Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 17:26:29 -0400 From: Charlie Subject: Andy 1 This story is probably different than any other you will find on the Nifty archive. Many will not like it; I hope at least some do. It is a story of love between two boys, and between those boys and their family. There is no erotica or explicit descriptions of sex, so if that is your interest, you might as well look elsewhere. I hope to present two pretty beautiful persons here in the light in which I would like to be presented. What actually happened between them is their secret and will remain so. There are several rather disturbing topics presented here. These come from my personal life experience. They did not happen as presented here, did not all happen as described, did not necessarily happen to the people portrayed; but they did happen! There are two main characters presented, Andy and Charlie. They are both figments of my imagination, although Charlie has many qualities that I either had or wish I had. There are pieces of both Charlie and Andy that belong to me and to my lifelong lover, Kenny. If you have read the series called simply "Kenny," you will probably recognize at least some of them. There is one thing I must say before I start. I do not practice, nor do I condone sex between an adult and a minor, regardless of gender. Nor do I condone in any way most of what happened to our young heros. They were victims of the worst kind of child abuse: Abandonment, indifference, ignorance. But they survived, as most of us do, one way or another. As the story progresses, I shall add my comments, explaining how certain things happened and what inspired me to write as I did. As I said, the major incidents did actually happen: all of them! Toward the end of the story there is reference and description of a boy choir and other musical activities in Italy. This is totally and completely fictional, or at least I hope it is. Hopefully I will explain them as we go along. I cannot do so now because that would ruin whatever suspense I have created. I must apologize for any errors I've made in describing life on a farm in North Carolina. As many will already know, I grew up being switched between a farm and a city in eastern Canada. I consider myself a country boy and can describe life on a Canadian farm in far more detail than I'm sure you care to hear. But I have never lived on a farm in North Carolina, so my descriptions are far more general than I would like. Please enjoy the story because it is only that. If you choose to comment I would love to hear of it. My email address is charlieje@mindspring.com. This is my first attempt at pure fiction; or is it fiction? It has certainly come from the heart. I. Andy's First Day Andy Pellerin got out of the car nervously. Every instinct in his fifteen year old body was screaming at him to turn tail and run, but he held steadfast. "This is your last chance," his social worker had lectured, "If you can't make it with the Connors, you'll probably stay here in the Children's home till you're eighteen." OK, so it was a challenge they wanted! Well, that wasn't a good start for Andy. He had been in foster care since he was four years old, had lost all track of his mother. He'd been taken from her because she left him home alone while she plied her wares on the streets of Atlanta, then locked him in a bathroom while she entertained the tricks she brought home. Andy didn't even know who his father was, and he doubted that his mother did either, even if he could ask her. Because his mother was still alive, Andy was not considered eligible for adoption until he was ten or so, and by then it seemed that no one was interested in a young boy who was at the age where his curiosity, and capacity for trouble were at their peak, while his ability to use common sense, his inclination to bond with a new family, were at their ebb. So Andy had been placed in several different foster homes, had done his time in the Methodist Children's Home (read that ORPHANAGE), but both Andy and those responsible for his care had come to the point in his life where they simply didn't consider the possibility of his ever having a permanent family. Andy's self esteem was at an all time low, and he certainly was not up for any challenges. It was mid May when he'd been called to the Administrator's office. When he entered there were Mr. Dalzell the administrator, Mrs. Flewelling his social worker, and a Mr. Gigniac, a social worker that Andy did not know. "We have a summer placement for you," Mr. Dalzell began after the introductions, "And it sounds like a really good one if you're interested. But I'll shut up and let the social workers tell you about it." "This placement involves working on a farm," Mr. Gigniac stated, "Have you spent any time