As the sun started to rise we all stirred and put on our shorts and walked out to pee. It was a little risky, but we didn't see any of the other campers about yet, and after all we only boys and most people wouldn't have given it a second thought.
"Did you guys do anything after we went to sleep?' Johnny asked as his hot piss hit the grass at their feet and ran down the hill.
"Yeah, we cornholed both of ya' while ya' was asleep," Donnie giggled.
"Never felt a thing," I laughed, "you guys must have little peckers."
"After Tommy's pecker they are little," Larry reminded us.
"What time are your folks coming to get us?" Ricky asked looking tired and frazzled.
"Not till 9. We have a couple of hours. I think we should go take a shower before they come. We kinda' smell funny," I said sniffing my pits.
"All that sperm," Johnny giggled, "I need to shit anyway."
We finished peeing and grabbed our stuff and walked to the shower just as the sun came up. A guy stepped out of his camper just as we passed and we waved and he waved back. Campers seemed like friendly people, at least back then.
We waited outside while Johnny took a shit and then I had to go. Before it was over we all wound up taking our turn. Ricky was last and when he was done he yelled at us to come on in and of course we made jokes about how foul his poop smelled, but we all knew it was the combined poop smell of all five of us.
Johnny and I showered first, then the other three squeezed in and took their turn. It didn't take us long. We weren't really dirty, we just needed to get the smell of sex off us and of course wash our asses after pooping.
As we were drying off the guy we'd seen earlier came in and when he saw us in just our underwear he got a weird look on his face. At first I thought he was embarrassed or something but later I would learn that the look on his face was interest and maybe a little lust.
"Hi boys. If you aint' the cleanest bunch of boys I've seen," he chuckled, all the while checking each of us out.
"Yes sir, we got hot and sweaty last night...uh, wrestling around and stuff," I said blushing.
"I bet. I know me and my buds used to do some wrestling when we were alone. Ah, the good old days. Well, don't mind me, I just need to pee and I'll be on my way," he said still staring at us and almost drooling.
We got our shorts on and slipped on ours shoes as he was peeing and left him to do his business. As soon as we were out of earshot Johnny began.
"Did you see the way he was looking at us?" he laughed, "He must be one of those perverts that you hear about."
"Yeah, I bet he'd suck our peckers if we ask im'." Donnie giggled.
"Ewww...who'd want a grown up to suck their pecker?" Larry said making a face.
Johnny shrugged, "Not me, but I guess some guys aint got it as lucky as us. We got each other to do it."
Back in the tent we grabbed our shirts and put them on then sat on the picnic table and drank a soda while we waited. Fortunately mom and dad had gotten an early start and showed up around 8 instead of 9.
"Well, you guys are up early," dad said as we swarmed the truck, "or did you stay up all night?"
"Naw, we just got up when the sun came up. We even took a shower, so we're all ready to go and boy are we hungry." It never occurred to me that one reason we were so hungry was because of all the sex we'd had, but then boys were usually hungry all the time any way.
We piled into the truck and dad drove us to Langley which was about a fifteen minute drive. We ate a little cafe called Mary's and the food was really good, plus dad said it was cheap, which made him happy.
Us boys sat in our own booth behnd mom and dad and we had eggs and bacon, hash browns, pancakes and juice and milk. We laughed and talked and made plans for the day as we ate and when we were finally finished dad paid the check and we loaded back up.
Instead of taking us back to the campsite though dad drove off in the opposite direction and we soon found out why. As we turned past some big power towers we saw this long bridge going across the lake. It was built on top of the Pensacola dam and over a mile long. I was built back in the late 30's and is one of the most amazing things I had ever seen as a kid and even years later it still amazes me.
To five 12 year old boys that ride across the dam in an open pickup bed was as much fun as roller coaster. On one side was the lake and other a huge channel filled with boulders, some as big as houses. This was just one of a series of dams on the Grand River which fed Spavinaw lake which in turn fed the creek we swam in.
Once we were across the bridge dad surprised us again and turned to the right onto a gravel road that began to wind through the trees until he finally came to a stop overlooking the dry channed and all those boulders.
From here we could see the dam and a couple of the gates were open letting some water run through. At the base was a large area filled with water and there were people fishing there, some in boats. Beyond that was the rocks and an occasional pool of water but for the most part it was dry at this point.
