Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 15:19:40 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 6, chapters 33 - 34 Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 33 -- A Few More Precious Memories. **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. A few days after we discovered Andrew had won ribbons for his artwork, we received more good news. I was advised through one of my contacts that Sammy's essay on history had qualified him to be one of the students chosen to participate in a very special camp. There were only sixty students selected from throughout the region and they would attend the camp in early May, instead of going to their regular classes. Although I never did figure out whether Sammy was motivated by Trey and Dion's success or if he had entered this contest so Andrew wouldn't upstage him, it didn't really matter. Sammy had qualified to go and this became his turn to shine. What impressed me even more about his success was the fact that nearly every freshman history student in the area had written an essay for this contest, but only sixty were chosen. This meant the winners represented less than 5% of those who entered, so I was extremely proud of Sammy's accomplishment. Thinking about all the boys' recent accolades, it reminded me of a phrase the first President Bush had used. He referred to outstanding Americans as 'points of light' illuminating America's future. I've learned over the past months and years that I have several points of light of my own, brightening my life and preparing to make their own unique impact in this world. I consider myself a very fortunate guy. As May approached, not only did we have Sammy's camp looming before us, but there were also several graduations coming up and Peter's arrival as well. The first event would be Mark's graduation and we'd all be going to see him get his degree. After that, Frankie would graduate next, with a degree in criminal justice from his two-year college. At nearly the same time, Dustin would be graduating from his community college with a degree in Business Administration. He was planning on looking for a job in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) afterward and then he hoped to start his own business, once he had enough experience. Peter had expressed a desire to arrive from Australia a few days before the high school graduation ceremony and I was looking forward to finally meeting him in person. While making arrangements for his trip, however, we ran into a hitch. There was a minor problem with Peter getting his passport, with the appropriate visas, in time to make it for the ceremony. Unfortunately, due to these problems it turned out he wouldn't be able to be there for Ricky's graduation. Peter and Ricky were a little disappointed, but this was beyond our control. I told Peter I'd videotape the graduation for him, so he could see it later, but I knew it wouldn't be quite the way he wanted to experience it. However, he took it in stride and agreed that would be fine. Not only would Ricky be graduating from high school, but Pat and Jay would also be getting their diplomas at the same time. Even though Jay is technically not part of our family, he is included in nearly all of our activities and is like another son/brother to each of us. Therefore, we weren't about to leave him out of this celebration, and his parents would be included too. Before any of these events took place, the history camp would be held. The information packet Sammy had been given explained it would be an archaeological adventure, mixed with the opportunity to experience activities from the past. It sounded interesting, at least from my perspective, so I hoped Sammy would find it equally intriguing. The winners met at a central location and were bused to the campsite. Once they arrived, they were split into smaller groups, of ten each, and would stay in these groups most of the time. There were a variety of activities planned and the students would spend half a day experiencing each one. Occasionally, the groups would join together for some larger activities, but most of the learning would be done in the smaller combinations. Sammy told me later about the things they did, so I'll try to relate them to you. This way you'll be able to appreciate his experience too. The archaeological site wasn't really a dig, but merely a chance to locate and discuss various items. A college professor and a couple of his graduate students were in charge and had 'seeded' the site with artifacts the students could discover. All of these artifacts were from a previous period in our history and were selected to explore various topics and stimulate further discussion and investigation. Once the students 'discovered' these items, the instructor would initiate a discussion about what the objects might be, what they could have been used for, how they were handled and who might have required such an item. The groups also studied the layout of the site and made conjectures about why they had found these items where they did. The area had been 'seeded' with a variety of interesting artifacts, which included square nails, a blacksmith's tools, a worn out sickle, a pitchfork, a pickaxe, an old metal flatiron (the type you would heat on a stove), a washboard, a two-man hand saw, an axe, a hatchet and some chisels. In addition to the tools, there were pieces of old pottery, dishes, utensils and an assortment of bottles, made of various colored glass. Some of the bottles were blue, others green, a few were amber and the rest either brown or clear. They also came in a variety of sizes and shapes. Once the students located and identified the items, they would discuss what they were used for. For example, when looking at the bottles, they would try to