Gregory A. Patrick
08/16/2021
Jaiden – Chapter 124
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Greg Patrick
"Peyton, didn't you say you got two dozen donuts, six
cream-filled, twelve regular glazed, and six dipped in chocolate and
peanuts?" "I did. Why?"
"Because there are several missing." "Which ones,
Jaiden?" Two cream-filled, two chocolate
dipped in peanuts, and two glazed."
"Have you seen Dale and Charley since you got home?" "No, and I haven't heard them either." "Ten to one, they got the donuts; and I bet
they'll be downstairs as soon as the children finish their nap."
"Hey, Dale, Charley.
Looks like you took a good nap."
"You might say that, Peyton. We
laid down, but we didn't sleep." "How
were the donuts?" "Warm, except for the
cream-filled, they were nice and cool.
We ate those off each other's index finger." "Yeah, I bet you ate them off your
fingers. You both are still sporting a
bulge in your pants."
"Awe, come on, Peyton.
We had to have a little fun eating them; besides, the way we enjoyed
them was your idea."
Peyton's telephone rang, and it was Jeremy calling to say
hello and let him know how college was going.
Uncle Peyton, is Uncle Jaiden there?" "He is, Jeremy. Is it ok if I use the speakerphone?" "Yes, sir."
"Hey, Jeremy, this is Uncle Jaiden. How are you doing at Wellstone?" "That's what I called to tell you and Uncle
Peyton. Carl and I got our end-of-semester
grades, and we both are on the Dean's list with a 4.0 GPA." "That's awesome, buddy! So, what did you take this past
semester?" "Calculus 2, Micro Biology,
Chemistry, European History, US Government, and Mechanical Engineering." "That's a tough schedule, Jeremy, and you got
a 4.0 GPA with that class load?"
"Yes, sir. It was tough, but we did it.? "Why did you and Carl take Mechanical
Engineering? "We talked with admissions
at LECOM, and they told us that if we took that course and made at least a B
average, we wouldn't have to take the MCATS."
"MCATS! Have you
decided to go to medical school?" "Yes,
sir, and we have already sent in our application to start Fall Semester. Carl and I are waiting on their
decision." "Let me know as soon as you
hear something." "We will, Uncle
Jaiden." If your uncles and I were in
Erie, I'd say we'd go to the country club and celebrate when you go home in
between semesters. Either way, Uncle
Peyton and I should only have a year and a half left in Memphis, and then we'll
go home to Erie. We can catch up and
celebrate when we get home." "That's a
deal, Uncle Jaiden."
"Carl and I have already celebrated a little bit." "How so?"
"We went to the Dixie Cream Donut Shop downtown and got a big box of
glazed donuts. By the time we got around
to eating them, they were cold. So, we
figured a way to warm them, and they were as good as when we picked them
up. Do you have a microwave in the
apartment?" "No, sir." "A small electric oven?" "No, sir."
Then I'm not sure Uncle Peyton or I want to know how you and Carl warmed
the donuts."
"Uncle Jaiden, why not; it was a lot of fun." "I'm sure it was, Jeremy. Somehow, I have a feeling you have already
talked with your Uncle Dale and Uncle Charley about how you warmed those
donuts." "We didn't; we got the idea
from our roommates. We even got to enjoy
some warm, sweet, white cream with the donuts."
"Jeremy, I think we are getting to the point of TMI." "TMI, Uncle Peyton?" "Yes, Too Much Information." "Funny, that's what my dads said."
"Carl is ready to go to the cafeteria for dinner, so I guess
I better go. We just wanted to let you
know things are going well here. Love
you guys!" "We love you and Carl, too,
Jeremy."
"Dale, Charley, did you two speak with Jeremy about how to
enjoy donuts?" "No, sir, we didn't. Why?"
"It seems they found out how to enjoy donuts the same way we did –
thanks to Charley!" Charley yelled to
Jaiden and Peyton, "I told you that boy was smart. Now he's proven that I was right."
"Charley, you are crazy."
"Not crazy, Peyton, horny."
"Dale, Jaiden, and I are going to daven for you; it seems like you need
the help." "Thank you, Peyton." "You're welcome, Dale!"
Everybody who knows Peyton, Jaiden, Dale, and Charley knows
they do not battle over anything.
