This is fantasy fiction. Say Hi, I love to chat. Email me: AndrewMThomas@proton.me WickrMe: andrewmthomas
Buy me a coffee!The website for Grizzly Valley Ranch (click here) covers the town, the people and places. Bruce's Dojo, Tech Tribe, Liams Automotive, Grizzly Baptist Church, Laundromat, Mac's Diner and more. You'll see Mark, Jamie, Bruce, Liam, Taylor, Sebastian, Andrew, Ethan and the rest of the town.
Say hi to us authors. We don't like hearing crickets when we post. Due to some personal issues, my stories may be delayed in posting. Don't worry, Boys of Grizzly Valley, Andrew's Trust, Transitions New Adventures and more will be resuming as soon as I can catch up. Transitions and Andrew's Trust should only have short delays as they are written and just need editing.
This story is an original work of fiction ©Copyright 2023 Andrew M. Thomas.
This chapter has some visitors from another story. You do not need to read the other story to enjoy this one, however, you might check out Eric Murphey's Transitions series and my own Transitions New Adventures (continuation of Eric's work). If you don't know them, you only need to know that Eric, the father, has three boys, Joey, Alejandro, and Tran. Joey is a music star. The entire family helps out with various charities, and Eric owns a ton of McDonald's and KFCs.
Welcome to the Lincoln Thomas Foundation Fundraiser Weekend! Once this weekend is over, Grizzly Valley Days begins with the Junior Rodeo and the County Fair. The week winds up with the main rodeo event and a concert. This is a great time to be in Grizzly Valley! People visit from all over to attend the junior rodeo, fair, rodeo, and concert. The fundraiser attracts people from all walks of life. You may see celebrities joining events, as this is a nice way for them to give back and keep a low profile. The paparazzi haven't quite figured this town out yet.
As I drive up to Justin's Lodge, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. When we entered the valley, I dropped the convertible top so we could breathe in the country air. It was refreshing. A hint of hay and some sweet scents from the wildflowers on the nearby hills. I'm here with my son Caleb for the Lincoln Thomas Foundation's fundraiser weekend, and from the looks of it, this is going to be an amazing experience. My boss supports this organization and gave me his tickets. Being a single dad, it's hard to find fun things that I can do on a budget with my son. When I saw the list of activities and learned that there would be about a hundred other kids, I figured Caleb would enjoy the weekend. I think it's his way of showing me how much fun it can be to help and volunteer. I hear one of our hosts was living on the streets when he was about Caleb's age. Caleb will be eleven on Christmas Eve. It breaks my heart to know that there are beautiful kids like my son who live on the streets.
The lodge itself is absolutely magnificent, with a grand exterior that reminds me of a Yellowstone lodge. I can't wait to explore all of the nooks and crannies that this beautiful place has to offer.
As we enter the lodge, we're greeted by a huge fireplace in the great room, which is already roaring with a warm and inviting fire. The wood is crackling, and the aroma of freshly baked brownies and coffee fills the air. The great room is filled with people, all of whom are here to support the fundraiser and enjoy this amazing weekend. I see a few celebrities here. I recognize one from a recent movie I took Caleb to. He plays a superhero, and being here just proves that he really is one.
Ethan, one of the hosts, gives me the key card to our room and a quick rundown of the events. There's a QR code on the keycard that takes you to the event calendar.
As we settle into our room, we can't help but be amazed by the luxurious accommodations. The beds are comfortable, the decor is beautiful, and the views out the window are breathtaking. Caleb's bed is so high that there are steps for him to get into it. He excitedly climbs up and sinks into the red and black plaid bedspread. The posts are carved logs with grizzly bears at the top. We drop off our bags and head back downstairs for some yummy treats.
After we have had some treats, they ask everyone to gather outside for the kickoff. I grab Caleb, and we head down to the amphitheater.
As I walk across the yard onto the grounds of Justin's lodge, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. This is the Lincoln Thomas Foundation fundraiser weekend, an event that is dedicated to helping homeless and abused youth in our community. Ethan's brother would be happy that his dad and now his brother and I are helping those in need. I'm proud to be a part of this incredible cause and to support these young people. I often wonder how things would have been for me, or my friends, had we known about the foundation and all it can do to help.
But I digress, the weekend promises to be a fun-filled one, with activities like River's Run - the lazy river, barbecues, and a silent auction. I'm eager to kick off the fun and make a difference in the lives of these kids. The chatter of the adults is drowned out by the squeals and laughter of the kids. Many of them are meeting each other for the first time. Some of them have been here before. A few of our guests are sponsored by our donors. This year, I got a call from Mr. Prescott, that he is bringing a family that is sure to add some fun to the event.
