Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 03:59:09 EDT From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening - Book 8, chapters 9 - 10 The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 9 -- Welcome Back, Nick. **Author's Note:** Please read the disclaimer in Chapter 00 before you read this. April began with Nick's return home and I think everyone was glad he was coming back. Jake went to pick Shannon up from college on Friday, so he could be with us when we went to pick Nick up at the airport. It had not been an easy decision to allow Shannon to come home for the weekend, because Jake and his son were in severe disagreement as to whether this relationship should continue. They've had more than a few tense and heated conversations about Nick's wandering eye and unfaithfulness, which caused an incredible rift between Jake and Shannon. They just didn't agree as to whether Shannon and Nick should continue as a couple. Since Jake had read Nick's emails and learned about many of his casual encounters, he wasn't thrilled about his son being involved with Nick any longer. Although Shannon was willing to turn a blind eye toward Nick's proclivity to play the field, because Nick always came back to him, Jake wasn't as generous. Shannon obviously loved Nick and was willing to accept his more liberal moral views concerning sexual matters, but Jake was much more traditional, conservative and even old-fashion in how he looked at being partners for life. Jake felt that being involved in a relationship was an absolute and unwavering commitment. He believed it was an obligation that should be taken seriously and remain monogamous, so he saw no room for compromise on this point. It made me wonder how the difference in how each of them perceived this relationship with Nick was going to resolve itself. Would one of them give in and change his viewpoint or would Shannon and Nick break up instead? The minute Nick came into view, Shannon raced off in his direction and gave him a very warm and enthusiastic welcome home. He did this, even though he knew it was happening under his father's disapproving glare. Although their affection was limited to hugs and words at that point, he and Nick did manage a very passionate kiss, once they were out of sight of the majority of the public. I believe even the other boys noticed Jake's intense scrutiny and realized what was going on. They understood it had nothing to do with his liking or disliking Nick, but was more about Nick's promiscuity. They were also aware that Jake was fearful Nick might inadvertently transmit an STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) or worse to his son. With that in mind, Jake and I took a precautionary stance and warned Shannon that he and Nick were not to be intimate until after Nick had been thoroughly examined by a doctor. Shannon had agreed to honor this request, even though he wasn't totally happy about having to wait. However, his compliance did not put our minds totally at ease. Both Jake and I suspected Nick might still try to pressure Shannon into giving in to his sexual demands, once they were alone, so we did our best to convince Shannon to not allow that to happen. Hopefully, our badgering would pay off. After we got to the house, I urged Nick to sort out the things he had brought back and pick out those items he might want to show others. I explained I was telling him this because I had a welcome home party scheduled for the next afternoon. Once the extended family was here, we'd have a big dinner and then he could show everyone the items he wanted them to see at one time, rather than showing each person individually. After hearing me out, Nick decided that was a great idea and thanked me for doing it for him. A short time later, once things began to settle down, he and Shannon slipped off to their room, so he could unpack and Shannon could help him get his things ready for the party. When I saw them heading up the stairs, I asked them to wait a second. I then told Shannon to go on and explained Nick would be up shortly, but I had a few things to discuss with him before he disappeared. Shannon didn't seem happy and wondered about my intentions, but he reluctantly left us alone. Once he was gone, I handed Nick some mail that had come for him during the past month and he excitedly began opening the assortment of letters. I anticipated Nick might want to discuss the contents of a few of those items, once they had been read, and eventually he looked up at me and spoke. "I got accepted to two of the three colleges I applied to," he announced. I was a little relieved, since I hadn't been sure whether those letters were acceptance or rejection notices. "That's great," I told him, in an effort to reinforce his good mood. "Do you know which one you want to attend then, or what you might major in?" "I'm not sure about my major. I guess I'll just start off taking all those required courses first," he stated, "but I'll probably end up doing something with computers. I was thinking about maybe taking a minor in music too, so I could keep up with my guitar and singing. I want to improve enough to be in a band, so I can make some