Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:13:22 -0700
From: Pete McDonald <bajabudfan@hotmail.com>
Subject: TIME-TO-SEE-50-

"Alright, move the red spotlight up just a smidge," Hugo shouted to one of
the two stagehands that Craig had hired to help them. They moved and
installed the Undersea Scene in the colossal atrium of the Marriott Hotel
in just one weekend.

"Hugo, I don't think there is enough light on the divers... and have you
noticed how something in the elevation and submersion mechanism is causing
the figures to lurch at one point. That thing was supposed to be a smooth
and silent process, right?" Craig yelled down 60 feet to Hugo.

"Yeah.  I noticed it.  Damn. I think the weight of the figures may have
something to do with that lurching... Notice it happens when the figures
are changing direction in the cycle." Hugo called back to Craig.

"What are you going to do?"

"Well, the figures weigh whatever they weigh.  I intend to move them that
way; so I suppose I'll have to go out and get a larger servo motor... That
little one-eighth horsepower version is just too small. I'm glad we caught
it now though, because that sort of thing would just end up burning up
while it was in use. And the damned thing has got to operate continuously
for two weeks... You think you could ever stop in and turn it off for it to
cool down every day?" Hugo asked.

"Hugo, the idea to put a wind generator on those long, green, translucent
strands of seaweed was a brilliant idea. When they blow and flutter gently
in the wind, it looks just like the seaweed is floating in a water
current."

"Yeah.  That turned out pretty good," Hugo shouted with a smile.  "I wish
I'd have made more seaweed now.  The effect is terrific."

"You guys have the lights set perfectly. Now, can we all meet back on the
lobby level to write down a summary of the power cords.  There are so many
of them, we need some kind of circuit diagram in case we have to sort out a
malfunctioning spotlight."

*****

Jake arrived with Dillon, and Kevin brought his and Hugo's two kids to the
Marriott to meet everyone.  The boys walked around looking up ooh-ing and
ah-ing, pointing at the effects.

Dillon bent his little head up and pointed and jabbered. Nick and Jilder
wanted to know what made things work.  They had to see the motors that
drove the moving figures, and they went up to see the wind machines do
their job.

The 5 colorful squid were animated with servos and cables that moved their
tentacles and made the atrium seem like a treacherous undersea grotto with
magical possibilities.

"I don't know how these guys do it, but the effects are really dramatic.
This submarine-diver scene is nothing short of enchanting....And the squid
are bazaar in those "trippy" colors, especially when you think that it's
all suspended in mid-air! You gotta give these guys credit," Kevin said as
he was speaking with Jake.

"Yeah! I'm only married to one of them.  I don't claim to understand how
they do what they do... Give me a sick patient any day.  They're much
easier to deal with."

"Did you see all of the table and incidental flowers that Craig created to
follow through on the undersea motif?  Those items had to take days to
assemble. Craig must have a factory over there were he used to have the
flower shop," Kevin said.

"Yeah.  He's becoming somewhat of an industrialist, I guess," Jake laughed.

Hugo and Craig walked up to Jake and Kevin with the two stage hands in
tow. Kevin turned and spoke to the stage hands, "We're through with the
major stuff for tonight.  You guys need a lift anywhere?"

"Naw.  We're cool," they stood there somewhat awkwardly with their hands in
their pockets.

Craig reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash and counted out
$200 to each of the guys and said, "I don't know what we'd a done without
you guys helping us.  Thanks loads."

The faces of the two young men lit up.  They stuffed the cash in their
jeans.  "Naw.  We got plans for tonight.  Thanks for the offer though.  If
you need help taking this stuff down in two weeks, give us a call.  We'd
like to help you out..."

"It's really great you don't mind volunteering for more duty.  I'd like to
count on you, if you don't mind; and it'll be three hundred to help us take
it all down.  I'll be in touch.  I got your cell numbers," Craig said.

With that the guys took off happy heading toward the parking lot.

"Kev," Hugo said.  "You guys in the mood for some supper?  I hear the
buffet in the second dining room is excellent, all you can eat, and the
price is right too. This early I don't think bringing the children will be
any problem."

Kevin looked over at Jake, "You handle the buffet tonight?" He asked.