The visitors are all gathered behind the lodge in the amphitheater. It's my turn to welcome the guests.
"My dear friends, I thank you for coming out to support the Lincoln Thomas Foundation. This is our 10th year, and it's going to be very special. As many of you returning attendees know, I was homeless as a young boy and fell victim to some of the perils of living on the street. By chance, this wonderful man, who is by my side and now my life partner, was on duty the night that my shelter burned and exploded. He's been my rock, my family, and now he is the head of our own family. I often wonder, had we met at the shelter, instead of on a collapsing fire ladder, would we have connected as we did? He was a great father figure to me, and now he and I have our own son, Josh, who is the center of our universe." I see Josh stand up and ham it up to the crowd. He gets a little cheer.
"While this is a fundraiser, we aren't going to pressure anyone to give, give, give. Well, one exception is the silent auction, but trust me, you'll want some of the items on that list. And no, Ethan isn't on that list, he's all mine." The audience laughs.
"We have some very wonderful benefactors. The Prescott Foundation has graciously funded River's Run, our lazy river that is dedicated to the life of my best friend, River, who, as many of you may recall from the news stories, was taken from us all too soon. We partner with the Prescott Foundation to help youth suffering from addiction." As I say this, I start to choke up and look at the tattoo that reminds me of River and our friendship. I hold back the tears and continue on.
"You will meet many of the youth that are either graduates of one of the programs or currently being served by the foundation. Please get to know these wonderful souls. Many of these youth are in search of forever homes, and trust me, every one of them would be an amazing addition to your family. Ethan keeps telling me we have to stop taking in more kids, yet he just brought two new additions to our family a few months ago. You will also notice a number of celebrities amongst us, but please, let them enjoy the weekend like all of you want to do. There will be plenty of time to mingle at the various events. I'm not going to bore you any longer, but I will say, we are expecting a surprise appearance this evening. Please, enjoy the grounds and the various facilities. If you need help, please find someone in a purple foundation shirt, and they will be happy to guide you. I would suggest hitting the water park. This is the perfect time of day for that."
The crowd disperses, and people head in different directions. There are signs around directing people to food, games, and, of course, the water park and pool house. Our boys are wearing purple and interacting with guests, and everyone has a smile on their face.
When Dad said we were going to this fundraiser, I was not too excited because I figured it would be boring. What fun is there for a ten year-old at a fundraiser? On our way here, he opened the convertible top, and I could smell the fields, the flowers, and the horses. I hope there are horses! When we arrived at Justin's Lodge, I realized this was going to be a super cool weekend. We quickly dropped our stuff in our room and went downstairs to get some freshly baked cookies and brownies before we went out back. My room is so cool! It has carved bears on the bed posts, and those posts are really logs. As I step out into the expansive backyard, my eyes widen in amazement. This place is incredible! There's a huge pool with water park features, a fire pit, and plenty of seating. I can hardly contain my excitement! There are signs pointing to activities like horseback riding, hiking, four-wheeling, and a bunch of games.
As I take it all in, I spot the boy who was showing off when his dad was talking. He looks to be around my age and is playing on the water slide. I can't resist the urge to introduce myself. I run over and say hi, telling him my name and asking if I can join in on the fun. I'm glad Dad had me put on my swimsuit before we came outside.
The boy, whose name is Josh, welcomes me with a smile and invites me to come play with him. He asks me if I want to go on the water slide with him. I am nervous, but I say yes because I want to impress him. When we get to the slide, he reaches out and grabs my hand. It is so warm and soft, and it feels like he is holding onto me tightly. I feel so giddy and excited. It's like a whole bunch of butterflies are fluttering around in my stomach.
As we climb up the stairs to the top of the slide, I keep stealing glances at him. He looks so cool and confident. I can't believe I get to play with him.
When we finally reach the top, he turns to me and gives me a smile. Then he leads me to the slide and we sit down together. My heart is beating so fast as we start to slide down. I squeeze his hand tightly, and he squeezes back. It is like we were connected in some way.
As we splash into the pool at the bottom, I feel a rush of excitement and happiness. I look up at him, and he is grinning from ear to ear. I can't help but smile too.
It was the most amazing thing ever. I can't wait to see what other adventures we'll have together. You're not going to believe it when I tell you that Josh lives here all the time! He's so lucky. This place is amazing.
As an only child, I'm used to entertaining myself, but being able to hang out with Josh is going to be such a great experience. He's friendly and outgoing, and we have a lot in common. As the day goes on, we talk about our favorite movies and TV shows, and we even discover that we both love to play soccer. We hold hands as we talk, and it feels so nice. He asks me if I want to go see his room and of course, I say yes.