Whatever irks them, they talk it out or wait until they are calm enough
to do that. So, when they were at the
park with the children on Sunday, they witnessed a young man and a young lady
brutally arguing with each other. The
man was hideously ugly with the woman leading Charley to question what was
wrong with him.
Jaiden looked at Charley and said, "Charley, what is wrong
with him is a simple diagnosis for me."
"How so, Jaiden?" "Charley, it's
apparent that he has a one-inch and half-inch problem." "A what?"
"A one-inch and a half-inch problem."
"What is that, Jaiden?" "Charley,
you're from the south and you've never heard that assessment?" "Nope."
"It means he is apparently upset because he has a half-inch dick and a
one-inch tongue and no idea how to use either one. That is the only reason I can see that would
cause behavior like he is exhibiting."
The guy apparently heard what Jaiden said and walked over to
him and asked, "What the hell did you say?"
"I said your problem causing you to argue with the young lady is because
you apparently have a half-inch dick and a one-inch tongue and no idea how to
use either." "You son of a bitch, I
ought to stomp your ass!" Charley looked
at the guy and told him he hoped he was stupid enough to try that.
That's the point at which the guy took a swing at
Jaiden. Peyton caught the swing and
proceeded to hurt the guy in ways he most likely could never have
imagined. As the guy retreated, the
police pulled up and wanted to know what was going on.
"The twerp was berating and verbally abusing this young
lady. I remarked that his problem
seemed to stem from his having a half-inch dick and a one-inch tongue and no
idea of how to use either. Apparently,
he heard me and came over to assault me; Peyton stopped his punch."
The young lady told the officer that Jaiden correctly stated
what was happening; "they were defending me from the jerk. He was supposed to be my boyfriend, but these
gentlemen have shown me I deserve better."
"What he did is considered assault and disorderly
conduct. So, we can take him to jail and
have a court arraignment in the morning.
Mam, could you be in court at 9 am?"
"Yes, sir, I can." "Gentlemen,
how about you?" "We are doctors at St.
Jude's training in oncology and oncological surgery. So being in court at 9 am would be incredibly
difficult for our patients and for us."
"We can get the arraignment scheduled for a time that would
be convenient for you if you wouldn't mind standing up for this young
lady." "We will have Thursday morning
off rotation, so we could be in court Thursday morning." "That will be great; Court will be scheduled for 9 am Thursday."
May I get your names?"
"I am Dr. Jaiden Riley-Reynolds, and my husband is Dr. Peyton
Riley-Reynolds." "Aren't you guys from
Erie, Pennsylvania?" "We are." "You are friends with Roger Betterman and
Bobby Standridge, aren't you?" "We are, but it goes farther than that." "How so, both are cousins of mine. So is Judge Don Stanislauski." "I've heard all about you guys. From what I've been told, you are fantastic
individuals."
"We try to be," Jaiden said.
"You also know my aunt, Margaret Barone.
You two helped stop my cousin from going into shock after his doctor
gave him penicillin." "We can't comment
on that, but I can say we know Bill and Margaret." "I'm going to call my aunt tonight and tell
her we met. I hope everybody has a
better afternoon. I'm sorry the jerk had
to ruin your day. I'll see y'all in
court on Thursday morning."
"Jaiden, this is Mom.
I heard something interesting through the grapevine this morning, and I
wanted to ask you about it." "Mom, by
the grapevine, do you mean gossip line?"
"Yes, but I was trying to be nice about the person who called me." "What did you hear, Mom?"
"I heard Peyton, and you and Dale and Charley were at the
park with the children, and some idiot took a swing at you." "That's true, Mom, but he probably took a
swing at me because of what he heard me say."
"And...?" "He was verbally tearing
a young woman apart, and I had heard enough of his ranting. So, when Charley asked me what his problem
was, I said he had a half-inch dick and a one-inch tongue and no idea how to
use either one."
"He didn't like what I said, and he came after me saying he
ought to whup my ass. Charley told the
guy he didn't think he wanted to be that stupid; that made the guy madder. When he took a swing at me, Peyton took him
apart. When the police arrived, after
someone called them, the guy was lying on the ground with tears in his eyes. The officers had heard about us from all the
Erie events through his cousin."
"Who was his cousin, Jaiden?" "None other than the infamous Jay
Stanislauski – and Roger Betterman and Bobby Standridge." "Jaiden, how in the world do you always wind
up with police officers and judges who are related to us?" "Mom, I have no idea, but it sure does help
out when a situation arises." "That's
true, son. Do you have any idea who the Judge
will be when the case is called?"