determine whether these items might have contained medicines, perfumes or beverages. Then, they would try to determine the reason for using colored glass, instead of clear glass. The discussion would include such ideas as whether it was done to prevent sunlight from affecting the composition of the materials contained within the bottles, merely for aesthetic purposes or if it was for some other reason. After discussing the uses of the various items, the students were then asked to imagine how difficult even simple tasks must have been to perform during those times. Realizing everything was done by hand, the students came to understand there were many steps required to complete tasks, such as doing the laundry, making a meal or heating your home in the winter. It wasn't quite as simple as today, where you pop the clothes into the washing machine, buy your food at a store and then prepare it using a stove or microwave, or turning up the thermostat, if the house became too chilly. Not only were more steps required, but the tools they used to complete these tasks were also more primitive and more difficult to regulate. For example, it was nearly impossible to keep a constant temperature while cooking over an open fire, even one contained in a wood stove. Only the wealthy could afford to have others do these things for them, so most people had to figure it out for themselves or in cooperation with groups of others. I think over time, the participants slowly began to comprehend how different and difficult life was in the past. The students were then asked to try to figure out the layout of the home, by studying the foundation and considering the items found in various locations. Once they had the house mapped out, they were asked to determine what the other, smaller foundations might have been used for. After this was settled, they would discuss the use of these smaller buildings. It was difficult for many of the students to envision the lack of indoor plumbing and, hence, the need for an outhouse or a spring to supply clean water. They were so used to having all the water they needed and several toilets to select from when nature called, so the need for these articles was totally foreign to them. Having just a single spring, from which you would use a bucket to draw the water, before lugging it back to the house, or a single, wood outhouse, sometimes complete with splinters, seemed totally incomprehensible. Once the students understood the use of these buildings, they were then informed about how it would be decided where they would have been located. After learning the outhouse was only roughly similar to a porta-potty, it was explained it would have been located far enough from the house so the smell wouldn't drift back into the living quarters and placed so the rains wouldn't carry the waste material toward their water supply. After this had been explored, the group would talk about how often the outhouse would have been moved, since it would eventually fill up. They would also learn what would be done before the hole was filled in, to keep the material from contaminating other areas. They also learned that some of the wealthier families might have a 'two-holer,' with one side being for the ladies and the other for the men. "When excavating such a site," the grad-student began, "how could we determine which side the women used and which was for the men?" "You mean we'll have to dig in that crap?" one student shouted, alarmed. "No, this is hypothetical," he assured him. "But if we did, how would we decide which side was for whom?" "They all crap the same, don't they?" another student joked. "Yes, and this doesn't have to do with bodily functions," the grad-student responded, mildly annoyed. "Think of something else they might have done in there, like some students might do in the lavatories at school." "They smoked weed in there?" another commented, without thinking first. This caused many of the others to break out laughing. "Not weed, but they might have smoked in there," the instructor replied, amused. "Many of the women would have refused to let the men smoke in the house, since the smell would have attached itself to nearly everything and yellowed both fabric and paint." "So we'd look for cigarette butts?" a girl asked. "Not cigarettes," the grad-student told him, "but they did smoke in the outhouse." "So we look for pipes?" another girl inquired. "Not pipes either," he replied. "Cigars?" someone else volunteered, timidly. "Not exactly, but close enough," their instructor replied, encouraged they had finally gotten this far. "The cigars would have been wrapped in a protective coating and that would have been found on the men's side of the outhouse." Now that this was settled, the grad-student explained what the occupants of the house might have done at night, rather than venture out to use the outhouse in the dark. "The people who lived there would have used chamber pots for this purpose," he told them. "The pots would have been either ceramic or enamel coated metal. The closest thing you might know to these would be the stainless steel bedpans used in hospitals. There would have been a chamber pot in every room, usually kept under the bed, and they would have had to be emptied each morning." "Yuck! They pee and poop in those at night and then have to clean them out the next morning," one disgusted girl commented. "Basically, but they would primarily be used to urinate, not defecate," the instructor informed them. "I guess that means they'd only pee and not crap in the chamber pot," another student added, in an attempt to clarify the terms the college student had used. "It's still gross," someone else observed, before this discussion ended. Even though the topic didn't go as smoothly as planned, the students still