Mr. Prescott comes over to tell me that he asked Joey Murphey if he would sing tonight, and Joey was a bit hesitant. Apparently they've had a bad experience here in California, and even though he's used to being mobbed by fans, it got out of hand, and Joey is still traumatized from a dream he had about their encounter in the pool. He brought Joey over to talk to me.
"Joey, we would love for you to sing, but that's entirely up to you. This fundraiser is for kids who have been abused, and most of them are homeless. I heard you had a bad experience at the hotel in Los Angeles, but this crowd is different. You've been playing with them all day, and nobody has been a problem, have they?"
"No, Mr. Thomas."
"Please, call me Andrew. Can I let you in on a secret?"
"Sure."
"When I was about your age, I was beat and raped by my father. He beat me so badly that I was unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I got on a bus and rode it until it stopped here in Grizzly Valley. I lived in an old abandoned factory with some other street boys. We had sex with men to get money to buy food and clothes."
"That's terrible. Each of us Murphy boys has had our share of hard times, but that sounds really bad."
"It was, but I'm here now. This is a safe place for everyone. I was saved by the man who is now my husband. He saved me from a burning building. Living here in Grizzly Valley has been the best thing to happen to me. Not only did I find the man I married, but I was able to be friends with River before he tragically died. Mr. Prescott joined forces with the Thomas Foundation, and we do everything we can to help kids. This event is so important, and it would mean the world to me if you would sing. I know a couple of boys who are excited to hear you perform. This isn't some Hollywood production; it's just campfire entertainment. Would you do it for the kids?"
"I guess I can do it, and it would be fun to just jam with your boys. I am happy that Tran and Alejandro convinced me to come over, and it's been really fun. Are you sure we can just be informal?"
"You have my word, Joey." I gave him a hug, and he seemed to enjoy it. I hope it didn't bother him. He is such a cute kid. I now know why my boys are infatuated with him. He is adorable and sweet.
"Mr. Prescott mentioned the silent auction. What is that?"
"That's where people bid on items that have been donated to the fundraiser. The money goes to the foundation. People write down their bids, and other people can outbid them. It's a nice way to get money without begging."
"That's pretty cool. He asked me for some autographed posters, is that what they are for?"
"If you would like to donate them, of course! That would be an amazing addition to our auction. Thank you for volunteering to sing. We're about to have dinner, so go play with your new friends and brothers until the dinner bell rings. If you like, you can go over to those two boys in purple shirts that are working by the stage and introduce yourself. They will be helping you set up, and if you would let them, I'm sure they'd love to jam with you."
"Thanks, I'll go talk to them. What are their names?"
"Max and Grayson. They have name tags on, but the one with the lighter hair is Grayson."
I get four volunteers to help me prepare to serve the barbecue. Thankfully, Mac's brought out their smoker trailer, and it's been cooking our meal all day long. And before you ask, yes, we have some vegan options for those city folk that aren't brave enough to try the best brisket on the planet or the pulled pork from heaven.
As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, we ring the bell to get everyone to gather around the fire pit and enjoy a delicious meal together. I don't think I really needed to ring the bell, as the aroma of the meat's cooking was enough to draw this hungry crowd. The warmth from the fire is comforting, the laughter and conversation are lively, and everyone is having a good time.
Once everyone has had enough time to eat, I see the boys over with Joey setting up instruments. Max and Grayson have their guitar and bass out, and the keyboard is front and center. I see the boys chatting and laughing. It's been so nice having Grayson and Max acting normal, and I'm sure being with Joey is exciting.
I need to make some announcements, so we ring the bell again. "Thank you all for joining us today. Tomorrow, for those of you who are interested, you can take a guided hike in the Grizzly Valley preserve. You will meet over at the pool house at 9 a.m., right after breakfast. If that's not for you, you can stay here and enjoy the water park, or you can head across the street to the Prescott Estate and take short horseback rides. But for now, please enjoy your dinner, make some s'mores, and enjoy our special guest, all the way from Indiana: Joey Murphy. He's been kind enough to volunteer to play and sing a few songs for the group. You may have seen him around the pool today, playing with his brothers. This is a very special treat. I want to thank Mr. Prescott for making this possible."
When Andrew introduced me, I was at ease. Max and Grayson are really nice, and, well, they are cute. They seem to always be touching each other and giggling. The boys and I came up with a plan. Since this is just a campfire get-together, we thought we would play a joke.
Max and Grayson are just beginning to learn to play, so I gave them some pointers on chords to play along with my songs, and we even did a bit of a jam session before we plugged in. It was really fun to just get lost in the music and improvise. They're both actually pretty good, so I think they can back up my songs just fine, but first, we are going to have some fun.