"Mom, I think his name is Norman Anderson." "Jaiden, is Peyton sitting with you?" "He is, Mom."
"Put your phone on speaker." "Peyton,
this is Mom. Can you hear me OK?" "Yes, Mam, loud and clear." "Good.
Do you have any idea who Norman Anderson is?" "No, Mam, I don't." "Think hard about your mother's side of the
family." "You have got to be kidding me;
he's Grandma Jenny's nephew and Mom's second cousin." "That is correct, so don't be surprised if
the judge asks to speak to you two after court." "I won't now; thanks for the heads up!" "You're welcome. Let me know what happens in court Thursday
morning." "I will, Mom; thanks for
calling and educating me." "You're
welcome, son. I'll talk to you and
Jaiden Thursday afternoon."
A few minutes after Jaiden's Mom called, Peyton's phone
rang. "Peyton, this is Dad. What the hell have you gotten yourself
into? I got a call from a Tennessee
judge this afternoon. He told me you had
been in a fight and had to be in court at 9 Thursday morning and that you were
looking at 90 days in the county jail for the offense of fisticuff. What happened?
"Dad, I protected my husband and our children from being
assaulted by an ignorant asshole. He was
verbally assaulting a young lady in the worst way, and Charley asked Jaiden
what he thought the guy's problem was.
Jaiden told Charley that the man's problem was easy for a doctor to
diagnose. He said the guy had a
half-inch dick and a one-inch tongue and no idea how to use either one. The guy heard what Jaiden told Charley, and
it made him mad. So, he charged Jaiden
and threw a punch after Charley told him he didn't think he wanted to be that
stupid."
"Peyton, when the guy threw the punch, what did you do to
him?" "Dad, I dislocated his shoulder
for one, and I think I broke the arm he threw the punch with. I seem to remember his foot getting badly
twisted and something snapping, and I think his right knee cap wound up on the
outside of his right leg. Other than
that, I don't think I hurt him too badly."
"Well, son, that is what the Judge told me you did to the
idiot, and he said he was very proud of you for defending your family. Thursday's court hearing should be
exciting. If you and Jaiden don't mind,
your mom and I want to fly up Wednesday night and go to court with you and
Jaiden on Thursday morning."
"Dad, you and Mom are welcome anytime you want to come
up. You can stay as long as you
wish. I know the children will be
excited to see y'all, and you will be excited to get to see and play with
them. I'll let Charley and Dale know you
are coming up for a day or so. If you
can arrange it, try to stay through the weekend, and Jaiden and I can show you
the hospital and the section we work in."
"Dale and Charley would love to show you the project they
are working on. We've heard from the
hospital administrators that they and the engineering firm are extremely
pleased with their work."
"I'll see what I can do about that tomorrow and give you a
call." "Dad, we are working swing
shifts, so a text might be better in case we are busy. I can call you back as soon as I am
free." "OK, I'll do that."
"SETH!" "Yes, sir."
"Can you come downstairs for a minute?"
" Yes, sir; I'm on the way down."
"Yes, Dad." "What
have you got going on at school Wednesday through Friday?" "Dad, those are teacher planning days, so
we'll be out of school until Monday."
"What about the college?" "I can
do my studies online with no problem."
"Good! How would you
like to fly to Memphis with your mom and me on Tuesday evening and see Richard
and Sally, and Peyton, Jaiden, and your nephews?" "Dad, please don't joke with me about
that. I have been wanting to see
Richard so badly; I just didn't say
anything about that since we have all been so busy."
"Son, I've told you that anytime you want to see Richard and
Sally to tell me. I can always make that
happen with no problem – even if it is only for a weekend."
Seth hugged his parents and kissed his mom on the cheek as
he sprinted back upstairs to complete his studies and plan for the best weekend
in a long time.
"Peyton, this is Dad.
I will get the other vets in the office to run the place from Tuesday
morning through Saturday. We'll fly up
Tuesday evening and stay until Sunday afternoon. We should get there in time to take you guys
out for dinner. Let Richard, Charley,
and Dale know. Don't tell Richard this,
but we are bringing Seth with us. He has
been wanting to see Richard very badly and didn't tell us, so we'd like to
surprise Richard. Ask Richard if he and
Sally are available Tuesday night for dinner and let me know." "OK, Dad, I'll call you back in a few
minutes."
