was due to serve out his term until January first but he was so angry he lost, he refused to serve out his term. The town came to Buck and begged him to take over and he did. First thing Buck did was fire four of the five deputies that worked for the old Sheriff. Buck hired four local buddies of his that really wanted the job. He offered Morgan a job. He was the first man Buck contacted and asked if he wanted to come work for him. Morgan graciously declined as he was making good money with the railroad and it would mean a small cut in salary. One man Buck hired, Lyle Rawlings, was an older man Buck admired and appreciated his horse sense. He made him his chief deputy. They all were learning to be lawmen by the seat of their pants. They were pretty lenient on folks for the first six months of Buck's administration. Buck was taking some classes at the nearby college. Sort of a crash course for newly elected lawmen. His other men were taking it with him including his chief deputy. They went different afternoons and evenings so there would always be someone on duty. Quinton came in one afternoon with his hat in his hand with his resignation. He figured with the others being fired he'd just resign. Quinton walked in and handed his resignation to Buck. Buck took a look at it a looked at Quinton in surprise. "What the fuck it this? You resigning?" "Well Sheriff Claymore. I figured if the others got fired you probably wanted to start with a clean slate. Since we're friends I didn't want you to have to fire me, I thought I'd just resign." Buck took Quinton's resignation and tore it right down the middle and threw it back at him. "That's what I think of your damn resignation. You think too Goddamn much Quinton that's why you lose at poker. Besides that, who the hell told you we were friends?" Buck just howled with laugher, came around the desk and put his arms around Quinton. He offered Quinton a pull of his hip flask and Quinton gladly accepted. Buck had a little snort as well. "How the fuck you think I'm gonna' run this place without you, Darlin?' Besides, I gotta' keep you around. I like looking at that tight little butt of yours. Damn Quinton! I been want'n to get into that thing since we been in high school." Buck joked with Quinton. "Do you know how many times I've jacked off dreaming of you fucking me, Buck?" Buck looked at Quinton, stunned. He thought Quinton was kidding him. "You're shit'n me!" Quinton smiled at Buck walked over to his desk, undid his pants, dropped `em to the floor and bent over Buck's big desk. "Think I'm kidding ya'? I'm calling your bluff, Sheriff. You want it? Take it! It's yours!" "Quinton! Now Goddamn it! Don't be fool'n with me like that! You all ready got me horny enough just walking around here in that tight uniform with your buns sticking in my face. If'n you don't get up from that desk you're gonna' get fucked." Buck grabbed his dick in his pants to show Quinton it was hard as a rock. Quinton smiled, turned his butt towards Buck, reached back with both hands and spread his ass cheeks as a further invitation for Buck to take him. Buck rolled his eyes toward heaven and sucked in air. "Sweet Jesus! Forgive me! I'm weak, Lord! That's got to be the prettiest hole I've seen in years. I just knew it'ud be that pretty. Pretty man, pretty hole. Son of a bitch!!" Buck headed for the door, stuck his head out and told the men they could take off early if they wanted. It was getting near Christmas and he knew the men wanted to spend time with their families. Only two had to be around tonight and it was gonna' be Buck and the chief deputy, Mr. Rawlings. Buck had hired Rawlings for several reasons. The last being he'd always looked up to the man but was the only man in town that was near Buck's size and the only man he'd had fantasies about fucking him. Lyle Rawlings was a good looking man. He wasn't handsome nor pretty like Quinton but he had some animal quality about him that made Buck's bung hole drip. He was one those men who was born with a five o'clock shadow. He had a perpetual one due to his black facial hair. By the sixth grade he was shaving twice a day. The other three deputies headed for the door. Buck told Mr. Rawlings he'd be interviewing Deputy Tate for about half an hour. If Mr. Rawlings wanted to get a bite to eat he was welcome to. Mr. Rawlings thanked him and said he might. Buck locked the big oak door and took one look at Quinton's ass and damn near pissed his pants. Buck didn't have too much on his desk and moved the phone and everything else to the floor. Buck told Quinton to remove his clothes but keep his boots on. Quinton quickly shucked off his uniform as the Sheriff ordered. Then he leaned back over the desk. Buck dropped his khaki pants and they slipped easily over his boots. He almost tore the rest of his clothes off. He was so ready to get a piece of Quinton's ass. Buck stood there bouncing his hard cock in his hand looking at Quinton watch him. "Last chance, Sweet baby! Quinton, you know our friendship goes beyond buddies. You know I love you like a brother. You don't have to do this for the job. You got the job, Darlin.' You sure you wanna' do this?" "It'll be like a wet dream come true, Buck. Of course I want it! Are you crazy?! I want it bad! I've wanted to feel you fill me up for so long and I even keep my ass clean in case something like this might happen. I promise you, you won't get nothing on your dick and I don't want you to cheat me none neither like you do at cards." Quinton giggled. Buck was indignant. "I've never cheated you and I have no intention of cheating you now, Cowboy. That's one ass that's been crying out for old Buck's dick. You're gonna' feel old Buck's belly slapping against those tight little buns. We gonna' sink that sucker so far in you it's gonna' tickle your tonsils. But first there's something I gotta do I been dying to do ever since I laid eyes on you, Cowboy. I'm gonna' eat me a big ole help'n of buckaroo butt." Buck knelt down behind Quinton and grabbed his balls hanging down. Quinton stiffened. "Easy there, Cowboy. I ain't gonna' squeeze `em. Just gonna' hang on to them to pull you back to on my tongue when you start squirming away." Buck took a deep breath. Quinton's butt smell fresh and clean but still had his unique odor. Buck started between Quinton's ass and his balls. He licked and kissed very inch. He move down to Quinton's balls and held them up with his hand to suck each orb into his mouth and roll it around with his tongue. Quinton was starting to moan and writhe. Buck knew what he was doing and Quinton let him know it. "Oh damn, sheriff, your tongue on my balls is unbelievably good. Oh, fuck! Oh! Ooooooh!" Buck moved back up and gently kissed Quinton's rose bud. Then Buck pulled back gently on Quinton's balls and started licking and kissing all around Quinton's hole. He started sucking on it while kissing it then he started ramming his tongue deep into Quinton. "Damn, Sheriff! Where'd ju' learn the eat ass like that! Fuck! Oh! Oh! God! I've never had anyone eat my ass out like that, Buck! Damn." "Put both hands back here, Sweet baby, and spread it wide for the Sheriff. Yeah! Pull that little hole open so's I can get my tongue in side of your real deep. `At's it! `At's it! Yeah!" Buck dived back into Quinton's hole like a champ. He was getting some of the good deep fucking with his tongue. `Lot a' good eat'n in an ass that pretty.' Buck thought to himself. Quinton started trying to squirm away buy Buck held his balls a little tighter to let him know he wasn't going anywhere until he finished his feast. "Oh Buck! God, Sheriff Claymore! That's too good! Shit I can't take much more of that I'm about to shoot my wad, Buck!" Buck backed off. He'd had his fill anyway. "Just hold your ass up there like that, Son." Buck went around back of his desk and got a tube of lubricant. He returned to Quinton's hole. He reached into a side drawer and got something out of it. Quinton didn't look. Buck applied lubricant and finger fucked Quinton to his moans and groans. "Don't get too loud, Darlin,' nobody's here right now but we don't want nobody to hear us. Is that start'n to loosen you up a little? Damn, you're tight! You're gonna' be a good fuck, Sweet baby, I can tell the way you're eating my fingers. Got three of `em in there so far." Buck fucked him a good while with his three fingers and then four. Finally he was moving half his hand into Quinton's hole. Quinton was right! He was clean as a whistle. Buck took his hand out and slowly inserted a hard rubber cow utter stall. They fit over a cow's utter that's had an injury or sometimes to wean a calf quicker. Quinton felt it and groaned deeply. "At feel good to you, Darlin'?" "Oh fuck, yes, Buck. Let