The Potter's Wheel 1

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The guys were up early to avoid being discovered. It was a busy day for the newly committed lovers. Sadly, with all the drama of the previous day, they didn't have the time or energy to consummate the relationship.

Today was the first day of school for Jimmer and MJ, who were quite excited to get back to school with their friends. Then there was the grand opening of the Potter's Wheel along with a small reception afterward.

The excitement of the day, however, was overshadowed by Tim's attempted suicide. First on the agenda was checking on Tim and his condition. Derrick was heading over to the hospital to spend the day with him, and Matt had called the nurses' station to check on him. They said he was stable but not talking. To make matters worse, there was his refusal to see or speak to his father, who had attempted multiple times to see him. Jim felt bad for Finn so he called him to let him know what was going on and promised to keep him updated.

"Thanks for calling Jim," Finn said, "but I'm beginning to think Keith has a point. Tim is doing this for attention."

Jim was floored by Finn's comment and it took him a minute to recover. "You can't be serious," he almost shouted into the phone, "I can't believe you would even repeat such a stupid idea. I think you can forget what I said about updating you. If you could think that about your son then you don't deserve to know what is happening with him, let alone see him." Jim was furious; he needed to take a deep breath to compose himself.

"I was your only ally Finn, but now I see what Tim is saying. You care more about Keith than you do him." Finn said he was sorry Jim felt that way and that he would see him at the grand opening. Jim just pushed the `end' button and cut off the call. He decided to keep the conversation to himself. He was afraid Matt would go over and beat the shit out of him if he heard.

No sooner had he ended his call with Finn that his phone rang. This time it was Mack. He was calling to apologize for Friday night and to say that he and John were taking a break for the time being. It seemed that he was going to be a single father for the time being and wondering if the offer for Buddy to move in still was on the table. With his work schedule and John not being there he was stuck. Add to that, Buddy was not speaking to him; he was angry at his father for "chasing John away," as he put it. He wondered if they get together during the week to discuss the situation. Jim told him they would be happy to and said he would have Barry call back and set up a day and time.

The boys appeared at the breakfast table in their uniforms and Matt noticed that their pants seemed a bit short as a result of the summer growth spurt.

"Well guys, it looks like we're going to have to get you new pants sooner than we thought."

"Yeah Dad, maybe Uncle Bazza can take us after school. I don't want to look like a geek," MJ said.

"All right you two hoodlums, eat up, we have to be on the road soon," Barry said as he chuckled at the boys' antics.

The turnout for the Grand Opening was impressive. The Baby G was there, just as he said he would be, along with a few of his junior staff. Quite a few of Jim's former coworkers were in attendance and he wondered how they managed to get away from Major dick. Declan and Dave were also there along with Frank, Colonel Dave and the Doc. He was also surprised to see Finn on the edge of the crowd. He was happy to see him and thought he would catch him alone after the dedication and have a quiet word after the conversation this morning.

The usual program continued with Matt, Dave, and the Colonel, each giving short speeches. Then it was left to Jim to explain the name of the center "The Potter's Wheel" and the program's mission. He explained that Jeremiah, the prophet, not the bullfrog (that got a good laugh) had a vision during which God told him to visit the potter in town. When he arrives at the potter's house, he watches the potter at his wheel carefully shaping a lump of clay. It turns out misshapen, so the potter stops the wheel and reforms the clay into a lump and starts again. The metaphor is that God does that to us, if we allow it. God takes us, reshapes us, reorients us and sends us off in the right direction, to be something He wants us to be. That is what we hope to do with the sailors and Marines who come to us for help. Too many of our wounded have no idea what to do with their lives after they recover from their wounds. Many thought they would make a career in the service of their country. So this is our intent, with the help of God, Colonel Marks and other volunteers to take the wounded service men and women, wounded both mentally and physically and help to reshape and renew them into happy, successful, and productive members of society." Jim received a rousing round of applause when he was through, and then moved through the crowd shaking hands and thanking those who showed up.