"Dr. Riley's residence."
"High, gorgeous, this is your brother-in-law; how are you doing
tonight? "I'm doing well, and I hope you
are too." "I am Sally, thanks for
asking. Dad called a few minutes ago and
told me they are coming up Tuesday night and stay through Sunday
afternoon. He wanted me to ask if you
and Richard are available to eat dinner with all of us on Tuesday night." "Peyton, let me let you ask Richard. I am not sure of his schedule for mid-week; hang
on just a minute."
"Hello, my brother, to what do I owe this honor?" "Richard, you owe this honor to yourself for
being such a loving brother, uncle, and son.
Dad called tonight and wanted me to ask if you and Sally are free to
have dinner with all of us on Tuesday night."
"Peyton, I am off on Tuesday and Wednesday, so that would be a perfect
day to have dinner with my family. Do
you know if Seth will be coming with Mom and Dad?" "Richard, he has a pretty strict school
schedule, so I am not positive one way or the other. Mom and Dad will be here Tuesday evening if
you would like to go with Jaiden and me to pick them up at the airport." "I can do that, Peyton; let me know what time
we need to meet as soon as you know."
"I'll do that, Richard. Love you,
bro." "I love you too, Peyton."
"Dad, this is Peyton.
Richard and Sally will join us for dinner on Tuesday night, and he will
be with us to pick you up at the airport.
He asked if Seth was coming too, so I told him I wasn't sure one way or
the other since Seth had a grueling school schedule, so tell Seth not to tell
Richard if he calls." "Thanks,
buddy. I'll let Seth know right now."
"SETH, can you come downstairs one more time for just a
second." "Coming, Dad."
`Seth, here's the scoop on the trip to Memphis: Peyton told Richard that he didn't know if
you'd be able to go with us or not, so if Richard calls you, tell him you have
a challenging school schedule, and you'll see what you can work out. We want to surprise him when he goes to the
airport with Jaiden and Peyton to pick us up.
It will make his week when he sees you."
"It will make my week as well, Dad; thank you so much. I love you."
I love you too, son."
"By the way, we will
fly to Memphis Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday." "Awesome, Dad!"
"Phyllis, I've asked this before, and I'm going to ask it
again: where would we be without that boy?"
"Jim, I can tell you we wouldn't be as happy as we are now. We'd probably be sitting on the couch looking
at each other and wondering what we could talk about. We'd most likely be two chubbing old coots,
eating popcorn while drinking a beer, and staring aimlessly at the television
while asking ourselves why we are watching the crap on TV."
"I suppose you are right, Phyllis, but there would be a
fabulous caveat for me." "What would
that be, Jim?" "I'd be a popcorn eating,
beer-drinking, old coot sitting with the love of my life." "Sweetheart, you are so romantic, and you
know just what to say at the right time."
"Phyllis, if that's true, I learned it from the world's foremost
romantic expert."
Arrangements were made at the Vet clinic for Jim and Phyllis
to take Seth to see Richard, Sally, and their brother, Peyton. Thus, the
grandparents would get to see all ten of their grandchildren. They loved Peyton's and Jaiden's boys beyond
measure, but they also loved Charley's and Dale's children as if they were
their own.
Tuesday rolled around, and while Jim was at the clinic,
Phyllis got them packed and ready to fly to Memphis at 5 that afternoon. Plans were for Peyton and Jaiden to take
Peyton's parents on the riverboat diner cruise as a surprise. Richard and Sally had not been on the cruise
up the river; it would be a special treat for them. So promptly at 5 pm on Monday, the Riley's
got on a jet and headed for Memphis; they would be there in an hour and thirty
minutes.
When the plane landed, Peyton, Richard, and Jaiden were at
the airport to meet Richard's and Peyton's parents. When the Riley's were descending on the
escalator, Seth and Richard eyed each other. Then, Seth took off, skipping down
the steps running to Richard. The latter was running to hug his little
brother.
When Seth and Richard got to each other, they both had tears
in their eyes; it had been a while since they had seen each other. The Riley's, Peyton, and Jaiden also had
tears in their eyes; they hadn't seen anything so loving in a long time.