found it informative and began to better appreciate the advantages they now enjoyed. At the teaching locations away from the main facility, there were outhouses provided for the students to use, when the need arose. Of course, toilet paper was also supplied, so no one had to resort to using newspapers, magazines or sponges, as people living in an earlier era might have done. In another class, the students were given the opportunity to card wool, which would have been required to provide the yarn used to make clothing and other fabric. The carding was accomplished by drawing the raw wool between two small paddles, which had thistles or little metal teeth imbedded in them. The wool was pulled between these paddles to straighten and separate the fibers, thus drawing them into strands. The strands were then spun together into yarn, by using a spinning wheel. "Didn't Sleeping Beauty prick her finger on one of those things and then fell asleep for a hundred years?" someone observed. "It was the spindle on a spinning wheel, but that was total fantasy," the instructor observed. "It never really happened." After having a chance to try their hand at carding the wool and then an opportunity to spin it into yarn, the students were also given a chance to use an old-fashion loom, to weave the yarn into fabric. After they had done this, they were then shown several examples of the rough, homespun fabrics that might have been used to make their clothing, had they lived during that time period. Sammy was given a chance to take off his shirt and try on a homespun garment, along with a few others. "This is scratchy," Sammy observed. "It sure doesn't feel as soft as my undershirt." "Yeah, it makes me itch," anther boy added. "I can't imagine only wearing clothes made from this stuff," Sammy stated. "I guess I would have stuck to clothes made from animal hides." This led to a conversation about what other things might have been used to make clothing, including various plant material. In the end, I think everyone was pleased his or her clothes weren't as uncomfortable to wear. At another site, the students were given the opportunity to make candles, under the supervision of a graduate assistant. After explaining how candles would be made from tallow (animal fat), beeswax or, later, paraffin (a byproduct of crude oil), he showed them how to use paraffin to make their own candles. They used a variety of molds and were shown how to attach the wicks. The candles would have been useless without the wicks, so they theorized what materials might have been used for this purpose. Later, they were given a chance to add color to the wax, if they so desired, by adding pieces of crayon. However, they then conjectured what substances might have been used to add color, prior to modern times. The students were also given an opportunity to start a fire in an old wood stove. This would be used to heat the wax needed to make the candles. They were allowed to use wooden matches, but they had to ignite the tinder first and then later get a blaze going with the firewood. In another area, the students got a chance to try washing clothes, by using a large washtub, a washboard and a bar of Fels-naptha laundry soap. They had to pump their own water first, using an old-fashioned hand pump, and they discovered how much more difficult this was than just turning on a faucet. "Did the women have to pump the water or did the men do it for them?" one girl wanted to know. "They usually did it for themselves," they were told. "But it made my arms hurt," the girl replied. "Well, the women from that era would have been pretty fit and used to doing physical labor," he explained, but it only seemed to infuriate the girl. "I'm pretty fit too," she snapped back. "I'm a cheerleader and we do lots of lifts and stuff." "That may be true," he agreed, "but it isn't the same as pumping water, using a washboard, scrubbing floors by hand, carrying water, helping with farm chores and other things of that nature." This seemed to let the steam out of her argument, so the girl allowed the matter to drop. After washing a few items, they got a chance to iron some other fabric, using an old flatiron. After it was heated on the woodstove, they had to retrieve it carefully, so they didn't get burned. They would wrap a folded piece of cloth around the handle to do this, sometimes wetting it first, before using the iron on the fabric. "Man, this is heavy," one girl commented. "Way heavier than our iron at home." "That's because this one is mostly metal, not plastic, like the one you use," he explained. "Keep moving the iron or you'll scorch the cloth," he advised, when he saw her let the iron rest momentarily, as she talked. "Okay, okay. I get the point," she responded, and then hurriedly began ironing again. At another site they were given the chance to churn butter, using an old wooden butter churn, but they discussed the whole process of making butter before they started. They talked about milking the cow by hand and separating the cream from the milk, before they could churn the cream into butter. "Man, they had to do this just to have some butter," the boy doing the work asked. "I think I would have used jelly or something else." "Making jelly was just as much work," he was informed, "but I guess you could have collected honey, if you didn't mind getting stung once in a while." "Dang, lifting this churn up and down is harder than it looks and my arms are beginning to burn," the boy continued. "I don't even work this hard practicing for sports." "And the women and children would be mainly responsible for this getting done," he advised them, which elicited a bunch of shocked expressions. While at this location, the students also got an opportunity to see how a smokehouse was used to cure meat. Part