This story may occasionally include explicit depictions of sexual acts between consenting adult males.  If you are underage or it is illegal to view this for any reason, consider yourself warned.  If you find this material offensive, please leave.

 

This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to people, living or dead, is entirely a coincidence. As the author, I retain all rights to this story, and it cannot be reproduced or published without explicit consent from me.  This work is copyrighted © 2016 by Steven Wells.

 

I love to hear any feedback you have, be it positive or negative.  Send me an email with any comments or questions at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.

 

 

Jeffery Comes Home

Previously

 

"What about a doggy?" Tim asked Philip.

 

"We could consider a doggy, Tim," Philip replied. "What kind of a doggy do the two of you want?"

 

"Two like Donny's doggies," Sam explained.

 

"Two?" Philip asked.

 

"Yup," Tim replied. "We will need at least two."

 

Philip looked at me with a smile before he replied to the demand of a four-year-old boy. "We will consider a doggy like Donny's. As a matter of fact, Chris gave me the name and phone number of the doggy farm where Chris and Sam got their doggies. How about we start with only one doggy and work our way up?"

 

"We really need two, daddy," Sam answered. "Please, daddy, can we get two doggies?"

 

"Daddy Jeffery and I will discuss the number of doggies and let you know our decision," Philip explained. "Okay?"

 

"We are certain you will decide on two doggies, but okay," Tim replied.

 

We continued with our lunch without returning to the topic of one or two doggies. When we were ready to visit Mabel, the boys eagerly accepted being strapped into their car seats.

 

"I'll see you at the farm," Philip said as he turned to get into his truck.

 

"Okay, boys," I said as I started the car. "We are on our way to see Mabel. What do you want to tell Mabel when you see her?"

 

"We like living with our daddies," Tim explained.

 

"And, our daddies are considering getting two doggies," Sam continued.

 

"Anything else?" I asked.

 

"We should tell Mabel we will show her the pictures our mommy left us when we have gone through the box," Tim added.

 

The boys were humming for the rest of the trip to the farm. They were excited when they were finally out of their car seats and on our way to visit Mabel.

 

Mabel saw the boys and immediately began to welcome us, "Moooooooo!"

 

"I think Mabel is happy to see you," I added as I picked up Sam and Philip picked up Tim.

 

Philip handed each boy a sugar cube. They didn't hesitate to hold the sugar cube out for Mabel's swipe of her tongue.

 

Chapter 17: More Fun, More Doggies, More Car

 

"So," Philip began. "What do you think of this one?"

 

"It is definitely red," I replied of the Tahoe we were sitting in. "It's pretty big. Do you think we need a car this big?"

 

"I think we will be more comfortable in this if we go somewhere on a long trip," Philip replied.

 

"This seems larger than my apartment in San Francisco," I added. "I've never driven anything this big."

 

"You get used to it after a while," Philip said as his smile increased in size.

 

"Besides," I continued. "Where are we going on a long trip?"

 

"We've got to take the boys to Disney World," Philip replied.

 

"Oh," I said. "Couldn't we fly?"

 

"We could," Philip replied. "But, don't you think it would be fun to go on a road trip with the boys?"

 

"Philip," I said. "I am still getting used to us being fathers to two four-year-old boys. Going on a road trip to Disney World is a little too much for me to wrap my mind around at the moment. Besides, doesn't this thing cost a bloody fortune to drive?"

 

"It gets better gas mileage than my truck," Philip added. "You haven't been afraid of gas for my truck."

 

"Because your company pays for the truck," I replied. "We pay for this."

 

"Less $2,500 per month car allowance," Philip replied. "You need to drive this to see if you like it."

 

"Philip," I began. "The biggest car I have driven is my father's Impala. This is way bigger than his Impala."

 

"Drive it, Jeffery," Philip ordered. "Otherwise, I will make you responsible for the financing."

 

"All right, I will drive it," I said. "What if I smash this huge car into a fence?"

 

"We don't have to buy a damaged car," Philip replied. He was still smiling.

 

"Okay," I said as I took my place in the driver's seat of the SUV. "It looks even bigger from the driver's side."