extra money performing when I need it. I jammed a lot with one of my host brothers, because he played guitar too, and he taught me some Brazilian songs. I did the same for him and taught him some songs he didn't know. We had a really great time doing it." "That's very interesting," I told him. "How much do your parents know about what you want to do?" "I discussed my college plans with them last summer, before I started to apply," he replied, "but I wasn't sure what I wanted to do then either. I did know I wanted to go to a college closer to home, but I'll bet you must have guessed that already, after seeing what colleges these letters were from." "Yes, I did notice the return addresses, but I remember you telling me that you might go to school closer to your parents' home," I conceded. "Wherever you want to go is up to you, as I always leave those types of decisions to you boys and don't try to pressure you. However, I am here if you want to talk things over or want my input. I want you to realize that I never tried to influence where any of the boys went to school, but somehow it worked out that most of them wanted to stay fairly close to home. I think they did this so they could come back more often than just for the major holidays, because sometimes they even come back for the shorter breaks too." "I know and I'm going to miss being here for those times," Nick acknowledged. "Look at it this way: you'll now be able to spend the holidays with your parents and I'm sure they're going to appreciate it," I noted. "I know they will," he agreed. "They've already told me so, but I'm still going to miss being here with all of you and Shannon." I could see the disappointment on his face was sincere, since he realized Shannon probably wouldn't be able to go there for the holidays. Not only would Shannon have to talk his father into paying for the plane ticket, but it would also most likely lead to major arguments between his father and him. At that point, I made a mental note to talk to Jake about being open to the possibility of allowing Shannon to spend some of the time with Nick, although I felt my request was most likely going to fall on deaf ears. Why would he be willing to do that when he didn't even want the two of them together? "Well, that's still months away," I consoled, "so let's not worry about it yet. So, where have you decided to go?" I asked, to get us back to which of the colleges he had picked. "Well, Oklahoma turned me down, but I was accepted by Oklahoma State and Northern Oklahoma. I think I want to go to Oklahoma State, though." He was studying me closely as he said this and his expression told me he might be seeking my approval about his selection. "I think it's an excellent choice," I advised him, hoping that would help. However, our discussion also made me realize there was someone else I had to talk to about concerning his college plans. I knew I couldn't do that right this minute, because I still had more pressing topics to discuss with Nick. However, before we did that, I asked Nick to call home and speak with his parents. I wanted him to do this so they'd know he arrived here safely, but also to see if he could make some changes in the dates he was going to visit them this summer. Although it was fairly late to make such a request, I had discovered the vacation I wanted to take the boys on this year had to be done in June. I wasn't about to divulge where we were going or why it had to be done then, because I didn't want to spoil the surprise. Instead, I asked him to check with his folks and see if they'd mind changing his visit from June to July or August, to fit in with our vacation plans. After making sure Nick did as I asked, I called Brandon at college and asked him to do the same, if he wanted to go on vacation with us this summer. If it weren't possible for the boys to change the dates they would be with their parents, then they'd just have to miss going with us this time. Although I didn't really want this to happen, it was more important for them to spend time with their families. After hearing both boys' reactions to my suggestion and the reasons behind it, I knew their parents would be up for a battle if they said no, but I hoped it wouldn't come to that. When I saw Nick again later, he was kind of moody and stayed that way for the rest of the night. I assumed it was his reaction to Shannon informing him there'd be no sex until the test results came back. Even though I had discussed this with Nick before he came home, I don't think he felt I was totally serious about it. I believe he thought he could find a way around the restriction, so I decided it might be best to confront him about it. "Hey, Nick, you don't look as happy as you did earlier," I commented. "Is something wrong?" He looked at me, but didn't immediately respond to my question. "Yeah, kind of," he offered, although not very enthusiastically. He had a long face, so I was positive something was bothering him. "What's up, Bud?" I asked. "Shannon and I had sort of a disagreement," he offered, dejectedly. "Over sex?" I asked, trying to pin him down. "You might say that," he responded, as if he were trying to avoid my