me put it up there for you." Quinton arched his back and put his ass up higher for Buck to work it with the rubber stall. He worked and worked on Quinton until he thought he was ready. All the time Buck's talking to him soothingly, telling him to open that sweet little hole so's he can give the sheriff a good ride. Finally, Buck was satisfied. He removed the hard red rubber stall and put it on a towel in the drawer. He lubed up his roaring hard dick, positioned it at Quinton's back door then lay himself over on top of Quinton. He put his big arms under Quinton's chest and held him tight in a bear hug. All the time Quinton is going crazy with his ass trying to get Buck into him. "Easy there, Stud! You let the sheriff do the fucking. Your job is just keep it up there for him. You ready, Sweet baby? There ain't no backing out from this point on." "Take me, Sheriff! I ain't back'n out. I've waited too damn long for this! Go for it, Buck!" Buck's dick was torpedo shaped. It didn't have a huge head but it was perfect for making entries easier for his partner with minimum discomfort. He pressed forward and the head easily popped in. He let Quinton get use to the size and fucked him gently a few strokes to help stretch the muscle. Quinton took a little more. Before Buck realized what was happening, Quinton push up and back, hard, sinking Buck's big dick to the base. It took Buck's breath away. Buck pulled Quinton to a standing position and kissed him behind his ear. "Damn Cowboy, now that's the way to mount a man's horse! Got that sucker almost all the way in there! How's it feel, Baby?" "Oh fuck, Buck! Better than I dreamed. Damn, you're one big fucking cowboy, Sheriff. You sure as hell fill my tank." "You've still got another inch and a half to go, Cowboy. You want it now or you want me to work it in?" "I told'ju not to cheat me none, Sheriff. I want it all, right now!" Quinton pushed back and Buck responed by giving him the rest. Now Quinton couldn't say the sheriff was cheating him. He had all ten and a half inches of cowboy dick up his butt. "Okay, now lay back down on the desk and let's get some good, slow gentle fucking in until we get you good'n loose. Then we'll do us some good hard riding. You sure feel good, Cowboy." Quinton lay back down but Buck still held him in a bear lock with his arms. He started gently fucking Quinton taking ever increasingly long deep strokes until he was really riding Quinton's ass with no problem. Quinton was putting it up for him to receive every thrust of the man's big cock. "Damn Sheriff! When you slide that big thing in me it's like I got a telephone pole up my butt. Shit! That feels so damn good, Buck. Oh yeah! Fuck me with that big thing! Feel good to you, Sheriff?" "Oh, Sweet baby, you gotta' know it's feeling good to this old cowpoke. We're gonna' ride off into the sunset together. I'm gonna' pull out and I want you on your back!" "Yes, Sir, Sheriff Claymore!" Quinton loved calling Buck sheriff and know he's getting fucked by the sheriff; the most powerful man in the county. At twenty-eight years of age, Buck Claymore became the ultimate `daddy' figure to all the men in that community. "Hold your legs up there, Cowboy. At's right! You want it slow and gentle, Sweet baby, or you want it all at once." "Don't wanna' wait, Sheriff! Give it all to me!--- Ooooofff! Damn that's good, Sheriff!" Buck leaned over and stole him a kiss from his handsome cowboy with his boots in the air. "Feel's like it fits in there, Cowboy. Rest you're legs on my shoulders. There! At's a little better. You ready for some good fuck'n, pardner?" "Oh hell, yes, Sheriff! Take all you want. Unload that big cowboy dick in me. Ride me, cowboy! Oh yeah! Oh Damn, Buck, fuck that ass! It's all your's!" "That ass is so sweet,---- ain't gonna' take old Buck---- too long to fill it. Gimme' another kiss, Sweet baby." Buck fucked Quinton every which was for about half and hour and then decided it was time to ride his pony to the barn. "Ride me Sheriff! Oh God, fuck me, Buck! Fuck me! Fuck me! Fuuuuuck meeee! Oh God! I don't know how much longer I can hold it, Buck! You're hitting something in there that,...that, ...Oh, oh... Goawd Daaaamnn, Buck! Aaaarrrrrggggg! "`At's it! `At's it! Try to bite old Buck's dick off with your tight little ass, Cowboy, old Buck's filling you up...Oh,...oh,... damn! Oh! Feel that, Cowboy, old Buck's filling you with his come. Damn, I shot again. Hold it up there for me, I got another one for you, Sweet baby. Oh! Aaaaawwwww! Shit!" Buck collapses on top of Quinton breathing heavily. "Sure as hell glad you weren't wearing spurs, Cowboy." Buck told Quinton. Quinton started laughing. "Damn, that was good! Thanks, Buck! I needed that." "Listen, Cowboy, you didn't need it anymore'n I did. Gimme' another kiss!" Buck was still way up in side Quinton and they kissed passionately. Then Buck broke it off with a gentle kiss and kissed Quinton around his face. "I hate for you to take it out, Sheriff." "No more'n I do, Sweet baby, but I gotta' get on patrol out there. You run in there and clean yourself and then I will." He withdrew from Quinton slowly with Quinton whimpering like he was gonna' miss feeling that big thing in him. He sat up, stood up and again Buck grabbed him and kissed him passionately. "Thanks for giving that beautiful little ass up to me, Quinton. I love you for that." "What's a buddy for if you can't fuck him now and then?" They laughed, Quinton cleaned himself and got dressed and waited for Buck. Buck offered Quinton another pull off his hip flash and Quinton took a swig. So did Buck. "Oh, by the way, Deputy Tate, you can report to work tomorrow but I'm afraid we're gonna' have to interview you regularly until you get it right. That okay with you, Son?" "Thank you, Sheriff Claymore, I'll look forward to working with you. I'll damn sure look forward to our interviews." Buck winked at him and the two men shook hands. They walked out into the main office and Mr. Rawlings was waiting in his cubical. Buck told Quinton goodnight and walked him to the door. "See you tomorrow, Deputy." "Thank's Sheriff, I appreciate you keeping me on." Buck returned and walked over to Lyle Rawlings cubicle. "J'eet yet, Mr. Rawlings?" "No, I thought I'd wait and see if you wanted to go down the diner for a bite." "Fine with me, Chief Deputy. Let's go." Buck wrote on the blackboard sign they always left in the front window. "Diner" The two men drove to the diner and had a good meal. Buck was surprised because Lyle Rawlings was letting Buck see parts of his personality he'd always hidden behind a quiet, stoic, facade. Buck felt he had indeed hired the right man for the job. He, in fact, did hire the right man. Lyle Rawlings stayed with him as his Chief Deputy Sheriff right along with Buck and retired about five years before Buck. Buck's leaving office was reminiscent of Oedipus at Colonus. The town folk wept bitter tears when he stepped down. It was a quite night on patrol and since they had no dispatcher in those days, they'd cruised around town until around midnight; later in the summer than winter. It was a bitter cold night in December and the men kept the heater going in the old Ford patrol car. If the town seemed quiet the men knocked off around midnight and went home. They'd covered the town twice. Buck was really getting to like Lyle Rawlings. Mr. Rawlings asked Buck to call him Lyle in private. Buck told him to be informal and call him Buck when they were in private. Lyle Rawlings insisted he and the deputies under him refer to Buck as Sheriff Claymore in respect for the office and his position. Buck in turn insisted on calling all his deputies by Deputy and their last name when in public. Buck would call Lyle, Deputy Rawlings when they were in public. If there was no one else in the office Buck never cared if the men were informal with each other or him. Lyle was more relaxed than Buck ever found him to be and for once Buck didn't seem nervous or intimidated by the good looking, older man. He wasn't that much older than Buck. He was about six years older. Buck thought the uniform and gun belt was made for Lyle Rawlings to wear. Buck thought he looked so fucking hot in it and knew other's had to think so. He later got the boys and Dan's seal of approval of his choice not only as a good man but one of the sexiest deputies they'd had in years; other than Quinton, of course. If they had to be arrested please send Lyle Rawlings to do the job. Lyle Rawlings looked like he should be a lawman. The town grew to love and respect Mr. Rawlings as much as Buck. He was fair, tried to help when he could but wouldn't put up with shit from no man. On the outskirts of town was a small road side park where the kids