 

"Drive, Jeffery," Philip ordered.

 

I put the huge car into drive and we slowly lumbered through the streets on our way back to the dealership. When I pulled into the driveway, I had to admit it was fun.

 

"Okay," I said as I shut off the engine. "It WAS fun. But, I will never be able to parallel park this thing."

 

"It parks itself, Jeffery," Philip replied.

 

"Really?" I asked. "How?"

 

"The simplest explanation is radar," Philip replied.

 

"You mean we are buying a car with radar?" I said. "Holy shit! Radar. Who knew?"

 

"What do you think?" Gus asked as he met us in the driveway of the dealership.

 

"Only one question, Gus," I said. "Philip tells me this car parks itself. Is he telling me the truth?"

 

"Yup," Gus replied. "It's called Parking Assist. It works a lot like the Adaptive Cruise Control."

 

"What's Adaptive Cruise Control?" I asked.

 

"If you are driving down the highway at 65 and the car in front of you is only going 60, this vehicle will slow itself down."

 

"So, the car is smarter than most drivers?" I asked.

 

"No," Gus answered. "It just has the sense to make decisions based on information it has. Unfortunately, it has been my experience people choose to ignore unwanted information."

 

"What are the rectangular boxes built into the back of the front seats?" I asked.

 

"The vehicle is equipped with a DVD system for the back seat passengers," Gus added. "It might come in handy on long distance drives with your sons."

 

"So, Philip told you he wants us to drive to Disney World with the boys?" I asked.

 

"He mentioned it," Gus replied. "And you will have plenty of room for both boys and their two dogs."

 

"You haven't bought two Border Collies, have you, Philip?" I asked.

 

"Nope," he replied with a smile across his face.

 

"Good," I replied. I knew at some point I needed to get used to having two boys and two Border Collies. Right now was not the time to worry about dogs. "Now, do you want to settle things with Gus?"

 

"Sure," Philip replied.

 

"I'll go check on possible routes to Orlando, FL," I replied with a smile. "I know the look on your face, Philip." I knew we would be at Disney World before the end of the year. I may as well enjoy the trip.

 

After 30 minutes with Gus, Philip returned to the waiting room with a tree worth of papers in his hands. "So, Jeffery, it looks like we are the proud owners of a bright red Chevy Tahoe. The car will be ready to be taken home in about 15 minutes. It is being cleaned now. Do you want to retrieve the boys from your mother and father's house?"

 

"Sure," I replied. "I did some leg work on our trip to Orlando. Three days of driving each way. If we take our time we should arrive relaxed and ready to meet Mickey Mouse."

 

"We should look into dog friendly hotel accommodations for the trip," Philip added.

 

"Aren't we moving a little too fast here, Philip?" I asked. "Two twin boys, a car we will be paying for over the next 100 years, and two Border Collies in less than two weeks."

 

"We need to move swiftly," Philip replied. "Otherwise, the boys will be in college before we get them a dog and have them meet Mickey Mouse."

 

"Does any of this have to do with your mid-life crisis?" I asked with a smile.

 

"I'm not having a mid-life crisis, Jeffery," Philip replied. "We aren't even in our thirties yet. So, we don't qualify for mid-life crisis."

 

"Okay," I replied. "I will collect the boys. Do you want to have dinner out or at home?"

 

"I will bring home the veggie lasagna from the Italian place," Philip replied. "I should be home shortly after you."

 

"See you there, sweetie," I said as I gave Philip a peck on the cheek.

 

-----------------------------

 

Two weeks after we bought the Tahoe, we were on our way to Chicago to visit with the Border Collie breeder Sam and Chris recommended. I was driving.

 

"Why does the car keep beeping at me?" I asked.

 

"It's trying to tell you to drive faster," Philip replied.

 

"Why?" I asked.

 

"It wants to optimize its fuel efficiency," Philip explained. "If you drive five miles an hour faster, it can shift into super overdrive and use less fuel."

 

"Why doesn't it just say, `drive faster, Jeffery' I'll save you bundles of money if you drive just a little faster.'"