When everyone got to the house, Sally was waiting in the den
to see her in-laws. She didn't know Seth
had come. When she saw him, she, too,
cried tears of joy. Everybody had a
grand reunion, especially with the babies before Granny and Ginny arrived so
the family could go to dinner. When the
ladies walked through the door, all the babies yelled, "Gen, Ganny!" and ran to
their adopted grandparents.
Peyton had schemed with Ginny and Granny to feed the boys
fried catfish and broccoli salad – without the Beano; Peyton was going to pull
one over on his dad. So, everybody
loaded into the van - since it could carry everyone - and headed to the
pier. When they got to the paddle
wheeler, Peyton's mom got excited. The
river cruise was something she had wanted to do for a long time.
Peyton's dad asked, "son, are we going to have to fish for
our dinner?" "Dad, let me put it this
way: No!
You ask too many questions. Relax
and enjoy the experience you are about to have!" "Yes, sir.
Boy, you are just as stubborn as your mother." "Dad, you spoiled Jenny and Mom spoiled
me! Geez, I love it!" "I'm sure you do, son, I'm sure you do."
"Everybody boarded the boat and stood at the helm to let the
breeze blow through their hair. Richard
and Sally had their arms around each other, and Sally laid her head against his
shoulder. Mom and Dad Riley were doing
the same. Jaiden was standing behind
Peyton with his arms around the love of his life.
It was such a loving sight that the other passengers stood
back and let the eight lovers have their space.
A lady stopped Phyllis as everyone was headed inside for
dinner and said, "Watching you and your children standing at the front of the
ship was one of the most loving things I have ever seen; thank you for making
my day extra special." Phyllis hugged
the lady and thanked her for her comments.
She told the lady that she wished the lady knew how special her sons
are, that the three oldest are doctors at St. Jude's. The other two boys were engineers working on
the St. Jude expansion.
Lobster crostini was the appetizer; a fantastic house salad
with homemade blue cheese was served a few minutes before the meal. The New York strip steaks were cooked to
perfection. The potatoes were dipped in
pine rosin and rolled in rock salt before they were baked. The vegetable served was grilled asparagus,
Jaiden's favorite. Next, everybody got
coffee to drink. When Dad Riley tasted
the coffee, he looked at Dale and quipped, "Dale, this coffee doesn't even come
close to comparing to yours; it's good, but not great like your coffee.
The meal completed, Dad Riley tried to pay the tab only to
be told someone who had watched them at the front of the boat paid their
bill. "Sir, the person who paid for your
meals said to say thank you for showing everyone what real love looks like."
Dad Riley didn't say a word as he looked out the window as a
tear trickled from his eye. "Boy's, you
always make me and your mom proud. What
just happened has never happened to us before.
Thank you for being the exemplary young men that you are. I am so proud of each of you!"
Peyton said, "Dad if you and Mom hadn't been the parents you
always were, things may well have been different. Richard seconded what Peyton said as both had
tears welling up in their eyes. Then,
they went outside and stood at the helm of the paddle wheeler as it headed back
to port. When they got to the pier,
they took a long walk on the Riverwalk, sat at the overlook, and stared at the
city's lights.
When they got home, Peyton suggested that he and his dad
take the children to the park for a little while. He told his dad the park was well lit and
that the boys would only play about thirty minutes before they wanted to go
home, get their baths, and go to bed.
When they left for the park, Jaiden asked Ginny and Granny what the
children had eaten for dinner. "Jaiden,
they had fried catfish and broccoli salad."
"Did either of you give them a drop of the Beano?" "We didn't because Peyton told us not
to." "Oh no, Peyton is pulling one over on
dad, and it is worse than anything Jenny has ever pulled."
"Jaiden, what do you mean?"
"Mom, Peyton didn't let the children have Beano before they ate the
broccoli salad. So, when dad, Peyton,
and the children head home, dad is going to be green at the gills, and Peyton
is going to be dying laughing." "How
so, Jaiden?" "Those children are going
to fart the whole time they are in the van, and what they do will make a sewage
treatment plant smell like perfume. What
Peyton is doing proves he has a special bond with you."
"Jenny, this is Mom.
I don't have time to explain, but I want you to call your dad in an hour
and ask how his day has been. " "OK,
Mom, I'll do that. Answer one question
for me; has Peyton done something to get to dad?" "Yes, just call your dad in an hour." "OK, Mom, talk to both of you shortly."