of the ensuing discussion was about which types of wood worked best for this purpose and, of course, someone said hickory, because he remembered hearing about hickory-smoked ham. The group also talked about other ways to preserve food, such as using salt, before the advent of refrigeration. Another location gave them the chance to chop wood, using just an axe or hatchet. This was done to show each group how they would get material to construct a house or build furniture. "I did this on a camping trip once," one boy observed, "but I wouldn't want to have to do it to get enough wood to build a house or heat it all winter long." Once they chopped down a few small trees and removed some dead limbs from others, the students were shown how to split the wood they would need for cooking or heating their home during the cold winter months. Once the wood was cut, the students were then shown how they could use an axe to split it into smaller pieces, which would burn better. They were also shown how splitting wedges and sledgehammers could be used for this purpose, instead of just an axe. "Man, you'd really have muscles if you did this for very long," one young man observed. "That's why many of our forefathers were so powerful and fit," the instructor replied. At still another area, the students were allowed to use two-man and one-man handsaws, rasps, chisels and other handheld woodworking tools, to give them a chance to see what it would have been like to make the furniture for their home. After cutting the wood to the right length, they were given a chance to smooth and shape it, before the final assembly. The students were also shown a variety of items they might have built, if given the time, from simple tables and benches to stools and chairs. They were also shown a few bed frames and instructed as to how ropes would have been used to supply the tautness to support the mattress, instead of using bedsprings. "Is a bed made like that really comfortable?" one of the students wanted to know. "Maybe not as comfortable as what you're used to," the instructor told them, "but they were pretty good at the time." At the final site, each group was given a chance to prepare a meal, but to do this they had to work with adults and make everything from scratch. They made soup using raw vegetables they'd picked from the garden and cut up themselves, and they used water they had carried in from the manual pump in front of the building. Once all of this had been placed in a huge iron pot, they let it heat up on top of the woodstove. The students also made bread dough and added yeast to make it rise. Of course, this process would take time, so the dough they worked on was switched out with another bowl of dough, which had been started in advance. The students then baked this previously prepared dough to make bread, which they would use later to make sandwiches. Of course there were no cold cuts, so they would have to use meat the staff had cooked and cut up beforehand. When the group had finished these chores, they made a pudding for dessert. It was not from a box mix, like they might do at home, but something they had to put together from scratch. Once the pudding had been whipped together, the students would cook it on the woodstove and then let it set. When their next mealtime rolled around, the group ate the food they had just fixed and bypassed the meal prepared by the staff for the others. "Dang, it would have taken all day just to fix dinner," one student noted. "Yes, meals did take a long time to prepare," he was told. "Wow, that must have been a pain when you were hungry," he observed. "I guess you had to eat a lot of fruits and vegetable back then, huh?" "Well, you could go out and pick what you'd planted or was growing nearby, so there wouldn't be as much waiting," the grad-assistant teased. Sammy told me later that the camp was fun and he learned a great deal, but he was glad he didn't live back then, because everything was too much work. He said he found out the children had to do a share of the work and many didn't get a chance to go to school because they had to do so much work at home. If they did get an education, it only happened when there wasn't a lot of work to be done, like during the winter months. Sammy also informed me that with only candles and lanterns to use for light, it was hard to do much at night, so everyone went to bed early and got up early. He then went on to say doing that would certainly not be to the liking of modern teens, because they like to stay up late and then sleep late. "Yes, I remember what it was like back then and it's a miracle I survived growing up that way," I joked, but Sammy didn't catch on to the fact that I was teasing him. "You mean you had to use candles and lanterns too?" he asked. "Heck, yes. I was in college before Edison invented the light bulb," I added, but I guess this bit of information gave me away. "Oh, dad, Edison's been dead for ages and you're not that old," he countered. "Close, but not QUITE that old," he teased back. After we finished our humorous banter, I discovered something else. No matter how much Sammy learned or how much he enjoyed being at camp, it was not the most memorable part of the trip. That happened on the way home. Sammy was riding in the second bus and sitting in the third seat on the right, when one of the kids in the front seat screamed something was wrong with their bus driver. Sammy was sitting on the aisle, so he looked up and saw the driver slumped over the wheel, but the bus was still traveling down the highway. Sammy and another boy reacted immediately and sprinted next to the driver. When they reached him and realized he was unconscious, they also noted his foot was still on the gas. Fortunately the bus was on a straight stretch of highway