Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:10:12 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening 13 - 14 Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 13 -- Different Issues. **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. By the time we had dropped everyone off and returned home after Danny's party, both boys were still excited, but quite exhausted. All they could talk about was how much fun they had, how great the baseball game was and how wonderfully Ricky had played. I think even Ricky amazed himself by how well he had done, and Danny was busy trying to convince him to sign up for summer ball. "Look," Danny began, "sign ups are next weekend and you know now that you'll do great. Even Brandon is going to play, so you've got to. It will be fun." "What if this was just a mistake," Ricky protested, still not convinced of his ability. "Maybe I'm not as good as I looked today?" "But you are good," Danny shot back, "and all my friends told you so. I've told you that all along, but it's up to you. I know you'll do great, but I'm not going to try to force you, if it's not what you want to do. It's the same as everything else, you don't have to do anything unless you want to." Ricky looked at Danny, trying to understand what he meant. "So you don't care if I play or not?" Ricky asked. "Oh, I care and want you to play," Danny answered, "but I'm not going to make you. I'll be much happier if you play too, but that's your choice." Ricky had listened carefully to what Danny told him, but he took several more minutes, before he said anything else. Finally, he gave Danny his answer. "Okay, I'll give it a try," Ricky finally confirmed. "I guess I could do that, seeing you've done so much to help me get better." "Just one thing," I interrupted, having overheard the conversation. "I have one hard and fast rule that you might want to consider first. If you join up for something, I expect you to stick it out for the entire season and not quit in the middle of it, as that hurts the others on the team. That means if you do join, you'll go to all of the practices and all of the games, regardless if you change your mind about liking it later. My other children were forced to follow that rule and I expect you boys to do the same." Ricky thought about it briefly, before answering me. "I can do that," he stated, simply, which caused Danny to grin broadly and give him a hug. "Great!" Danny exclaimed, after releasing Ricky. "This is going to be a lot of fun. You just wait and see." Both boys seemed truly looking forward to this now and I was glad they were both happy they were going to be teammates. Things were continuing to go smoothly and school was nearing an end, which made me realize I had been lax about keeping up with the boys' progress in class. I decided I'd better check with their teachers, just to make sure they were still doing well, because if they weren't, there was still enough time to bring their grades up before school ended. I was almost certain the teachers would have said something to me before this, if either boy was having problems, but I thought it best to be certain. After talking with the various faculty members, I was happy to learn that both boys were doing fine. Ricky's teachers all commented about how much better he was doing since he came to live with me and each one made sure I understood they were having far fewer problems with him in class. Hearing that pleased me immensely and I knew I'd have to find a way to let Ricky know how thrilled I was that he kept his promise about trying harder, both academically and behaviorally. I realized that amount of change must have taken more than a little effort on his part, so I had to find a way to show him how much I appreciated what he had done. I always knew he was truly a good kid, but just the kind who occasionally reacts before he thinks. Danny's teachers were also very impressed with him. They told me that sometimes they wished he wasn't so quiet and would participate more in class discussions, but his work was excellent and he was very intelligent. I had some idea that he was a capable student, after scanning his records from his old school, but I didn't realize that he had been under- performing there. His teachers were praising his efforts now and they also told me he was making many friends and showing signs of being a natural-born leader. Dang, did I luck out with these two or what? Encouraged by these reports, the following weekend I took the boys to sign up for the 13- 15 year old baseball league. While we were there, I spoke to the various league officers about our current situation and they saw no reason why the boys couldn't play on the same team. Danny and Ricky were thrilled when I informed them about this and now they eagerly anticipated their first practice. Once the sign up had been completed, the coaches would get together and select the teams, and they'd call all of their team members to inform them as to when and where they'd be practicing. I could tell the boys were getting antsy about what team they'd be on, but there was nothing they could do to find out that information until they heard from their coach. They got their phone call Sunday evening, confirming they were on the same team and getting the information about their first practice. I happened to know their coach, because he was a member of our church, and I knew he had been coaching summer ball for a number of years. Learning this made me feel good too, as I now realized they had someone of his caliber to work with them, and it helped to remove some of my concerns as well. I was worried the wrong coach could destroy what little self-confidence Ricky had gained from working so hard with Danny, but I was now able to put that worry behind me. The boys were a bundle of nerves for the next couple of days, anticipating their first practice and worrying about who else might be on their team. As I drove them to the field, neither said a word. They were both staring intently out the windows, to see if they recognized any of the others there. We were all shocked to see Brandon there and he came rushing toward our car when he saw us drive up. "Are you on this team too?" he squealed in delight, already fairly certain as to how my boys were going to respond. "Yep," Ricky told him. "I guess we're going to be teammates." They all took a deep breath after that, as some of their concerns had already been put to rest. I stayed and watched the practice, intrigued as the coach tried all the boys at the various positions they hoped to play. Once he had finished doing that, he pitched batting practice to them. He would follow that same routine over their next two practices, but on Friday he began to let the boys know where they'd most likely be playing. It turned out that Danny was going to be the shortstop and Ricky would play opposite him, at second base. Hearing this, I immediately thought about how I had the double-play combination in the family and decided I'd work with them a little on our own, to help them polish those very skills. Brandon became the centerfielder, as his long legs allowed him to cover a lot of ground, which he did very gracefully. Besides being fast and having good range, he also had very good instincts and could get a great jump on most fly balls. He was truly going to be an asset to the team. The boys seemed pleased about most of their other team members as well and there wasn't anyone on the team they were unhappy with. I felt that was important, because at this level, the ability to play as a team is always much easier when you think of everyone else as family or a great friend. To encourage that feeling, I was planning to invite the whole team over to our place every so often, to give the boys an even greater chance to bond. There was one kid, however, that I didn't need to worry about. Brandon became a very frequent visitor to our house and sometimes I began to wonder if he had just moved in without telling me. Some nights when the boys had a practice or a game, Brandon would come home with us first and then come with us when we drove to the field. Once in a while, he would invite my boys to go home with him beforehand, and then his parents would take them instead. I was pleased to see this, but I was also beginning to notice something else, something that disturbed me greatly. I was beginning to notice Ricky's body language and facial expressions when Brandon was around and I could tell something was bothering him. I decided to confront this head on and not wait for Ricky to explode; so