"Oh man, this is sooo amazing. Can we go down there dad?"
"Sure, but be careful and when I blow the horn come back, okay? I would go with you but I don't want to leave your mom alone."
"I'll be fine if you want to go honey," mom said wiping her face with her hankie.
"They'll be fine alone, they've probably gone places more dangerous than this without us ever knowing it," he laughed.
Dad pointed out the path down to the rocks and though it was pretty steep and had loose gravel we made it down in one piece. Once was got to the bottom we could see that the channel had been carved out of almost solid rock. The boulders I guessed were what was removed from the other side when they built the lake.
The boulders were strewn about as if they had been washed downstream or something, but like I said some were as big as houses so that seemed unlikely. The rocky bottom was sort of staristepped and as we got lower we noticed this round hole filled with water.
It was maybe three feet across and looked pretty deep and as we knelt and peered into it we could see a big fish swimming around in it.
"Look, it's a big old carp, almost as big as that one we caught by the spillway," Johnny said excitedly.
"He must've got washed down here and caught in the hole when the water went down," Larry said looking thoughtful, "I bet when it rains and stuff they open the gates and let water through and it forms these pools."
It made sense to me, but I wondered how Larry knew all that. I guess he was smarter than I thought.
"Let's catch it and put it in the deep water," Donnie suggested, "so's it can be with the other fish." He was so serious that we dared not laugh, but it was sort of funny to think that a fish shouldn't be alone.
Well, it was a great idea, but catching this one wasn't as easy as the first one. In fact we finally wound up using Johnny's tee shirt to catch it with and then we transported it to the big pool of water at the base of the dam and set it free.
"Eww...my shirt smells all fishy," Johnny said sniffing the wet tee shirt.
"We can wash it back at the campsite, just go shirtless for now," I suggested. I liked him best shirtless anyway.
We walked back down to the other end, passing the pool on the way, and came to a bunch of big boulders that we had to go around. There were little nooks and crannies between some of them and some we were able to climb up on so we could look around.
Further down the water began again and there was a fairly large pool just beyond where we stood on top of a boulder as big as my clubhouse back home.
"Wow, this is like...being on another planet or something," I said thinking it would be a great place to film a movie.
"Yeah, it's so cool. I wish we could stay here all day," Johnny said. I bet we could find all kinds of cool places to explore."
"Come on let's see what's over there," I said, "before dad gets tired of waiting and starts tooting his horn."
Fortunately dad was patient or maybe mom kept him busy, but we stayed down there among the boulders for another hour or so. When the horn finally sounded it echoed off the walls of the canyon and the dam causing goose bumps on my flesh.
We headed back to the truck and that took another fifteen or twenty minutes and we were tired adn hot and thirsty by the time we climbed up the hill. Fortunately dad was prepared for that.
"Hop in pups and we'll run up to the store in Disney and get some pop. I bet you guys need some for your cooler don't you? and more ice." Disney was the little town on this side of the dam.
The store was called The Dam Grocery Store and we really got a laugh out of that. We kept talking about going to the dam store all the rest of the day. At the store we all got an ice cold pop and dad bought two six packs for the cooler plus a big bag of ice.
"Do you boys need any chips or more hot dogs or anything?" mom asked as we carried our stuff to the counter.
"Naw, we still got lots of food, we just needed pop, that's all. Thanks mom and dad."
"Yeah, thanks Mr. and Mrs. Warren," Ricky said politely and of course the others thanked them too.
We sipped our pop as dad drove off showing us yet one more wonder. Further up there was another little bridge and a small creek bed with more rocks the water was rushing over them like a flood. The water was going so fast it was throwing up white foam and it looked sort of dangerous, but cool.
Dad turned around and headed back and as we crossed the bridge this time I noticed that on the other side you could see the lake and there were some campgrounds and cabins there.
Once we got to the dam I saw to our right there was a swimming beach and more camp grounds. The lakes around there were very popular in the summer and that beach was packed with swimmers.
The trip across the dam was just as exciting the second time, only this time we spent most of our time looking out at the lake and the pretty sail boats. By the time we got back to Spavinaw it was pushing noon and we were starting to get hungry again.