interrogation, as much as possible. "Well, if you're trying to get him to have sex with you," I began, "I warned you that wasn't going to happen until after we've received your test results back." "But what's the harm, if we use protection?" he asked. "The harm is," I replied, "that no protection is one hundred percent safe and I told you so before you went to Brazil. I also warned you that sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, are much more prevalent and rampant there than in the States, so with the amount of sexual contact you've admitted you've had while you were gone, we just need to be certain you haven't picked anything up before you two are intimate." "But, Pop, I was careful," he whined. "I did everything you told me to do." "I think what I told you to do was to avoid such contact," I countered, "but even if you didn't, did you take precautions ALL of the time you were with others?" He looked defeated. "Most of the time," he finally answered. "I know and that's the problem," I informed him. "So, until we are sure you didn't pick anything up during your travels, nothing sexual is to happen." Nick started to say something, but then thought better of it and began to walk away. Before he got very far, though, he stopped and turned back toward me. "Oh, by the way, my mom and dad said it would probably be best if I came home in the middle of July and stayed until the middle of August. Those times would work out even better for them and then I'll be able to head directly to college from there." Without waiting for my response, he turned around and walked away. I knew he was still unhappy about what I'd told him, so I'd give him time to get over it on his own. Instead of continuing a conversation with Nick, I decided to talk things over with Jake later, because I knew he was beside himself with concern for Shannon. I made certain to let him know both boys understood and agreed to the sexual restrictions and Shannon was obviously sticking to his promise. Nick's first appointment was for Monday and we should have his test results back by the following weekend, which meant they might only have to abstain from sex and remain celibate for a week or two. I emphasized that I thought both of them could handle it for that short a duration of time and Jake seemed somewhat relieved after hearing my explanation. The thing was, I knew Jake would still be watching both boys closely, to make sure their were adhering to their promise. Shannon and Nick did go to bed together later that evening, because they had agreed they still wanted to be close and snuggle, even if they couldn't have sex. However, as they were getting into bed, they discovered another problem. "What the hell!" Nick exclaimed, as he slid between the sheets. "I think there's something on the sheets," Shannon responded, as he had also become aware of the problem. "No shit, Shakespeare," Nick quipped. "What is hell it and how did it get there?" "It feels like sand," Shannon told him, "but I'll bet it's sugar or salt," he added, before tasting a small sample. "Yep, it's salt," he concluded, before wiping his mouth, to get rid of the taste. "How did salt get on our sheets?" Nick asked, incredulous. "I think our prankster has struck again," Shannon replied. "But Ricky's away at college," Nick countered, thinking that would negate his conclusion. "No, someone else has been doing things too," Shannon explained, "but we can't figure out who it is. He seems to be trying to duplicate Ricky's stunts or outdo him." "You're shitting me," Nick responded, rather crudely. "Nope, and it looks like you've been targeted, which put me in the line of fire too," Shannon added, amused yet slightly annoyed. "We'll investigate tomorrow and find out who did this," Nick told Shannon, "but let's change the sheets now, so we can get some sleep." Shannon agreed, so Nick headed out to the linen closet in the hall, to get a new set of sheets. While Nick was going for the replacements, Shannon carefully removed their old sheets, to keep the salt from going all over the place. "FUCK!" Shannon heard Nick scream from the hallway. He went running out to see what was up, only to discover Nick standing with the linen closet door open and stacks of sheets, pillowcases, towels and washcloths covering the floor in front of it. "What happened?" Shannon asked. He was confused as to what had caused the mess. "I guess the bastard struck again!" Nick advised Shannon, while the rest of the boys began to emerge from their rooms and gather around them. They had come out to see what all the commotion was about. "What did you do?" Dion asked Nick. "I didn't DO anything," Nick screamed back. "Someone did this TO me," he added, sounding pissed. "What do you mean?" Sammy asked. "Someone salted our sheets," Nick explained, sounding extremely irritated, "and when I came out to get new sheets to put on the bed, this happened." Now, everyone began to look more closely at what exactly had taken place. "It looks like you were set up," Trey acknowledged, which drew a very harsh glare from Nick. "You're a fucking genius," he quipped, while still shooting Trey a harsh look. "Why didn't I think of that?" His