 

"I'll asked Gus when we get home," Philip replied.

 

"Daddy," Tim finally spoke up as the first DVD ended. "Will we be taking a doggie home with us?"

 

"Perhaps," Philip replied as he turned in his seat to face the twins. "It depends on which doggie you decide you want. There are four doggies who are ready to find homes. There are five more who need a couple of more weeks before they can leave their mother."

 

"So," Sam began. "If we decide we like one of the four doggies who are ready to find homes now, can we take all four home?"

 

I heard Philip gasp at the thought of taking home FOUR dogs.

 

"Yea, Dad," Trevor replied from the third row seat. "Can we take all four home with us?"

 

"Keep it up, Trevor, and we will take your gas credit card away from you," I added.

 

"Got it!" Trevor said. "I think four dogs would be overkill."

 

"Thank you, Trevor," Philip replied.

 

"Where will we put a dog in this car?" I asked.

 

"Do you think we should have gotten a larger car?" Philip asked.

 

"No!" I replied. "I couldn't imagine a larger car than this tank."

 

"Suburban is larger, Dad," Trevor replied. "It must have gobs of radar in it just to keep it on a straight line down the road. Besides, we could get a roof top carrier. Remember the story about Mitt and his family when they took the family dog on a summer road trip?"

 

"Not a nice story, Trevor," I replied. "We could put you in the rooftop carrier."

 

"I'd be slobbering on the windshield like Mitt's dog," Trevor suggested.

 

"Stop it, Trevor," I said. "You are making me laugh. I can't drive this tank and laugh."

 

Once we found ourselves on Lakeshore Drive, the Tahoe began chirping at an alarming rate.

 

"Now what?" I asked Philip.

 

"It is sensing the cars around you," Philip explained.

 

"Please tell it to stop," I said. "I can deal with the traffic myself without the car running interference."

 

Philip punched a button on the Command Center. Suddenly, the car was no longer beeping.

 

"Thank you, Philip," I replied.

 

"Dad," Trevor began. "Chris Williamson just e-mailed me a link to their new album. Do you want to hear it?"

 

"We'd love to hear it," Philip replied.

 

The rest of the trip to the breeder's farm went by quickly as we listened to Chris and his group's new album. Suddenly, the GPS started giving me driving directions.

 

"I guess we are getting closer," I said as I followed the GPS guy's directions.

 

As I pulled in front of the house where the Border Collie breeder lived, the boys sprang into action.

 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Tim exclaimed. "See the doggies in the yard? Are those the ones we can take home?"

 

"I don't know, Tim," Philip replied. "They seem a little older than the eight week old puppies."

 

"Maybe we could get a bunch of doggies, Daddy," Sam suggested. "We have plenty of room."

 

"Let's start with one doggie for now, guys," Philip added. "We can always add more later."

 

I noticed Tim and Sam look at one another. I could tell they hadn't given up on the possibility of multiple dogs.

 

"We will need to be strong to win this one, Philip," I whispered.

 

"You will lose, Dad," Trevor said with a smile.

 

As Philip and I were unbuckling the twins from their car seats, Pat, the Border Collie breeder, appeared on the porch of the house.

 

"Welcome," she said. "I see you have two very excited boys with you today. How many dogs did you say you wanted?"

 

"One, Pat," I replied. "Only one."

 

"We'll see," Pat said with a smile. "I'm Pat. And, these two excited little boys must be Sam and Tim."

 

"Are you going to show us doggies?" Sam asked.

 

"Yes," Pat replied. "I'm going to let you meet a few doggies. And, you must be Trevor!"

 

"Yup," Trevor said. "The Dads brought me along for moral support in case the dynamic duo throws a temper tantrum when they don't get EXACTLY what they want."

 

"Chris and Sam Williamson told me about you and your new family members," Pat said to Philip and me. "You must be very brave to take on two four year old boys."

 

"It has been a unique journey to say the least," I replied. "Philip and I didn't have much time to react. We still can't quite believe it is all a reality."

 

"We wouldn't have it any other way, however," Philip added.