"Oh, sure. Anytime good food's available, I'm ready," Jake said.

"Come here, Dillon... DILLON!" Jake called out, and then taking several
hasty steps to jerk Dillon away from the entrance to the bar, he led Dillon
over to where the guys were talking.

"Sure, we'll have to find Jilder and Nicky and then we'll meet you in the
dining room," Kevin said.

Hugo knew just where the boys would be: up on the mezzanine balcony looking
at the wind generators and squid animation servos up close.  "Kev, I'm
going to run up to the wind generators and get the boys. Why don't you go
on in the dining room with Craig and Jake... I won't be long."

"If you're sure you won't need any help rounding them up, Babe?" Kevin
confirmed with Hugo before he joined the others.

"Oh, no, Kev.  They aren't any trouble, even if they want to see more,
they'll come down with me for supper.  No, you go on.  Thanks for checking
with me anyhow." Hugo said.

*****

"Dad, these are really big trays!" Nicky said as he ran up to the line
where the men and Dillon were waiting.

"Well, if you think they're too big for you to handle, let us help you
carry them.  We don't need plates of food spilled on the carpet of the
dining room." Kevin replied to Nick.

"You should be able to push them along the bars in front of the buffet
though, Nick.  When you pass something you'd like to eat, just stop and
tell the person serving what you want, and they will put your serving on a
little plate and hand it to you.  Here... you go right in front of me."
Then turning to Hugo, Kevin went on: "Hugo, will you let Jilder go right
before you in line and watch him to see if things are too heavy on his
tray?"

"Sure, Kev." Hugo answered.

"Come here, Jilder.  Put your tray right here in front of me.  I'll help
you move it if you need me to," Hugo said.

"What are those red things," Nicky whispered loudly to Kevin, trying to
sound confidential.

"They're cooked apples that have some red food coloring added to them.  You
don't need a lot of them, maybe one or two slices." Kevin advised.

"I want the mashed potatoes too," Nicky told Kevin.

"Well, tell the server.  She'll scoop them up for you." Kevin replied.

"What kind of meat are you going to get, Nicky?" Kevin asked.

"Hummm?  What's that stuff?" Nick said.

"That's prime beef.  And next to it is some kind of baked chicken.  Then
down there they have salmon steaks, and there's even some lobster, I see."
Kevin answered.

"Lobster!" Nicky said.  "Those reddish, crawly looking things! Ugh. No
way." Nicky said holding his throat like he was going to gag.

"Oh, Nicky.  You don't have to be so dramatic.  Just choose what appeals to
you and leave the rest. We aren't forcing you to eat lobster or anything
else," Kevin answered.

"Jilder, LOOK; there's lobster... See those red things with the big claws!
Ugh! Are you going to eat one of them?" Nicky leaned around Kevin to
address Jilder who was behind them in line.

"Where?" Jilder asked Nicky.

"Down there... seee?" Nicky said pointing ahead of them along the buffet
line.

"Cool... Maybe I should try one," Jilder said.

"You gonna EAT one of those crawly things?" Nicky answered.

"Well, they're DEAD, Nicky" Jilder retorted.

"Yeah! But they look yucky." Nicky persisted.

"Hugo, if I get chicken, do you think I could get a little bit of lobster,
just to see what it tastes like?" Jilder said turning to his brother.

"That would be alright if you want to," Hugo replied.

"You ARE going to eat one, aren't you?" Nicky called out to Jilder.

"Well, maybe... You wanna try a taste if I get a little one?" Jilder said.

"Hummmm? I don't know, Jilder.  What if I throw up?" Nicky answered.

"Oh! Nicky... You just spit it out if you don't like it.  You don't have to
swallow it! Dummy." Jilder said with some exasperation.

"But what if it smells yucky too?" Nicky said.

"Well then don't even taste it.  I'm going to try to taste it though,
'cause I've never seen lobster before." Jilder said.

"OK.  Maybe I'll try a little bit of yours-- if it doesn't smell bad."
Nicky said as he pushed his tray laden with a full dinner probably
sufficient in quantity for two boys his age.