tone was dripping with sarcasm. By this time, I'd arrived in the hallway to join them. I'd heard the loud conversation going on and thought I should see what was up. I caught most of this latest exchange as I was reaching the top of the stairs. "It appears someone went to a great deal of trouble," I announced, after looking over the situation. That got all the boys looking at me, so I thought I'd explain. "It looks as if our prankster put plastic under the items on each shelf," I told them, "and then tied a string through each piece of plastic and secured the other end of the string to the doorknob. That way, when the door was opened, it pulled the plastic and other items forward and dumped everything on the floor." The boys all studied the linen closet, to confirm what I had just said. "Damn, who would have done that?" Andrew asked, innocently. "Yeah, that would have been a lot of work," Graham concluded, as if that would have deterred our newest prankster. "I'd say the jokester doesn't mind a little hard work," I confirmed, "as long as he gets his target. Knowing he is willing to do so much would exclude most of you as the prankster then," I added. This drew a combination of surprised, hurt and disgusted looks and comments from the boys. "Hey, we're not lazy," Sammy shot back, insulted. "Yeah, but dad's right," Cole countered. "How many of us would have taken all that time and done all that work just to pull a stunt like this?" "True," Trey agreed, "but someone did." "Yeah, but who?" Nick asked, summing up the same thought everyone else had in their minds -- that is everyone except the guilty party. As I looked at the mess, the boys must have noticed my concern and offered to help pick the mess up for me. They actually folded the various items, before putting them back into the linen closet, and then they returned to their rooms. Nick and Shannon grabbed a set of sheets before they left, so they could remake their bed and I thanked each of the boys for their help. As they walked away, I listened to their various comments about having to find out who was doing this, but I had to admit, I was really confused too. 'WHO could be pulling all of these practical jokes?' I wondered to myself. 'Was it just one boy or were a couple of them working together?' Although everyone fit part of the profile for the type of person who might do this, I couldn't think of anyone who would match all the attributes our newest trickster would have. Therefore, I was leaning toward the possibility that more than one of them were working together. No matter who was doing this, figuring it out was truly a conundrum. The Castaway Hotel: Grand Reopening --Book 8 - by BW Copyright 2009 by billwstories Chapter 10 -- Living With Our Decisions. On Sunday, I made sure we all went to church. It was Palm Sunday, the time when Christians remember and celebrate Jesus' joyous entry into Jerusalem. Seeing it was a major event also meant the service would probably be longer than normal. Even though today marked a jubilant religious event, it also reminded us that this coming Friday would be Good Friday, the day Christ was crucified. The following Sunday we'd celebrate Easter and Jesus' resurrection from the dead, which signifies one of the strongest beliefs we hold -- in the promise of life after death. Coincidentally, this year Passover would begin on Tuesday, which meant the Jewish and Christian holidays would overlap, which doesn't always happen. The week between Palm Sunday and Easter is always a very important week for our family, but it is even more so this year, with Nick's return from Brazil. After church, we rushed home to get ready for Nick's party. We were having a luncheon gathering, so Jake and I were busy fixing the meal, and a few of the boys were kind enough to give us a hand. While we were doing this, some of the other boys were cleaning up the house or setting the tables to accommodate everyone, since most of the extended family was coming to join us. Nick was also getting ready and setting up in the family room. He was bringing down all the things he wanted to show us and Shannon was busy assisting him. When our guests started to arrive, they first welcomed Nick back and asked if he'd had a good time. He kept his answers short and sweet by telling whomever he was chatting with that he'd explain more about his trip later. I think this piqued everyone's interest and curiosity, so they were now looking forward to what he had planned. After that, we just sat around and talked until the last person arrived, and then we sat down to eat. Except for the fact that the meal wasn't as elaborate as it was on the holidays, it almost began to look like we were having either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Most of our loved ones were in attendance, even Arlene. She seemed to be fairly lucid today, which made me feel good. At least this way, Little Ricky could enjoy the time he spent with her. Nearly all of our college boys were missing, since they were busy finishing up their coursework. It was getting close to the end of their academic year, so they had projects to complete, papers to write and exams to study for. We made an