on a farm, Andy?" "No sir" came the reply. Was this the end of the interview then? Seeing the disappointment in the boy's face, Mr. Gigniac continued. "That's no problem," he said, "Long as you're not afraid of hard work." Andy shook his head 'no.' Indeed, he found hard work, both mental and physical, to be stimulating and inspiring! "Mr. Conner lives on a fairly large farm in eastern North Carolina." Mr Gigniac went on. "Every spring he takes a boy about your age to the farm for the summer. He demands a lot of this boy, and it doesn't always work out very well. But for those who can meet the challenge it's a real good opportunity to learn many, many things that will more than likely be of value as you prepare to start a life on your own. He will not have you picking vegetables or cleaning stables all summer, he has casual workers for that. He will have you help MANAGE the farm, keep things running smoothly, and assist in whatever task he deems most important at the time. The pay is not very good, in fact sometimes there is no pay at all. But you will have a good bed, three good meals a day with a nice family, and lots to keep you busy over the summer." "What happens at the end of summer?" Andy wanted to know. "You'll probably come back here to the home, unless we can place you in foster care somewhere. The agreement with Mr. Conner does not include supporting you while you are in school, so staying there past August is probably not a possibility." "What if I can't do it?" Andy said nervously. "Andy," Mrs. Flewelling lectured, "Mr. Conner reviewed six different boys; their history, backgrounds, current living arrangement, and he chose you. How many times in your life have you ever been CHOSEN for something? You HAVE to do it, Andy! You don't have a choice." "I guess that means you think I should say 'yes'?" Mrs. Flewelling was a bit of an old woman, but she'd been working with Andy for years and he trusted her judgment. "Andy, I don't know this Mr. Conner, but from what Mr. Gigniac has told me he is a good man. He'll treat you well, demand you give all you've got, but you'll be rewarded for every success. Yes, I think you should go. What other prospects do you have for the summer?" The last week of school seemed to fly by, and then Andy found himself seated in the car with Mrs. Flewelling, heading for North Carolina. "You're out of my jurisdiction," she explained, "In fact not in the same state! So Mr. Gigniac will be your worker for the summer." "Not in the same state?" Andy grinned to himself, "Well DUHHHHH! I think I already figured that out." Then out loud he observed "Mr. Gigniac seems nice enough, that shouldn't be a problem." Andy didn't know what he was expecting, but the man approaching the car certainly wasn't it. He looked about 40, was very well dressed, Andy thought, for a farmer. He wore dark blue pressed pants, probably the pants to a suit; a white shirt with short sleeves, and a bright red tie. His shoes were black loafers, shined to perfection. His face was clean shaven, his blond hair immaculate. "Hey, Mrs. Flewelling!" the man exclaimed sticking out his hand. "I assume this is Andy?" he said looking at the frightened boy. "This is Andy," Mrs. Flewelling confirmed. "Andy, meet Mr. Conner." "Dennis Conner," he corrected. "Sorry I can't introduce you to my wife," he apologized as they shook hands, "She had to leave early to help out at a church social. I have to go too, but my son should be in from the back field any moment and he'll show you around. He's sorta my foreman, and keeps pretty close tabs on everything around here so he can answer your questions probably better than I can." "Son?" Andy thought. "He doesn't seem old enough to have a grown son! Perhaps he was adopted." That was often Andy's first conclusion; being in his situation adoption seemed almost more natural to him than having children biologically. "We have a rather unusual operation here." Mr. Conner began as soon as they had unloaded Andy's luggage, one small suitcase, and Mrs. Flewelling had taken her leave. We have a small herd of beef cattle, about 150 head, we milk 25 cows, just enough really to support the beef herd. We have about twenty acres of cotton, maybe 30 or so of corn, 30 of peanuts, and almost 40 of sweet potatoes. We have another 20 or so of various grains, just for feeding the cattle, and a 20 acre vegetable garden. Actually that's our cash crop. We have a permanent booth in the Farmer's Market in Raleigh which makes enough to keep us in ready cash this time of year when we don't have any other income." "WOW!" Andy exclaimed, "How big is the farm?" "Small as farms go. I think altogether there's something like 500 acres. Over 100 is pasture, and another 50 or 60 is hay." "And that's small? Seems huge to me!" "Farming has changed, Andy. Used