When dad dropped us off at the campsite, mom stopped me for a minute.
"Robert, are you having a good time?"
"Yes, it's been so much fun. Thanks for bringing us here and everything."
"You're welcome. Do you boys have something to eat for lunch?"
"Yes ma'am. We have balonie and cheese and chips."
She frowned, "I suppose that tastes pretty good to a bunch of hungry boys, but it's so much like hot dogs. Oh well, I guess it won't kill you."
"Naw, we like it. Then we're gonna' go swimming and exploring again."
"Okay, well...have fun, but be careful," she said reaching out and pulling me closer so she could kiss me and give me a quick hug.
My cheeks burned with embarassment but the others didn't seem to notice or care. I guess even at 12 we stilled needed a hug now and then from our parents.
Meanwhile the others had been putting the pop and ice in the chest and Johnny had dug out the lunch stuff. We fixed balonie sandwiches on the picnic table and sat around eating them passing the chip back around. We finished the pop dad had bought us and then drank another one before we were finally full.
We cleaned up the mess and put everything back in the tent and stripped off our tee shirts and shoes and walked down to the creek. There were a few people there, mostly older people from the campers and trailers, but there were a few kids there.
One of the kids was a girl about our age and as soon as we waded in she came swimming up to us and introduced herself. Her name was Vicky and she was twelve just like us. Her younger brother Sammy was paddling around in the shallow water and didn't seem interested in us.
"Sammy is sort of slow and he can't swim. He's afraid he'll drown so he just stays close to the shore. Can you swim, do you want to play with me?"
Play with a girl? Sure I'd played with Chrissy and Evelyn before, but I didn't know this girl. What did she want to play?"
The others didn't seem troubled by having her join us and before I knew it we were splashing and playing around with her. She seemed to really take a liking to Johnny and kept grabbing him and pulling him into the water, sort of playing grab-ass like us boys do, only I think she just wanted to touch him.
Well, let me tell you, I didn't like that at all, but what could I do? I tried convincing Johnny to go the other side with me and swing off the rope, but he just kept playing with Vicky and I finally gave up.
I was floating on my back ignoring them as best I could when Donnie swam up bobbed near my head.
"I think she likes Johnny," he whispered, "I bet she'd let him kiss her...or maybe fuck her."
"I doubt it," I said with disgust, "she's just like every other girl, just flirting and never wants to do anything for real. That's why we have to take care of each other."
"Yeah, I guess...but I wouldn't mind seein' her pussy," he giggled.
"Then go ask her," I barked, then apologized, "Sorry, didn't mean to snap at ya'."
"It's okay, I'll go see if I can get her off Johnny for ya'," he said understanding exactly how I felt.
I righted myself and floated there watching Donnie swim off and pretty soon he wrestling around with Johnny and it didn't take long for Vicky to join in. She was on Donnie as much as she was Johnny and I thought maybe I'd been wrong about her. Maybe she was what we used to call a Tomboy and just played around like us boys do. Of course it never occured to me that she might be a flirt andf she didn't care who the boy was.
Larry joined in eventually and Ricky swam up to me and grinned sheepishly, "You okay? You're kinda quiet all of a sudden."
"I'm okay, I just wish she'd go."
"Oh, cause she's messing with Johnny," he stated, "well...you now he's gonna' try girls sometime...right?"
"I guess," I admitted, "but I'm scared. What if he likes girl bettern' me and he breaks up with me?"
"That won't happen, but....you may have to share him until he gets his fill of that stuff with girls."
"No, I can't," I said frowning, "I can't share him."
"Hey, don't you want to try girls too? I know I do."
I took so long to answer that Ricky must've figured me out, but he didn't let on.
"Well...sure...yeah, I guess. I mean...how would I ever know what it was like if I didn't?"
Ricky nodded, "It's okay if you don't want to. Some guys don't like girls that way."
"I....I'm only 12. How do I know what I like and what I don't?"
"That's true. I think we should all try girls. Then we can decide what we like."
Good old Ricky. He never judged me and he was my biggest supporter not only then but for long time to come. With his help I would eventually figure out what I had only started to that day at the creek. Thank God for good friends.