About halfway to the park, Peyton had the van windows rolled
up and locked. He noticed his dad quenching
his nose, wondering what he was smelling.
Peyton didn't say a word; he simply grinned.
"Holy crap, Peyton, what is that smell?" "What smell, Dad? I don't smell anything." "The hell you don't!" "Well, I guess I do smell broccoli." "You sneak.
You had Ginny and Granny feed those children broccoli salad, didn't you?"
"Dad, I guess they may have fed the children broccoli salad at
dinner. The children love the
stuff. By the way, it may be crap, but
I'm sure it isn't holy!" "Boy, so help
me, I am going to think of something to get you back for this. Unlock the damned windows before I throw up
all over you. You have stunk in the car
before, but damned if you ever smelled that bad."
"Peyton, stop laughing; it isn't funny." "Maybe not to you, Dad; it's hilarious to
me!" "Wait until I tell your mother what
you did." "I'm sure she knows by now,
Dad."
When they walked into the house, Phyllis looked at Jim with
a wry smile and asked, "Hon, did you have a good time with the
grandbabies?" "At the park, yes, but
someone fed those babies broccoli salad for dinner, and your son tried to gas
me to death in the van." "Don't you mean
our son?" "No, your son. He said I spoiled Jenny, and you spoiled him
- and he was loving it." "Hon, it
couldn't have been that bad in the van."
"Phyllis, come with me for a minute."
Jim took Phyllis to the garage and opened the van door. Then he told her to stick her head in and
take a deep breath. "Holy cow, Jim, did
those babies create that smell?" "Yes,
and it is about half what it was when we got home." After that, Phyllis told Jim she'd talk to
Peyton about what he did.
"Peyton, may I see you in the dining room?" When Peyton got to the dining room, his
mother yelled, "why did you do that to your dad?" Then she leaned over and whispered into
Peyton's ear, telling him she thought his plan to do that was brilliant. They walked back into the den with Peyton
looking sheepish.
Jim's phone rang, and it was Jenny calling her dad. "Dad, I heard you and Peyton took all the
children to the park; did y'all have fun?"
"Honey, we had a lot of fun at the park, but when we got into the van to
head home, those babies made a stink that was unlike anything I have ever
smelled. And to make it worse, Peyton
had the van windows rolled up and locked.
I was about to throw up all over him - and that was the only reason he
unlocked the windows so I could stick my head outside the van and get some
fresh air." "Dad, it sounds like Peyton
got you better than I ever have." "Jenny,
I don't think you will ever be able to top what Peyton did tonight!"
"Dad, let me think on that.
Meanwhile, let me speak to Peyton, please." "Hey, little brother. Mom called and told me what you had done while
you and dad were at the park. That was
so brilliant; I am not about to try and top that. Say something to make dad think I am getting
on to you, and then we can hang up."
"Jenny, I am sorry; I won't do that again." When Peyton said that, he ended the call.
Jaiden took Peyton onto the deck and began shaking his index
finger at Peyton like he was scolding his husband. What he was saying to Peyton was how proud he
was of the prank Peyton had pulled. When
he thought he had made it look like he gave Peyton a good scolding, they walked
back into the den.
Jaiden looked at his father-in-law and said, "Dad, I'm sorry
about the van ride home. Peyton
understands that I think it was wrong to do that. But, for
his repentance, he is going to sleep in the room with the babies tonight
in case they have a tummy ache so he can take care of it if they do."
Peyton shot Jaiden a look of disapproval for what he said to
Dad Riley. Dad Riley took a sip of
coffee, smiled, and didn't say a word.
As soon as Jaiden said that to Dad Riley, his phone rang.
"Jaiden, this is Mom.
Did Peyton really have the children fed broccoli salad at dinner and
then take them and his dad to the park?"
"Yes, Mom, it happened just that way."
"That was brilliant. Jim is going
to rack his brain trying to figure out how to get Peyton back."
"Yes, mam, you can already see that happening. A lady called and scolded someone about
that." "Did Jenny call to
congratulate Peyton?" "Yes, mam.
You can imagine how the conversation went." "That good, Jaiden?" No, mam, better than that." "Good.
When you and Peyton are alone, tell him I am proud of him for pulling
such a good prank on Jim." "Yes, mam, I
will. I love you." "I love you, too, son!"