would pull up and park overlooking the lights of the town and make out like kid's have done since the beginning of time. There was no one there because it was a bitter cold night. During the summer they'd have to chase the kids out after midnight. Buck pulled the patrol car up and stopped. "Just thought we'd stop for a minute and look at the lights. With all the Christmas lights our little town sparkles like a jewel, don't it Lyle?" "Sure does, Sheriff! I'm proud of our little town and the whole county for that matter, rallying behind you to vote you in as sheriff. Everyone knew you were an answer to a lot of folks prayers to get rid of Johnson. You started late but I never saw people gather around a candidate like they did you. I'm proud to be working with you Buck and for you. I'll try to do the best job I can and never let you down." "Damn, Lyle! That's a nice thing to say. I feel the same way about you. I've always admired you and you were the first man that came to mind for Chief Deputy." "I appreciate that, Buck, but there's one thing I'd like to know?" "What's `at, Lyle?" "Why didn't I get the same interview you gave Deputy Tate?" "I don't follow, Lyle." "Your intercom was on the whole time you were `interviewing' Deputy Tate." "Oh God!" Buck started laughing, "And what did you do, Lyle?" "Turned the lights off, shut the door to my cubical and jacked off." Someone on other side of town nearly five miles away could've sworn they heard Sheriff Claymore's and Chief Deputy Rawlings' laugher from high above the town. The two men laughed `til they couldn't laugh anymore. Buck started the car and spoke to Lyle. "Hell, Chief Deputy Rawlings, it's a quite night. Let's go back and go home to our families." "Sounds good to me, Sheriff Claymore." Nothing further was ever said but about six months later Lyle Rawlings started having coffee every Thursday night with Quinton Tate after they were off duty. Then they'd disappear to Buck's cabin on the lake that Quinton had keys to. Lyle and Buck would sometimes knock off early and play hide the little green snake. Lyle could always tell went the Sheriff needed a little relaxing with Lyle's big dick up his butt. It was usually after a nerve frazzling week where all hell broke loose. After the day was over the Sheriff would offer Lyle a pull off his hip flack. That always let Lyle know the Sheriff needed his help. He was asking for Lyle's, personal, one on one, in depth therapy. Because of his status and power in the community Buck has a certain reputation to uphold. Only three men in town he could relax with and get his itch scratched. Morgan, Dan and Lyle Rawlings. They all could tell when their buddy, the sheriff, needed their help and he always got it. Lyle Rawlings was the sheriff's relief valve. Buck thought Lyle Rawlings gave him the best fuckings he'd ever had.. Buck claimed they were like his Southern Comfort; sweet, strong and medicinal. Lyle would fuck the big man slow and deep for an hour or more. He was a man that loved to fuck. He'd never thought about fucking a man until that evening listening to Buck and Quinton. Their enthusiasm and the sounds of their sexual rutting got him hotter than hell and he had to jack off. He thought if that made him so hot he wondered what that sweet looking ass of Quinton's would feel like wrapped around his fuck stick. He found out. Lyle and Buck fucked Quinton regularly for almost forty years. Even after Quinton got married and had six kids. After fucking Quinton for six months Lyle was more than willing to help the Sheriff out. It didn't happen too often between Buck and Lyle Rawlings. Maybe once every three or four months. The Sheriff would start looking at him a certain way and Lyle knew it wouldn't be long. Lyle never said `no' to the sheriff. After Lyle fucked Buck for hour or more he'd unload in Buck's ass and he could feel the Sheriff trying to bite his cock off as he shot his pent-up load. That always sent Lyle Rawlings over the hill. He would shoot and shoot into Buck's ass. For the next month or so Buck was a mellow, easy going and a happy man. He was good to Lyle Rawlings and treated him with respect. He backed him up with any decision he made concerning his deputies. Lyle Rawlings didn't make a snap decision without weighing it heavily but when he did it was God's holy word as far as Sheriff Claymore was concerned. Most times he'd talk it over with Buck. Nine times out of ten Buck would tell him to make the decision and he would back him. Buck never let Lyle down and Lyle was always there for his sheriff. Buck was, indeed, Lyle's Sheriff. Buck jokingly told Lyle one night he was gonna' have to re-write his job description, "Chief Deputy in charge of taking care of the Sheriff to make sure he doesn't go crazy." He didn't have to, but every year at Christmas Buck remembered Lyle Rawlings handsomely just to say, `thanks.' Buck ripped out the damn intercom altogether and left his door open most of the time. If it was shut his secretary had a secret knock if it was really, really important. Otherwise, if his door was shut and locked he was not to be disturbed. To get to the Sheriff when his door was closed you had to go through each deputy, the Chief Deputy, and his secretary. The secretary worked for the office for years. She was little Jannie Anderson's mother, Carol Anderson. Mrs. Anderson was raising Jannie by herself. Her husband, didn't come back from the war. Rather than gifts the men always took up a collection for her at Christmas and Buck gave her a Christmas bonus as well. They were good to her. They looked out for her and Jannie and wouldn't let any man talk foul or suggestive in front of her. When the deputies were at work they were expected to be gentlemen and if they weren't they didn't last long. Lyle got rid of them. Buck didn't find out until later she was also first cousin to Lyle Rawlings. Her name had been Rawlings before she married her husband. Buck would've hired her anyway. She was the most qualified and needed the job more than any other woman that applied. She was always on time unless Jannie was sick and even then she had her mother to stay with Jannie. She would make it in to work. Buck could tell she was worried and if it was slow he'd sent her home with no dock in pay. She became fiercely loyal to the lawmen. She guarded Buck's privacy like Cerberus, the seven headed dog at the gates of hell. She knew everything that went on in that office but loved and respected all the men. Especially Lyle and Buck. She never would say a word to anyone if her life depended on it about the men's extracurricular activities. She was so grateful she had Buck's God son and Dan Justin's boy looking out for her little girl. Jannie would come home and tell her mom about some guy that was picking on her and if Gip or Waddie saw him he never did it again. If he did and she had to go to them as a last resort, God help the boy. Carol Anderson thanked God every night for her greater family. The men considered her as family, too. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Oatie Trent (pronounced: Oat'-E) Waddie and Gip were breezing through school. The end of the second year there were four top students in their class. Jannie Anderson, Waddie, Gip and a small boy named Oatie Trent. He moved to their town from another small town where he went through the first grade. But he seemed so unprepared for his second year. The kid got picked on all the time because not only was he was small, effeminate but also because of his real name; Othal Trent. It was unusual and cause for much childish derision. He was afraid to go to the bathroom because the times he tried some kid would make fun of him or worse hit him. So, he just didn't go and for the first two weeks he messed in his pants almost everyday and they'd have to send him home. That only gave the other kids more fuel for cruelty. He was withdrawn and didn't have a clue how to interrelate with other kids. He was so shy he wouldn't even play with the girls. He would come to school with cuts and bruises, his clothes torn and in a general mess. Some kid would've beaten him up on the way to school. He was almost flunking in every subject because he was so traumatized he couldn't learn nor think. Many days he would be so horrified that he had to face this trauma everyday he'd run out of the class room and run home. No one would see him for the rest of the day. Gip didn't like that a bit and he and Waddie tried their damnedest to help the kid. They told him to come to them if he was being picked on and needed help and they would help him. He did several times but so many were picking on him Gip and Waddie spent all their time trying to see that Othel had at least part of a good