I took Ricky aside for a private chat. "Okay, what's wrong?" I asked him, once we were alone. He looked up at me, with those big expressive eyes and his mouth hanging open. "What do you mean?" he asked, rather than answered. "Look, I know something is bothering you," I explained, while trying to eliminate any denial he might try to make. "I just don't know what it is. However, I think it has something to do with Brandon," I added, causing Ricky to blush. "Do you mind filling me in about it?" It took Ricky a few seconds before he answered me, and I could tell he was very uneasy about sharing this information. I could have said something to try to ease his discomfort, but I thought it best to let him work it out for himself this time. Eventually, my little blond scamp began to speak. "It's not what you think," he informed me. "Oh? And what do I think?" I asked in return. "You think that I don't like Brandon any more," he stated, assuredly, "but that's not it." "Okay, what is it then?" I demanded. "It's just that Danny keeps spending more and more time with him," Ricky admitted, and then stopped, without adding more. I thought I understood where this was leading. "And you think this means Danny likes Brandon more than you?" I asked him, which caused Ricky to turn red and look away from me. "Maybe," he responded, without looking in my direction. "Do you think it's possible that Danny might like both of you," I pressed, "but just in different ways?" Ricky turned toward me again and I could tell this question had confused him. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I mean," I began, "that he might love you like a brother and Brandon like a good friend. That doesn't mean he likes one of you more than the other, just that he loves you both, but in different ways." "Then why does he spend all of his time with Brandon when he's here?" he fired back. "I think that's because he isn't with him all the time, like he is with you," I answered him. "I think if Brandon lived here and you didn't, then Brandon might have thought the same thing, because it would seem like Danny was spending all his time with you." Ricky thought carefully about this and I could tell he was weighing things over in his mind. "So you think I'm being silly feeling this way?" he finally asked. "No, not silly at all," I replied. "It's just that you're not seeing the whole picture. I'm sure Danny would feel awful if he knew you felt this way. If he did, he'd probably try his best to show you how much you mean to him, but I think he needs other people in his life too, not just the two of us." I paused for a second, to let this sink in. When I saw him looking back toward me, I continued. "What if you found another friend? Would you want Danny to feel bad that you wanted to do things with him too?" "No," he replied, without hesitation. "Well, I'm sure Danny feels the same way," I assured him. "Do you think I should feel bad because you boys want to spend more time with each other or with Brandon, than with me?" Ricky's eyes bulged from their sockets, as he thought about the implications of my query. "No," he almost screamed, "we both love you a whole bunch." "And I love both of you and Danny loves you too," I assured him. "Do you see what I'm trying to tell you?" He considered my words for many seconds, before he finally answered. "Yeah, I guess I do," he admitted, a little sheepishly. "You're saying you don't love us less because we spend time with each other or with Brandon, and I shouldn't be mad cuz Danny spends time with Brandon either." "That sounds about right," I responded, causing Ricky to roll his eyes a bit. "I guess I've been kind of dumb, huh?" he asked me. "I wouldn't say dumb, just confused," I assured him, which caused him to smile weakly. "Maybe you should go find Danny and Brandon and see what they're up to?" Ricky nodded and ran off. It didn't take long before he found them in the family room, playing ping-pong. They immediately invited him to take on the winner, which only confirmed what I had just told him. He now realized Danny and Brandon weren't ignoring him, just that he'd have to learn to share the time he got to spend with them. For the next hour or so, the three of them played table tennis together, rotating in and out, with the odd man challenging the winner. I was happy to see them having such a good time and Ricky's jealousy toward Brandon seemed to fade. The boys had several baseball games during the remainder of May and Brandon would stay over on Friday or Saturday nights with my boys, occasionally spending both nights at our home. When he wasn't staying with us, Danny and Ricky would sometimes spend the night at his place, so they were all becoming very close. Once the issue of 'whom Danny liked more' had been put to rest, they were actually able to enjoy each other on their own level. The first weekend in June, I kept my promise and we had a sleepover for Danny's old friends. Danny also invited Brandon, seeing he had met these boys before and they all seemed to get along so well. I picked everyone up Friday afternoon, as we were going to make this a weekend get together. School was officially over, so there was nothing to keep this from happening, and the boys all wanted to have as much time to spend together as they could finagle. My friend had loaned me his van again, so I picked Brandon up first, and he rode with us to get the others. All the boys were excited, had all of their things with them and were ready to go. I had suggested they bring several changes of clothing, appropriate for the various types of activities we might do, a sleeping bag and possibly a pillow or whatever else they thought they might want. I had also spoken to each of their parents in advance, to make sure they had no allergies, medical conditions or food dislikes that I should know about. Armed with all of this information, I had planned the weekend out with my sons. The first thing we did after getting to our place was to take everything into the house and get the boys settled in. I made sure they all got a detailed tour of the place, making certain they also knew where all three bathrooms were located, meaning the one on the first floor, the second floor, and the bathroom off the master bedroom. That way they'd know what their options were, in case someone was occupying one of the toilets when they needed to use it. Once that was accomplished, I had them grab a few specific items, loaded everyone back up into the van and then drove them to the high school baseball field. I let them play a game until dinnertime and I caught for both teams again. The boys told me it was neat that I'd play with them too, as none of their parents ever did that. They had another very good game and seemed to really enjoy themselves. On the way home, I stopped to pick up the sheet pizzas I had ordered before we left the house. Once we were in the van, I wondered if the pizzas were going to make it until we reached our place, as all of the boys seemed to be drooling and getting hungrier by the second. It was a good thing it wasn't a very long ride. I carried the pizza inside, brought out some bags of chips, soda, vegetables and dip, a green salad that I had quickly thrown together and some dressings. The boys devoured everything in sight and I had to hustle to make sure I got something to eat before it all disappeared. There's nothing like watching the feeding frenzy of growing boys. After our meal, Danny and Ricky asked me if I'd take them all for a hike in the woods, as they wanted everyone to see how much land we had. I knew their primary purpose was to allow his friends see the ravine I had shown them when we took Brandon out there, but I happily agreed. I told everyone to change into something appropriate for the hike and when they all returned, we exited through the back door. It was a lovely afternoon and the woods just seemed to dance in sunlight and shadows, which gave it a very relaxing feeling. The boys eagerly followed me, while Danny and Ricky filled them in about many of the things we passed. When we got to the ravine, the other boys hesitantly edged forward, so they could look down the dirt and rock strewn drop off. I could tell it had precisely the effect Danny and Ricky had desired. It not only impressed this group, but it threw a little panic into them as well. Once we got back to the house, the boys amused themselves for a while indoors, before going outside to play hide-and-go-seek, after it got dark. Danny, Ricky and Brandon had a distinct advantage, as they knew the area better than the