Running (Part II)
Monday, June 28, 1999 - 7:55 AM.
Out of breath, Bart pulls up to the house. It was probably the
fastest he ever made it on his 10 speed. He'd seen Zack's pick up still
parked where he had left it the night before. Hurrying up the steps, he
started yelling, "Zack. ... Zack ... are you still here?"
By the time he got to the kitchen, Zack was answering in kind, "I'm
over here, Back porch." as he saw Bart come thru the door, he noticed
that Bart looked all flustered, "Hey take it easy Bart! Where's the
fire? Is Will all right?"
"Nah, it's not Will, but Todd, Shelley's brother. He sprained his
ankle on the old Sommer's road. Will's staying with him til I can get
some help. We were hoping you could get him in your truck."
"Slow down. How bad was it?" Zack wanted know.
"Shit! I don't know, bad enough so that he couldn't walk on it.
Come on let's go!" Bart really liked Todd when you got right down it,
and while he knew the he and Will had something special, he couldn't
help a twinge of worry. Todd had those wild purple eyes, a smile to die
for, and his thick blond hair just falling over his collar. Not that he
noticed, mind you, but Todd was Hot. Bart was at an age when you just
couldn't take stuff for granted.
When Zack started back inside. "Bart, I'll call Shelley's house -
let them know. Why don't you grab that shit out of the back of my pick
up - got to make room just in case." By now the he can hear the phone
ringing, when Shelley answers, "Shelley, before I say anything, I want
you to relax, there's nothing really wrong. It seems that Todd twisted
his ankle and sprained it. ... No Bart said he was doing alright, just
needs a ride. ... I know, I know ... Anyways, I was figurin that we take
him the clinic in Cheyenne Gap to play it save. ... You got wheels? ...
Good. ...You meet us there. ... Bart's friend Will's with him. ...
Relax." He then yells out to Bart, "Where is Todd exactly?" From a
distance Bart, yells back, "bout 2 miles from the turn off to 677."
After he tells Shelley, that they'll meet her there, he moves
quickly out to his truck, "Bart get in, it'll be easier if you come
with."
"What about my bike?"
"Don't worry we'll get you home later. Just come on."
As he started up the engine and shifted it into gear, Zack said
"OK, let's go." Zack had told Todd to be careful, that he should find a
running buddy. Well, he shrugged me off, and see what happens? Todd was
lucky that Bart and Will found him when they did.
Bart was trying to figure out how to put this when he decided to
just go ahead, "Zack, you doing anything two weeks from Friday?"
Thinking a moment, "Yeah, Shelley and I got a big date. Why?"
"Never mind. Will and I just wanted to know." That takes care a
Plan A, on to Plan B. Only problem was he hadn't figured out what Plan B
was. "Zack, where you taking her?"
"She's actually taking me. ... Bart, what is it you really want to
know?" This was like the old Bart, circling around and circling around
getting the feel of things, just before he pounces.
"Never mind. It was a crazy idea." Bart was trying to figure out
how to tell his straight brother, that Will and he wanted Zack to help
us lie to our parents, travel 250 miles, drop us off at a party, pick
us up 2 days later, after we, hopefully, did things to each that would
drive him nuts. Put that way, it didn't seem to have much of a chance.
Zack and Bart could see the spot where Will and Todd were. Bart,
now just making just idle conversation, "So where's Shelley taking you."
Zack said, "Well, she really is take her brother Todd and asked if I
could drive. Todd is heavily into the Blues and there's this big
festival, so Shelley got the tickets for his birthday. ..."
They pull over and jump out of the cab. Zack yelled, "Hey Todd, you
all right?" With this funny grin on his face, Todd answers, "Other than
my ankle, couldn't be better." Todd then looks back to Will, says in a
whisper, "We got to talk later, okay?" Bart, on the other, thinks to
himself that it all is innocent enough. But he's wondering about this
stupid grin on Will's face.
Going over to where Todd is sitting propped up against the tree,
"Your sister's on her way too. She should be here shortly. Now let's
look at your ankle." While Zack is checking out Todd's ankle, Will gets
up and pulls Bart to other side of the pick-up. Bart can tell he's
excited about something.
"Bart, you aint't gonna believe it. I am proposing a new candidate
for membership in 'The Club'." One night during the winter, Will and
Bart decided what the town needed was a "Gay/Lesbian/Bi/Trans" club for
the high school students at Algo Hermoso High School. The whole idea was
so absurd, it provided them with laughs and inside jokes. 'The Club'
became a way to joke about things in front of people. Going down to 'The
Club', Looks like a possible member of 'The Club', wish he'd join 'The
Club', et cetera. At the moment, the club has membership of two.
Bart looks at him and starts grinning too. Then in a mock accusatory
way, "Just what went on here?"
"Bart, he's gay!" Will said as quietly as he could.
"See, I told you! I told you he was." Smirking, "I'm always right."
Will starts giggling, "No way asshole, you said he was after me, and
I'm looking at the man of his dreams."
"Will, you're shitting me. What did he say?"
"It wasn't what he said, but what he asked, 'do you know if Bart has
a girlfriend', 'What kinda music does Bart like', 'Would Bart be
interested in going to a Blues festival', Shit he was practically
drooling over you."
"So what did you tell him about me?" Bart was curious, but somehow
strangely pleased that a hunk like Todd was interested in him.
"I told him nothing at all. But he knows I am gay. I asked him I
could tell someone, and he said yeah. So be officially told..."
"Bart!, Will! get your worthless behinds over here." Zack yelled
out. "I'm gonna get the back of the pick-up organized, cause we're got
to take Todd to the clinic in the Gap." Will you can help me. Bart you
sit here with Todd till Shelley comes."
Bart's mind races, let's see, he sits down next to Todd, this is
going to be fun. Bart reaches out his hand to Todd as if he wanted to
shake it. Todd looks at him an can't figure out what is going on. Bart
then whispers, to Todd, "Come on let's shake."
Todd is beginning to doubt Bart's sanity but starts shaking his
hand, when Bart starts tickling Todd's palm with his index finger. Todd
looks at him "What the fuck are you doing?"
"I heard you joined 'The Club', didn't Will teach you the secret
handshake?" Bart breaks up laughing out loud.
Todd is staring at Bart, when it finally dawns on him. "Your a
member too?"
"Yup, one of the co-founders. "
To Be Continued ...
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back to "stray e-mail, part one"