day. It was beginning to take it's toll on the boys. Dan and Buck could sense something because Waddie and Gip talked among themselves a lot more than usual and seemed concerned about something. Finally, they told Dad Dan what was happening and asked his advice. What could they do for the kid? He was a small, good looking kid but was helpless and inept. He seemed incapable of understanding how or why he found himself in an environment he was totally unprepared for. For all of that, there was something about him they both felt drawn to. Was God telling them to help this kid? "Well, it would seem to me you offered to help him but it wasn't enough. He obviously needs more. Have you men considered what you might have to invest to get this boy on the road to some kind of normal life. It isn't your fault he's in the shape he's in. It's someone else's. Chances are they don't know the situation they've put him into nor are they capable of helping him. Perhaps, they just don't care. Have you considered what a commitment to get him on the road to self help might take? However, and this is a big `however' have you considered the possible rewards a commitment like that might bring you? Now, I'm not talking money or personal gain, I'm talking in your heart and soul how much you might gain. I don't want to influence you in anyway but you men have some talking to do to agree how far you want to go and how much of yourselves you want to invest. There comes a time in every man's life when he has to reach out and go the limit for his fellow man. That's exactly what your Uncle Buck did by going off to war. He was insuring the future for you boys that you might continue to live in a free country. He put his life on the line for what he believed in. That's what takes man out of the realm of the animal world and raises us to what God intended man to become, a little higher than the angels. Now those are mighty pretty words but I didn't say them first. I read them somewhere. I just happen to agree with them. My dad never did a damn thing in his life that I know of for another man unless he was assured of getting something in return. He died an embittered, resentful, selfish, hateful old man. He died by himself because he never invested anything in another human being and he burned all his bridges behind him. Now, before you take on this project, find out something about him. Visit his home. Go knock on the door and tell whoever answers you're Othel's friends from school may we come in and visit him. Another thing, I want you to talk with my brother, the Sheriff of our county. For all his joking and sense of fun there is a very serious, sensitive, intelligent, loving man underneath. I don't think I really need to tell the two of you that. You know you can tell that big man anything and he'll never love you less. Ask him if he knows anything about the boy's family and how you might go about helping the kid. If you decide you want to help him I think you might be surprised that the other kids might follow your lead and try to help him, too. I know your family will and by that you know I meant all of us. If you decide not to, I'm not gonna' think less of you. Don't fool yourselves, it's a big job. You might decide it's just too much for you; because, you will, in effect, become responsible for another person's life. Are you ready to do that? On the other hand, somewhere, someday, every man has to draw a line in the sand, step across, and say, `I care about my brother.'" The boys talked long and serious. They got a legal pad and made notes as to what they thought they might have to do, how much from their lives it would take, and were they ready to make that commitment. Dan and Jimmy Sue were proud of their boys. They didn't make a snap decision and weighed all the factors. They talked to the Sheriff and he was very serious with them and told them Dad Dan's words were gold. He backed him up a hundred percent. Buck was able to supply a little information. Buck called the sheriff in the small town in central Texas they moved from. His mom and dad were killed in a plane crash when he was two years old and there was no one in the family that would take a child that young. Two old maid aunts took him and raised him as a girl for the first five years of his life. Why? Well, the old ladies weren't mean spirited. They meant well, but they were old maids and didn't know anything about children let alone how to raise a boy. They had no idea what he needed. They were women, they knew about women, so they raised him as a girl. He never wore a pair of pants until he went to school. He never had a haircut until he started school. He never knew he wasn't a girl until a year ago. They dressed him in dresses and kept his hair long and gave him lots of dolls to play with. He barely passed first grade in the school he was in. He just couldn't fit in. All this time he thought he was a girl and then he woke up one morning and his aunt's told him, "Now you have to go to school and be a boy." Waddie's heart went out to the boy. He knew the language of confusion, he spoke rejection fluently, he also knew the pain of needing someone, anyone to love him enough to get him off the floor of that Goddamn closet. Waddie's mind was made up after hearing that but he wanted Gip to make up his own mind. Waddie didn't react at all to Buck's news. He waited for Gip's reaction. Gip was quiet. Was he waiting for Waddie to take the lead? Waddie wasn't going to this time. If he was to agree and commit to this boy he had to have Gip's full support or he couldn't do it with the rest of his world in chaos. "There's one other person I want us to talk to, Brother." Gip announced to Waddie. "Dr. Dyer?" asked Waddie. Gip smiled at his brother. "Yeah, Dr. Dyer. Damned if ya' ain't reading my mind again, Bro." Gip laughed. "Ain't hard when you love some one as much as I do you, Gip." "Guess that's why I finish your sentences for ya,'" Gip paused, "but there's a confused, frightened little man out there that will never have the chance to find love like you and I have unless someone cares enough to show him the way. I want Dr. Dyer's advice more than influencing the way I vote. My minds all ready made up." Tears came to Waddie's eyes. "I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for your love, Gip. Knowing that I was gonna' have you and your strength beside me was the main reason I came back. That kid is on the bottom of my closet without anyone to love him enough to get him out. I don't have a choice, Gip,. I have to commit to helping him." "I do too, Waddie. I was lost and seriously considered killing myself. I prayed for God to send me a special person, a buddy, to love and the next day a handsome young cowboy took me in his arms and told me he loved me. You don't know how much I needed to hear someone say that other than my parents. You not only wanted me for your buddy you loved me enough to give me my name. A name I'll be proud to answer to the rest of my life. I don't have a choice either, Brother, but I do want advise from Dr. Dyer. We need all the help we can get." Buck and Linda Sue were listening to this and both split in opposite directions to find tissues to blow their noses. Buck came back and was visibly shaken. Linda Sue was still crying. "You boys never cease to amaze the four adults in your family. I think you made the right decision not only for the boy but for you. We'll all probably gain as much as he will. Just go slow, take your time and don't frighten him." Dr. Dyer was only too happy to talk with the boys and he was familiar with Othel. He agreed with the boys, it was an awful name. He was helpful and encouraged them. He offered counseling free of charge to the boys any time they wanted to come by. He'd squeeze them in somewhere. He wanted them to know he thought their resolve to help the boy was heroic and they could count on his help. That made them feel a lot better. The boys planned how they were going to do it and their plan made a lot of sense. They went by to visit Othel and he was happy to see them because they'd been nice to him and tried to help him. He was so afraid. Waddie and Gip could tell his two aunts had no clue what their nephew was going through. Waddie wanted to get him away from his aunts to talk to him. He called Buck and asked if he could bring their buddy O.T. to dinner. Buck picked them up and met Oatie's aunts. They were impressed that their nephew was having dinner with the sheriff of the county, his wife and two nephews. They were all agog. Linda Sue was thrilled to have the boy's new buddy over. At first, Buck's size scared the boy but when he found out that underneath this mountain of a man was a big kid that liked to play kissing