others, but I think everyone had a good time. When they came in for the evening, I had everyone take a shower, because they had all played very hard throughout the day. It went quickly with the three bathrooms, and once they were done, we all went to the family room to watch a video I had Danny and Ricky pick out Friday morning. It was a horror film, but it wasn't overly violent, and everyone seemed to get into it. While they were watching the movie, I went out to the kitchen to make popcorn. When I returned, I was lugging not only the popcorn, but also some bags of chips, dip and drinks for everyone. That seemed to tide them over until bedtime. When the movie ended, the boys let me know they all wanted to sleep in the same place, instead of being split up among the various bedrooms. I had no problem with that, so I had them lay out their sleeping bags in the family room, as I had my boys do when Brandon stayed over that first time. Being the prankster that I am, I grabbed a few items and sneaked outside, to see what type of excitement I might be able to stir-up. I peeked through the large family room window at the boys, and once they were settled in, I went into action. I put my face against the window, flicked on the flashlight I held under my chin, and made the worst face I could think of, while emitting some very loud moaning and groaning sounds. I added that touch to make sure I got everyone's attention at about the same time. I heard some screams and saw some of the boys bolt from the family room and race for other parts of the house, until Danny and Ricky explained I was the one scaring them. Once the boys realized I, and not some monster, had been peering through the window at them, they started to calm down. However, someone decided that what I had done deserved payback, so he whipped the others into a revolt, and they all shot out the door after me. I gave them a run for their money, but they eventually caught me. Once they got a hold of me, they playfully swatted my shoulders and backside, as if they were punishing me for what I had done. You see, after their initial fright, I think they all enjoyed my little diversion and it helped make them feel a little closer to me too. When I got them settled down again, I ushered everyone back inside. I led them into the family room, had them slip inside their sleeping bags and then advised them to get some sleep. Before I left, however, the boys made me promise I wouldn't try to scare them again. After assuring them I wouldn't, they began to settle down. I'm not sure what time the boys actually fell asleep or how much rest they were able to get that night, but they did sleep in late the next morning. By the time they started getting up and moving into the other parts of the house, it was nearly noon. I began giving them their options for breakfast -- cereal, eggs, toast, English muffins, French toast, sausage, bacon or even a breakfast sandwich, and then fixed whatever they wanted. While I was preparing their food, I also set cartons of various types of juice on the table and had Danny and Ricky set out dishes, glasses and silverware for them to use. It took a while to get everyone fed, but then I let them chill out for a bit, before I explained what I had planned next. "Okay, guys. Everyone go get your swimsuits and we'll head to the state park for at least part of the day," I announced, receiving a loud cheer in reply. I also made sure each of them took a towel from my ample linen closet, before shepherding the group toward the van. The state park wasn't that close to the house, but it had an awesome swimming area at one end of the lake. After parking the van, I had them grab their things and led them to the men's bathhouse, where they began to change out of their street clothes and into their trunks. This proved to be a very interesting time. All the boys were a little hesitant about changing in front of their buddies, so Danny, Ricky and Brandon decided to set the tone. They quickly stripped out of their clothing and actually took some time playing with their swimsuits before putting them on. The others watched them closely, including checking out their bodies, but seeing those three acting so nonchalantly about what they were doing, the others quickly began to follow suit. As I was changing, I watched them all checking each other out, and it was actually quite amusing. Some were still a little bashful about showing off their body, especially the one boy who wasn't quite as physically mature as the others, but one of the others seemed to relish letting the others have a good look at his wares. I know this pleased Danny, Ricky and Brandon immensely. When everyone was ready, I locked all their belongings up with mine, but I had them wait for me, before they went out to swim. Once everything was secure, I followed them out to the water, so I could evaluate their abilities. After watching them for nearly twenty minutes, I began to relax enough to get in the water and enjoy myself too. We had a very good time swimming and lying on the beach sunning ourselves, so we ended up spending the entire afternoon there. I bought the boys little things to eat to tide them over along the way, but as evening approached and their stomachs began to rumble, I decided it was time to leave. We all went back to the bathhouse to change into our clothes, with the boys urging me to move a little faster than I was going. When I completed my efforts, they nearly dragged me out to the van, because I had mistakenly mentioned it was time for dinner. There was no way I was going to be able to fix anything quickly enough to satisfy them, so I took them to a family buffet-style restaurant, which I discovered on the way back. As I walked in and looked at the prices they were charging, I almost felt as if I was cheating the owners by paying so little for these eating machines. However, that was all I was required to do, but I would leave a nice tip for whoever had to remove the stacks of dishes these boys would go through. I watched in awe as the boys moved between the various food stations, like a pack of wolves moving in for the kill, and by the time they loaded up their plates and made their way back to our table, not much remained. I gawked at the serving pans after they strolled away and it was like looking at the skeletal remains of an animal, after the vultures had finished with it. As I walked back to take my place beside them at the table, I saw the panicked staff begin to race about, as they tried to refill all the empty containers for their other customers. The boys went through that first plateful like fire through a drought stricken forest, and it wasn't long before they were headed back for seconds. The staff just watched, with open mouths, as the boys roamed from station to station, helping themselves to more. It wasn't long before they returned to the table, to finish off their most recent selections. Some of the boys even went back for thirds, but most moved on to the dessert bar, returning with anywhere from two to five different items. I hoped they were eating enough to last them through the night, because I think my cupboards were running a little bare, after all they had already consumed. After everyone had finished eating, I suggested we could go see a movie next. They all responded positively to that idea, and once they reached an agreement on what they wanted to see, we drove to the theater complex. I was a little surprised when they turned down my offer to purchase snacks for them, so maybe they didn't have two hollow legs after all, and I merely ended up buying them drinks. I didn't find the movie that enjoyable, but the boys did, and that's all that mattered. When the movie ended, we went back home, but I had another little surprise in store for them. Once we got to our house, I disappeared, but soon came back lugging two bundles under my arms. They were two family sized tents I still had from the old days, when my family would go out camping and bring along a few friends. I asked the boys to help me set the tents up in the yard, explaining that I'd let them camp outside tonight if they gave me a hand, so they eagerly agreed. We got everything under the glare of the spotlights I had focused upon that section of lawn, but instead of setting up a campfire, I brought out the old charcoal grill, so I could light a small wood fire in it. I did this so the boys could roast marshmallows later and make Smores. I had purchased everything they would need before they arrived, anticipating this opportunity. We had to split the boys