Finn was speaking with a few people he knew when the next hand he shook was Dr. Marks. "Finn, I'm so glad to see you," she said. "I'm so sorry about having to release Keith but I thought it was for the best."

"Excuse me," Finn said, totally confused, "what do you mean release him? He has been telling me how well the sessions have been going."

Finn just stared blankly at her. He couldn't make sense of what she was saying. Her words kept running though his head but he couldn't make sense of them. For weeks, Keith had been regaling him with stories about his sessions and how much progress he was making and how much the Doc was helping him. Finn felt sick to his stomach and light headed. Davy noticed how pale he looked and he grabbed his arm to steady him, afraid that Finn would faint.

A worried look crossed the Doc's face, "He hadn't told you about my releasing him, is that correct?" she said.

"Yes, that is correct," Finn replied and left it at that. There was no point in sharing the rest of his humiliation.

"If you both will excuse me, I have to get back home," he said shaking hands and rushing to his car. He needed time to think about this, and how he was going to handle it. His life was a disaster: he had one son in the hospital who attempted suicide, the other a pathological liar and an estranged lover... all because he refused to listen to Frank and Tim.

Dinner at The Compound that evening was somber. Even after the success of the grand opening, the situation with Tim was weighing heavily on everyone's mind. He was still refusing to see his father, but he was allowing Frank, and the guys to visit and of course Derrick who spent most of the day with him. So after dinner, with the boys in bed, Frank decided to break out his uncle's journal and read the first chapter, hoping it would cheer everyone up. So he and George, along with Matt, Jim, and Barry settled into the outside in the screen room with cigars and a bottle of Maker's Mark and he began to read:

If you are reading this journal it is because Bennie and I are now gone. We've asked Declan Murphy to help us with the task of recording our story for two reasons. One, remembering where we started and where we ended up has been a very cathartic experience. Two, I wanted you to know why I was not able to be a bigger part of your life as your Godfather. Your mother, God bless her, always stayed in contact with me. It was hard while your grandfather was alive because your father worked for him. After my brother Enzo took over, it was still difficult but your mother knew how to handle him. Bennie and I hope you will enjoy the story, and understand our life. We can only hope that you will enjoy yours as much as we did ours.

"For I know not any greater blessing to a young man who is beginning in life than a virtuous lover, or to a lover than a beloved youth."

June 5, 1924

The first time I saw the Statue of Liberty it was from the second-class deck of the SS Conte Verde. Unlike many immigrants, my family did not pass through Ellis Island. My father and two brothers had been working in the US for eight years, building a business and sending money home to my mother. He had finally sent for us, we were all going to live in America and my mother would no longer be a "white widow." So today, I Frank Bruno, an excited thirteen-year-old boy, stood, holding his little sister's hand and was in awe of the huge building as we sailed into New York harbor.

We were going to live in Brooklyn where my father had bought a large house he called a brownstone. He had become a successful stonemason, traveling as far as Connecticut to work on the homes of the wealthy. I barely knew my father. He left Italy when I was three years old and made only four trips back. My brother Enzo who was eight years older than I, and my brother John who was five years older had been working with him for the last five years so when I saw them standing on the dock with my father I almost didn't recognize them. My brother John looked like my father, but Enzo was something else. He looked to be over six feet tall, with wide shoulders. He was wearing a light suit and you could see how much muscle he had built up working.

My father had decided that the four youngest children, which included me, my sister Carmella, and brothers Nick and Mike would at least graduate from high school and possibly college like American kids. In Italy we had tutors so the four of us could already read and write English, and we were also tutored in proper Italian as well as French.

Life in America was sweet, that first year. My father's business was booming and I was making friends and acclimating quite easily. Of course speaking English helped tremendously. However, the best part of all was my brother Enzo. He was my hero and spent a lot of time with me, playing stick ball after work, taking me to ballgames when he could and the movies on Sunday afternoon. Every day that passed I became more and more fascinated with him, and he treated me more like a son than a brother. My favorite game of all was trying to see him naked, especially his long fat cock that was covered in hair. It looked huge compared to my bald boy cock.