While Ricky and I had been talking the others had moved to the other side and I noticed Donnie and Vicky were missing. At first I thought maybe they were in the water but eventually I realized they were nowhere to be seen.
We swam over and climbed up on the rock Johnny and Larry were sitting on and Johnny gave me a sly grin, "I think Donnie is gonna' get some."
"What? What do you mean? With Vicky? Why, where'd they go?" I said dumbly.
"Off to the bushes," he snickered, "she's slut. She tried to grab my pecker and I guess she did grab Donnie's"
Well, at least Johnny had resisted her.
"But why didn't you let her. Don't you want to get some too?"
Johnny frowned. I could tell he was trying to figure out what to say and the suspense was killing me. My heart was beating fast and I was holding my breath waiting for him to answer.
"Well, maybe some day, but not now. Right now I don't think I want to mess with a girl. I mean they're dumb and hard to understand and I wouldn't even know what to do. Maybe when we're older we can both find a girl and double date or something, but for now...I'm fine. How about you?"
I let out my breath and relaxed a little, at least I didn't have to worry about losing him any time soon. "I feel the same way. Right now...all I need is you."
"Yeah, well....anyway I bet Donnie will tell us all about it tonight," Johnny laughed, "Or we could go sneak up on em' like Will and Tommy did us."
"Naw, let's not," I said frowning, "Let him have his fun." The truth was I didn't want Johnny to get anywhere near that girl right now.
We didn't have to wait long though and I when they showed back up they didn't look guilty or anything so I figured nothing happened. A few minutes later Vicky's mom started yelling for her and without even saying goodbye she jumped into the water and swam away.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Johnny punched Donnie in the arm and laughed, "Well...did you get to see it?"
"Naw, but she felt my pecker and I felt down there on her but I couldn't really tell what was down there."
"Did she kiss you?" Larry asked perking up.
"Naw, we didn't kiss...just felt each other then she said it was time to go."
"Girls," Johnny sighed, "who understands them?"
We went back to swimming and playing around and eventually we waded up stream, poking our way along and exploring. The sun was hot overhead and by the time we got to the far end we were hot and thirsty. We skipped the spillway for now and walked up to the campsit to get a pop then sat in the shade and drank them while we rested.
"Man, I can't believe tomorrow we have to go back home," Donnie whined.
"Yeah, but we've got all the rest of today and tonight," I reminded him. Why was it some people worried about the future instead of living in the present?"
"So what are we gonna' do next?"
"We should go check out the spillway again," Johnny suggested.
After we finished our sodas we put on our shoes and our shirts and set out for the spillway. Johnny led the way and I was right behind him. There seemed to be more water coming over now and when we got onto the spillway we spent a long time climbing up the side and "surfing". It was a lot of fun, but it could make you dizzy if you looked at the water instead of straight ahead. It felt like you were moving even though you were really staying still and the water was just rushing past.
Eventually we tired of surfing and headed on across the spillway but we stopped about half way and jumped into the big pool of water where we'd caught the fish the day before. The big fish was nowhere in sight today, but the water helped us to cool down before we headed back to the spillway.
I wondered if Johnny was leading us to the lookout again to fool around but when we got to the far side he suggested we start back and go up on the dike. I was a little disappointed at first, but I knew we'd have all night to mess around and after all we only had the rest of today to explore and have fun.
The others went along easily with anything Johnny suggeted, proving that he was a natural born leader. Ahead a family with two kids was headed our way and I was glad we'd skipped messing around. I mean we could have heard them coming, but it still would have ruined the fun.
We passed about midway and the two kids who were younger than us, sort of stared at us but didn't speak. The parents stopped us and asked what was on the other side and Johnny told them that the spillway ended at the bluff and it was really hard to get up to the top. Not really a lie, but I could tell Johnny didn't want them going up to the overlook. They thanked us and headed on out, the two kids giving us shy looks as they craned their necks to see us heading off in the other direction.
We crossed under the big pipe and scampered onto the rocks then up the steep path to the road and then up the side of the dike to the top. We were winded by the time we got there but we didn't stop to rest till we got to the overlook. The family had made it almost all the way across and as we rested we watched them make it to the cement wall at the other end.
"Think they'll go up the side to the top?" Larry asked voicing what we were all thinking.