to be you could raise a family on 100 acres or less, but nowadays you have to be large to survive. Even with 500 I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for Charlie." "Charlie?" "My son. He oversees the whole operation, takes care of all the machinery and makes sure it's in good condition. He's a good mechanic... probably one of the best. "You haven't been around farms much, have you Andy?" "Uhhh.... no sir." Andy replied somewhat apprehensively. He had already decided that he was going to like it here, and the question gave him a sinking feeling that his farming career was about to end before it began. "No problem," Dennis assured him, "A few weeks with Charlie and you'll be a veteran. He's a bit of a slave driver but you'll learn a lot. You turn 16 soon don't you?" "Yes sir. In two weeks." "Good. Can you drive?" "No sir. I never had the chance to learn." "No problem. Charlie will teach you, and then we'll get you your license. That'll help a lot around here." "Where's Charlie now?" Andy wanted to know. "Out back cultivating peanuts. He should be finishing up soon." Andy began asking questions, like "Do you have any chickens?" to which Dennis answered yes, they had some for their own use, but he'd have to ask Charlie how many. He asked about the market booth, and was told that Charlie takes care of that: the staffing, keeping inventory, managing the books. He asked about the machinery but got little information. "That's Charlie's department," Dennis said, "Most of our machinery is quite old... the new stuff is so expensive and Charlie is so good at keeping it running, we save a fortune by not buying new tractors every year or so." "I guess you could say I'm something of a gentleman farmer," Dennis explained. "I should just sign the whole place over to him since he does all the work anyway. I took a job with the Department of Agriculture a few years ago, and now I'm away a lot, or working inside. Actually that's why you're here, Andy. Charlie really needs an assistant. I only wish I could afford to pay someone what the job is worth." Andy assured his new boss that he understood the job didn't pay much, but it was a chance for him to get out of what amounted to a jail for the summer. Before they could pursue that comment they heard the PHLUCKKK-PHLUCKKK-PHLUCKKK of an ancient two-cylinder John Deere tractor. Turning his head toward the sound, Andy could see the big green machine just emerging from a pecan grove behind the house. It lumbered across the small clearing, then into the barnyard and stopped not ten feet away from where the two were standing. Suddenly Andy was dumb-struck! His mouth dropped open and he forgot to breathe for so long that he grew dizzy. Seated atop the old John Deere, which looked and sounded as if it could have been brand new, was one of the smallest, and most beautiful, tractor operators he had ever seen. Andy had already had a picture of Charlie in his mind: A country boy hayseed type, probably in his 20's, maybe even with a good education behind him judging from all the capabilities his father said he possessed. No way was he prepared for this! Charlie was at the very most 12 years old. And if he was indeed 12, he was small for his age. He had inherited his father's reddish blond hair, but on Charlie it was long, cascading in gentle curls over his neck and caressing his shoulders. It was absolutely stunning! The cherub face wore what appeared to be a permanent grin showing white, perfect teeth, and peeking out from under reddish-blond bangs were two eyes that were the deepest blue that Andy had ever seen. They looked almost fake, he thought, except that there was far too much life in them. The kid shut down the tractor and hopped off in one fluid motion as he called "Hey, Dad!" with his very immature voice. Walking up to the pair he never took those beautiful eyes off Andy, sticking out his hand as soon as he was close enough to reach. "You must be Andy," he said pleasantly, "Boy, am I glad to see you! I'm Charlie." Andy was totally speechless. First this little kid had come riding up on a large tractor that had dwarfed him; he had been awestruck by the beauty of the small head atop that body; but now the entire body, what there was of it, was standing one foot away from him, holding its hand out to him. It was a warm day and Charlie had obviously been working most of it. He wore a pair of pretty typical Oshkosh bib overalls, except for one thing: The legs were cut off and hemmed neatly just above the knees. He had no shirt on and had obviously dressed this way a lot, for his whole upper body and legs were tanned a deep golden color. Andy couldn't help thinking how cute this kid looked in those shortalls, revealing his smooth tanned skin, his tiny flat nipples, arms and shoulders that were