 

"Now, let's go meet some doggies," Pat said to the twins as she ushered us into the house. When we arrived in the family room, we saw four eight week old puppies huddled together around their mother. "These four are related to Chris and Sam's dogs. The mothers are sisters."

 

Sam and Tim stood transfixed on the four puppies. They simultaneously began to suck their thumbs. The puppies' mother stood and began sniffing. Sam first. Tim second. Trevor third. Philip fourth. Me last. She turned around and began nudging the first puppy towards Sam and Tim. Once the first puppy stood in front of Sam and Tim, the mother returned to her puppies and nudged another toward Sam and Tim. Once this puppy was in front of Sam and Tim, she licked each twin and took her place with her other puppies.

 

Sam sat on the floor and pulled the puppy next to him onto his lap. Tim repeated the process. Each puppy began to vigorously licking their respective twin.

 

"It tickles," Sam announced as his puppy continued licking.

 

"What are the puppies' names," Tim asked.

 

"Officially," Pat began. "The one Sam is holding is Barkley Guardian King Kimpton. The one with Tim is Barlow Prefect Jarvis Kimpton."

 

"Barkley and Barlow!" Trevor exclaimed. "Perfect names!"

 

Tim and Sam both paused to look in the direction where Philip and I sat. I knew it was decided.

 

"Can we take them home, Daddy?" Tim asked.

 

"Yea, Daddy, please?" Sam continued.

 

Philip turned to me and smiled. I returned the smile.

 

"Yes, guys," Philip replied. "We can take them home if Pat feels they are ready to go home with us."

 

Both Sam and Tim turned to Pat. The dogs were not the only ones with puppy dog eyes.

 

"They are definitely ready to go home with you," Pat replied. "I can tell they really like all of you."

 

"We will need to find a dog friendly hotel this evening," I said. "Do you know of any?"

 

"Most Residence Inns are dog friendly," Pat replied.

 

"Good to know," I added.

 

"Yea, Dads," Trevor picked up the conversation. "You can make reservations for Residence Inns for our trip to Disney World."

 

"You want to go with us?" Philip asked.

 

"Of course," Trevor replied. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I can witness first-hand the days you have a meltdown when the twins are winning the battle for something."

 

"We'll put you in charge of every other battle," Philip suggested. "It will be good practice for you when you are a parent."

 

"Now," Pat began. "Do you want a dog crate or do you want to go freeform?"

 

"Freeform," Philip replied. "Crates bother me. We don't have any cages for our animals at our organic farm. Free range is the way to go."

 

"Okay," Pat continued. "I have a list of supplies you might want to consider, including food options. I also have written down the vaccinations they already have had. Of course, if you want to consider a third or fourth dog, we can very quickly make plans for the others."

 

"Two dogs," I exclaimed. "Only two dogs. No more."

 

"Got it," Pat replied with a smile. "So, Sam, which doggie will be yours?"

 

"Both of them," Sam replied.

 

"We share a lot of things including doggies," Tim continued.

 

"Good position to be in," Pat replied. "I think you two will be very good for the doggies and the doggies will be very good for you."

 

"We might even let Trevor play with them," Sam suggested. "Would you like to play with the doggies, Trevor?"

 

"Yup," Trevor replied. "Although, I have this feeling the doggies will be kept busy by the two of you."

 

"Don't you want a doggie, Trevor?" Tim asked.

 

"Maybe after I am through college," Trevor explained. "Taking care of a dog in college could be difficult."

 

"Where are you going to college, Trevor," Pat asked.

 

"I have been accepted at Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign," Trevor replied. "I'm leaning toward UIUC. Chris Williamson has been talking to one of his advisors about getting me into the music program. I'm excited about the possibility."

 

"Really?" I asked with substantial surprise in my voice.

 

"Yea," Trevor continued his explanation. "Of course, if you would rather pay my tuition to Harvard, I could be persuaded to go the East coast route."

 

"What brought this one?" Philip asked. "I thought you wanted to be a hot shot lawyer."

 

"I've changed my mind, I think," Trevor continued. "I could always revisit the idea after I have a BA. But, I would like to give the music stuff a shot. I hope you aren't disappointed."