Jake and Craig and Dillon had gone ahead and were already getting
seated. They found a high chair for Dillon and were engrossed with getting
Dillon mounted and buckled in.

"Dillon, put your feet down!" Jake said with some urgency. "How can I get
you into this chair if you won't put your feet under the tray??? Arrrrg!"
Jake said looking over at Craig. "Help!"

"Here, babe, I'll help you.  You hold Dillon still, and I'll reach up under
the tray and guide his legs down under it" Craig said.

By the time Kevin came over carrying Nicky's tray, Dillon was squealing
like he was being put into a torture rack instead of a highchair.

"Dillon! What's your problem?  Nobody's hurting you.  You've got to sit in
this chair," Craig said.

"That's OK, Dillon," Nicky said when he walked up.  He patted Dillon on the
shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head.

"AAAAAnnnnnkkkk!" Dillon squealed to register his displeasure with the
whole affair.

"Oh, what a scaredy-cat!" Nicky commented.

"Nooooooo!" Dillon said.

"Okay, okay, okay.  So you're NOT a scaredy-cat! But you're loud!" Nicky
corrected himself and took a chair across the table from Dillon.

Moments later Hugo brought Jilder's tray over and unloaded it at the chair
right next to Nicky.  Kevin arrived with his own tray next, and Hugo
returned to pick up his too.

Everyone settled in and found it very nice to have dinner in such an
elegant dining room-- well, more elegant than Coco's...

Dillon soon discovered it was great fun to sit in the highchair and crush
saltine crackers watching them spring from the tray in front of him out
onto the dark red carpeting, littering the carpet with saltine confetti in
a circle for about 4 feet in every direction around his chair.

"Groan!" Jake moaned.  "I can just hear the busboys cursing this kid and
wondering what the hell his parents were doing while he ruined the floor."

"Oh, hon, Dillon's being good now. So he's a little messy... He has to
learn how to eat out, you know," Craig said.

"A LITTLE messy! Well, that's an understatement," Jake answered.

"Look, you two, Dillon's enjoying himself.  So his table manners need a
little work, but I'd say-- all in all-- he's being pretty good," Kevin
volunteered.

"Okay, Nicky... Watch me.  I'm going to eat some of the lobster." Jilder
said.

"Eyuuu!" Nicky commented before Jilder even took a bite.

"Humm?  A long pause and then some concentrated chewing ensued...  after
which: This stuff's pretty good!  Yeah!" Jilder announced.

Then he took yet another bite from his little plate of lobster and said,
"Yeah! Lobster is really good, Nicky.  You oughta try it!"

"Really?" Nicky replied incredulous.

"I don't know..." Nicky whined with caution...

"Well, DON'T then. I don't care," Jilder said.

"But maybe I ought to???" Nicky said looking at how much Jilder was
enjoying his lobster.

"Okay.  Give me a little tiny piece... Here put it on the side of my
plate," Nicky asked Jilder.

"You only GET a little piece.  If you want more, you can go back and get
your own." Jilder remarked, letting it be known that this was just in the
interest of Nick's education that he was providing the lobster.

Nicky picked up the tiny piece of lobster and smelled it.

"What are you, part dog?" Jilder chided Nicky.

"Nooo!" Nick replied somewhat indignant. "I just don't want to up-chuck
right here on the table," Nick explained.

"Go ahead, try it," Jilder encouraged.

And with that, Nicky started chewing on the lobster.  His face relaxed
immediately, and he began to look like he was quite pleased with the taste.
"Yeah! Jilder.  You're right. Lobster is really good!  I should have gotten
some too."

Everyone had been watching interested in what Nicky was going to think of
the lobster.

"Well you can go back, Nick." Hugo said.  "Why don't you go over to the
server in front of the lobster and tell her you'd like a small serving of
lobster. She'll give it to you on a little plate," Hugo explained.

" Oooh..Kaaaay...  Don't anybody leave me." Nicky said.

"We're not going to leave you.  We haven't even ordered our desserts yet."
Kevin answered as Nicky excused himself from the table.

Dillon had finished amusing himself with crushing and scattering the
saltine crackers.  Now he wanted food that he saw on the table in front of
the adults and the boys.  A string of jabber punctuated with pointing and a
little annoyed squeal let everyone know that Dillon wanted some of the
chicken and potatoes too.