at the time, but the boys could see they were approaching a curve up ahead. Knowing he would have to act quickly, Sammy pulled the driver's foot off the gas pedal, stretched his own leg across the bus driver's leg and pressed on the brake. It took several seconds before the bus began to slow down, but Sammy didn't bring it to a complete stop. While he was stepping on the brake, Sammy told the other boy to have the kids in the seat behind the driver grab the bus driver's clothes and pull him upright. They needed to get his weight off the steering wheel, so Sammy could use it. Once the others had accomplished this task, Sammy worked the gas and steering wheel, so he could guide the bus off the road and onto the shoulder. Once the bus was off the highway, Sammy used the brake again, to bring the bus to rest, and then he took it out of gear and turned off the ignition. Sammy and the other boy had managed to get themselves and the others safely out of harm's way. The other bus driver hadn't noticed anything amiss and continued on. However, a short time later, he realized the second bus was no longer behind him, so he pulled off the highway and turned his bus around. He thought the other bus might have broken down, so he went back to see if he could help. By the time he spotted the missing bus, Sammy had already had one of the other kids flag down a passing motorist, to call for help. Luckily the driver that stopped had a cell phone and dialed 911 for help. When the other bus arrived, the motorist and the other bus driver went to see if there was anything they could do to help the unconscious driver. It turned out Sammy's driver had passed out due to a low blood sugar level, but he wasn't even aware he was diabetic. When the ambulance got there, they revived him and took him to the hospital for observation, before he was released. However, before that happened, another driver arrived to take the bus the rest of the way home and the person who brought him waited at the hospital, so he could take the other driver back too. After seeing how Sammy had handled himself in this situation, I guess it was fortuitous some of my older boys had been giving their younger brothers driving lessons, but without my knowledge. Even though it had helped to save the day, it was something I thought I should address, once the hoopla from this event died down. I certainly didn't think encouraging underage driving was such a good idea and I certainly didn't want my other drivers teaching the rest. I wanted to handle those chores, to make certain nothing was omitted and the proper skills and rules were emphasized. All in all, I was grateful things had worked out the way they did. Sammy not only had a good time at the camp and learned a lot in the process, but he and the other boy were now hailed as heroes. The two boys received quite a bit of attention, because of what they had done, and not only did the local newspapers write it up, but the story also appeared as a footnote on some of the national newscasts. Both boys were given special recognition at their schools too and several parents sent letters or cards expressing their gratitude for the pair's quick thinking. It was highly probable they had saved many lives, due to their actions. I guess it was just another shining moment, in the midst of my many glimmering stars. Castaway Hotel -- Grand Reopening -- Book 6 by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 34 -- Pomp and Circumstance. The next event on our calendar was Mark's graduation, which was to take place the second weekend in May. I arranged for his mother's plane ticket and told her we'd meet her there, because I knew she'd have trouble financing such a trip on her own. Her money situation, although improved, was still not good enough to cover such a monetary output, so I offered to do it for her. I had originally planned on bringing the family with me, but changed my mind for a couple of reasons. First of all, Cody's oncologist suggested it might not be such a good idea for Cody to make this trip. His immune system wasn't very strong yet and exposing him to so many new people, and possibly different viruses and bacteria, might be too much for his body to deal with. Besides, such a trip would be exhausting for him and being fatigued would increase his risk of a setback. In addition to this, the boys were in the final two weeks of the school year, which meant they had projects to finish and finals to study for. I didn't think taking them away at this time would be such a good idea, since I didn't want them getting behind at this late date. I still wanted Jake to go with me and we'd leave someone else in charge while we were gone, but he argued it would be best for him to stay with Cody and the other boys. He insisted Cody needed one of us, but then went on to urge me to go with Mark. He said he'd take care of things at home. Even though I also considered not going, Jake wouldn't hear of it. He reminded me I was the guy Mark was most attached to and thought of as a father figure. Jake then explained Mark would be devastated if I didn't attend and I could only concede he was probably correct. In the end, I was the only one to accompany Mark to his graduation, although we were still going to meet up with his mother there. Mark told me later he actually preferred it this way, because it made him feel as if it were just his dad and him making their way to the ceremony. Since his mother was going to be there too, he admitted it would also be as if he had two parents with him, so he'd no longer feel so different from the other graduates. Even though Mark is now an adult and graduating from college, the pain and disappointment associated with growing up without a father has never seemed to have left him. For that reason, I was