somewhat on the skinny side and devoid of any shape, but in their own way impressively sturdy looking. The bare legs that exited below the shortalls were very definitely those of a small boy, not a man or a teen. Then to top off the whole package, as Andy looked down his eyes missed those of Charlie and continued on down and saw just the upper edge of pure white boxers peeking out from the side gap in the shortalls. Andy had never before felt any attraction to men, and certainly not little boys! And Charlie was unquestionably a little boy. I mean, a LITTLE boy! And Dennis had just told him that this child would be his boss, would teach him all the in's and out's of the farm, would even teach him to drive! But those revelations paled compared to the absolute beauty of this creature standing looking up at him with his hand extended. Charlie had been quite apprehensive of receiving yet another teenager from Social Services. There was no question that he needed the help; things were easier now that school was done for the year, but on the other hand things always got busier, more intense in the summer time. He wished that his father didn't have to work off the farm, but he realized it was necessary. There were so many bills, so much that had to be done and couldn't without money to pay for them. But most teenagers simply would not take orders from an eleven year old pipsqueak. And anyone on this farm had to take orders from Charlie, because more often than not Charlie was left in charge. Charlie Conner considered himself a born farmer. He absolutely loved his life, and prided himself on keeping things running like clockwork. He took no crap off anyone, but at the same time he was warm and friendly to any and all who responded to a positive but businesslike attitude. Charlie was one of those rare individuals who knew he was smart, knew he had a good mind, was good looking and talented; but there was no conceit. Charlie was just Charlie, the farm kid. Which is not to say he didn't know how to use his many talents to advantage. So when his father told him that a fifteen year old from Atlanta was coming to spend the summer, Charlie's feelings were mixed. Yes, he needed the help. But he certainly didn't need the added hassle of convincing some high and mighty city kid that he was subject to a very small, very immature boss for the summer, like it or not. As Charlie piloted the old John Deere out of the pecan grove towards the barnyard, he had spotted the two figures standing waiting for him. By the time he stopped the tractor and shut it down, he had checked out the new addition pretty carefully. And what he saw, he liked. What he saw was a pretty handsome teenager, about 5 feet five or six inches tall. He was dressed in oversize shorts which came to just below his knees; his hair, a dark brown, was cropped short in a 50's style haircut. The arms protruding from his form fitting T-shirt were well defined, but not huge. For a city kid, Charlie thought, he looked like he could probably do a day's work with a little prodding. As he got closer he saw the deep, dark, liquid brown eyes. They were eyes, Charlie thought, that could love passionately, but never had. They were eyes that told Charlie of all the heartbreak, all the anguish that Charlie knew existed, but had never even begun to experience. They were eyes, he thought, that gave Charlie access where no other access existed: to Andy's very soul! And Charlie's apprehension of the coming summer vanished. He knew that this would be a summer that would change both their lives forever! Eventually Andy came back to earth and realized that Charlie had been standing there with his hand extended for.... how long? A minute? An hour? Three days? Andy had no idea. But he took that hand and shook it. It was a tiny hand, but Andy noticed immediately the strong grip; the incredibly long fingers; the perfectly sculptured fingernails; the confidence it communicated. There were no callouses, nothing rugged about it, but on the other hand there was nothing soft about it; there was nothing to suggest that it was the hand of a pampered little kid who had never known hard work. There was more in that handshake than either boy could possibly realize. Something electric happened when those two hands grasped each other. It should be pointed out here that Andy had never been attracted to another male; actually he'd never been attracted to anyone really. So it wasn't as if he was out 'shopping' for a lover, male or female. Truth be known, at this moment he had no idea what was happening, only that something was happening and that it was incredibly good! Even now as he grasped that strong, small, confident hand, the thought of sex never entered his mind; but what did occur to him was that an association with this gorgeous