Then there was the day that changed everything. It happened just after my fourteenth birthday. I already discovered that when I rubbed my hard boy cock it felt good, and if I rubbed it long enough I would get this wonderful sensation and my body would tremble and shake.

My father had built a shower room in the basement for the `men' of the house to use. My mother refused to let them come into the house dirty and dusty from work. So when they came home from work they would shower downstairs and leave their dirty clothes behind. One hot Saturday Enzo was playing football with my buddies and me, they all thought he was cool and I thought he was God.

When we got home we were dirty and sweaty so he said, "Venite con me su ragazzino'' `come with me little boy', you shower with me." He had a habit of starting in Italian and finishing in English, especially with the family. He saw the look of panic on my face and added, "At last you can look at me naked without peeking!" He roared with laughter, and I turned beet red, he knew all along. Shit!

When we got down to the shower room he began to strip, I tried my best not to look but I couldn't help it. His body was incredible, his big hairy chest, those big arms and most of all his huge cock. When I finally got undressed he was already showering, he called to me to hurry and then what I feared the most happened. My almost hairless boy cock was sticking up like a flagpole. When he saw it, he laughed. I wanted to die, tears started to fall down my cheeks and I turned to leave. Before I knew what happened, I felt his wet body against mine, his huge hairy arms wrapped around my chest.

"Frankie, it's okay cara mio (my beloved) you're just growing up," he said sweetly as he spun me around and kissed my forehead. "It happens to all boys, especially when you don't want it too." By this time I could feel his cock pressed against my leg, and it was as hard as mine. When he saw me looking down at it he said, "Va bene, potete toccarla (`it's okay you can touch it').

The feeling of his cock in my hand made me quiver, and I instinctively started to stroke it. Enzo moaned softy as I skinned it back and rubbed the sensitive head. He continued to whisper words of encouragement, telling me how good I was making him feel, and then he turned my world upside down when he said, "I love you Frankie, you're my beautiful boy," and shot what seemed to be a gallon of cum in my hand.

We finished our shower and grabbed robes and headed upstairs to dress. Tonight was a very rare occasion. My parents had taken a day trip to visit their comare and compare (maid of honor and best man) in Yonkers taking the youngest children with them. Enzo said I could stay home with him; my other brothers had dates.

When I got to my room, I just sat on my bed trying to make sense of what had happened. I must have lost track of time because all of a sudden Enzo was standing in front of me in his underwear. When I looked up, he saw that I had tears in my eyes. He turned around and closed and locked my bedroom door. Coming back to my bed he lay down and pulled me to him. He gave me a loving kiss and then began to explain that everything was fine and that he loved me. For the next hour he gave me a lesson on the birds and the bees and finished by telling me that it was okay for guys to help each other out when girls wouldn't. But it had to be a secret.

The problem for me was I had no interest in girls, but I was too afraid to tell him that. Then he began to pull my robe off and when I was naked he started to kiss and lick my body down to my raging boy cock. What he did next shocked me to my core, my big strong manly brother, a man whom other men feared, took my hairless hard-on in his hand and began to masturbate me, it didn't take long before my body began to shudder from an intense dry orgasm.

When he was done, he moved up and kissed me again. Then he asked if I wanted to do the same to him, I didn't answer, I just grabbed his thick hard cock and began to stroke as he moaned and whispered words of encouragement. Then, without any warning, his cock erupted covering my hand and his stomach. As I watched I knew that I was hooked; hooked on jerking off with my big brother.

For the six months Enzo and I got together as often as we could, and over time it became more me giving him a quick hand job, and him rarely returning the favor. Whenever I stroke him, I would pull my own cock out and jerk-off while doing it. Finally came one of those rare occasions that we were home alone and we were naked on his bed. That day he decided to stroke me for the first time in many months and moved us so he could do me at the same time. He was hot and sweaty and the smell of his body was driving me crazy. That was a special day!

1926

Right before my birthday, when I was to turn sixteen, Enzo took me to visit his friend Rocco Gallo. We were meeting him at his health club. Rocco was older than Enzo, somewhere around thirty years old. He was single and his business was selling imported Italian marble and ceramic tile. It was also rumored that he was a "man of respect", that meant he was "connected."

