Spring Break 14

This is a fictional story of loving between friends, young and old. If you don't like friendship, don't read it. If you don't like love, I'm sorry for you. If you are not old enough to legally read this, find your friend and have him read it to you.

Namaste!

Stocking Stuffer - Spring Break Part 14

We arrived back in our suite just in time for Scotty and Mikey to practically attack and pulling us to the balcony they almost exploded just as Disney's Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks lit up all across the sky. I swore I saw Tinker Bell wave her magic wand.

All during the oohs and ahhs at the fireworks exploding almost directly in front of us all five boys were glued to the edge of the balcony and the rail. I think the little ones would have climbed right on top and hung out over empty space if we had let them. Then as it ended there was a stampede of little ones back to the appropriate Dad and a round of wondrous hugs. Then seeing me and WKE and Stephy still in our tux, Mikey and Scotty started to giggle. As if on cue, Stephy called, "Hey guys, help me out of this and let's shower and get ready to go to bed. We're going over there tomorrow!" pointing of course across at the Magic Kingdom's dazzling lights. This must have been a planned signal, because Tommy and Mikey grabbed WKE and pulled him towards the interior of the suite.

"Yeah! Come on WKE! You can help tonight." WKE seemed shocked and then looked beseechingly our way, but Brian, Gene and I managed to be studiously involved in looking out and across at the castle.

As the boys all pulled him away, Brian giggled, "That boy's in for one big shock when those little bodies demand their way with him."

I snorted, "I hope he doesn't have a heart attack, I think I'm just getting him trained as an edilator."

Gene laughed out loud, "I think your Steph has trained us all! He doesn't stand a chance!"

We toasted with another beer and I went to shed my precious monkey suit.

As we sat and waited for our boys to return from their play, I asked Brian, "Any words from Mikey on what's up with the fear of uniforms?"

"No, he's hardly talked about what may have happened. He told us he had run away a week before we found him. He was looking for Tommy because he knew what town we lived in. He hitched a ride somehow. But he's pretty quiet still about it all."

"Scotty's never talked about before he came to me," Gene sighed.

I leaned out and squeezed his shoulder, "He doesn't need to," I said. "He's happy now and knows he's loved; the past is dead."

Gene patted my hand and gently squeezed his thanks.

As if on cue to our mellow mood, three little naked bodies came streaking across the hall and soon each man had his boy and we were all purring our contentment. WKE and Tommy never did appear, but it didn't bother anyone.

Morning broke too early for my old and tired bones. The excitement of everything yesterday had taken its toll on Stephy too. He slept against me like a rock, his cheek pressed to my chest. I don't think we either one had stirred all night. Gently sliding out from underneath my sleeping prince, I relieved my bladder and stumbled towards the sacred coffee pot. Gene had apparently beaten me as it was full and fresh and hot. I made a cup and wandered to the balcony, Gene was sitting there and nodded as I sat. We waited there in silent contemplation for our own sweet suns to rise and shed their light upon the day and once again begin our lives.

Soon Brian and then WKE wandered in. WKE was all aglow, but blushed when he saw Brian. He started to say something, but Brian held a finger to his lips. "What's yours is private son, you don't need to say a thing. We're all just glad you survived the shower with the imps!"

WKE blushed another five shades of red, but went and hugged Brian giving him a little kiss upon the cheek and a quiet little, "Thanks!"

Then Stephy's hands were twining round my neck and a "Love you Nick!" was racing to my heart.

"Love you too Steph!" I choked out my normal inadequate reply.

"That coffee smells so good!" my smelly boy sniffed over my shoulder. "Ugh! How can it taste so bad!"

I laughed and patted him on the head and told him to go chop wood and then find Mike and Scotty and get dressed, we had a breakfast date with Mickey.

"Really?!" he whispered, "Awesome!" and he was gone as suddenly as he had appeared.

Brian giggled, "I still have to remind Tommy to go pee first thing. You'd think their little bladders would demand relief!"

WKE said nothing but blushed another shade of red.

"I think their hearts demand the hugs first, but I'm not sure if it is the giving hugs or getting hugs, I've never been able to isolate just one!" I said.

Soon a practical demonstration had all three naked little boys and one naked big one curling round someone's waist. Hugging back we all steered them towards the bathrooms and their clothes. After all, the Mouse did await.

Breakfast was a savored thrill of Mouse and Duck and boy, played out down in Chef Mickey's Restaurant right in the hotel. I was afraid that Steph might be too old, but I should have thought it through. I quickly remembered the stoic "Big Boy" resignation that had told me Santa never came – he, Stevie, never was good enough - and then the bright and burning flame when Santa came and REALLY knew his name! The Mouse and Duck were age old Saturday morning friends and Steph and Scotty and Mikey were absolutely thrilled to hug and shake their hands. I used a roll of film and even caught "Big" Tommy with a boyish grin as he and WKE hugged Mickey from both sides.