little creature was for life! A summer of close contact followed by nothing was simply not acceptable, not going to happen, no matter what! "Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" the voice cut through the atmosphere as the two boys gripped and shook each other's hand endlessly, each staring into the other's eyes as if in a trance, "And show Andy around?" "Sounds good Dad," Charlie answered, "Can we take the pickup?" "Sorry, dude. I have to take the pickup to Raleigh to a meeting. Your mother has the car at the church. So I guess you'll have to take the big truck or the Honda." "OK, thanks Dad." "The Honda," as Andy discovered soon enough, was a Honda four- wheeler. "I use it for herding cattle," Charlie explained as he cranked it up, "Checking of the irrigation system and generally checking on the workers." "Irrigation system?" Andy inquired. "Yeah. We haven't had to use it yet this year; but sometimes it gets so dry we have to add water to the crops so they won't dry up. We've hooked up a system that puts water in the ground where it does the most good without waste, and so far it's worked out really well. But when it's running we have to check it several times a day. I'm gonna break one of my own rules and go without a helmet this time," he went on, "'cause it's easier to talk. But that means we won't be able to go very fast. And this is the last time you're ever gonna ride on this thing unless you have a helmet on, ok?" "Gotcha!" Andy replied. To his astonishment he realized he'd just accepted an order from this little guy and hadn't even realized it. As the two boys went putt-putting out of the barnyard toward the rear of the farm, Andy thought he couldn't possibly have designed a better situation if he'd been given the chance! He placed his hands on Charlie's bare shoulders for balance. There was that electric shock again! He could feel the muscles in those slender shoulders as Charlie maneuvered the Honda along the road... well, TRAIL would be more descriptive. It was the most awesome sensation! "You might want to try holding me around my waist," Charlie suggested, "Most people find it's easier to hold on that way." Andy was quite content feeling those deltoids and other muscles expand and contract, but he followed Charlie's suggestion. What he found was a very flat stomach, very firm, and even through the bibs of Charlie's shortalls he could feel the muscles flexing there too. It was really difficult to concentrate on what his young chauffeur was saying, and Charlie was babbling on endlessly. The two boys drove around the farm for almost an hour, Charlie pointing out the various fields and what was growing there. They visited the three ponds on the farm, which provided water for irrigation. "They're also stocked with catfish," Charlie added, "And we'll probably be able to go fishing Sunday afternoons if you like." "I've never been fishing," Andy announced. "Never?" "Nope." "Well, you're in for a treat. My dad and I love to fish, and we do it lots. Sometimes at night, sometimes we even go to the lake, but mostly we just come to the ponds cause that way we don't even have to leave home." Andy noticed immediately, as they rode around the farm, that he was hearing "my dad" as frequently from Charlie as he'd heard "Charlie" from Dennis. "My dad taught me how to fish." "My dad showed me how an engine works." "My dad explained why we have to keep the fields cultivated." And on and on, ad nauseum. It was obvious to Andy that these two worshiped each other, and that made Andy envious. He had never really loved anyone, and he longed for a relationship such as Charlie had with his dad. And then his fantasies started going wild, imagining that he was Charlie's brother. In fantasy he was a part of this family; it was he, Andy, upon whom his father, Dennis, depended and Charlie was a very competent little brother. Keyword LITTLE. * * * Andy lay in his bed, staring at the blackness that would have been the white ceiling if there'd been any light at all in his room. His first day on the Conner farm kept whizzing round in his mind. What had he got himself into? What was happening? What had that kid done to him? The remainder of the afternoon had seen the two boys roaming about the farm on the 4-TRAX, then returning to the barn to prepare for milking the cattle. They had passed several young men working in various fields, all of whom spoke to Charlie, and all of whom Charlie had introduced his new friend as simply "Andy. He's gonna be working with us for the summer." By the time they had returned to the barnyard, Andy had learned to drive the Honda, had watched as Charlie helped correct a small mechanical problem on a machine that was digging sweet potatoes, and watched in awe as he had an argument with a man three times his age and