Jake put a little chicken and some mashed potatoes on a small plate in
front of Dillon and left him to serve himself with his fingers.  He didn't
even try to introduce a fork.

Craig, aware of a "teaching moment" put a spoon into Dillon's hand and
helped him to scoop up potatoes and gravy that together they guided into
his mouth.

Dillon seemed pleased with the potatoes.  He pulled away from Craig's
assistance and tried to scoop up more potatoes for himself, but after a
second or two of frustration, he accepted Craig's further attempts to help.
And suddenly Dillon was re-interested in food, after having his fill of the
dry saltine crackers...

Nicky was chowing down on his lobster by now, and Jilder had finished
his. "Can I have some more, Hugo?" Jilder asked.

"Well, it's okay with me, but are you saving room for your dessert?  You
must be pretty full by now, I'd think?" Hugo said.

"Humm?  Maybe you're right.  Do you think we can come here some other time;
so I can get lobster again?" Jilder answered

"Yes. Sure. I'm glad you're enjoying the buffet, Jilder."

In a few minutes a waitress came up to the table rolling a dessert cart in
front of her, complete with anything you could imagine... Nearly 100% of it
excessively sweet and really unhealthy if eaten in any quantity.

"Can I interest any of you gentlemen in a dessert," she said addressing
everyone at the table at once.

"Yeah!" Both boys cheered before anyone else could reply.

"Down boys!  Let everyone decide, and then we'll see that you get served
whatever you want." Hugo said.

Everyone choose his dessert, and Hugo ordered fresh pineapple for himself,
ever the health conscious diner that he was.

"Yes, and what do you boys want?" Hugo asked addressing Nicky and Jilder.

"Can I have some flan," Jilder asked.

"Well, yes.  It's very rich, but every now and then, it's not going to kill
you," Hugo answered.

"Yeah! Me too." Nicky said.

Jake and Craig took some fresh fruit with chunks of watermelon that Dillon
could pick up easily in his fingers.  And for themselves, they ordered some
vanilla cake with chocolate icing...

"Oh, My, God..." That stuff could kill you it's so rich. You'll probably
have a sugar rush when you eat it," Kevin observed to himself.

"Yeah! But Jake can take care of Dillon after I'm gone," Craig said.

"What if I go first," Jake kidded?

"Then Kevin and Hugo get a third son!" Craig said smiling.

"No thank you.  I think two is quite enough.  I wouldn't want to deprive
either of you of the joy.." Hugo said.

"By the way, are you two really satisfied with an "only child?" Kevin
asked.

"MORE THAN ONE?!" Jake replied clearly startled

"YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE?"

Kevin and Hugo broke out laughing at Jake's resolute tone-- like they'd
just proposed something illegal or unpatriotic or worse.

"Well, it wouldn't be unheard of: all in good time," Kevin replied with a
smug expression indicating that he knew they'd relent eventually, as time
passed.

"Do you know how much work and worry one of these little rug rats is-- I
mean at Dillon's age???" Jake elaborated.

"Oh, come on, Jake.  You know you love Dillon." Hugo countered.

"Yeah! That's for sure.  But I'm always worried that I'll screw him up.
And it costs money too... " Jake said...

"Noooooooo!" Kevin responded... "We've never noticed that!  We've only
invested a small fortune in steel bars in the boys' chests alone!"

"And you wouldn't believe all the incidentals." Hugo followed up.

"Do we cost you too much money?" Nicky asked genuinely concerned with what
he was hearing the adults speak about.

"Ohhh! Nicky.  We're just bitchin... We really ought to shut up, because
EVERYTHING we've done has been because we WANT YOU GUYS to be in our
family.  We love you totally, and would do ANYTHING for you that you
needed, and that would be a help to you. If you couldn't live with us, we'd
be hurting really, really bad," Kevin said quickly...

Nicky leaned over to Kevin and put his head on Kevin's shoulder and one
hand on Kevin's back and the other on his chest... "I don't want to be any
trouble or cost you too much money, Dad... REALLY..." Nicky said in a quiet
somewhat sad voice.