"Hope not, that's our secret place," Johnny said softly.
We knew that wasn't exactly true, but I think we all understood what he meant. There might have been hundreds of kids and adults up there since the spillway was built, but because of what we'd shared up there yesterday it would always be special to us.
Eventually the family started back and Johnny smiled and said we should go down to the park on the other side. We headed across the dike talking and laughing and having the time of our lives and when we got to the other side we got a big surprise. My mom and dad had just reached the stairs leading down from the street side and when we saw them we all went running. We met them at the bottom of the stairs and made a circle around them like five pups wanting their master's attention.
"Well..hello boys. What have you been up to?" Dad asked laughing, "Did you go swimming?"
"Yep, and then we walked across the spillway again and then we came over here."
"Your dad and I were thinking about going swimming a little later if you boys don't mind us sharing your creek," mom said rubbing my shaggy hair affectionately.
"Oh sure, mom...dad that would be cool. Right guys?"
"Yeah, we could all swim," Johnny said happily, "I bet the baby would like it," he giggled and we all laughed.
Mom was big time pregnant by then and everyone knew that soon there would be a new Warren at my house. Some of them acted a little weird about it, but most of them were happy for us,. even if they weren't sure how it would work out.
"Oh, I think he...or she will like it just fine," my mom said touching her stomach, "but I don't have a bathing suit that fits so I'll have to wear shorts and a top."
We walked through the park first chatting with my parents and eventually we made it to the swing that looked out over the lake and mom and dad sat and swung while we played at the water's edge.
After they rested, well mostly mom, we walked over to the cabin and dad drove us all to the store for sodas then over to the creek. Us boys stripped off our shirts and shoes and headed to the water and pretty soon mom and dad waden in about waist deep.
I was surprised to see that my mom actually swam a little, but after a while she just floated and cooled down. I guess bing pregnant makes you hot, well...I mean you actually have another living human being inside you, so I guess that makes sense.
Dad played with us boys for a while tossing us in the air and into the water and letting us climb on his shoulders and dive off. Boy, I never knew my dad could be so much fun till that summer. I guess part of it was that he was really happy. He was going to be a dad again and I guess that was one of the best feelings in the world. I wondered if I'd ever get to know that feeling, but for now I was satisfied with just being a kid and hopefully a good big brother.
We played in the creek till late afternoon and afterwards mom and dad asked us if we'd like to get burgers instead of cooking hot dogs again. Well, as much as we enjoyed roasting hot dogs and marshmallows on a stick, hamburgers and fries sounded a lot better to us boys.
We showered and changed while mom and dad went back to the cabin and did the same and it was around six when they picked us up and drove us into Langely and then across the dam to Disney. There at a little drive-in with tables under the trees we ate the best hamburgers and fries that I had ever eaten in my life. Of course it could have just been because I was having such fun and the frest air, and being with my family and my best freinds, but as far as I was concerned this place got a five star rating.
We had thick milkshakes with our burgers and we were stuffed by the time we were finished. We thanked my folks for dinner and piled into the back of the truck and dad drove us back across the dam only this time he parked at the end in this little parking lot and there was an overlook there with binoculars on a stand that you could use to look out across the lake.
We took turns looking through the binoculars and dad said that they gave tours of the dam and the turbines that generated the electricity. That prompted a million questions from us boys and we learned a lot that day. The dam was owned by The GRDA (Grand River Dam Authority) and was only one of sevral dams on the rivers and lakes that generated electricty and controlled flooding. We also learned that Spavinaw lake supplied the water for Tulsa which was almost a hundred miles away and that there was a huge tunnel that ran from the lake to the city. That explained the rock letters on the side of the dike that said City of Tulsa.
Eventually we drove back to the campgrounds and mom and dad went back to the cabin. Since we'd already eaten and had our showers we had the rest of the evening to do whatever we wanted.
End Chapter Eight
Fun, fun, fun, but a little drama too. Well, no permanent harm done and the boys will remember this trip the rest of their lives.
3-18-17
Always remember: There aint no such thing as a free lunch. TANSTAAFL
Robert A. Heinlen
I have updated my story list if you see any missing please let me know.
Other stories by Kewl Dad
* Denotes Series, rest are short stories