four times his weight. The man had tried to intimidate his young foreman and failed miserably. At the barn, Andy learned how to operate the milkers, learned about sterilizing the cows' teats before applying the machines, how to check to see if the cow was 'done,' and what to do with the milk afterwards. He had learned to milk a cow manually, even thought Charlie explained that they hardly ever did it this way. "But once," he grinned, "The milkers broke down and we had to milk 'em all by hand. It took all freakin' day!" They finished the milking, put the cows out to pasture, then thoroughly cleaned the milking machines and stable, then went in to dinner just as Charlie's mother arrived from one direction, and his father from the other. The evening was yet another surprise for Andy. Charlie and his mother had retired to the living room as soon as they had eaten and began singing and practicing the piano. The pianist was Charlie, not his mother! His agile fingers wandered all over the keyboard, playing with the expertise and confidence of one several times his age. Was there no end to this kid's talents? At bedtime, which was about 9:30, Charlie's eyes had suddenly got even brighter as he said "You can sleep with me if you like, so I can tell ya more about what we're gonna be doing tomorrow." YESSSS! Andy thought to himself. He didn't know why, but the thought of sharing Charlie's bed was beyond his wildest dreams. But then those dreams were shattered. "Not tonight, Charlie," his mother scolded, "I know you... you'll keep Andy up half the night yakking, and 4:30 comes awful early." "4:30?" Andy questioned. "That's what time we get up." Charlie explained. "I've got the spare room all set up for you," Mom Conner told him, "So you'll have your privacy and be able to get some rest." But I don't WANT to get rest! Andy was screaming within, I want to sleep with Charlie. But that didn't happen. It's gotta be a dream, Andy thought. Or maybe a setup of some kind. No kid could do all that he'd seen Charlie do today. He was a tractor operator, lead mechanic, labor planner; he could drive a truck, a 4-wheeler, a tractor; he could carry a milking machine that weighed half again as much as he did, and had no fear at all of animals, even grown men who tried to push him around. He was pleasant, but could be threatening when riled. And nothing riled him more than someone doing less than his very best. To top it off, he played the piano beautifully and sang like an angel! Yes, that was it! They had set Andy up, making him believe that he was to be assistant to some sort of super kid. Why would they do that? Andy had no idea. But if it was to impress him, to make him putty in Charlie's hands, they had succeeded wonderfully. Andy's body shuddered as he thought of spending the summer with this tiny adonis. Those shortalls; the slender tanned body; the formless, yet muscular arms and shoulders! The eyes! The hair! Why was all this important to Andy? He had no earthly idea; but it was. * * * Charlie was lying in his bed, or at least on it, thinking of the day's events. He was so excited he was trembling. He thought of Andy, how well they had got along; he thought of how quickly the other boy had learned all the tasks and principles Charlie had thrown at him; of how they had almost instantly become good friends, and how willing Andy was to work. He thought of other things too. He had noticed immediately how great looking Andy was. And that handshake! Charlie had felt something akin to a bolt of electricity course through his entire body as the two boys shook hands. He had never felt anything like it before, but it was unmistakable! And it was far from unpleasant. And the ride on the Honda! Andy's hands were first on his shoulders, then around his mid section, and the sensation was incredible! He must find an excuse to go riding the four wheeler again tomorrow. Charlie's mind started to wander, as it often did, making a fantasy of the whole situation. In Charlie's mind Andy was not a foster kid from an orphanage, he was Charlie's long lost brother, and that any moment now his dad would come bursting into the room announcing the whole scenario. The thought of having a big brother was very appealing to Charlie. Why? Charlie had no idea, nor did he even think about it. What would they do as brothers that they couldn't do as friends? Nothing much really, except perhaps to share more of their lives, go to school together, tell each other their secrets. But most important, Charlie thought, was that as brothers they wouldn't be saying good-bye again in August. Two months! That's all, just two months, and they'd be parting, perhaps forever! The thought sent a chill down Charlie's spine. He'd only known this kid for a few hours, and already he was dreading losing him again.