"Peyton, let's get the boys bathed and get them in their
beds. While they were in the shower,
Mark farted, and Abraham looked at Jaiden, pointed at Mark, and said, "Da, he
stink." Mom Riley was in the bathroom
helping with the boys, and when she heard Abraham say Mark stinks, she died
laughing as she slumped to the floor and got wet all over. When she went back to the den soaking wet,
Jim asked what happened to her. Phyllis
started laughing as she told Jim what Abraham said about Mark, and he joined in
the laughter. "Jim, Abraham was telling
the truth. When Mark passed gas, it
stunk up the entire shower. Geez, that
was funny."
Seth is staying overnight with Richard and Sally, and plans
are to tour the Memphis Zoo and the Crystal Grotto. When they finish touring those two places,
they intend to play the rest of the day by ear and do whatever interests
Seth. Sally was happy for Richard and
Seth because both guys looked happier than they had in a long time, and that
made her happy.
Richard called Peyton the following day to let him know they
were going to the zoo if he and Jaiden wanted to join them with the
children. Peyton said they would love to
join them at the zoo and would meet them there at nine. When Peyton told his mom and dad, his dad
asked if it would be OK if he and Phyllis drove one of the cars to the
zoo. He didn't want a repeat of the
gassed-up van.
Jaiden said, "Dad, I have already given the children some
Beano, and the gas is gone, so there won't be a problem tomorrow." "Jaiden, do you promise me that if we go with
you and Peyton in the van that we will be safe from a gas attack?" "I promise, Dad; when we get the boys up to feed them
breakfast and get them dressed for the day, you can check out their room. I promise it will not smell bad." "OK, if you say so, Jaiden; if they are still
fumigating the area around them, I drive the van, Mom sits in the front
passenger seat, and we have the windows open.
Deal?" "Deal, Dad."
Everybody thoroughly enjoyed touring the zoo and the Crystal
Grotto, When the tours ended, everybody
went to B. B. King's restaurant for lunch.
The adults got catfish and broccoli salad. When they tasted the broccoli, they
understood why the children loved it so much.
The children got catfish too, but instead of broccoli salad, they got
French fries and fought over ownership of the ketchup. Peyton final had enough of the bickering and
got 10 ramakins and put ketchup in each and sat them in front of the
children. The war was over.
After lunch, they took the boys and Alaina Noelle back to
the park to play. When they finally got
home, Dale and Charley were waiting on them.
"Hey, guys, what did y'all have for lunch? "Dale, we all had catfish and broccoli
salad." Charley said, "Jaiden, so help
me, if you fed those children broccoli salad, Dale and I are going to eat
peanut butter and banana sandwiches and drink milk until we feel like we are
going to explode, and we're going to make Peyton do the same thing. Then we are going to all sleep in the same
bedroom together." "Charley, don't
worry, the children had fries instead of broccoli." Charley shot a glance at Peyton who said,
Charley, they really did have fries."
"Good. I didn't want a repeat of
last night. Dad Riley said he didn't either.
Thursday morning arrived and everyone got ready for
court. They got to the courthouse and
took their seats in the courtroom. They
were greeted by the police officers who made the case and let the guys know the
Judge would like to see them in chambers after court.
All rise, the Superior Court of Memphis, Tennessee is now in
session, the Honorable Judge Norman Anderson, presiding.
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. I see we have some distinguished guests in
the courtroom this morning. Dr. and Mrs.
Riley, welcome to Memphis. I trust you
will have a pleasant stay in Memphis while you are here." Dad Riley replied, "Thank you, your Honor, I
am sure we will."
"Madam Clerk, please call the case of State versus Leon
Pettigrew."
"The State of Tennessee calls the case of Leon
Pettigrew. Please come forward with your
attorney."
"Mr. Pettigrew, you stand before the court having committed
the offenses of Harassment and felonious Assault. Has your attorney advised you of your
constitutional rights?" "Yes, sir, he
has." "Does the court need to go back
over those rights with you?" "No, sir. I fully understand my rights."
"Mr. Melrose, how does your client please to the offenses
for which he stands before the court?"
"Your Honor, Mr. Pettigrew would like to enter an Alford
Plea to both offenses."
"Mr. District attorney, have you discussed the pleas with
the victims in this case?" "I have your
Honor, and they do not oppose an Alford Plea."
"Mr. Pettigrew, I must tell you I know the parents of one of
the victims in this case, and I have spoken with their son and with Ms. Janson
about reducing the felony with which you have been charged. Both victims have stated they do not oppose
the reduction of the felony offense to a misdemeanor.