Enzo had always seemed like the most handsome man I had ever met, until I met Rocco who was one of those very rare Italians. With his olive skin, dark wavy hair (which he wore longer than the current fashion) and most striking of all were his very deep blue eyes. Even in his clothes he looked like he was loaded with muscle.

He took us to the locker room where we changed into shorts and undershirts. When I saw Rocco nude, I almost fainted. Apparently Enzo's cock wasn't the largest size they came in! Rocco had a cock that soft looked at least six inches with a large overhang of skin and it looked quite fat; and if that wasn't enough he had two very large low hanging balls. He saw me staring and just winked. We spent the next hour with him showing me how to lift weights. Then we stripped, showered and spent time in the steam room, ending with a massage.

After leaving the gym we went to a restaurant for lunch, then back to his house. He had an amazing library. Enzo had told him what a good student I was so he thought I would enjoy it. Equally impressive was his home gym. Well, it was really just a room in his basement with a bench and barbells.

We ended up back in his parlor, when Enzo walked up behind me and pressed himself into my back. Then he whispered in my ear, "How would you like to see Rocco's bedroom," then he kissed my neck. As he was doing this, my eyes grew wide as I saw Rocco coming towards me as I shook my head yes, and then Rocco kissed me and fireworks went off.

Later in his bedroom, the three of us naked, I had the pleasure of tasting Rocco for the first time. While Enzo was there and participating, it seemed to me that it was just Rocco and I all alone.

When we were leaving for home, Rocco invited me to come and work out with him whenever I wanted to, or to use his library. This was said with a wink.

And so it began, as the months flew by, I went to Rocco's house at least three times a week. I really did use the weights and I actually started to build muscle I also used the library. We also made a lot of love. All the sex aside, Rocco became sort of a mentor and a very good friend.

Enzo continued to use me for his pleasure when he needed it, but it was no longer the affectionate gentle Enzo. That was gone. I was being used to relieve pressure. Then he became engaged to be married to a woman whom I despised. Not because she was taking Enzo away, but because she was just an out-and-out bitch.

The only part of the story I never understood until years later was that Rocco had been a mentor to Enzo much like he had become to me. The difference was that Enzo was really straight and moved on to women. I think he had suspicions about me and felt he was leaving me in Rocco's capable hands. It was the one thing that I would be grateful to him for the rest of my life.

1928

The summer I turned seventeen was memorable. There were two big events. Enzo was being married. I stood at the altar with the wedding party pretending to be happy. The truth was I sad for him. I was afraid she would eat him alive. The other big event was that I had my first job working with Rocco at his warehouse.

It was a glorious summer. I spent almost every day with him and in August he even took me to Italy on a buying trip. My father would never think to say no to a "man of respect", so off I went. Sex with Rocco during the crossing was incredible, especially since we could sleep together at night. It was during this crossing that Rocco fucked me the first time. He spent over an hour licking and tonguing my ass, and then working his fingers in and out while sucking my cock. When he finally entered me I was transformed. I stared into his deep blue eyes the entire time. Tears were streaming down my face, not from pain, but from joy.

He too stared into my eyes the entire time, slowly moving in and out and hitting a spot that made my eyes roll back in my head. After a good half hour of the glorious feeling of fullness, I shot the largest load of cum of my young life between us. When I was finished cuming he leaned in and kissed me deeply, flooding my ass with his hot cum. He continued to kiss me and then he moved down my body, licking the cum off my body until he moved down pushed my legs back and began to tongue my ass and lick his load out of it. From that night on, that's all I wanted, his cock in me. It got to the point where he begged me to stop.

Finally we docked in Naples, which was the first stop on our trip. The first night we met a young boy, a beautiful boy with large dark eyes with long thick eyelashes, and a thin face with long curly hair. He was small and thin and looked like a child. He had approached us while we were on the way out for an early dinner. One could tell the boy lived on the street by the way he was dressed. He was offering his service as a guide to the city, and with a wink he suggested he was available for more.