bandit he wouldn't get three feet away from him. Waddie knew how he felt. He found love in the biggest mountain of a man he could imagine and he felt safe. O.T. crawled over Buck all evening and Buck had the kid giggling and squealing for joy. Buck fell in love with him, he was a cute little boy. Linda Sue was captivated. He was pleasant, well mannered and thoughtful. He never questioned Gip or Waddie calling him O.T. He knew it was his initials but he liked the sound of the name so he spelled it Oatie. And from that night on he went by that name and later in life had his name officially changed to Oatie. Waddie and Gip started having Oatie hang around with them to protect him. Nobody bothered him then. They'd even go to the boys room with him when he needed so's not to get beaten up because some bigger boy demanded Oatie flush the toilet with his head in it. After a while the teachers could see what Waddie and Gip were trying to do for the boy and never called him by his real name again. He was on their records as Oatie Trent. Gip and Waddie kept him close and watched out for him. His grades skyrocketed. He wouldn't try any sport because he never had anyone to teach him those things. He was tiny compared to the rest of the boys. He refused to take part in any kind of sports. It was too rough for him. Waddie and Gip weren't gonna' have that. They told him he was their buddy and if he wasn't gonna' participate then they weren't either. Gip and Waddie were the class's best team players at everything and the kids would go nuts trying to get them to play. "No! If our buddy Oatie don't play. We don't play." That lasted all of two days and Oatie caved. All the kids were begging him to play so his buddies would play. "Come on, Oatie! We'll teach you. No one's gonna' hurt you. We'll watch out for you." The kids were good to their word. Oatie got better and better until he was always within the first four or five kids picked for a team. He improved by the month. Gip and Waddie had discovered a small but natural athlete with God given talent no one suspected. Waddie and Gip talked him into getting rid of the dresses and dolls. When his aunts were gone the boys quickly carried the stuff out to the incinerator, doused it good with kerosene and touched it off. Surprisingly, Oatie didn't shed a tear. From then on he wouldn't wear anything his aunts tried to buy him that was feminine. When they were gone he'd immediately take it to the incinerator and burn it. It was almost like he was burning the fears of his past. He ran around a lot with Waddie and Gip. He loved to come to the Justins and spend a weekend. Dan Justin's heart went out to him and so did Buck's. They had another son. Oatie would talk to Dan or Buck for hours asking them all sorts of questions his aunts wouldn't answer. They were never so busy they couldn't find time for Oatie. Oatie trusted Dan and knew he and the sheriff would never lie to him. He could tell them anything, and did! He loved Sheriff Claymore and was so impressed to have Sunday dinner with the Claymore's, Waddie and Gip. He would cry tears of joy and happiness when the Sheriff would come in wearing his gun and uniform, pick Oatie up, hug him and kiss him and asked him how his boy was doing today. Buck would hold him until he got it all out. He'd apologize and Buck would gently chide him. "I thought we was buddies, Oatie!" "We are, Sheriff Claymore. Honest, we are!" "Then buddies don't apologize for shedding a few tears on their buddy's shoulders. Now do they?" "You're right Sheriff!" then he'd whisper, "I love you, Sheriff." "No, no! You proud you love me, Oatie?" "Oh yes, Sheriff, you know I am!" "Listen up everybody!" Buck would call everyone's attention, Dan, Momma Sue, Aunt Linda, the two boys, "This, here's, my buddy Oatie. We're buddies and I love him! Your turn, Son." "Sheriff Claymore's my buddy and I love him, too." Everyone would applaud and Oatie would beam with love and joy. He never experienced male love before in his life and he was drinking it in faster every day. Waddie knew how he felt. Gip and Waddie were proud to share their dads with Oatie. According to Gip and Waddie, Buck's big arms were medicinal. Buck would steal another kiss and Oatie would giggle. Oatie's aunts began to realize what the boys, the Sheriff, the Justins and eventually a lot more people were trying to do for their nephew. They didn't stand in their way and allowed Oatie to become a boy and a man. Like Waddie and Gip, Oatie became a child of the community. Everyone knew who he was and loved him. During the summer Oatie spent almost every day with the boys. They came to love him and found out he had the quickest wit of any kid in school and kept everyone laughing. He could take the simplest of stories and turn it into an outrageous tale. The more he ran with Gip and Waddie the more outrageous tales Oatie had to tell. He was no longer shy and retiring. He'd have fifteen kids mesmerized listening to his story. One day in early summer, the three boys, Dan and Buck were working all morning in the heat and were exhausted. They knocked off work about eleven to clean up for lunch. It was so hot Dan and Buck were afraid for the boys to continue in the heat. Dad Dan declared the rest of the afternoon a holiday. It was just too damn hot. There was a portion of an old creek that ran through a small section of Dan's property. It was the old limestone quarry where they the cut limestone for the court house. It had the clearest water and you could see all the way to the bottom. You could see fishes swimming around. The five drove down in Bertie May and still had all their clothes on. Momma Sue gave them old towels. Buck parked under the shade of a huge cottonwood tree. Oatie was shy and didn't want to take his clothes off. Buck told the rest of `em to go on he wanted to talk to Oatie. Dan and the boys shucked their clothes off faster that you could say strip. "Oatie, Darlin', we love you. We want you to feel comfortable. I can understand you not wanting to take your clothes off. Do you have underwear on?" "Yes Sir." "What if you strip down to that? Would that be all right?" "I don't know, Sheriff. Ain't never done nothing like that before." "Nobody can see much when you're in the water anyway. What if we strip down and I hold you up against me until we get in. That way, nobody can see you." "Would you do that for me?" "Of course, Oatie. I'm your buddy, ain't I?" "Yes Sir." Buck was in levis and a old western shirt with the sleeves cut out. "Will you help me undress, Oatie?" asked Buck. He thought if he could get Oatie to undress him Oatie wouldn't be so afraid for Buck to undress him. "Sure, Sheriff." Buck stood him up on the tailgate. Buck told him to unbutton his shirt. Otie did, helped Buck off with it and neatly laid it aside. Buck ask him to unbutton his jeans. Oatie did. Buck ask him to pull them down. Oatie did but wasn't prepared for Buck's big dick to flop out in his face. He thought the sheriff of all people would be wearing underwear. Rather than be upset Oatie giggled. Buck sat on the tail gate and ask Oatie to help him with his boots. The boy did. Buck raised his feet and asked Oatie to pull his jeans off and he did. Buck stood up and watched as Oatie drank in the Sheriff who was standing not three in front of him buck ass naked. Oatie's mouth fell open as he looked Buck up and down. He finally stopped at Buck's dick, was aware he was staring but couldn't take his eyes away. He froze like a frightened animal about to be eaten by his prey. He couldn't move and was so frustrated he just started crying. Buck picked him up to quiet him and held him. Of course Buck stole several kisses. "Did I scare you, Sweet baby?" "Oh no, Sheriff. I've never seen another man or boy naked before. I didn't look at Gip, Waddie, or Dad Dan. I didn't want to embarrass them. I was embarrassed because I wanted to run up and put my hands on you and I didn't know whether that was right or not. I wanted to so badly but I was frozen so the best I could do was cry. I won't apologize." "Good! What's wrong with wanting to run up and touch me? I wouldn't care if you wanted to run up and touch me, but the rules are, anyplace you touch me gives me the right to do that to you. If we're buddies we can do that without embarrassment or shame. Do you want to touch me?" "Sure do, Sheriff!" "Ah, but you can't until you have your clothes off, can you? Cause anything you want to touch on me I get to touch on you. The boys and Dan are the same way. If you want to touch them asked them they'll let you. Then they have that right, too. You want me to help you undress?" "Yes Sir." Buck stood Oatie on the tail gate and slowly took off his clothes. He got to his underwear