 

"I think you should do what you think is best for you," I replied. I turned to Pat. "Parents are, apparently, the last to know."

 

"I know it all too well" Pat replied. "One of my sons wanted to be a doctor and ended up being a high school biology teacher. He couldn't stand the sight of blood."

 

"Good point," Philip added. "I believe we need to have a serious discussion about your choices, though, Trevor. Will we need to buy a retirement condo in Boston, New York, or LA after you graduate?"

 

"Who knows," Trevor replied. "Maybe Chicago. I could see myself living in Lake Point Towers."

 

"You would need to have a very seriously successful music career to afford a place in Lake Point Towers, Trevor," I replied.

 

"You mean you are not going to buy me a starter condo?" Trevor asked with a smile.

 

"Nope," Philip replied. "You are lucky to have a car with an endless supply of gas in it until you graduate."

 

"Got it," Trevor replied. "I could be happy with a small town house in Printer's Row."

 

"What else do we need to get for the dogs, Pat?" I asked. I obviously wanted to change the subject.

 

"I have food for both dogs packed and ready to go for the next few days," Pat replied. "I have included a water dish and leashes so you don't need to go shopping until you arrive home. I can see they are going to be well loved puppies."

 

We turned in the direction Pat was looking. Sam and Tim were curled up asleep with the two puppies.

 

----------------------------------

 

"So, Trevor," I said the day after we returned from Chicago on our puppy trip. We were still sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen. "You are serious about getting a degree in music?"

 

"Pretty sure," Trevor replied. "I'm leaning toward composition. But, I could abandon those plans after the first year and turn my attention to acting. I thought about supplementing my college fund with a stint as a porn star."

 

I almost spit out my coffee. Once I recovered, I gave Trevor some advice, "I don't believe becoming a porn star would be a wise move at least until you have your PhD."

 

"I'm not planning on getting a PhD," Trevor replied with a smile.

 

"Exactly," I added. "What made you decide on UIUC? Your trust fund could easily allow you to go to Stanford or Harvard."

 

"I would like to follow in your footsteps and go to Harvard, Dad," Trevor explained. "However, I thought it would be nice to have some money left in my trust fund AFTER I finish college so I could buy a house or condo."

 

"Remember, Trevor," Philip joined the conversation as he pulled up a chair with coffee in hand. "My company does provide assistance with college tuition for my kids. Probably as much as $10 thousand a year."

 

"Dad," Trevor continued his explanation. "Tuition, fees, and other expenses are about $32 thousand a year at UIUC. At Harvard and Stanford, we are talking about $70 thousand. Besides, I don't want to be flying around the country when I want to come home to visit. A two-hour drive is much more manageable."

 

"Are you saying you want to see us while you are in school?" I asked with some surprise.

 

"As much as I want to experience life on my own, I will definitely want to see you from time-to-time," Trevor added. "You may be old, but I still like being around you. And, then, there are my brothers who will need an older sibling to guide them through life's turmoils."

 

"We are not planning on turmoils for Sam and Tim," I suggested.

 

"Dad," Trevor began. "You didn't know me until I was 15. I was the cause of turmoil prior to our meeting and prior to me getting kicked out of my ex-parents' home when I came out. Trust me when I say you two and Sam and Tim will face many turmoils. Sam and Tim will likely be the source of some turmoil."

 

"So, when you go off to UIUC, are you planning on living in the dorm?" Philip asked.

 

"Won't I have to live in the dorm?" Trevor asked.

 

"Probably for the first year," Philip replied. "After year one, you are allowed to go into off campus housing."

 

"Hmmm," Trevor said as the wheels in his head were turning. "Do you think I could afford to buy a condo for the $14 thousand it costs each year to live in the dorm?"

 

"If you go to UIUC," Philip started to explain. "You will be saving about $40 thousand a year. Add in the $14 thousand for room and board, and I think you should be able to afford something. Over three years, if you pay cash for the condo, you could buy something around $162 thousand at the very least."

 

I looked at Philip and smiled. He smiled back. "We might even be able to help out with some of the cost if you can live with your car during your four years at college."