Regardless of what the reader of this journal may think of Rocco, up to this point, especially for having an affair with a seventeen- year-old boy, he was not a deviant who preyed on young boys. He was a well-read man and thought of the two of us as a pederastic couple. Most of all he was a kind and loving person. We really had no need of a guide, especially since we both spoke Italian fluently, and were only going to visit ceramic dealers. But Rocco took a few lire out of his pocket and asked the boy his name.

"Ah, an Italkim (Hebrew for Italian used to describe Italian Jews)," Rocco said handing him the money. Get something to eat and buy new clothes, then meet us here tomorrow morning at ten."

After a pleasant dinner we returned to the hotel and I begged him to fuck me. Having him inside me thrilled me like nothing else and he loved to indulge me.

The next morning Bennie was in front of the hotel waiting for us, just as Rocco had instructed him. He also had bought new clothes and was all spiffed up. Well that said a lot about the boy. He could have taken the money and never returned. We spent the day meeting with Rocco's suppliers. Bennie was along more as a companion for me than as a guide.

Bennie was a joy to be with! He was smart as well as funny, and as stated, incredibly beautiful. He looked much like a painting of a Renaissance Prince, with his large dark eyes and his curls framing his pretty face. I was completely under his spell, and Rocco noticed.

We took him to dinner with us, and after Rocco paid him, he instructed him to be at the same spot the next morning at nine. That night in bed Rocco began to tease me about Bennie. When he saw my reaction, he hugged me tight.

"Caro, it is good to find a boy of your own age. I will always love you, but I am much older and you will grow tired of me."

"You may grow older Rocco, but I will never tire of you," I replied firmly and kissed him deeply to seal my pledge. Then I let him fuck me until I almost passed out.

The next day Bennie was waiting for us once again. After saying hello, Rocco told us to go off and enjoy ourselves while he attended to business and that he would meet us back at the room around noon. Bennie showed me many interesting things, but I was mostly interested in him. What I couldn't understand was how such a well-educated boy (he was two years younger than me) could be apparently homeless and working the streets.

We made it back to the hotel room and waited for Rocco. We were sitting on a settee, talking about life in America. We were staring in each other's eyes as we talked, and the more we talked the closer we moved together until our lips met. The electricity in that kiss was tremendous, and we continued to kiss until we were on the floor, me on top. I could feel his hard cock rubbing against my own through our pants. As with all young boys, it didn't take long for him to shutter. I assumed he had come in his pants.

When we broke our kiss he looked up and panicked. There was Rocco standing above us, watching us with a small smile. Bennie pushed me off of himself and got up to run from the room, but Rocco caught him.

"Please don't hurt me signore, please don't hurt me," Bennie cried in fear, with tears running down his face.

"Cio basta, raggazino," (that's enough little boy), "I would never hurt you," Rocco said as he held him and stroked his back. This only seemed to make Bennie cry more. In fact, he buried his face in Rocco's chest and sobbed.

When we finally had him calmed down, Rocco said it was time to go to lunch. Bennie was back to being his charming self and we enjoyed our meal. When we were through, Rocco told Bennie that we were leaving the next day for Rome, then on to Venice. Bennie was crestfallen, but Rocco smiled and then asked if he would like to go with us. I was thrilled, but Bennie still looked sad. He thanked Rocco but told him he could not. He didn't have the clothes or the money for such a trip.

Rocco just laughed and told him he would take him that afternoon and buy him whatever he needed. First he wanted Bennie to ask his parents' permission. Then a single tear fell from his cheek when he told us he had none.

We spent the afternoon shopping, Rocco bought Bennie a complete wardrobe, and once dressed in well-made clothes he was even more beautiful. Then it was back to the hotel for a rest before dinner. When we entered the room, Rocco and I immediately began to remove our clothes. We always napped in the nude. Bennie looked very nervous.