exception with Shannon and allowed him to come home, solely because of his closeness to Nick. However, we felt the others would catch up with Nick in May, after they returned home for the summer. After the meal, we sauntered in to the family room, where Nick had everything set up. Once everyone made himself comfortable, Nick started showing the first video from his trip. This one showed him meeting his host family and I think we all could see why he was so taken with his host brothers. They were both quite handsome, as were his host parents, and I was sure some of the boys would be questioning Nick about them later. After this, Nick's video gave us a quick tour of their home, which was quite lovely. It was obvious they were better off than most and had many nice things. When Nick showed us his bedroom, the thing that came to mind was I'd be willing to bet the bed had never or would never see that much action again. Once the tour of the home ended, the video took us around the school Nick attended in Brazil. Of course, he highlighted some of the students as well, and needless to say, there happened to be a large collection of handsome young men speaking to the camera. They made most of their comments in Portuguese, although a few spoke in broken English, but I was glad most people couldn't understand what they were saying. Even those speaking in English were difficult to understand and my boys were making comments of their own, so it helped to mask what was being said on the video. I don't think anyone heard or understood the personal comments the Brazilian boys made to Nick, much to my relief. The end of this tape contained a variety of other things, ranging from more shots of the host family, Nick's attendance at various school related activities and a football (soccer) match. Nick explained what he wanted us to know, but I had a feeling there were other things he wasn't sharing at the moment. I wasn't sure if he didn't want to tell any of us these things or just the extended family. Maybe he would divulge these items later, either to the entire family or just selected members. The second tape contained scenes from his trips to Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio with his parents. We got to see all the things he saw, including a great view from when they went to see the Statue of Christ the Redeemer. All in all, we got a good look at some really awesome sights and Nick managed to tell us what he felt were the most important facts about everything we viewed. When the second tape ended, we took a short break, to stretch, use the toilets or get drinks. After a brief hiatus, we came back to watch another tape, which contained the scenes from his most recent trips. This tape started out with Nick's trip to Rio for Carnival. He was right, it was one gigantic party and we saw all kinds of bands and elaborately or scantily clad people dancing in the huge parades. We didn't see Nick in any of these scenes, although I was certain he had packaged his own appearance to ensure he'd attract his own share of attention. In addition to these nighttime activities, Nick had also taken some pictures during his trips to the beaches. Once again, we got to see a lot of flesh. The guys mostly wore Speedos and the gals were predominantly clad in skimpy bikinis, so there was more than enough to appeal to everyone, whether they were gay, straight, bi, male or female. Mrs. Spence even made a few comments about some of the guys who meandered across the screen, which caused her husband to playfully remind her about her age. However, she wasn't about to let her husband's comment slide and it seemed to provoke her to make her own response. "Remember, dear, I'm just old, not dead," she shot back, which elicited a hearty chuckle from the rest of us. The next tape was from Nick's trip on the Amazon and to Iguacu Falls. Both trips were interesting, especially since they contained many things you wouldn't normally see on the Travel or Discovery Channels. We got a good look at the floating market and his stay with the Caboclos in their stilt houses at the river village. We also were able to see parts of his impromptu trip to the Indian village. During his time there, Nick managed to get a lot of shots of naked people; old, young, male and female, which vividly illustrated the things he had mentioned to us about the natives in his emails. These shots weren't erotic, but did point out how great the differences were with groups of people living in different parts of the world, although I could see my boys happily living like that as well. This tape also contained a lot of nature shots, which kind of surprised me about Nick. During parts of this video, we got to see a wide variety of colorful birds and butterflies, as well as a large collection of lizards and reptiles from his jungle trip. He also had some good shots of the dolphins and piranha from his time on the river, but the best shots he took were of the falls. I was impressed with Nick's eye for capturing the most interesting aspects of his travels and told him so. I think he was surprised by my praise, especially after several of the others joined in and confirmed my comments. Once