The food was good too! Who'd have ever thought of breakfast peanut butter jelly PIZZA! Okay, it must have been a kid. Our boys devoured their usual mountain of food and I watched WKE gasp as he watched Tommy consume what had to be his third Mickey Waffle with an omelet on the side. I laughed and told him, "Just don't try to keep up, and watch your fingers, I'm sure they'd just chew them off if they were in the way!"

Excusing himself WKE said he was going to check the morning schedule and he'd meet us back upstairs in half an hour. Spotting Pluto working the other side of the room, the boys had to go and have another round of hugs and pictures. By the time we were back upstairs the anticipation in our kids was palpable. They were scouring lists of things they had to do and see and buy and getting magic pants and fanny packs ready for their assault upon Cinderella's Palace grounds. WKE slipped in and got me to the side. There'd been a change of plans, none of the press seemed to need an interview this bright and cheerful Sunday morning, so why didn't we just go with everyone and enjoy Main Street and whatever till the book signing at the main gift shop. Stephy's big ears were all attuned and he was shouting, "YES!!!" and dancing all around and telling everyone we were going too.

I've watched boys all my life I guess, they always make me smile. I don't think I ever just outright leered, but watching boys had informed my writing, helped make David and Jimmy real. Now with Steph so close to me and Scotty and Mikey with us in our group, my eyes were captivated. I realized that high school geometry was just plain wrong. The shortest path between two points was not an elegant straight line, the shortest path between the points of my heart and Steph's could never be that simple. Besides, no boy has any concept of a straight line.

I watched as we left the suite, Scotty must have turned at least 20 complete circles just walking from the suite door less than 25 feet to the elevator. That's 7,200 degrees of rotation, or almost a full three quarters turn per foot. I was absolutely amazed he did not literally screw himself into the floor. It seemed a graceful pas-de-trios because almost on every turn a hand would reach out from Steph or Mikey and touch Scotty's arm, or shoulder, or head, or waist, or back. Were these hands offering a momentary stable point? Or were they helping choreograph the spin? Whatever, it was a remarkable sight.

Then on the elevator, my gaze turned to Mikey. His hands were like two little nuthatches, working up and down the tree trunks of his friends. Never still, first right side up, then upside down, then intertwined. First across Steph's shoulders, then up and down Scotty's back, then one on each, then both on Tommy, then back again to Steph. It was like the flitting of a bee from one flower to the next.

As the elevator opened a broad expanse of large marble tiles stretched forward and into the lobby. These rows formed a long almost checkerboard effect of merging lines and alternating colors. Two men stepped from the elevator next to us and walked straight and purposefully toward the far off lobby door. Our boys more backed out of our car than walked. Then almost dashing on ahead they streaked away in crazy patterns laid above the tiles suggested orderly progression. Between point A and B, while hurrying forward in what should have been a "shortest" path, the boys wove in and out against the woof and warp of grout and color.

Even Tommy could not constrain his body to a "normal" gait and he too spun and wove, hands flitting out to WKE and Brian as he barely suppressed the urge to chase our little ones. Then in a miracle of understanding, WKE looked at him and just said, "Go!" and Tommy was off like a shot, a little straighter path, a longer stride soon having him catch up with our tribe. When he arrived of course there were squeals of joy and hopping up and hugs and pats and a hundred other subtle, essential, organic boy greeting ritual signs. My Masonic friends would have been embarrassed had they taken time to juxtapose their member signs against this joyous fundamental boyous secret code.

WKE took this moment to toss out a curve of his own. "Uh, Nick?" He paused in mid stride as well as thought. His stopping was like a lasso on the rest of us and involuntarily we all stopped. His manner looped both Gene and Brian and we were suddenly a little circle, gathered in.

"Well, Nick, there's been another change of plans too, I hope you really won't mind?"

He had my attention now and I nodded that he continue.

"Well, there was a request from a major book chain that you schedule another couple of readings and book signings while you were in area."

I groaned out loud and started to protest, but he just pressed forward now that he had started to speak.

"It's a signing here in Orlando Friday morning and another one on Saturday at the store in Cocoa Beach. Now before you go ballistic, this means of course I'll have to stay the whole week, and of course all expenses of our stay have been paid and will now be covered by the publicity budget."

I was still back on the "this means two more times in suit and tie!" When Brian grabbed my arm. Reacting to the not-so-gentle squeeze, I heard him say, "WKE you are a miracle. When I talked to you yesterday about appropriate use of company resources I had no idea you were such a gifted and quick learner! If Nick gives you any trouble, I'll personally whip his butt!"

What! What was this? My friends were selling me out to suit and tie! Suit and tie at Cocoa Beach! Wait a minute, Cocoa Beach? All expense have been paid! WKE was staying for the week? My God, he was devious! He could have told me this upstairs, not springing this on me in the lobby. My God, he was brilliant! I would have killed him there, but now I actually felt my wallet give a huge and grateful sigh of relief.