glad I could at least serve as a substitute on this occasion and ease some of the hurt he had borne for so many years. My role in this would be small, but I was happy to do my part. Mark's mother had been his rock and entire world for most of his life, so my importance would most likely end, once she joined us. I wasn't jealous and didn't regret what I felt would happen, because that was the way it should be. I was still willing to be there for him, but I wasn't going to interfere. I would defer to the wonderful lady who had raised this fine young man. Mark was very talkative on the plane and told me several things I doubt he had ever shared with anyone else before. Even though he remembered next to nothing about his father, he did have many strong emotions still tied to those early years, when he and his mother were on their own. He informed me how they had struggled to survive after his father left, because his mother didn't have many skills. For that reason, she had to accept very low-paying jobs just to cover the rent and have enough left over to buy food. She would then work a second low-paying job to make enough money to provide what clothing they had to wear and pay the utilities and other bills. Mark was a little embarrassed as he explained how their church helped them get other things, including the few simple luxuries they were able to enjoy. Mark also confided to me that their pastor brought them a Christmas basket for several years, just to make certain they wouldn't have to suffer through the holidays without something special to look forward to. This basket would contain food for their Christmas dinner, a few sweets, a little something for Mark's mother and some sort of a game or toy for him. He said they always appreciated the gift basket, but as he grew older, Mark found it harder to accept such a handout. As soon as he was old enough to work, Mark started taking jobs mowing lawns, raking leaves, babysitting, running errands and eventually delivering newspapers. He then offered the money he made to his mother, to make things easier for her, but she wouldn't accept it from him. Even though he felt bad when his offer was rejected, he did understand why his mother wouldn't accept his earnings and came up with another way to do the same thing. From that point on, he began buying many of his own things, so his mother wouldn't have to. Mark bought his own clothing, school supplies and whatever else he might want, without getting carried away. He felt if he did this, his mother could use the money she would have spent on him to purchase things for herself. He told me he didn't think his mother ever did that though and, instead, saved the money up, so she could buy him more for his birthdays or on the holidays. He explained that as he grew older and progressed to the middle school grades, his mother began to take courses at a two-year college. While he was in high school, she graduated from college and received her two-year degree. At that point, she was able to secure a much better paying job, although she still continued to work two jobs. She did this so she could put money away for Mark to use for college. She emphasized many times that the key to his success and future would be a good education, so he worked hard in high school, and then at college, so he could repay his mother for all her sacrifices. During those more plentiful years, Mark continued to work, but would save all his money and add it to his college fund. When it was time for him to attend college, he used that money, combined with what financial aid he was able to secure, loans he took out and the money he made by working part time jobs to pay for his tuition, room and board. His mother still continued to send him money, to help cover the costs of books and other expenses that would pop up, and now he was looking forward to doing something special to repay her for all she did for him. At this point, I began to question him about her, so I could discover what type of work she did, what she was like and get an idea whether or not she might be willing to relocate. He wasn't willing to commit when I asked if she'd be willing to move, even though we had talked about this before. I wasn't sure of his reasons, but felt I had to explore it further. I explained to him that since he was working in Pennsylvania and didn't plan on returning to the area where he grew up, I wondered if she might be willing to move closer to him. That way, they could still be together and he could help take care of her. They'd also be able to see each other on a regular basis, without him having to find another job. After talking this over, he agreed it was a wonderful idea and admitted he had discussed it with her after I first mentioned it. At that time, she told him she was afraid he'd end up leaving this area too, which would leave her abandoned in a strange community, with no friends. He promised he'd bring it up to her again, once the graduation ceremony was over, and thanked me for reminding him. He admitted it was something he might not have thought about, with everything else going on, but felt this would be the perfect opportunity to do it. She would be able to get to know me and we could both tell her about the family and the area. He might even be able to talk her into joining us for the holidays, so she would have a chance to become familiar with everyone and everything. He said he'd start saving for her plane ticket and I told him I'd help too, if we got her to agree. He promised he'd take care of that, so we moved on to other topics. Mark then went back to telling me about his burning desire to have a father he could do things with, especially when he was younger. When he was little, he longed to play catch with his dad, go places with him or just have his