into two groups, with half in each tent, and then I had them bring their sleeping bags and pillows out and get them arranged. Once they were set up, I turned off the spotlights and the boys made and ate their Smores over the little fire. For those of you who have never gone to camp, that's a Graham cracker with a chocolate bar placed on top of it, and then you put a toasted marshmallow or two on top of the chocolate, before topping it off with a second Graham cracker. While the boys savored their treats, we sat around and talked, so I could get to know them even better. When the conversation began to wane, Danny and Ricky asked me to tell them another ghost story, which the others eagerly approved of. It was a good thing I know so many spooky tales, ones I had learned during scout outings with my children, school campouts, and the camp I worked at as a counselor during high school and college. I thought hard to come up with one that would be appropriate and finally remembered something I had heard a very long time ago. Quickly, I figured out how to adapt it, to make it work here. "I don't know if you realize this," I told the boys, "but the state park we were at earlier today used to be the location of a large Native American village. The Indians built their huts along the banks of the lake and part of the area farther away from the water, was very sacred ground for them. That's where they held various ceremonies and buried their dead. "When the settlers first appeared and started moving into this area, some of the things the white men did were confusing to the Indians. You see, Native Americans believe in only taking what they need to survive and they use everything they can from any animals they kill. Naturally, they didn't understand why the trappers killed so many animals and then only took their pelts, leaving the meat and everything else to waste. In addition to that, they began to feel threatened, because those same men also appeared to want to drive them away from their ancestral lands. "As the white men moved farther and farther west, that fear became a reality. The trappers and settlers kept driving the Indians from the lands of their forefathers, but not all of the tribes were willing to go peacefully. Some decided they would rather stay and fight, to defend what was theirs. The tribe that lived where the state park is now avoided war by allowing these outsiders to do as they wish, but they also let it be known that they did not want to leave these sacred lands. Their ancestors had dwelt on the banks of that lake for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and they weren't going to be forced to move. "Knowing the Indians wouldn't leave peacefully, one unscrupulous trapper made plans of his own. He sought to get rid of the Indians his own way, so he could claim the land for himself. That way he could trap and hunt all of the animals that lived there, not just the small quantities the Indians allowed him to take. His motive was greed, because he realized he could become very wealthy if he controlled this area. Many animals lived around the lake, especially beaver, whose fur was very valuable. To accomplish his goal, he organized a group of his friends to help him make the Indians disappear. They all knew there was only way to do this, and that was to kill all of the Indians, but that didn't seem to bother any of them. One night, the trapper and the others crept into the camp and literally massacred all of the inhabitants. "Word of these murders spread quickly and another tribe, who were distant relatives of those killed, went to avenge their deaths. They hunted down all of the trappers, and one by one, they made them pay for what they had done. These men did not go quickly or painlessly, because the Indians tortured them first, causing them as much agony as they could. The braves made sure these men died a slow death, so they could feel the life as it drained from them. The Indians also punctured the white men's eardrums and gouged out their eyes, so they could not hear or see in the next world. They even scalped the trappers before they had taken their final breath, as the ultimate act of retribution. Without their scalp, their spirit would escape through the opening in the top of their head, thus keeping them from finding eternal peace. Since that time, the ghosts of all those killed, both the Indians and trappers alike, have haunted this area. Even though it's hard to see them in the bright daylight, I did see them in the bathhouse while we were changing. They were watching us very carefully, to see what we were up to." "You really saw them?" one of the boys asked, his mouth hanging open and his body very tense. "Oh, yes," I answered. "They were behind you the whole time, observing everything you were doing. I just hope none of them followed us into the van and rode home with us, or they might be looking over your shoulders even now." Suddenly, I saw heads begin to swivel back and forth, as the boys looked for any signs of these ghostly figures. This time, Danny and Ricky realized my story wasn't true, so they were the only ones unaffected by it. Even Brandon was concerned that ghosts might have accompanied us home, so he also scanned the area, to see if he could see any signs of one. A short time later, after I told the boys I was going back in the house for the night, some of Danny's friends begged me not to leave. "Mr. Currie, can't you stay out here with us tonight?" one of them asked. "Yeah, maybe you could sleep out here too," another suggested. "Not that we're scared or anything," a third offered, "but it might be fun if you camped out with us too." I don't think anyone doubted any of these boys' motives, but many of the others were nodding in agreement. "The tents are already pretty crowded, just with you boys in them," I countered, which caused them to start looking around. "Uh, we can make room," one of them offered, getting two or three of the others to agree with him. Danny and Ricky even helped the boys decide how they could make this work. They'd sleep in one tent, with the boys who were least effected by my story, and I could sleep in the other tent with those who seemed to be the most frightened, which appeared to include Brandon. I guess maybe I should give up telling ghost stories, if I was going to get paid back like this after each occurrence. I was actually looking forward to spending a peaceful night sleeping in my bed. I finally gave in and agreed to sleep out with them, but explained that I would have to go get some bedding for myself first. As I got up to leave, I wasn't surprised to see a few of the more scared boys follow me into the house, making excuses that they needed to pee, get a drink or do other things inside. After collecting what I needed, I went back out to fulfill my promise, with my scared little ducklings trailing close behind. After spreading out my bedding, I was surprised to see Brandon make sure he was closest to me, as he slid tightly against my right side. Even though I had previously noted he had been affected by my story, I thought he might choose to stay in the other tent, between Danny and Ricky. In addition to that, I didn't expect him to be so gullible or that easily spooked. I had also assumed my sons would assure him I had made the whole thing up and he would have laughed it off by now. However, I guess I had misjudged the situation. After many minutes of trying to get everyone settled in and quieted down, I managed to get comfortable and make it through the remainder of an uneventful evening. In the morning, I woke everyone up and fed them, and then I had my boys dress for church, so we could attend services after we took the others home. Brandon asked if we'd drop him off first this time, so he could get ready to go to church with us. He made sure we promised to pick him up when we returned, because he wanted to go too. After loading everything in the van and setting out, I did as he requested. As I dropped the other boys off at their homes, they thanked me and told us they had a great time, even the boys I had scared so badly the night before. After saying good-bye to each of them, we drove back into town, picked Brandon up at his place and went to church. After the service, we returned Brandon to his parents and then went home to clean up the mess and put things away, before we began to prepare for the week ahead. Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 14 -- Baseball and Birthdays. June was also a very busy month for me, as my time was split between my family and work. I was overseeing the summer school session, as well as various maintenance and construction projects going on in my school building, but my priority was spending as much time as I could with my sons. To that end, I had the largest above ground pool I could find installed at the house, so we could swim together as often as possible. The boys thought having our own pool was awesome, but that's not all we did. We also spent time playing games, working on their sports and going various places, either alone or with their friends. Baseball was also a very big part of our lives during that time and I attended many games and practices throughout the month. The boys did very well, both individually and as part of a team, and I reveled in their achievements as the season progressed. Needless to say, I was very pleased with both of them. Their team had gotten off to a somewhat shaky start, but none of them ever gave up or became disheartened. It was this adversity that caused their team to gel as a unit, even better than any of us could have hoped for. During that time, I invited the boys' teammates to our house on several different occasions, so they could swim and do other things together, and that also helped the team grow closer with each other. As July approached, the league playoffs began, and Danny and Ricky's team still had a chance to win it all. They had finished with the second best record out of the two divisions during the regular season, and they qualified to participate in the four-team playoff, which included the top two teams in each division. They had to play the team with the third best record first and they played really well, but so did the other team. It came down to the final inning, with our team up by one run. The other team had runners on second and third, and there was only one out, so it was very tense. The pitcher fell into a hole quickly, as his first two pitches were called balls, so he grooved the third pitch, thinking the batter would be taking it, and he didn't want to fall behind 3-0. The batter wasn't taking and swung hard, nailing the pitch. It was headed for the gap between short and third, which more than likely would score two runs and put the other team in the lead. Out of nowhere, Danny dove for the ball, snatched it out of the air and immediately popped back to his feet and took off for third. The runner there had made a mental error, first taking too big of a lead, but he also broke for home before the ball went through the infield. Danny ended up doubling him off, ending the game and allowing his team to win by a single run. Needless to say, Danny was mobbed by his teammates, his coach and even a few of the parents, but I elected to stay off the field. Oh, I clapped loudly and cheered energetically, but I thought I'd wait to congratulate him after the commotion had died down. Once things were almost back to normal, I offered to take the entire team to the nearby ice cream parlor and buy everyone cones. Of course, that set the boys off again, but they had earned it. A couple of the boys rode with us, but most went with their parents. As soon as we got in the car, Ricky couldn't contain himself any longer. "Dad, did you see Danny's play?" he gushed, his enthusiasm showing how proud he was of his brother. "He was awesome." "Yes, I did," I responded. "It was a fantastic play. I don't think I've ever seen a major leaguer pull off anything quite as spectacular." "I just got lucky," Danny told us, modestly. "I didn't think I could reach it, but it must have tailed back into my glove." "Danny, that ball was hit too hard to tail back," I informed him. "All I saw was a well executed, well-timed dive, followed up by a reaction that could only have happened for somebody whose head was in the game. It was obvious you had thought the situations over in your mind before the ball was even hit, otherwise you would never have made it to third base so quickly. THAT is what makes a great player." I could see Danny blush a little after I said that, but I could tell that he was also very pleased by my compliment. "Thanks, Dad," he eventually responded, "but I only did what you and the coach have taught me to do." When we arrived at the ice cream place, I told the person waiting on us what size cones to give everyone, and then I let the boys order what they wanted. Everyone kept talking about the game while they downed their treats and Danny remained the center of attention during most of that time. I could tell he was proud to have helped the team like that, but he was a little uncomfortable about being singled out for what he had done. He kept saying they all helped win the game, not just him, and all he did was make the last two outs. No one bought that, but I was pleased and impressed by the way he conducted himself. The next game was also a thriller and they ended up playing the only team that finished with a better record than they had. The lead shifted back and forth throughout the game and Danny and Ricky both played very well. They both had hits and each of them made some nice fielding plays, but the team fell short. They ended up losing the game, and although you could see they were sad about not winning, they didn't let the loss tear them up inside. They knew they played well and did their best, except the other team did a little better. We were still proud of their accomplishments and the boys learned a great deal and had fun, and that was what mattered the most. Once again, I took everyone out for ice cream, but the mood wasn't quite as enthusiastic this time around. Once the baseball season was over, we began planning for Ricky's birthday party. I had been talking to him about his guest list and what he wanted to do, but he had not yet worked out all the details. One afternoon he came to speak to me, telling me he needed to ask me a question. "Dad, I'm having a problem deciding who I think I should ask to my birthday party. I want to invite all the guys on my baseball team, but I also want to invite Danny's friends from Springville. What do you think I should do?" "Well, that is a very large number of people, if we invited them all," I replied, trying to decide how we should handle this. Not only would I have to deal with helping him work this out, but I also had to make sure I didn't appear to be showing favoritism, by doing more for Ricky than I had done for Danny. "Why don't you go get your brother and we'll discuss this as a family," I finally suggested. Ricky nodded and went off to find Danny and soon they were standing in front of me in the living room. "What's up, Dad?" Danny asked, as he entered. "We need to discuss something," I told him, "so why don't you boys sit down here beside me and we'll talk things out." The boys did as I asked, both sitting on the same side of me, with Danny being the closest. "Danny, one of the reasons I wanted you to be a part of this decision," I began, "is because I didn't want you to feel cheated or think that Ricky was getting more than I did for you. He's having trouble deciding who he wants to invite to his party, as he's torn between inviting the team and your friends from Springville." "You don't have to feel that way, Dad," he explained, "and Ricky doesn't have to feel like he needs to invite my old friends." "But I don't feel that I HAVE to invite them," Ricky protested, "I just WANT to. I like them and they've become my friends too." Danny smiled broadly after listening to what Ricky said. "I'm glad you feel that way," Danny told him, "because I know they like you too." Danny now looked away from Ricky and up at me. "As far as I'm concerned," he told me, "Ricky can invite as many people as he wants to. I'll have as much fun as he will, and I like all those guys too, so he can ask them all. It's fine with me." "Are you sure you won't feel like you got gypped then?" I pressed. "No, Dad," Danny responded. "In fact, I kind of hope he does invite them all." Ricky was just beaming now, knowing he had his brother's support. "Ricky, it looks like the guest list is up to you then," I advised him, before waiting to see what he wanted to do. It didn't take him long to fill me in. "Thanks, bro," Ricky told Danny. "That was nice of you. You know, we'll have enough people to play touch football on the side yard. Would that be okay, Dad?" "Of course," I responded, although I think he already knew what I was going to say. "Just let everyone know about your plans, so they don't wear good clothes to the party. I wouldn't want any of their mothers getting upset if they came home dirty, grass stained or if their