Andrew introduces me, and the microphone is now live.
"Welcome everyone. In case you don't know me, I'm not Joey Murphy, as you've been told; I'm actually Rusty Griswold." Only the older adults got that joke. "On our way here to Grizzly Valley, we stopped at Wally World. I thought tonight I would play something special for you." Max and Grayson were just standing aside, as they were in on the joke. I pressed a few buttons on the keyboard to get the carnival preset. I then began playing some music that sounded much like that from the carousel at Magic Mountain. The crowd was laughing. I stopped, and took the mic, "Seriously, folks, you're here to see Joey, right?" The crowd cheered and started chanting, "Joey, Joey!"
"All right, so here are some of my favorite songs. They are favorites of my dad and brothers as well." I sit at the keyboard and play Claire de Lune. I see Dad laughing and enjoying the song. Alejandro is in his lap, and Dad is tapping his finger on Alejandro's thigh to the beat. When the song is over, I get some strange looks along with the applause, and Alejandro screams out, "My song, brother, play my song!" I can't resist, so I continue playing the Spring Waltz. I love playing that. When it's over, more applause, but I still see puzzled looks on the faces of the crowd.
"Now, you all didn't come here for a piano recital, did you?"
The crowd roars, "No!"
Max and Grayson take their positions, and I begin with the playlist we had practiced before the show. We play the first three songs from my last tour. Max and Grayson played very well for the first time accompanying me. They have listened to my albums and seem to be fans, although they treat me just like any other kid. I love being just another kid.
When we finished the last song, we got a standing ovation. I stepped back and pushed Max forward; the crowd roared and clapped for him. I did the same with Grayson, and again, he got an amazing reception. They set down their instruments, and the three of us had a big hug on stage. It was very nice. I like these boys and hope we can spend some time together while we are visiting.
Dad comes up to me after the show. "I'm proud of you, son; that was very fun, and you seem happy." Peter isn't far behind him. In fact, I almost forgot he was there protecting me, but I've felt so safe here and feel like I have been able to be myself.
"You know, I realized when I was jamming with Max and Grayson that I really love my music. They let me be a boy and make mistakes, and we just had fun. It was amazing, and the acoustics outside were just incredible. It wasn't like a stadium; it was, I don't know, really cool."
"Take a breath Joey, you're going to hyperventilate. I'm glad you had a good time. See, you can be a regular boy and still have fun. Let's figure out a way so that every time you perform, it's like that."
"I like that idea, dad. Um, Dad?"
"Yes?"
"If it's okay, I want to sleep with Peter again tonight. He makes me feel safe."
"As long as he is okay with it, it's fine with me."
We head back to the Prescott Estate and head to our rooms. Alejandro goes with Dad, and I go with Peter. He doesn't seem to mind, and I like feeling safe with him. Poor Tran is all alone, and because of the time difference, he can't Facetime Tyler.
I was exhausted and don't remember falling asleep. When I woke up, I was being cuddled by Peter as if I were his teddy bear. I like being held the way he holds me. I hope he doesn't get tired of it. Unfortunately, I have to free myself to go to the bathroom.
Peter tells me to shower and get dressed since we have to go across the street for breakfast at the lodge. When I'm done, we all head across the street.
I wake up early, filled with excitement and anticipation for the day ahead. Today, I have the honor of serving breakfast to the families who are attending the fundraiser weekend at Justin's Lodge.
The meal itself is pretty simple--pancakes, french toast, eggs, bacon (yuck), sausage, oatmeal, and fruit--but what makes it special are the people that I'll be serving it to. These are the individuals who have come together to support the Lincoln Thomas Foundation and help make a difference in the world.
As I enter the kitchen, I see Tran, busy making his signature French toast. I can't help but feel a sense of pride and purpose. This is another opportunity to make a difference and contribute to something greater than myself.
I begin by prepping the pancakes, the smell of the batter sizzling on the griddle filling the air. Next, I crack the eggs into the pan, the yolks slowly turning from liquid to solid. I let someone else handle the bacon and sausage. I hear them sizzling in the oven.
I take a deep breath, savoring the moment. This is what it's all about: coming together to support a cause that we believe in. As I place the food on the buffet table, I can't wait to meet the families and hear their stories.
As the families begin to arrive, I greet them with a smile and a warm welcome. I chat with them as I serve them breakfast, learning about their lives and their reasons for attending the event. It's amazing to see so many people from different backgrounds and walks of life coming together for a common cause.
As I watch the families enjoy their breakfast and mingle with one another, I can't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. This is why I do what I do--to make a difference in the world. I'm proud of my boys for doing the same.
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