"Oh, Baby.  See what our blabbering has done.  NO, NICKY.  ABSOLUTELY NOT.
WE LOVE YOU, AND YOU ARE NEVER, NEVER ANY TROUBLE.  Money is just another
way that we can show you that we love you.  As long as we have it, we WANT
to share it with you," Kevin said...

"Do you really understand that?" Hugo asked Nicky, reaching across the
table and putting his hand on Nicky's. Hugo looked Nicky in the eye and
held his gaze for a few moments... "Just like I wanted to spend the night
at the hospital when you wanted me to stay; I'd do anything for you... You
are NEVER any trouble.  You are an important part of our family.... You and
Jilder-- Hugo said looking over at Jilder-- are the reason we HAVE a
family.  We WANT YOU BOTH, and we love you BOTH!"

That night Kevin resolved NEVER to bring up the expense of running the
family in a setting where the boys could infer that they were a burden on
them or that Kevin or Hugo resented the money they spent on them.

Jake, realizing what he'd started, tried to help Hugo and Kevin clear up
the misunderstanding.

Jake said, "You guys don't know that you have TWO REALLY SUPER DAD'S, who
are so pleased with you and everything you do.  Their happiness with you
was part of the reason why Craig and I wanted to start a family with
Dillon.  Your dads want and love you both sooooo much.  I'm sorry that you
got the idea from our playing around that maybe they don't... Please come
check out with Craig or me, anything that may be on your mind or worrying
you.  We'll help you to sort out the truth about how much both of your
Dad's love you."

"AAaaaaaaahahahhhhhhhh!" Dillon interjected, a deafening squeal into this
very sensitive conversation that had unfolded around him.

"It's clear that Dillon wants to add his opinion to our conversation," Jake
said.

When Dillon felt that he had the attention he wanted, he jabbered more and
banged his hands on the highchair tray in front of him.

"Yep! Dillon says he loves you two also, and you're not a
bother.... according to Dillon," Craig said.

"Thanks, Dillon." Nicky said.  "I love you too, and you aren't any bother
to me either..."

Dillon squealed again smiling happily with food all over his face, his
clothes, his hair, the highchair, and the carpet around him.

"Do you want another brother, Dillon," Jake asked rhetorically.

"You've got TWO terrific brothers already: Nicky and Jilder." Craig added.

Jake looked directly into Craig's eyes and said, "There's never a shortage
of love to go around here... I wouldn't be surprised if one day somebody
else will need our love too, like Dillon, and I wouldn't want to say no..."

"Neither would I," Craig said, holding Jake in his gaze too.

Hugo stood and walked around the table and stood behind Nicky and Jilder,
both of them still seated.

He put one hand on Nicky's shoulder and the other on Jilder's.  He squeezed
them firmly and rubbed the boy's backs, giving them each a kiss on the ear.

"You guys ready to blow this place?" Hugo asked everyone present.

Nicky reached up and grabbed Hugo's arm, turned his head, and kissed Hugo's
large, strong hand.

"Yes.  I just want to get out of here before I run into the busboy who has
to clean up after Dillon," Jake said.

"That's okay, buddy," Nicky said to Dillon.  "We love you and you aren't
any trouble to us!  The busboy has to earn his money doin somethin... YOU
keep him employed single-handed, Dillon."

Everyone started to gather themselves and rise.  Craig and Jake wiped
Dillon down enough to carry him to the car without smearing food all over
themselves.  Jilder and Nicky were hurrying on their way back into the
atrium to take one last look at the spectacular scene that their Dad and
Craig had created.

Kevin rose and put his arm around Hugo.  "I feel like such a shit right
now, the way I was talking about money! I hope I haven't hurt the boys
irreparably," Kevin confided quietly to Hugo.

"Oh, Kevin.  We're just human.  We're bound to make mistakes.  And I think
what we DO and say everyday, means more than one, silly table
conversation-- at least I hope so," Hugo replied.  Both men were profoundly
concerned about allowing or causing injury to their boys.

Hugo put his arm around Kevin's back also, and the two men strolled
leisurely out of the dining room.  It really had been a nice day, almost
perfect, actually...

*****