clothing got ripped." Both boys grinned. "Sure, Dad, I'll tell them," Ricky confirmed. "This is going to be great." I waited a few seconds for him to suggest something more, but when he didn't, I decided to offer him an idea. "We could also make this a sleepover, if you were interested," I added, confident that I knew his answer in advance. Ricky began to respond, but then stopped, and he looked intently at his brother instead. "What do you think, Danny?" he asked, seeking his advice. "I think I like the idea," Danny replied, honestly. "I was wondering if Dad would let us do that." "Then we'll do it," Ricky informed me. "Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun. Thanks, Dad." "You're welcome," I told him. "Now, your birthday is on a Friday, so why don't we plan the party for that Saturday. We can take everyone home Sunday, sometime before dinnertime." "That sounds awesome," Ricky responded. "Ricky, do you want me to help you e-mail my friends?" Danny offered. "Yeah, I was going to ask you if you would," Ricky informed him. "Thanks." The boys went off to do their thing and soon the invitations were being sent to the boys from Springville. Ricky invited his baseball team over the telephone, as we had a list of their names and phone numbers handy. Everyone accepted, except for one boy who would be out of town on vacation. Seeing how many times I had been forced to borrow my friend's van, I concluded it was time to purchase a van of my own. I also determined it would probably be best to do this before the party, since it would come in handy transporting everyone back and forth. Not only that, I had some other plans in mind for which I would probably need a van. That afternoon I called a friend of mine, who owned a dealership, and told him what I was looking for. He advised me that he had a few vehicles that might meet my requirements, so I told him I'd drop by later to check them out. I took the boys with me, to get their input. We looked at a number of vehicles, some commercial, some passenger, and some custom, and even though the boys and I were impressed with the custom vans, we felt a passenger van would suit our needs best. Besides, the boys thought being able to look out the windows while we were traveling would beat the few benefits a custom van might offer. That would be especially true when we had all of their friends with us, as they wouldn't have to fight over looking out a window and there would actually be more room to seat all of the boys. Once we had that settled, we just needed to pick out the color, and then wait a couple of days to pick it up. The morning of the party, we drove out to pick up the boys from Springville. The boys commented immediately about having a different van and they let us know how nice they thought it was. On the way back, we stopped to get a few of the boys from their baseball team, but most of their teammates didn't need a ride. Either their parents were going to drop them off at our place or the boys were going to ride their bikes there, but there were a couple who lived a little farther out and needed a ride. Once we had everyone inside the van, it was more than crowded. Some of the boys even had to sit on someone else's lap, but no one seemed to mind. We stowed their belongings under the seats and wherever else we could find, and then headed home. After we unloaded everything and took it into the family room, the boys decided they wanted to play football first. I suggested a game of touch football, or even flag football, but the boys all thought those ideas were pretty wimpy. They were determined to play tackle. Going against my better judgment, and already picturing boys with broken bones and concussions, I agreed with their suggestion -- but only if I was the referee and could keep the game under control. They gave in to that stipulation and then played for over an hour. Once they got tired and ready to quit, I asked if anyone was hungry and received a resounding 'YES' in response. I started up the grill and we had a cookout. I fixed hamburgers and hotdogs, to go along with the macaroni and potato salads I had fixed earlier. We also had a large selection of beverages for them to choose from, including water, milk, juices and soda. We had invited Sally to this party as well, and I had told her what time to arrive. It worked out well, as she arrived just in time to join the rest of us to eat. The boys introduced her to those she hadn't met yet, but I could tell the boys found it awkward to keep calling her Mrs. Swarthout. I knew they felt closer to her than that, so after talking it over with Sally, we suggested to Danny and Ricky that they could call her Aunt Sally from now on. She liked that idea as much, if not more than the boys did, as it made her feel like part of the family, and the boys seemed more comfortable with it too. In fact, before long, it seemed like all of the boys were calling her Aunt Sally or referring to her as Danny or Ricky's Aunt Sally. Once all of the troops were fed, we decided to let Ricky open his presents, before having the cake and ice cream. Danny had given Ricky his gift earlier, before we went to pick up the other boys, because he knew he would need it once everyone arrived. It was the new football they had played with earlier. Ricky's reaction when he opened the gift had been priceless and very animated, as he was very relieved they wouldn't have to use the battered old football that he and Danny had been practicing with, on and off. That was another relic leftover from when my other children had been young, which had long ago served its purpose and seen better days. Ricky's friends gave him some nice things too, although we had suggested they didn't have to do that. When we saw the boys, or their parents, weren't going to let the idea of a gift slide, I suggested they get together in groups, and pool their money. That way Ricky wouldn't end up with more than Danny had, although I didn't think Danny would let that bother him, and it would cost the boys less. They did take that advice and things seemed to have worked out for all of us. Sally gave Ricky an identical gift to the one she had given Danny, two pairs of shorts and two shirts to match. Once again, they were things that were popular among the boys today, and the rest of the group made many positive comments about Sally's selections. I think both she and Ricky appreciated what was said. When it came time for him to open my presents, he soon unwrapped a lacrosse stick and ball, so he could practice with Danny, a basketball, and a fold-up portable basketball hoop for the driveway. That way, we could take it down and put it away during the winter. Seeing both boys planned on playing basketball and lacrosse during the school year, this would give them the opportunity to continue practicing with each other. The only difference between the boys' gifts had been that Danny received the soccer ball and goal for soccer and lacrosse, as it was adjustable, and Ricky was given the basketball and hoop, but I was positive they would end up sharing everything. We brought out the cake and ice cream next. It was a large sheet cake, because I knew the boys would eat more than just one piece each, but we still cut everyone a generous portion. We also offered them the choice of four flavors of ice cream, which I had purchased in two-and-a- half gallon buckets, because that too would probably have to last the whole time as well. It's a good thing I have a large freezer. The boys wanted to go swimming right after they finished eating, but I made them wait for a while first. In the interim, Ricky asked me to help them set up the basketball hoop, which I did. Once we had it up and operational, the boys played around with it until I told them they could go in the pool. They swam until dinnertime, but the pool was quite crowded with everyone in it, although it didn't seem to faze the boys and they enjoyed themselves anyway. After I got them out of the pool, dried off and changed, we ate. I had several sheet pizzas delivered to the house and set them out along with bags of chips, corn chips, cheese curls and pretzels, plus a large tossed salad Sally helped me throw together. Needless to say, the food disappeared quickly, but they all got full before it was gone. Once we had eaten, Sally and I sat and chatted for a while, but the boys went off to do a variety of things. Some got a basketball game going, others were tossing the football around again and some went inside to play games on the computer or play ping-pong in the rec room. Since they'd