So I went over and kissed him. He started to panic but I grabbed him and held him tightly until he relaxed and began to kiss me back. Once he was undressed, I led him over to the bed where Rocco was already lying naked and hard. When Bennie was close enough, Rocco pulled him down and began to kiss him. I climbed into the bed from the other side and joined them. We began a three-way kiss and then Bennie followed my lead as we kissed our way down Rocco's body and began to suck his cock and huge balls. When he signaled he was ready to cum we moved together up to the head and shared his massive load. We spent the remainder of the afternoon in bed making love.

The trip to Rome was wonderful. Bennie and I spent our days sightseeing while Rocco conducted his business, then our evenings, making love. With each day, I loved Bennie more, and I believed he loved me as well. While in Venice, we had a day of rain so Bennie and I stayed in the room while Rocco met with a supplier.

We lay in bed, naked and wrapped in each other's arms, making small talk as lovers do. I finally asked him why he was living on the streets and what had happened to his family. Tears streamed down his face immediately. I just held him and waited until he was ready.

Finally, slowly he began to tell his story. He was from a fairly prosperous Orthodox Jewish family. He was one of four children and the youngest. One day last year, he was playing with a boy from his school. They were in his room and ended up on the bed in a sixty-nine position sucking each other. His father unexpectedly came into the room. His father grabbed him and started to scream at him while beating him. This gave his friend the opportunity to escape without being recognized.

When he was done beating him, he told Bennie to leave his house and never return. So for the last year Bennie had survived on the streets doing whatever he could to earn enough to eat. The story almost ripped my heart out. I couldn't imagine a father doing that to his son and I found I had tears in my eyes as well.

Later that afternoon when Rocco returned I forced Bennie to retell his story. Rocco was horrified. He held Bennie in his arms and rocked him as he cried. "How could anyone do such a thing to such a beautiful boy," he said as he comforted the boy.

The rest of the day Rocco seemed pre-occupied, and finally after dinner we found out why. He sat on the bed and made Bennie stand in front of him. He took the boy's hands and looked into his eyes, then spoke.

I almost exploded with happiness, and Bennie was ecstatic. Then he quickly became sad.

And he did. All I know for sure is that Rocco make a generous donation to a church in his hometown of Penne, in Abruzzo. After that, the priest miraculously found a record of the birth of Rocco's son. The rest of the details of how he got Bennie out of the country died with Rocco.

One week later, Rocco and I left for home along with the newly minted Bennie Gallo in tow, along with steamer trunks full of new wardrobes for both of us.

The three of us made love all the way across the Atlantic. Rocco was an active and willing participant. But it was hard for him to keep up with two teenage boys! So many times, he chose to sit and watch the two of us make love while he masturbated. We always tried to get to him in time to swallow his load.

When I returned home, my brothers and sisters were miffed with me, well jealous to be more precise, of my new clothes and my new leather luggage. But that was soon forgotten when I handed out the gifts I had bought them.

Bennie's sudden appearance as Rocco's son was easily explained. For years Rocco had explained his lack of a wife or interest in dating by claiming to have a wife and son in the old country. This was a very common practice of the time. My own father had done it. So when we arrived home, Rocco already had a cover story. He explained that his wife would never leave her widowed mother and so he had left her and his son behind until her mother died. However, when he arrived to visit his wife, he found her mother alone with his son. His wife had died two weeks before and word had not yet caught up with Rocco. So Rocco was finally able to bring his son to America. The story worked perfectly, and Rocco played it to the hilt, even having himself and Bennie wear black armbands to show they were in mourning.

Bennie was enrolled in my high school. He was smart as a whip and again, like me, because he spoke English and was my friend, he was readily accepted. The boys liked him because he was good playing baseball and the girls loved him because his was so handsome. Bennie also started to work out with Rocco and me. His goal was to build muscles like ours, and of course neither of us could ever be as big as Rocco. But there was a big secret that we kept well hidden from everyone at school. Bennie was my lover and we made love every chance we could.

Tuesday, October 29, 1929

All anyone could talk about today was the stock market. Yesterday it dropped heavily and today it just seemed to get worse. Bennie and I had stopped at Rocco's office on the way home from school to ask if Bennie could come to my house to study and stay for dinner. Rocco said it was fine.