 

"Why would I need another car?" Trevor asked.

 

"We had planned on getting you something larger for your high school graduation present," I explained.

 

"Oh," Trevor responded. "But, I think I'm good with the one I have. I like it. It's red. It runs. It has a back seat. I could drive one way to UIUC with only about 3 gallons of gas."

 

"Instead of a $600 plane ticket," I added.

 

"You could save up and buy me a condo in Lake Point Tower after I graduate from college," Trevor said with a smile.

 

"Nice try, Trevor," I replied. "It's not going to work, however!"

 

"Got it," Trevor replied as two dogs and two boys converged on our quiet conversation time prior to going to church.

 

"Daddy! Daddy!" Tim and Sam screamed in unison.

 

"Can we take Barley and Barlow to church with us today?" Sam asked.

 

"Dogs don't go to church," Philip replied.

 

"Then, how will people know we have two doggies if they can't go to church with us?" Tim asked.

 

"You can take a picture of Barkley and Barlow with you to church and show it to people," I suggested. "In the meantime, you need to let Barkley and Barlow outside so they can do their duty."

 

"Okay," Sam replied as he led the charge to the back door to let the dogs out.

 

When Sam and Tim returned, we changed the topic of conversation to food. "What do you want to eat before we go to church?" I asked.

 

"Ice cream," Tim replied.

 

"Ice cream is not for breakfast," I replied.

 

"Why?" Sam asked.

 

"We eat ice cream after dinner for dessert," Philip replied.

 

"Why?" Tim asked.

 

"Ice cream for breakfast will not stick with you, and you will be hungry before church is finished," Trevor replied.

 

"Oh," Sam responded. "Cheerios and bananas then."

 

"Yea," Tim agreed. "Can I have ice cream on top of my Cheerios instead of milk?"

 

"No," I replied.

 

"Why?" Sam asked.

 

"Little boys who ask their daddies too many questions in the morning will get sent to bed in the evening without ice cream," Trevor added.

 

"Okay," Tim replied. "Can I have chocolate milk on my Cheerios?"

 

"Sure," I replied. I looked at Philip and smiled. "This might be a new combination."

 

"Or not," Philip replied. "See what you've created here, Trevor?"

 

"Creativity," Trevor replied. "My brothers could turn out to be the next line of high end chefs. Chocolate covered broccoli served with a dollop of ham-flavored ice cream."

 

"You've suddenly make my stomach a little uneasy, Trevor," I replied.

 

"Are you talking today, Daddy, or will you be sitting with us?" Tim asked.

 

"I'll be sitting with you," I explained. "Your brother Trevor will be playing guitar with the choir."

 

"Can you teach us to play the guitar, Trevor?" Sam asked.

 

"Sure," Trevor replied. "Would you also like to learn to play the piano?"

 

"Nope," Tim answered. "I'd like to play the drums."

 

"We could form a band," I suggested.

 

"Can you play the drums, Daddy?" Sam asked.

 

"No," I replied. "Just the piano, violin, and banjo."

 

"You play the banjo?" Philip asked. He looked stunned.

 

"Yup," I replied. "Think bluegrass and not Deliverance."

 

"Deliverance would not be on my radar," Philip replied with a smile.

 

"Nor mine," I added. "Now, what will you boys be wearing today?"

 

"Something nice," Tim suggested. "We could wear our new shirts and ties."

 

"Okay," Philip began. "Once you are finished with your Cheerios, I can help you get dressed."

 

We arrived at church and the twins launched in a flurry of descriptions about their dogs, Barkley and Barlow.

 

"Daddy," Sam began. "Can you show Mr. and Mrs. Williamson the photos of our doggies?"

 

"Sure," I replied as I whipped out my phone. "These are the newest additions to the family. This one is Barkley and the one beside Sam is Barlow."

 

"They are so cute," Mrs. Williamson replied. "Sam and Chris will be here with the boys in a few moments. We needed to take separate cars because of the car seats and the last of Charlie's mother and father's furniture from the attic."