and asked Oatie if he could remove them or did he want to leave them on? "I wouldn't get to touch you if you can't touch me, right, Sheriff?" "Them's the rules." "Do it, Sheriff! I wanna' touch you." Buck pulled Oatie to him in a hug and kissed him behind the ear. Oatie giggled. "You do it, Son. You're a man now!" Oatie didn't waste anytime. When he dropped his underwear Buck's legs almost went out from under him and he damn near fell to his knees in front of the child. He tried not to but he couldn't help but giggle when he saw the size of Oatie's dick. It had to be the biggest, damn dick on a kid he'd ever seen in his life. Buck thought the kid was shy because he might not have as much as his peers. Oatie was the only man or boy that ever made Buck feel inadequate. "That's all right, Sheriff, you can go ahead laugh. That's why I didn't want to undress. I'm a freak. My aunts told me so. That's why they raised me as a girl until I went to school. They were ashamed of me." (His aunts had actually taken him to doctors to see if they could reduce the size of his penis.) Buck almost lost it he felt the boy's confusion and pain. He didn't understand. How could they do that? They did! "You! ain't! no! freak!, Oatie! Look down at me!" Oatie did. "You're bigger'n me, Sheriff! Much bigger! Can I feel it?" "Grab yourself a big ole handful, Oatie!" Buck smiled. Oatie grabbed Buck's dick and he started to get hard. Buck grabbed Oatie's and it started to get hard. "Why does our pee-pee's do that, Sheriff?" "Because you love me and I love you. It's normal, Oatie! You're normal!" Oatie put his arms around Buck's neck and hugged him. "Carry me into the water like this, Sheriff?" Oatie asked. "Be proud to, Son! Hang on tight!" Buck picked up Oatie and slowly walked to the water and into it. Buck sat down with Oatie and eased him under the water next to him. The boys came over with Dan and they sat around Buck and Oatie. They were telling him how happy they were he decided to join them. Waddie reached over and grabbed his uncle's dick. "Watch this, Oatie." Buck knew what Waddie was up to and grabbed a mouth full of water. Waddie took Buck's dick in both hands and pumped it up and down. Buck threw back his head and expelled the water like Waddie was pumping it out of him. Oatie squealed with delight. He thought that was the funniest and best thing he'd ever seen. Oatie had to try it. In his excitement, Oatie forgot about being naked and stood up in front of the boys and Dan. The three of them audibly gasped and almost drowned when they caught sight of Oatie's dick. Buck was laughing his ass off at their reaction. "Holy mother of God! Where was I when the dicks were passed out?" Dan cried. The boys were laughing at Dan and Buck almost choked to death. Poor Oatie didn't know what to do. Dan held his arms out to Oatie. "Come'mer Oatie." Dan almost made it a demand but a loving one. Oatie went to Dad Dan and Dan held him close. We're not laughing at you, Son. We're laughing at us because we wish we had the equipment between our legs that you have between your's. God gave you a gift, Oattie. A gift that all men wish they could be blessed with. Someday you'll be very proud of your dick. If people laugh it's because it's unusual to see a boy your age with that large a dick. Did you ever hear the story of the ugly duckling that grew up to be a beautiful swan?" "Yes Sir." "You're not ugly by any stretch but my point is one day what you're shy about, now, is going to be a beautiful part of you. If you ask the boys, I'm sure they'll be happy show you how to use it." "You mean it's not just for pee-peeing? There's other things you can do with it?" "Oooooh, yes, Oatie! Be patient and some evening the boys will show you what else you can do with it. Right, guys?" "Sure. Oatie's our brother. Brother's do that for each other, right Gip?" "They sure do. You'd be surprised what you can do with it, Oatie. Why, I'll bet you could put out a five alarm fire by yourself with that damn thing." Dan and Buck laughed with the boys. Oatie still wanted to pump Buck's dick. Buck grabbed a mouthful and let Oatie pump it out of him. Oatie squealed with glee again. He thought that was wonderful. Dan looked at Buck. "I wouldn't mind some of that action myself, Cowboy." Buck splash water in Dan's face. They both broke up. For two grown men, Buck and Dan spent more time laughing together than anything else. They really enjoyed each other. Gip and Waddie were having too much fun for Oatie to be shy. Something in him snapped and he didn't give a shit anymore. He came out of his shell in a big way. The boys complimented him on his dick, he let them feel it and he felt theirs. He even ask Dad Dan if he could feel his balls. Dan told him sure, just be gentle `cause they were easily hurt. Oatie was very gentle and thanked Dad Dan. After that day Oatie never had a problem running around buck ass naked with the boys or the men. It got so bad at the mere mention of going swimming, Oatie's clothes were flying everywhere and Gip or Waddie would have to tackle him on his way out the barn door naked as a jay bird. Once in a while the men would have a `rooster party.' It was an all night affair, usually in Buck's old room at the Claymore's. Buck's bed in that house was enormous and would sleep Dan, Buck and the three boys comfortably. Buck would have one of his naked poker parties and the boys would run around naked and have a ball. Dan held on to one of Quinton's arms and Buck took the other the first time he saw Oatie's dick. Quinton damn near fainted and he couldn't take his eyes off Oatie's dick. Of course Deputy Tate shows up with gun, badge and uniform. Gip and Waddie were both so taken with Quinton the first time they saw him, they were nervous to be around him naked. Not so with Oatie! Oatie ran up to Quinton, jumped in his arms and kissed him dead on the lips. Quinton jokingly ask Oatie if he would marry him in fifteen years. Oatie's dick was a wonder to behold. Buck named it the eighth wonder of the civilized world and damn near the fourth in the animal kingdom. At that party they had a new man to break in; Lyle Rawlings. The boys forgot about Quinton immediately when Chief Deputy Rawlings walked in. Waddie spoke to Gip and Oatie quietly. "There, gentlemen, is a man!" Oatie's mouth fell open. He'd never seen such good looking men in his life and to have them hug and kiss him while naked was a form of male bonding he would get nowhere else. Lyle Rawlings had been warned and wasn't exempt from Oatie's exuberant displays of affection. Lyle saw this little blur running towards him but got his arms open just in time to receive Oatie. Oatie had his arms around Lyle's neck, hugging and kissing him. Lyle had the biggest damn smile on his face. You couldn't meet Oatie and not love him. Lyle Rawlings fell in love with all three boys but especially Oatie. He thought Oatie was the cutest kid God put on the face of the Earth. Oatie didn't think Lyle Rawlings was too shabby either. Lyle had less problems and felt more comfortable without his clothes that any of them. He didn't put Oatie down but two or three times all evening. He sat him on his lap to play poker. Oatie was sitting in Lyle's lap and it was pinching Lyle's dick and balls someway. Oatie could feel his discomfort, reached his little hand down, brought Lyle's big dick up between Oatie's legs and he closed them gently so it would hold Lyle's dick up and keep it from being pinched. Lyle scooted forward just a bit and they were both very comfortable. Then Lyle's dick started getting hard and Oatie could feel it. Because of what Buck told him, Oatie innocently leaned back and told Lyle, "I'm so glad you love me, too." Lyle didn't know what he meant and turned beet red. Leave it to Buck to say the damndest thing at the wrong time. "When you two men are though playing hide the little green snake, let us know, and we'll play poker?" Oatie thought that was the funniest thing he'd ever heard and got the giggles. "Never you mind!" said Lyle, "You're big but with no uniform, you ain't sheriff here. Oatie and me are doing just fine, and `yes', Oatie, I do love you." He stole a kiss from Oatie. Oatie was in heaven. No one told Oatie the rules of the game. He sat quietly watching intently for about an hour. He never asked a question. Lyle went to play a card and Oatie shook his head. Oatie just pointed to two cards the others he waved away. "I'll have three cards." Lyle said to Quinton the dealer. "Three it is." said Quinton. Lyle picked up the cards and spread them and had a straight flush. He kissed Oatie behind the ear. Oatie just giggled. He and Oatie wiped them out. They weren't even fun to play with anymore. Funny thing was Oatie was