One of the things that I loved the most about Rocco was that he never patronized Bennie or me. When we asked a serious question, he always answered it frankly. Also, he was a very savvy business man and was also smart. The books in his library were not there for decoration; he had read all most everyone one of them. So on this day, while so many people were panicking in the streets, I found it somehow strange that a businessman like Rocco would be so calm and unfazed by what was happening. I asked why that was.

"Because caro, I came from a very poor family, and made myself wealthy by being smart and not by being a chooch. Something I learned early in life was that if something is too good to be true, it usually was. So I read the financial papers every day. I figure if you want to be a good and successful business man, you should do what they do," he chuckled a bit at the anecdote. "The only reason I was in the market was to make money. With the exception of my blue chip stock, as soon as something would double, I would sell it and put the profit into savings. Then I would buy something cheaper. I treated it like a crap game. I was gambling with house money.

"Anyway, back on September 3^rd the market hit an all-time high and then on the 18^th it took a big hit. Then the British stock market crashed two days later on the 20^th. I had been reading about how the stock prices had risen because people were speculating. That means they were borrowing money to invest in the market and that made me nervous. So after we recovered from the loss on the 18^th^, I sold seventy five percent of my portfolio so all I have left are my blue chips."

"No wonder you're so calm today Zio," I said. I had been calling him Uncle as a sign of respect since we came back from Italy.

"I hope you boys remember this in your future business dealing. Never risk more than you can lose. Always pay yourself first; that means save," he said with a smile.

We left Rocco's and headed home to my house. My mother had fallen in love with Bennie and loved to feed him since he could eat his own weight at one sitting, an Italian mother's dream child. Dinner was tense. My father was all wound up about the stock market and was living up to his nickname, `Aceto' (vinegar/sour) all through dinner.

After dinner, Bennie and I escaped to my room as fast as we could to "do homework". We weren't behind the closed door more than five minutes and we were into a heavy make out session on my bed. That was all we would dare to do in my father's house. We had just started to rub each other's cocks through our pants when my forgotten unlocked bedroom door opened to reveal my father, looking like he was ready to explode.

"What..."he was so angry he couldn't speak, "I came to ask Bennie if his father was home. Now get the fuck moving and we'll find out together," he shouted.

When we got to Rocco's, we found him in his den. My father pushed us through the door and said loudly to Rocco, "Do you know what these two were doing? They were kissing and playing with each other."

"Eh," Rocco said lifting his hands palms up and shrugging his shoulders to indicate he was unfazed, "boys will be boys."

"I'll beat the shit out of him. That will teach him not to be playing with boys again," he shouted rudely as he slapped me on the back of the head. "I won't have a `fancy man' living in my home, it's a sin!"

"Look, amico mio, (my frend) they are just boys, there is no harm. Maybe I can help. I've decided to move to California. How about you let him come live with me? He can go to school there," Rocco said.

"No!" My father said forcefully, "He will come home and go to work with me, no more school. I'll make a man out of him." That got my attention. There was no way I was going to quit school and work for him.

My father's face became purple with rage and he smacked me in the face so hard, I fell to the ground. Bennie was immediately there to help me up. I had never told anyone the secret. One day, while Enzo and I were making love and were alone, he had some wine. When I asked him where he learned about sex with men, he told me that our father had taught him when they were living together before we came from Italy. My father told him that it was all right for them to do it because it kept him from cheating on my mother.

"I will remind Pisano, you are in my home, and speaking to my son," Rocco said firmly. That got my father's attention and he immediately realized what he had done.

"Lo scusate, signore," (I'm sorry sir) he said, "It's been a terrible day but I think we can make it better. I'll let Frank go to California if you will buy some stock from me."

"And how much did you pay for this stock?" Rocco asked knowing that it was probably almost worthless now.

"I paid eight thousand dollars for the stock. It was all of my saving," he said pitifully. I was standing there in shock as my father bargained for me. I wanted to go but was shocked that he would even think of selling his own child.