the videos ended, Nick passed around some of the souvenirs he had brought back with him. These included his most prized possession, the mounted piranha, which he had haggled over. Damn, their teeth aren't very big, but there are multiple rows of them and they are very sharp. I'd really hate to find myself attacked by one, let alone a group of these vicious predators. That would be an agonizing and frightening ordeal and a very slow way to die. In addition to that, Nick had brought back some typical tourist brochures, some gifts the natives in the Indian village had given him, a pair of Brazilian sandals (the soles of which were made from used automobile tires) and recordings of Brazilian music. He also brought back several cans and bottles of food and drink he wanted us to sample, which we did a few minutes later. After that, Nick answered the myriad of questions everyone asked him about his trip. He fielded these queries like a pro and was very descriptive in his responses. He gave just enough information to satisfy the person asking the question and you could tell how enthusiastic he was. It was also very obvious how much he had enjoyed his time there. The entire family was enthralled by everything he had to say, which I could tell really pleased Nick. By the time it ended, everyone had learned a great deal and had a fun time doing it. Once our extended family left, I pulled Nick aside. I felt there was something else I needed to discuss with him. "I don't know if you remembered this," I reminded him, "but your doctor's appointment is tomorrow afternoon." "You're right. I kind of forgot about that," he told me, while looking very unhappy about the fact I was still making him go. "You know, I really don't need to be tested, Pop. Honest." He was looking hopeful that I might give in and drop my request. "Maybe not, but I'd rather be certain everything is fine," I told him. This caused his smile to disappear and his body posture to slump again, which signaled his slightly defeated attitude. "I know I promised to do this, so I will," he assured me, so I didn't have to continue explaining my reasoning about him going through with it. Besides, he knew he wouldn't be having any sex until his test results came back, providing they were all negative. Once Nick and I had finished up, I went off to find Trey. I had remembered that I still needed to talk to him about his college plans, but this was the first opportunity I'd had to do it. Trey had been accepted to three colleges: the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University and Villanova. Therefore, it was now time for me to find out which one he had decided to attend. I also wanted to know if he'd settled on a major too, as he was still undecided the last time we spoke about this. After taking him back to my room, we sat down and began to hash this out. "Trey, have you figured out which university you're going to attend or what you're going to study," I asked, directly. "I'm hoping you've worked this out, because you're the last one to make up your mind." "Yeah, I know, but I think I've figured it out. I picked the colleges I applied to so I wouldn't be too far away from Dion, and I've decided I'm going to go to Villanova," he explained. "I thought that way I'd have Kevin and Vinnie close by too, just in case I got too lonely. It will also make it easier to get back and forth." I knew he wasn't aware that I had told Kevin that he and Vinnie could get an apartment the following year and I'd let Kevin have a car to get around with, but I'm sure the other pair wouldn't mind including Trey in those plans. They could get a two-bedroom apartment now, and that's one group Jake and I wouldn't have to pick up and drop off in the future. This may work out better than even I could have planned. "That sounds fine," I advised him, "but have you also decided on what you're going to take?" "Yeah, I think so," he told me. "I really wanted to do something with my writing, like writing movie scripts or plays. I might want to direct them too, so I'm going to major in English and minor in theater." I found that interesting, but not totally unexpected. "Okay, I can understand your reasoning, but why did you decide to major in English at Villanova?" I wanted to know. "Well, I figured that way I could also get certified to teach English," he explained, "so if my writing doesn't work out, then I can always teach and help other kids who have the same dreams I do." I not only thought his rationale was admirable, but it was also a good strategy to have a back-up plan. "That sounds great, Trey. I'm glad you've ironed out your problems and worked out the details of what you want to do." He smiled and thanked me for my concern and help, and then I let him go. Even though this was settled, I knew there were other things I still needed to attend to. The reason I had scheduled Nick's doctor's appointment this week was not only because he had just gotten back, but school was also on spring break. The vacation was primarily scheduled this way to give the students a chance to observe their religious beliefs without having to miss any classes. Seeing Passover began on Tuesday and Good