so subtle in his recommendations to Lyle, none of the men picked up on it. They were a team. Waddie and Gip did and giggled with Oatie after Lyle had gone. Buck, Dan and Quinton were going on and on about how great a poker player Lyle Rawlings was. "He must've thought Oatie brought him good luck." said Dan. "He did! I saw him slip Oatie a five dollar bill." said Quinton. The boys just giggled. "You guys got the giggles tonight. You been giggling all evening. What's gotten into you guys? Wait a minute. You guys know something we don't." said Buck. The boys were rolling on the bed laughing. "All right! There's three men here, Quinton, Dad Dan and me. If somebody don't talk soon three little boys are gonna' be submitted to tickle torture. What's it gonna' be gentleman: talk or torture?" They weren't going tell. Buck went for Oatie. Dan went for Waddie and Quinton grabbed Gip and there was an explosion of giggling boys until all three were hollering `calf rope.' "It weren't Lyle Rawlings who beat you at poker." blurted out Gip. The three men looked at Oatie and Oatie had this look of horror on his face like he'd just been caught robbing a bank. Dan and Buck knew better than to doubt the boys but Quinton was still learning. "I don't believe it." said Quinton. "Oh ye of little faith." said Dan to Quinton. Buck howled. "Get the cards Waddie." Buck said to Waddie. Waddie got the cards and Waddie and Gip played the fourth hand. Oatie sat in Quinton's lap and proceeded to wipe everyone out again. Even though Oatie was sitting in Quinton lap and subtly telling him every card to play, Quinton still couldn't believe it. Dan and Buck laughed `til they were sore. Oatie was a phenomenon at games. He could grasp the mathematical probability of any game of chance and beat it. The guys were going on about how comfortable Lyle seemed without his clothes. "That's because most animals aren't accustom to wearing clothes." allowed Oatie as an adroit toss off. Waddie and Gip fell out laughing, but it took the men a couple of minutes to realize what Oatie had said and they fell on the floor laughing at Oatie. He'd hit the nail on the head. It said what they were all thinking. Lyle Rawlings was, indeed, an animal but a very fine looking one. The boys taught Oatie to ride their ponies and any free time they had they were playing ball. He would help and work as hard as the boys on any project Dan or Buck had going around the place. They even helped Morgan repair his barn. Oatie started growing and by the end of second grade he wasn't the smallest boy in the class anymore. He had confidence, brains and had learned from the boys the value of friendship. No one picked on Oatie anymore unless they wanted a fat lip. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In the second grade Morgan's beatings of Waddie started in again. He began to believe the other three over Waddie. Waddie wasn't home enough to break anything but Morgan was too blind to put two and two together. Whatever happened, happened when Morgan was on a run. Never when he was home. Then Morgan would carry Waddie to the barn and beat him almost senseless to get him to cry and admit he had done what he was accused of. Waddie refused and found the most miraculous thing happened. Waddie never felt a one of Morgan's blows to his ass. It would get red, sometimes bleed and Waddie would pass out but he never let out a cry, moan, nor move his ass when he was struck. Morgan couldn't believe the boy would put it up higher taunting him to take his best shot. When Morgan was so tired he couldn't swing his arms anymore or after Waddie passed out, he would tell Waddie that was enough. Morgan would've come in his pants. Waddie would walk up to his dad without a tear in his eye, kiss him passionately on the lips and speak. "I love you, Dad. I forgive you for beating me unjustly, but I refuse to lie for you anymore! I told you I didn't do it and God as my witness, I didn't! You didn't get me to admit I did it! Because I didn't! You lost, Dad! And you know Dad, I do owe you an apology about something. You weren't lying when you said this hurt you more than it did me! This hurts you a hell of a lot more than it does me. You're losing your son, Dad. Is it worth the price? " Morgan was defeated. He was no longer in control. His son had the strength to take that control away from him without raising a hand in anger. Waddie could hear Morgan sobbing, gut wrenching sobs as he left. Morgan would call after him but he wouldn't return. "Waddie,--- don't go! Don't leave me, Son. I had to do that because I love you! I have to punish you to correct you! To keep you from lying! Come back! Please, Waddie,--- I need you!" Waddie would turn, walk to the Justin's and cry his heart out in Dan Justin's arms. He would never let Dan or Buck see his ass until it healed although they could see the blood soaked through his levis. Gip and Oatie became his medics. He made Buck and Dan promise they wouldn't do nor say anything to Morgan about it. Buck called Dr. Dyer and told him what was going on. Dr. Dyer would drive to the Justin's to examine Waddie but Waddie wouldn't let him. They tried to get Gip and Oatie to tell them and they wouldn't. Neither boy would lie, they just couldn't get anything out of them. If they persisted all the boys would do was break into tears and put their head in their hands. Waddie never stopped doing his chores for Morgan, although he would be hurting so bad sometimes, Gip and Oatie would have to help him get through. They didn't mind they were there for their brother. He never stopped doing his chores for Buck. Buck would watch him grab his ass every now and then and walk like a ninety year old cowboy. The big man would go in the house and cry in his wife's arms and she would in his. The boys always devised some devilish scheme to get back at Willie. They sent off for some itching powder and lightly dusted all of Willie's clothes with it, including his prized band uniform. They even lightly dusted his bed sheets and pillows. Poor Willie itched for two months. There were three beatings during the second year of school. Never one during the summer because Waddie was away from the house or was with Gip and Oatie. He had too good an alibi for Willie to frame him. The third year there were four beatings and that year saw one of Waddie the Merciless's greatest triumphs. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * One evening while Waddie was having supper with the Justins, Momma Sue began to tell about her new houseplant she bought from a nursery in Austin. "It's a foliage plant and it's called a `Dieffenbachia.' You guys think it looks nice in that corner?" The three men knew when to agree with Momma Sue and complemented her on her choice of corners. They all thought it was a lovely plant. She had good taste. "You know, it's the strangest thing. It's also called the `dumb cane.' You boys be careful you don't accidently swallow any of it or get any of it's juices in your mouth. It'll temporarily paralyze your vocal cords. They use to call mute people "dumb." It was a horrible thing to call a deaf person who couldn't speak `deaf and dumb.' Many can't speak but they're far from being dumb. In fact, most are extremely bright." Waddie immediately took an interest in Momma Sue's horticultural pursuits. Waddie raved over how beautiful the plant was and how proud she must be of it. Several weeks later she divided it and asked Waddie if he'd like to try his hand at growing one for his room. Would he? He'd be thrilled. Momma Sue potted him up a goodly chunk of the plant and sent it home with him. He watered it, fed it and it flourished. He remembered to thank Momma Sue every time he thought of it as it was a nice addition to his stark room. Months went by and everyone forgot about it. Aside from striving to be an asshole Willie was also a budding musician. He played clarinet in the marching band in high school. He would practice in his room almost every afternoon and drive Waddie crazy. That's when Waddie would go out to the barn to do his chores and take care of the ponies. Waddie, Gip and Oatie always had an assortment of critters they were trying to heal. Sick or injured animals would somehow find their way to Waddie, Gip, or Oatie and they'd do their best to give them a place to rest, recuperate and heal. The boys `infirmary' was in a corner of Dan Justin's old barn about fifty yards from Morgan's newer barn. The boy's got Dan's permission to keep their sick critters there. Waddie would take care of them in the evenings. Sometimes they had as many as fifteen or twenty critters they were taking care of. They were highly successful and Oatie kept accurate records of successes and failures. They named all the critters and showed the date they found them, where they found them, and what they thought might be wrong with them. Dan casually mentioned the boys critter hospital in the old barn when Dr. Dyer and his wife came for dinner one evening. Dr. Dyer wanted to see their operation and walked down to the barn with the boys. He was astounded when he reviewed their records. The boys had a twenty percent greater success ratio than the hospital. He couldn't believe it. He would come out and check the boys progress regularly. He was amazed. He followed the progress of several animals and couldn't believe the swift recovery some of them made. He called Agatha and told her what he found and was astounded. She was too. His question for her was, did she think it possible there was a higher power involved in the healing ratio of these animals? Agatha didn't stop to think. Her answer was an unqualified `yes!' "Both boys and their friend have been touched by God's hand and he's sending those sick critters to them. Of course you'll tell them to be careful of wounded animals and rabies?" Dr. Dyer assured her he would. They didn't talk long but she was thrilled he called and shared that with her. She knew what books to get next time. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Waddie took a nice healthy piece of his Dieffenbachia plant and chopped it up real fine and when no one was home he put it in an old pot, ran some water over it and boiled it down to a thick white goo. Then he climbed in through the window to Willie's room, carefully opened his clarinet case and took all of his reeds out. He took them back to his room and carefully painted each reed with the goo from his rue. He dried them in his widow in the late afternoon sun and carefully returned them to Willie's clarinet case. Willie didn't practice that night but took his clarinet to school with him for band practice the next day. That afternoon all hell broke loose when a high school student, Willie Devers, suddenly came down with some unknown throat infection that left him unable to speak for several days. The doctor's were baffled. Everyone felt so bad for Willie. No one could figure out what was wrong with him. It was a Monday and Jimmy Sue's day to water and feed her houseplants. She got her beautiful Dieffenbachia and took it to the sink to water and feed it. As she was soaking it in the feed solution she wondered how Waddie's Dieffenbachia was...the lights came on in Jimmy Sue's head and she realized immediately what Waddie had done. She was laughing uncontrollably. She was laughing so hard she actually was crying. Dan came in from the barn and thought she was crying and took her in his arms to comfort her. All she could manage was to shake her head point to the plant in the sink and get a few words out. "Dumb cane...Willie...Waddie....!" Dan knew instantly why she was laughing. He didn't know how but he knew the boys had figured out a way to get the dumb cane in Willie and that was enough for him. The two of them held each other and roared. They laughed together until they couldn't laugh anymore. They called Buck and couldn't tell him because every time Dan started they both would fall out laughing. "Come out for dinner and we'll tell you. We can't tell you on the phone. It's just too damn funny." Buck and Linda Sue drove out and had some idea it had to be something the boys did. What could be so funny? When the Justin's finally got it out. Buck and Linda Sue could have been heard all the way to town laughing. Buck was proud of the boys. He couldn't stop laughing. It got all over the damn county but it never got back to, Morgan, Willie or his ma. Waddie, Gip, and Oatie decided that if it was a disease as the doctor's thought, then the boys should make sure it was contagious. They dipped Judy's and Dorothy's tooth brushes in the goo and they, too, couldn't speak for two weeks. Waddie would find food in the fridge that he knew they'd eat before Morgan got home and laced it with a little `dummy-goo.' `Dummy-goo' is what Oatie named it. Poor Willie kept playing in the band but his condition didn't seem to be getting any better. He was going on six weeks not being able to utter a sound. Which was strange because Judy and Dorothy slowly got better. Waddie, Gip and Oatie were beside themselves but they managed to keep a straight face around Morgan and Willie. After two months of silence from Willie one doctor suggested that Willie might be reinfecting himself from the reeds in his clarinet. Willie got a new reed and within a week and a half he was able to utter several sentences. He was so proud of himself. He was thrilled. Waddie waited about a week and painted the new reed. Poor Willie couldn't talk for another month. He was really distraught. He thought he was going to be speechless the rest of his life. Waddie didn't think that was such a bad idea at all. If he had anything to say about it Willie would remain speechless the rest of his life. Waddie kept asking Judy if Willie was still `dumb.' He explained that's what they call a person that can't speak, `dumb.' "Ain't cha never heard of `Deaf and Dumb?" Willie got the bright idea of washing his reeds to sterilize them. It washed most of the dumb rue off but there was still enough he had to talk like a whiskey tenor for months. Then, just for sport, Waddie would repaint all of Willies's reeds and he'd be unable to speak for another month. >From then own when Willie got a little to big for his britches, Waddie would doctor something else he put in his mouth. His toothbrush. Put a little in his mouthwash. Dipped the ends of all his pencils and pens in it. Waddie even found some hard candy Willie had stolen and lightly painted each piece. Poor Willie just couldn't understand why this rare disease wouldn't go away. Willie remained silent for a little better than six months. Dr. Dyer heard about the story one evening at dinner with the Justin's and the Claymore's. Buck could barely get the story out because he was laughing so hard as he told it. Dr. Dyer and his wife thought that was the funniest thing they'd ever heard. He examined Willie first and was stumped. He never would have suspected a paralyzing agent. It's so simple, and almost elegant, people look for something more difficult. He made sure after that he was far too busy to see Willie and let the new intern at the hospital look at him. The young doctor had no idea what was wrong with Willie. Dr. Dyer knew his job was to heal the sick but Willie wasn't sick. He knew Willie would miraculously recover when Waddie, Gip and Oattie decided to let him. He giggled every time he thought about it. Buck finally had to sit on top of Waddie, Gip and Oatie to get them to stop before they were discovered. Buck tried to talk like a mature adult to the two boys as Lyle Rawlings and Dan Justin stood listening with their hands over their mouths unable to control themselves. Buck turned to them and gave them a look that would've put the fear of God in most any other men but only succeeded in breaking them up more. Buck couldn't hold it any longer either. He slapped his leg and the three grown men were holding each other laughing their ass's off with tears rolling down their faces at the antics of the boys. Buck laughed so hard at the three boys exploits tormenting poor Willie, they thought he was going to have a stroke. All the other deputies in the other room knew what was going on and they didn't help any. They all had tears running down their faces from laughing so hard. Even Mrs. Anderson thought it was hilarious. Then Buck told Dan Justin to `go the fuck home' and he'd bring Gip, Waddie and Oatie to their place after having dinner with him and Linda Sue. He then managed to seriously council the boys and told them the trick of doing something like that and having it remain a mystery was to know when to quit. They took the hint from Buck and no one ever knew. At least it never got back to any of the Lovejoy household. Even Ma and Pa Lovejoy heard the story and almost suffered heart attacks from laughing so hard. They never let on to Morgan they had a clue. Hell, the whole damn county knew about it and Waddie, Gip and Oatie became legends in their own time. The three boys would walk around the square. People on all sides of the square would wave at them and break up laughing. The boys knew they'd heard about it. The town placed bets on the next trauma Willie had to suffer at the hands of the boys. He hadn't seen the last of Waddie's terrible troika. (soon to be a fierce-some foursome) Willie Lump-Lump was about to go down in flames and he didn't have a parachute. End Part 9 ~ Cabbage Patch Cowboy Copyright 2002 Waddie Greywolf Questions/comments: waddiebear@yahoo.com