father show him some affection. He said for years it hurt because he didn't have anyone to fill the role, so he would often lie in bed at night and wonder what he had done to make his father leave. He then confided to me that just when he thought he was over thinking about such things, I came along and fulfilled some of his dreams. He confirmed that after we met, he would tell his friends about me when they asked him about his father and he fantasized I had been there for him all of his life. He told me he knew it was a childish thing to do, even though I tried to reassure him it was not. I explained many people fantasize about various things in their lives, especially when it's to lessen painful memories, and if it helped, so much the better. Mark also confessed that thinking of me in this way made him finally feel like he belonged somewhere and it also felt good to believe he had a father he could count on. He told me he hoped I didn't mind him doing this, so I told him, if anything, I was flattered. I assured him he could feel free to use me as his surrogate father and I'd love to help him any way I could. He informed me that just coming to the graduation with him and arranging the ticket for his mother was more than enough. He explained she had been using all her extra money to help pay for his education, so it was still rough for her financially. Even though it would have been tough, he knew his mother would have scraped the money together somehow, so she could be there when he graduated. Since I purchased her ticket, she could still be there, but it wouldn't cause her any financial hardship. Mark also explained the best part about it was, since the ticket came from me, she didn't dare refuse it. She had told Mark she didn't want to risk the chance of offending me by refusing my offer; especially after all I'd done for him, like helping him get a good job. I laughed at the fact that I had inadvertently intimidated his mother and then confirmed I've always been glad to help in whatever way I could. I told him I would be doing more for him in the future and then Mark surprised me by giving me a hug and whispering in my ear. "Thanks, Dad. You're actually better than I ever dreamed you'd be." I was deeply touched by his comment, and after a few tearful moments together, we settled back to enjoy the rest of the trip. When we arrived at the airport, I picked up the keys to the rental car and then we waited for his mother to arrive. Her plane was scheduled to touch down about forty-five minutes after ours, so we decided it would be best if we waited there for her, rather than wander off. During the interim, I took Mark to have a beer with me. It was sort of a congratulatory drink, but it was also meant to help him settle down. Between his upcoming graduation and seeing his mother again, he was pacing about like an expectant father and exhibited the nerves of a bridegroom waiting for the wedding to begin. Seeing there was still more time before his mother arrived, we had a second drink, but kept our eyes on the arrival-departure screen, as we wanted to know the exact moment her plane landed. Mark was actually the one who saw the screen change, denoting his mother's plane had touched down, so we rushed to the luggage area to meet her. Once he spotted her, Mark ran over and began to hug and kiss her, before he lifted her off the ground and swung her around, like some sort of dance move. When he finished his excited greeting, he set her down again and dragged her over to meet me. Although I knew he'd do that, I was surprised by what he said. "Mom, I'd like you to meet my new dad, Josh Currie. And, Dad, this is my mom, Susan Williams." The two of us looked awkwardly at each other for a few seconds and then she broke the silence. "It's Sue, and I'm glad Mark has finally found someone he can trust and rely on as a role model." She smiled at me. "And I'm Josh, and I'm pleased to meet you too. Thank you for the compliment, but I'm pretty fond of this young man. He's done a tremendous job handling my personal accounts and those of our foundation, and he's also become a valued addition to my family. My boys all think the world of him and it's been a pleasure to have him with us for the past couple of summers." "Well, I know he's enjoyed it too," she responded, "and I'm glad he's had such a caring family to spend time with." After we exchanged a little more small talk, Mark picked up his mother's luggage and carried it to the car. We drove over to the hotel first, so we could check in. I'd reserved a room for her and another for Mark and myself, and now I wanted us to be able to go to our rooms and clean up quickly, because I planned on taking them both out to dinner tonight. The graduation ceremony wasn't until the following afternoon, so this would give us time to get to know each other better. Although Mark's mother was hesitant to let me do this for them, she finally gave in and we went out and had a great time. The restaurant was nice, the food good and the wine delicious, but the company was outstanding. I let Mark and his mother carry the conversation at first, as he filled her in on everything he'd been doing. He told her about his new girlfriend and then brought up the topic of whether or not she might be willing to move, as it looked like he'd be staying in Pennsylvania. He told her he loved his job, made good money and couldn't see returning home, which caused her to look more than a little sad. After a brief pause, as she took some time to consider his proposition, she finally responded. "Mark, I've thought about this a great deal since you first mentioned it," she began. "The only thing I have in this world that's important to me is you, so if that is where you plan to live, I'd be happy to live there too. That is, if