all been at our house at least twice before, I was happy to give them all their space and spend some time alone chatting with my old friend. Sally just went on and on about how pleased she was seeing the boys so happy and doing so well, and she thanked me several times for all I'd done for them. I didn't want to appear rude and argue with her, but I thought I needed to get some things clarified. "Sally, I've actually done very little for them, except provide a place for them to live. They have been super to have around and I think they've done more for me, than I've done for them." "How do you figure that, Josh?" she asked. "Well, they seem to brighten every day for me," I explained. "They've made me feel young again and given me a reason to come home at the end of the day." She looked at me as if she still didn't understand, so I continued. "Sally, after my wife died, I rattled around in this house all by myself and I hated it. My children were grown and living on their own and none of them lived close by, so I usually only saw them on the holidays. That was nice, but it left over 350 days they weren't here, but I still was. I began leaving the house as early as I could in the morning and then stayed away for as long as possible at night, just trying to be around others. I even became active in all kinds of different organizations, just so I wouldn't be alone, but it wasn't satisfying. All that changed, however, the day you brought Ricky here and it only got better after you dropped Danny off too." "I think I understand what you're trying to say," she confirmed, "but don't sell yourself short. I deal with a lot of children, in many different homes, and I've never felt I've had the success that I've seen here. I can tell from just watching and listening to the boys that you've done a great deal for them, even if you won't admit it or fail to realize that yourself. They truly love you, and that doesn't generally happen when I make foster placements. They may like or even have a fondness for each other, but very seldom can I say they really love each other, as is obvious here." "Thank you, Sally, and I'm glad you feel that way," I told her, "but I kind of feel I was playing with a stacked deck. By having you hand pick the boys for me, how could I lose?" She looked shocked that I had suggested such a thing. "Josh, I didn't do that," she stated, almost as if she were trying to convince me she was telling the truth. "I may have decided to bring them here, but I wasn't doing you any favor. With the information I had about both boys, I wasn't sure how you were going to get along. Even though I knew Ricky went to your school, my information said he was a behavioral problem, but I thought you could deal with that. As far as Danny was concerned, I was worried if others found out about the reasons his father threw him out, he might become a target, and I thought you might best be able to prevent that from happening. Josh, I didn't place them here to benefit you - but for you to benefit them." Now I was confused. "Sally, I just assumed, after seeing them fit in so well and realizing what great kids they were, that you were giving me a break, because I was new to this." "Nice thought," she told me, letting out a little chuckle as she did so, "but that's not how it went down." "I'm sorry if I offended you by saying that," I apologized, "but it just went so smoothly, well, I couldn't believe that happened accidentally." "Josh, I'm not offended," she replied. "In fact, I'm honored to think you even considered that I might have done that for you, but honestly, I was doing what I felt was in the boys' best interest, not yours." We talked about this a little while longer and Sally finally convinced me it was just a coincidence that both boys worked out so well, but we had to stop when a fight broke out during the basketball game. I just happened to be looking toward where the boys were playing and saw a couple of punches being thrown, so I jumped up and raced off in that direction. I'm sure Sally was baffled by my actions, but I didn't have time to explain. When I got there, I grabbed the two boys who seemed to be involved in the fracas. "Okay, what's going on here?" I demanded. "He hacked me real hard," the right fielder from the boys' baseball team screamed, while pointing at one of Danny's friends. "I got tripped," the other boys shot back. "I didn't mean to foul him like that." "Yeah, sure," the first boy shouted back. "You freaking farmers have no coordination and play dirty." "That's enough of that," I announced, quite loudly. "I'll not have anyone insult anyone else and I will not tolerate fighting." "He had it coming," the right fielder retorted, his nostrils flaring, arms flexed and fists clenched. "Look, it either ends here and now," I stated emphatically, "or I'll be taking one or both of you home. It's your choice. What's it going to be?" I knew Danny's friend wasn't going to be a problem, but I wasn't sure about the other boy. I looked directly at him until he answered me. "Okay, it's over," he told me, though not convincingly. "It better be," I rejoined, "or you'll be out of here in a heartbeat. Now, shake hands and let's put an end to this nonsense." Danny's friend was a little hesitant, but he did offer his hand, but the right fielder didn't respond right away either. "Do it now or go get your things," I told him, and after he glared at me for a few seconds, he shook the other boy's hand. I wasn't thrilled with his response and vowed I would keep one eye on him the rest of the time he was here, but I would give him another chance. After going back to apologize to Sally, this time for leaving her so abruptly, she told me it wasn't necessary and she understood. A short time later, she informed me she had to leave, so I walked her around to say good-bye to Danny and Ricky. Both boys gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek and Ricky thanked her for his present. They both said, "Good-bye, Aunt Sally," as she walked away, which caused her to turn and wave at them, before she got in her car. It was starting to get dark, so I suggested the boys should come inside, but some of them wanted to play hide-and-go-seek again. I decided to let those who wanted to play stay out and told the rest they could watch television, play in the rec room, play a board game or play games on the computer. It turned out I had some doing each, with some of Danny's friends opting to play another game of 'Life,' which they had played against Danny and Ricky the last time they were here. A couple of the curious baseball players asked if they could play too, and were told they could, but the right fielder was not among them. He opted for the computer games, so I hung out in a location where I could see what he was up to. While watching him, I noticed that he and the left fielder kept putting their heads together and whispering back and forth. I wondered what they were up to, thinking they might be planning some sort of revenge against the boy he felt had wronged him earlier, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions and would merely wait and see what happened next. There was an outside chance they might only be involved in telling some harmless jokes or sharing some other harmless boy stuff, although I sincerely doubted that. They seemed to be too serious, possibly even arguing about whatever it was they were discussing. About an hour later, the boys who were outside came back in, so I suggested that anyone who wanted to shower could do so. I think all of the boys eventually took one and it's a good thing I have two fast recovering water heaters hooked to the different bathrooms. It did take a little more than twice as long as it had when Danny's friends had slept over, but that was only because there were more boys this time around. Once they finished, they all joined me in the family room, because I had told them we had a movie to watch next. Most had pestered me for the title, which I kept tight-lipped about, but they still thought watching a movie was a good idea. While they were cleaning up, I had made several batches of popcorn and dragged out more bags of snacks for them to munch on, and then we all got comfortable in front of our television, while Ricky popped the movie in. The family room was quite crowded with all the boys in there and some decided to lay on the floor, while others found a chair or sat on the floor, while leaning back against a patch of wall or one of the pieces of furniture. The boys ate and drank, while their eyes stayed glued to the screen, and