Friday and Easter came at the end of the same week, it became an obvious choice to those planning the school calendar. It also meant that no one had to go to bed by any certain time or get up early either, so it was a good time to schedule other activities. Even though I would be going in to work for at least part of the time, I would not work the whole day. I would also be able to enjoy some extra time off and could easily take Nick to his appointment. The next morning, I woke up early and went in at my usual time, but I was planning to come back home shortly after lunch. There wasn't much going on and I was just taking care of some routine matters, as well as putting the finishing touches on next year's budget. A few minutes after 1:00 I headed home, but stopped to pick up the mail on the way. I was pleased to see I had a letter from Frankie and I couldn't wait to open it and see what he had to say. Once I got in the door, dropped off my things and said hello to the boys, I sat down and began to read Frankie's letter. Dad, Basic training isn't easy, but I am kind of enjoying it. There are some things I don't like, such as we get up really early and they don't let us stay up very late, but I can handle it. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's filling. I'm really enjoying the physical training, but I'm glad I made sure I was in shape before I came here. We run a mile and do our calisthenics before breakfast and we march almost everywhere we go. I'm in even better shape now than I was when I left. The part I don't care very much for is that we have to go through so many inspections. So far, we haven't done very much, except to learn about the differences between civilian and military life. We've also had to listen to the DI's, that's short for drill instructors, scream at us and tell us how pathetic we are. I guess it used to be worse; at least that's what I heard from some of the DI's, when they told us what they went through when they took basic training. I can't believe it's all so negative. Our real training begins next week, when we start weapons instruction with the M- 16A2 and bayonet training. After that we do our NBC training. That not the television network, if that's what you're thinking, and it stands for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. Even though it sounds pretty interesting, I'll bet it's not. I happened to talk to another trainee, who's in the later part of his basic training, and he said we have to go in a building and get tear-gassed, so we can see what it's like. I'm not so sure I'll like that. Anyway, we do get a little time off on the weekends, usually Saturday night and most of Sunday. There are some places to go and things to do, but I'm still learning my way around, so I haven't found them all yet. We do have a day room, which has a ping-pong and pool table in it, and there's even a piano, for those who know how to play. There are some movie theaters on post and some enlisted men's clubs where we can go, but I usually just end up spending a lot of time around the barracks. It seems there's always something to do, like straightening my locker, shining boots, polishing brass and all that good stuff. Well, I think I've told you everything I can, but I'll send you another letter next week. Tell all my brothers I said hi and they should talk to me first, if they ever think about enlisting. Love you all. Frankie It definitely felt good hearing from Frankie, and I will write back to him immediately. The return address on the envelope gives me a piece of information I didn't have before and has prevented me from contacting him. I don't think Frankie is regretting his decision about going into the military, but I think he's found it a little different from what he was expecting. However, knowing him, he'll stick it out and do his best. The only disappointment I might have is that if he is merely sticking it out, I'd be willing to wager he's doing it more so he doesn't disappoint me or anyone else, rather than for himself. He still has this ingrained feeling that he still has to prove himself or make up for his past mistakes. Unfortunately, sometimes that's his primary motivating factor. I sat down and wrote back, so I could tell him as much as I could think of. I included informing him about Nick's return home and the trials of living with our newest prankster, but there wasn't an awful lot to write about. From my own experience though, I know it's nice just to hear from anyone about anything when you're so far away, so I told him as much as I could think of. When I finished the letter, I put it in an envelope, affixed a stamp and put it on the small end table in the foyer, so I'd remember to mail it later. I just happened to turn around and look up at the clock at that moment and noticed it was getting close to time for Nick's appointment. Since I didn't want to be late, I called up to Nick and asked him to come down within a few minutes, so we could leave. He did as I asked, although he still didn't look overly enthused about it, and we were on our way. I guess this was going to be his day of reckoning. 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.