"Well, if you insist I guess." I offered to the group. Then turning back to WKE, I smiled and said, "Of course you know there probably will be more showers!"

I thought he was going to melt, his face turned such a shade of red.

"Gotcha, Boy!" I grabbed him round the shoulders and we four happy guys almost skipped across the floor and to our boys.

The next three hours were somewhere between bedlam, awesome and overwhelming. The monorail ride to the very Gates of Heaven. The dumbstruck stupefaction of the passage through the Victorian style Disney World Railroad Station and out into the amazing idealized Main Street USA. The charged particle type attraction causing the boys to bounce from holding our hands in sheltered awe and then holding each other's hands and streaking out to see something even more awe inspiring. And then the rides of Adventureland. We took it more or less in order and watched our boys confidence and excitement grow from moment to moment. The Swiss Family Treehouse and the Jungle Cruise were completed still in the hesitant and grown-up-centric phase, but by the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin we men were quite unnecessary to the art of having fun.

We stopped and grabbed a quick bite, I mean a ton!, of lunch and WKE and I wished Brian, Gene and Tommy plenty of luck and energy and we headed back to the gift shop and the book signing. Just as we turned away from the six of them heading toward Frontierland, Steph came flying back across to me and with a leap into my arms and another giant hug, he told me, "I love you Nick, don't forget the book for the boy back at the airport."

I hugged my Tiger back and told him not to worry, I had the name and everything ready in my wallet. "I love you too Steph, now go and have some fun!"

The book signing was an absolute amazement to me. I have never, ever, ever, seen so many people lined up. And this wasn't even a book store. It specialized in hats and t shirts and yes, it even sold the ears! But there was a giant sign with pictures from the cover of both the new book and the last book and there were so many boys in line I could hardly keep my senses. I've signed thousands of books over the years and usually to the familiar refrain, "My son (nephew, grandson, etc.) so loves your book, would you sign one to him please? His name is ..." This time every book seemed handed from the hot and ready hand of the son and nephew and grandson themselves with a "I love your books! David and Jimmy are so Kewl." I had to ask each one, "What's your name son? I'll sign this just for you." A thousand suns both thin and thick, of every color and almost every size had shined upon me by the time WKE began to close the line. I had never gotten up from the chair and never even needed to think of taking a break. I had exhausted three ball point pens and now that we were through I realized my arm might never work again, but God it had been so exhilarating. As he lead me out and toward a waiting golf cart near the rear he told me I had signed 1,083 books or almost four a minute for the full four and one half hours. He laughed when all I could croak was "Beer!"

The golf cart took us out around and back behind and suddenly we were in one of the many restaurants. Just as a beer was placed before me, the rest of the tribe arrived and my relief was postponed as Steph claimed my hands and lips and tried again to vanish me by nibbles.

WKE knew I was exhausted and he quietly pried Steph away and got him sharing a chair with Scotty and then as three giant plates of nachos and about six dozen chicken wings arrived the data dump began. I couldn't even begin to keep it straight, but obviously they had had a pretty good time. Seems Splash Mountain had gotten at least three full spins!

As the boys wound down the story and the food after 15 minutes of so, I looked at Mikey and raised my eyebrows and asked, "Yeah, but well, did you have fun?"

A chorus of "Dad!" and "Nicks!" and "Geesh weren't you listening!" started the entire tale of all the fun all over again.

I toasted Gene and Brian, they gave me a barely veiled and evil "We'll get you!" grin.

WKE piped up before I could set them off again and informed us all that we were needed back at the hotel, PIZZA would arrive in one half hour.

The chorus of "All rights!" and high fives and "Come on Dad, Let's go!" had everybody in the restaurant smiling as we made our way out. I'm sure they smiled because they could now eat in peace!

The monorail ride back to the hotel was interesting, the boys were trying so hard and seemed so desperate to stay awake, yet the gentle ride almost won the day. Then another dance to the elevators and up to the room and just as we entered all three boys were shedding clothes and grabbing pops and handing us beers and we were soon all ensconced on the balcony and everyone was barely awake. Tommy managed to come from changing just as the pizza arrived and there was flurry of activity and the usual feeding frenzy and then suddenly everyboy was gone. WKE was first to notice and as we each went to check a bedroom he was first back too, calling us to his room we saw Tommy smothered in a tangle of naked arms and legs and little boy bodies and everyone of them was completely dead to the world.

"Looks like nap time gentlemen!" I announced and headed back to the chair on the balcony in the sun.

New Beachboys tanning at http://fdpd.org/www/hardalee/

Friends of Stephy are at www.81x.com/nicholas693/edgar

Comments to nicholas6996@hotmail.com

Namaste!