you want me to live that close to you." "Want? I need you to be there, so I don't have to worry about you or miss you all the time," he explained. "Once you're there, I'll have my mom and dad in the same place." She glanced at me again when he said this, so I decided it was time for me to say something to Mark about what he had said. "Mark, I don't think your mother feels comfortable with you referring to me like this. Maybe you should just call me Josh." Now, he looked at me and then at her, but she responded before he had a chance to say anything about my comment. "It's not that it bothers me, Josh, but I was afraid it might bother you," she explained. "I know how badly Mark has always wanted a father in his life and it always pained me that I couldn't do anything to help him in that respect. I was happy to learn he thought so much of you that he wanted you to fill the void for him, but I needed to be sure it was all right with you too. I didn't want him pressuring you into anything you weren't ready for or didn't want." "That certainly is not the case here," I replied, in an attempt to reassure her and Mark. "I'm honored he feels this way about me and I couldn't be any prouder of him, even if he were my biological son. I have many adopted sons, as you're probably well aware, but there is always room for one more. I'm very willing, and very happy, to be a surrogate father for him, if that's what he wants and, of course, if it meets with your approval." "Are you kidding?" she asked, rhetorically. "It's been a secret dream of mine that Mark would find someone to fill this role in his life and ease his pain. I just want to thank you for being there for him." "It is certainly my pleasure and he's done as much for my family and me, as I could ever do for him," I told her. "No, he's probably done more, but I shall try to make it up to him for that." At this point, his mother stood up and walked toward me. As I stood, to be polite, she embraced me with every ounce of strength she had and then kissed me on the cheek. When I looked down at her, her eyes were filled with tears, although I knew they were tears of happiness. She thanked me once more, after adding a comment about Mark making an excellent choice. After that we sat and talked a little more, over coffee and dessert, and then I even asked her to dance, since there was a small dance floor and a three-piece band. I think Mark got a big kick out of this, seeing his mom and dad dancing, and possibly it fulfilled another of his fantasies. All in all, it was a very nice evening. When it was over, we went back to our rooms and turned in for the night, because we had another long day ahead of us tomorrow. The next day I drove everyone to Mark's graduation. Almost as soon as we got there, he went off to join his class. We watched him as he walked away and noted he looked extremely handsome in his cap and gown. After he left, his mother and I went off to find seats, while trying to select a good vantage point to watch this from. As we sat and waited, we observed the other proud parents enter and make their way to their seats, and this brought back memories of when my older children had graduated from college. It wasn't much longer before the ceremony began and we both stood and applauded when Mark received his degree. We were both amazed to learn that he had graduated summa cum laude, which meant he had earned the second highest honors one could receive. He hadn't mentioned this fact to either of us or indicated he had done so well, but now we were both bursting at the seams. We could hardly wait to see him in person and congratulate him, but when he joined us we both gave him hell for not informing us beforehand about receiving honors. Once we had done this, we switched gears and praised him for how well he had done. He responded to our chiding by informing us that he wanted to surprise us and then left it at that, which was typical of Mark. After enjoying a celebratory meal after the ceremony, we all got our things and headed for the airport to catch our flights. Before we parted ways, we informed Sue to start packing once she got back home, because she'd soon be moving nearer to us. I told her I'd arrange for her to stay with friends, until she had a chance to select a place of her own, and I'd have her things shipped here, at my expense. Once she felt comfortable, we'd help her find a job, which shouldn't be too difficult, considering her field. She was a dental hygienist and there always seemed to be a constant demand for individuals with this training, at least right now. She thanked us both, kissed her son good-bye and then we all headed to the gates our flights would be leaving from. Although we talked a little more on the flight back, we spent most of our time sleeping. We arrived home Sunday morning, picked up the car from the parking lot and drove the rest of the way. I had already talked to Mark about holding his graduation party the following weekend, in conjunction with Frankie and Dustin's graduations. At first he balked, saying the party should be just for them, since we had already celebrated with his mother. He thought they should receive all the recognition and didn't want to impose on their moment in the spotlight. I told him that was nonsense and the other pair would feel bad, if his accomplishments weren't honored too. After telling him I'd hold a separate party for him, if he didn't like the idea of a joint party, he started to relent. After I also convinced him Frankie and Dustin wouldn't mind, he finally agreed to let me hold one big party for the three of them. The weekend after that we'd hold another big party for the high school graduates, and I was certain everyone would be fine with this. 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