Do you still wish to have this court hear your case and reduce your felony
charge to a misdemeanor? "I do, your
Honor, but before the Court passes judgment, there is something I would like to
say to both Drs. Riley-Reynolds and to Sharon Janson."
"Mr. Pettigrew, you may address the victims in your case."
"Sharon, Drs. Riley-Reynolds, I am very sorry I acted the
way I did in the park, and I regret my attempt to assault Dr. Jaiden
Riley-Reynolds. The truth is that I had been
drinking beer, and I let the alcohol get the best of me. This case has shown me that I have an alcohol
problem and enrolled in an in-patient alcohol program. I will be attending Alcoholics Anonymous seven
days a week for at least a year and then weekly after that. I must prove myself to stay in both programs,
and I intend to do just that. I just
hope you can forgive me for what I did."
"Mr. Pettigrew, the Court would like to know, besides the
alcohol you had consumed, what made you so mad that you wanted to assault Dr. Riley-Reynolds?"
"Your Honor, my behavior caused one of the gentlemen present
to ask what my problem was, and Dr. Riley-Reynolds stated that I apparently had
a half-in dick, a one-inch tongue, and no idea how to use either. Quite frankly, Dr. Riley-Reynolds' assessment
was not that far off. I have never tried
to seduce any young lady I have dated and I have never had sex. I got a ruler when I got out of jail and went
home, and I can get my tongue exactly one inch outside my mouth, and my flaccid
condition is exactly a half-inch. So, while Dr. Riley-Reynolds was being
facetious at the time, he was mathematically correct."
"Damn, son, I can't believe you just said that in open
court!" "Your honor, the truth is the
truth; it can't be denied."
"Your Honor?" "Yes,
Dr. Riley-Reynolds." "May I have a
sidebar with the attorneys." "You may,
sir. Gentlemen, please approach the
bench."
"Your Honor, I would like to request that the Court do
something rather unusual at this time." "Dr. Riley-Reynolds, what would that request
be?" "Your Honor, would the court
entertain the idea of postponing this case for one year to allow Mr. Pettigrew
to complete his in-house alcohol counseling and to complete one year of
attending Alcoholics Anonymous on a daily basis for one year?" "The Court is willing to do that, but the
Court would like for you to tell the Defendant what you have proposed." "That is acceptable, your honor."
"Dr. Riley-Reynolds, you may address the Defendant."
"Mr. Pettigrew, I have never felt that the Defendant in any
case of which I have been a witness has ever been as repentant as you appear to
be today. Because of what you have said
to the Court and in light of your apology to my husband and me and to Ms.
Janson, I have asked the Court to consider postponing your case for one year to
give you time to complete your in-house alcohol treatment and to allow you to
fulfill the requirement of attending AA seven days per week for a year. If you complete both of those commitments
successfully, I will ask the court to dismiss this case."
"Dr. Riley-Reynolds, after the way I behaved and the way I
treated you, why are you doing this for me?"
"Mr. Pettigrew, you are a human being, and you have asked for the
forgiveness of everyone involved in this case.
My faith demands that I honor your request and forgive you. My faith also requires me to do whatever I
can to help you be successful in your rehabilitation. In that regard, I promise I will do whatever
is necessary to help you become sober and become a contributing member of
society. If you need any help
whatsoever, contact me through the District Attorney's office, and I will do
whatever I can to help you; that is my promise to you."
"I'm sorry, I don't understand why you are trying to help me
after what I did, the way I behaved."
"You made a mistake, Mr. Pettigrew; it's time to learn from that mistake
and move on. It is as simple as that. So,
let's shake on my pledge to help you."
The two men shook hands.
After they did, Leon Pettigrew broke down in the courtroom and cried
like a baby. Jaiden knelt in front of
him and said, "Leon, look at me. I meant
what I said. Let me help you get over
this. I know at heart you are a good
person. However, you made a mistake, and I want to help you move on and be
successful with your life." What Jaiden
did next had everyone in the courtroom, including the Judge, in tears. He sat in a chair next to Leon Pettigrew and
held his until he could compose himself.
Then he and Peyton took Leon out for a good lunch and had a long talk
with him.
The judge banged his gavel, continued the case for one year,
and then recessed court until the next day at 9 am.