we only had one accident, when one of the boys' drinks accidentally got knocked over. I cleaned it up quickly, and it was no big deal, although he told me numerous times how sorry he was. When the movie ended, I had the boys grab their bedding and told them they could either sleep in the family room or living room, as I wasn't sure they could all squeeze into one location. They insisted they could, so they chose the family room, which was larger. I had suggested, in advance, that the boys who owned a sleeping bag should bring it with them, and I then I loaned ours to the boys who didn't have access to one. I had purchased new sleeping bags for Danny and Ricky and had given them to them on Friday, as I thought it was time they had one of their own, rather than having to rely on hand-me- downs. That gave me extras for times like this, so I had enough for the others to use as well. Once the boys settled in, I was coerced into telling them another one of my ghost stories before they went to sleep. Danny, Ricky, and the boys from Springville watched the others intently while I told my story, which was different from any I had told them previously. Once I'd finished, I could tell it had its desired effect, as many of the boys kept glancing around the room, looking for ghosts. As I left the room, I knew the boys from Springfield were also anticipating my appearance at the family room's picture window again, so I didn't disappoint them. They howled as the other boys reacted to my antics and we all had a good laugh when I came back in to join them. I went to my bedroom and grabbed my pillow and a blanket, and then I slept on the sofa in the family room near the boys, as I wasn't sure I could leave them alone after the fight earlier. The right and left fielders were set up side by side, but I was surprised by something else. When I looked around to check on Danny and Ricky, I was surprised to see Ricky bedded down next to the team's first baseman, a redheaded boy named Jay Curtis. I didn't know they were that close, other than playing side-by-side all season long. The night was uneventful and I woke up before the boys the next morning. I had told the boys earlier we could skip church this Sunday, which they seemed to appreciate. I did this because I wasn't sure what churches the other boys attended and didn't want to create any problems by taking them to our place of worship. I didn't think God would mind if we skipped one Sunday. It took quite a while to feed all of the boys breakfast the next morning, but Danny, Ricky and Brandon all helped out. They took out the dishes, juice, milk, cereal, butter, jelly and cream cheese for me, and they also made toast, toasted the English muffins and prepared bagels for those who wanted them. I took care of the eggs, bacon and sausage, and I even made some home fries and pancakes, as an extra little treat. I think everyone was full before they left the table. I gave them a couple of hours to do whatever they wanted, even if it was just to rest and chill out, but around noon I made them all get dressed to go out, because we had something special to do after lunch. After fixing them sandwiches and subs for lunch, which took a ton of lunchmeat, I loaded them into the van and drove into town. Ricky and Danny had decided previously that today would be a good day to play miniature golf and I thought that was a wonderful idea. Their friends seemed to agree too, judging from the comments they made when we pulled into the parking lot. After paying for everyone and getting them set up, we chose up teams and decided to make it a competition. I assigned teams of four boys each, mixing the baseball players in with Danny's friends to make up the different teams. I chose that number of players because it worked out to be an even divisor for the number of boys we had in total. I even put the two fighters on the same team, although not in the same group, as they played around the course. What I did have the boys do was this: I had two boys from one team join up and play against two boys from another team, so the players on one team couldn't cheat or fudge their scores by being together. It was also meant to increase their fun. When they were done, I would add up all their scores and announce the winners, but they didn't know I had another little surprise for the winners. The team that won came as a complete shock to me, as it was the group that included the two who had been fighting earlier. When I announced their names and then awarded them a five-dollar gift certificate from Wal-Mart as their prize, they began high-fiving and hugging each other, even the two who had previously been on the outs. I wasn't sure it was going to last, but at least for the time being they had forgotten about their previous problem. When we got back home, the boys wanted to take another swim before they had to go home, so they all changed and hopped into the pool again. They stayed out there for an hour or more, and then I told them it was time to get out, dry off and change again, as some of their parents would be showing up soon. It was about that time when the right fielder came over to apologize to Ricky and me. He said he was sorry for spoiling the good time and for causing me problems. He even went out and apologized to the other boy too, sounding very sincere in his effort. This only added to my confusion about him, and I was still trying to sort out my thoughts when the left fielder came up to speak to me. "He isn't a bad guy, you know," he began, referring to his friend. "It's just that sometimes he blows up over nothing. I think he gets that from his father. His old man does that all the time, especially to him." I began to understand the boy a little better. "I'm sorry to hear that," I told him, "but he has to learn to control that impulse." "He's trying," the left fielder insisted, "like now, when he apologized to all of you." "That was appreciated," I replied, "but it makes me wonder why he did that all of the sudden." "It was because I've been telling him that if he didn't, he would probably never get invited back here again. I know those other boys have been here a lot and are close to Danny and Ricky too, so I told him he'd have to make friends with them or HE'D be the one getting left out." "Well, you're probably right about that," I admitted, "but was he just saying the words, or did he mean them?" "I think he really meant them," he informed me. "He's really had a great time here and told me he'd like to be able to come back again. When I pointed out that he might not get that chance, he got really upset. That's when he asked me if I thought it would help if he told you all how sorry he was. I really think he meant it." "Well, I hope so, and we'll give him another chance," I replied, "but just one. If he blows that, he won't get another." "Okay, I'll tell him," the boy replied, "but I'm sure he won't do that again. Okay?" "Okay," I told him. A little while later, the last of the boys waiting for rides had been picked up by their parents, so I loaded those who still remained into the van and drove them home. It was a pleasant drive and each boy thanked us profusely before they left. We told them they were welcome and we looked forward to having them again, and then we drove the rest of them home. Later Sunday evening, I sprung my last surprise on my sons. "Danny and Ricky, I have something that I'd like to tell you," I announced. They both came closer, but looked puzzled. "How would you two like to go on a vacation and spend the last week of July and the first two weeks of August touring through Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC?" I didn't have to guess about their answer, as they began jumping up and down, before running around the room yelling things like 'yes', 'cool', and 'way to go, Dad'. "We'll take the van and you can each invite one friend," I continued. "When you decide which friend you'd like to invite, I'll speak with his parents. How does that sound to you?" Both boys started jumping around again, and then they hugged me for all they were worth. I advised them they'd have to decide whom they wanted to ask fairly soon, as I would need to talk with their parents as soon as possible, to make sure they approved and would be able to fit this into their schedule. As the boys started to think about whom they were going to ask, I put the finishing touches on the plans for our trip. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com - but please put the story title in the subject line, so it doesn't get deleted as junk mail.