 

"And, how are the boys?" Philip asked.

 

"Perfect!" Mrs. Williamson replied. "It was a little hectic with the two newest dogs and the cat, but we had a great time with them this weekend. Would you like to join us for lunch at the house after church? You could bring your boys' dogs!"

 

"They haven't been invited guests yet," I replied. "We are not certain how they will react."

 

"Not to worry," Mrs. Williamson replied. "We have five dogs, one cat, and three boys staying with us. It will not be a problem... trust me. We had one child. Now we have three grandchildren. It has been a learning process."

 

"Not to mention the zoo that travels with them," Mr. Williamson replied. "Sam mentioned a pony last night at dinner. I only hope they come to their senses before they make another addition to the family."

 

We managed to find seats without further explanation of puppies. Trevor took his place with the choir. Philip and I sat with Sam and Tim between us. Sam and Chris Williamson and family took seats a few rows behind us.

 

My mother led the service until it was time for the talk. "My grandson Trevor convinced me he had something to tell the congregation this morning. So, Trevor Harrison-LeBlanc will tell you about a project he and his friends are working on. Trevor."

 

Trevor confidently stood in front of the podium and began his talk. "Good morning! And, thank you, Grandma, for allowing me to use this time to discuss something with the congregation. Several of my classmates and I have decided we needed to lend a hand to some people in this community who may be struggling to provide food for their families. With the help of Christopher Williamson and his singing group, You and I Together, we have launched a local project called Lean on Me to allow families who are struggling with poverty and hunger to help themselves. I am involved in the local effort. However, Chris and his group, along with the help of the Washington Family Foundation, are part of a national effort to help fight poverty and hunger in this country."

 

Trevor continued:

 

"In this country, we have almost 50 million people living in poverty. About 16 million of these are children under the age of 18. We have another 5 million seniors, 65 and over, living on the edge."

 

"And, it's not just a lack of money. Food insecure households—people who go hungry on a regular basis—number about 50 million Americans. About 1/3 of those food insecure individuals are children."

 

"Households that had higher rates of food insecurity than the national average included households with children (19%), especially households with children headed by single women (35%) or single men (22%), Black non-Hispanic households (26%) and Hispanic households (22%). We have almost 6 million food insecure seniors living in this country."

 

"Food insecurity exists in every county in the U.S. And, yes, even in this county! We have families living in poverty and in food insecure households."

 

"I am very proud to announce the United Church of Christ in Olney Illinois Board of Trustees has agreed to host a community garden project on the back 5 acres of the lot where the church sits. Everyone is invited to participate."

 

"Also, You and I Together will join our community effort to raise funds and awareness for those people who are living in poverty or in food insecure conditions by presenting three concerts at the high school theater auditorium in November. All of the proceeds collected for the concert series will go directly to organizations within the community to help our community members who are living in poverty or in food insecure households. These three concerts will serve as the launch of You and I Together's first album called Lean on Me."

 

"Please join Christopher Williamson and the choir of the United Church of Chris in Olney as we sing the final song of the service, `Lean on Me.' The video is courtesy of You and I Together."

 

When the song was finished, I looked over at Philip. He and I both brushed away a tear from our cheeks.

 

"Trevor is one terrific son," I whispered to Philip.

 

"I know," Philip replied. "I know."

 

To be continued...

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I am starting a new e-mail list because the previous one contains several incorrect e-mail addresses. If you would like to be on the NEW announcement list for "Jeffery Comes Home," please send an e-mail by clicking here.

 

 

I would enjoy hearing your comments about this story. You can write to me at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.

 

This is my 16^h posting of my fourth story on Nifty.org.

 

I also have three other stories on Nifty:

 

Sam and Chris in the `College' section

 

John's Journey Forward in the `Beginnings' section

 

Life With Tom in the authoritarian section (Please note, this story is not for everyone because there are several scenes depicting Master/slave and BDSM relationships. So, if you are not interested in this activity, please, please do not read this story.)

 

Please if you can, contribute and keep NIFTY going strong as ever.  They need our support so stories like this and so many others can continue to be published for many hours of reading enjoyment.