"Sono d'accordo," (I will agree) Rocco said and then to me, "Frankie, you go home right now, take Bennie and pack all the clothes that I bought you and say goodbye your mother," Rocco told me.

Bennie and I flew back to my father's house and franticly started to pack like maniacs. My mother was hysterical when I told her what I was doing and so was my sister Carmella. I kissed them goodbye and Carmella walked me outside crying, begging me to stay. I told her I would always love her. I gave her five dollars and told her to go to the post office as soon as she could and get a box. Then she should come see me at Rocco's and give me the number. I was sure we would not be leaving for at least a few weeks. I explained to her that with that box we could exchange letters so she would always be able to contact me.

What I didn't know, until the next day, was that Rocco had bought my father's almost worthless stock for what he paid, eight thousand dollars and gave him another two grand to round it off.

When we got back to Rocco's, my father had already gone and Rocco called us into his office. He opened his arms and I flew into them for him to hug me as I cried.

"Don't cry caro, it has all worked out in the end," he said. "Your father is happy and I have my beautiful boy with me."

That night we all slept together in Rocco's bed. It was a special night with Rocco fucking both of his boys. It was a magical night. After we were done with the sex, Rocco began to explain his decision to move to California. He explained that he had been thinking of it for quite some time. There was a lot of money to be made in California. Now with what had happened, finding Bennie and now me, it would be the perfect time. We would be leaving in about two weeks and would be going to Pasadena.

Bennie and I went to school the next day as usual. When we got home that afternoon, my sister was waiting for me. She had made it to the post office and rented a PO Box. She had paid for a year and tried to give me the change, which I refused. She came in with Bennie and me for a visit. While we were having a snack Rocco came in and said hello. She eyed him cautiously but was pleasant and respectful. He asked me to join him in the study.

When the door was closed, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. "Caro mio, you are my good luck charm. The stock-market rebounded today, and the stock you father sold me took off. I paid him ten grand and sold it for over fourteen," he said with a huge smile. "Then I sold off the remainder of the portfolio so now they all can go to hell!"

He took my hand and led me to his desk and pointed to a box. Then he handed me a key. I opened it and was stunned at what I saw. Inside it was packed with ten dollar gold coins.

"That is the four grand profit I made. It is for you caro. I want you to profit by your father's stupidity. I'm sure he'll know the stock went back up, but a deal had been made and I got the best of it, you!"

I hugged him hard and kissed him again, "Thank you Zio, I love you so much. I would like to give some of this money to Carmella so she can always been safe."

"What a good brother you are. I'll take care of it tomorrow. Have her come after school and we will take her to the bank and rent her a safe deposit box. The manager is mi cumpari. He'll make sure her secret is safe."

And so it was. Carmella came the next day and I gave her a small box with fifty of the coins. She was in shock. Five hundred dollars at that time was a huge amount of money, especially for a young girl. She cried and thanked me again. I warned her strongly never to let anyone ever know she had it and that Rocco had used her PO box for the address.

True to his word, two weeks later everything from the house that he wanted to take was packed into creates to be shipped by train. Then we, along with our trunks, were aboard the 20^th Century Limited heading west and we never looked back.

"Well it certainly filled in a lot of blanks for me," Frank said reaching for the bottle to refill everyone's glass, and then toasted Frankie & Bennie.

Welcome to Book Two! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The Potter's Wheel, especially the journal entry written by Frank and Benny. There is much more to their story so to continue, it had to become a separate book. Before I write more, I want to gauge reader interest. If you want to hear more about the life of Frank and Benny, please send me an email at farmboy7456@gmail.com. and be heard. Thanks!

Thanks for reading. I receive many emails complimenting me on how well edited and easy to read my story is, the credit goes to Jim for that, he works very hard to make this story readable. Now most people are lucky enough to have the help of one dedicated person, and now I have two. You can also now thank Steve; from the land of OZ. By the way, we love to hear from our readers; but when you email us @ farmboy7456@gmail.com please make sure you put the title in the subject line.