Running (Part III)
Monday, June 28, 1999 - @ 8:30
AM.
Shelley finally pulled up along side Zack's pick-up. All the way
there, she had been switching from mad to worried and back again. Todd
was only 17 month's younger than her, but he was her 'baby brother'.
Smiling, she remembers her favorite picture of the two of them. It was a
black and white print. She must have been all of two years old when
her parents decided to get a picture of them together. They had Shelley
sitting in the old green armchair with TK on her lap. She could barely
get her arms around him. In the picture, he looked almost like a doll,
with his bald head, diapers and silly toothless grin. Last year, on a
lark, she took the old picture in to the photo shop, and had copies
made, including the one in her wallet, no one knew how she treasured
that photo.
"Where is he? Zack! Is he really all right?" It was the worried
phase that had her now.
Zack looked at her, and smiled. Whenever she was around for
whatever reason, there seemed to be one less thing to worry about. He
had a tough time of it when he and Bart had major issues recently, he
had no one to turn to. His two best friends - Bart and Shelley couldn't
be there to understand and listen. In a way, it made him appreciate Bart
a little better, him being out there alone. But things between him and
Bart seemed to be getting a little better. Sure it was slow, but it was
getting better all the same. "Shell, calm down he's right over there."
And he pointed to the clump of trees, where Todd was sitting with Bart
and Will. "We got everything under control.
Todd looked up and knew what was coming from Shelley, "TK you are
such an IDIOT! I've told you a dozen times, even Zack told ya, to get a
running partner, God I could just Scream!"
"TK! you have got to be more careful." Her tone is softening, "I
worry about you, you know."
"Aw Shelley, come on now. Relax. I'll be all right." Todd was
getting a little embarrassed by his 'big' sister. About a year and a
half ago, he discovered that he was actually taller and stronger than
she was. Blushing, Todd was turning red in front of Zack, Will and Bart.
Shelley turned to Zack asking "What's the plan now?"
"I figure we all go to the clinic in CG. He really ought to have
his ankle x-rayed to be safe. We got the back of the truck cleaned out
so Todd can sit back there without having to cramp his foot. With Bart
and Will on either side to keep him from sliding around, it'll work out
fine."
Shelley looks at the 3 of them, and can't help but feel there's
something going on here. They're just smiling too much. "TK, you going
to
be all right?"
"Shelley, please. I'm fine, just a sprain is all."
Zack breaks in, "Come on, let's get going. Bart, you get on his
right side, I'll get on his left. Ok. now Will you get ready to support
his ankle." At this point, Bart and Zack have Todd in a fireman's carry,
taking him to the back of the truck. "Shell, you get that blanket and
get ready to slide it under him as we put it down. That's it."
By this time, Todd feels like the complete fool. He is just not
used to all this fussin around. Then he looks from Bart to Will to Bart
again, and he gets this lopsided grin that highlights the single dimple
he has in his left cheek. 'I can't believe it. Will and Bart, both gay.
shhhiiiittt.'
They eventually all get in the truck, Zack and Shelley in the cab,
while Todd is sandwiched between Will and Bart on the truck bed. Zack
turns to Shelley, "Well, we're on our way. Don't worry about leavin'
your car. We'll be back in no time," She just nods with a slight worried
look on her face. "Go then."
In the back, Todd, Will and Bart are carrying on. Comparing notes
on who's 'Hot' and who's not. Whether they thought any of the other kids
at school were gay. Eventually, they got down to serious matters. The
problems they had. Knowing Ted wouldn't mind, Will filled Todd in on
how his parent's kicked his older brother out cause he was gay, too.
Bart turned to say, "By the way Todd, you're an asshole."
"Bart, what are you talking about now."
Bart continues "Will and I wanted to get Zack to drive us to a
party, but he said he was driving you and Shelley to some kind of
festival."
"Yeah. The 16th thru 18th." Maybe he could yet get Bart to go, then
as an afterthought, maybe Will too. "It's the big blues festival.
Think you and Will might want to come along?"
Will looks at Bart and adds, "Thanks, but we gotta get to a party
that Friday night It's my brother Ted, He's gonna be 21 and his lover",
it's odd how that word means something special now, "Gary is throwing a
big surprise party for him."
Todd is being inundated with new concepts. He was in a world where
boyfriend, lover, and even the word 'gay' we're words you could
associate with real people. "You know you two are boggling my mind. This
is too much. I wish I was going with you."
Will says, "Too bad you're going to that blues thing, I'm sure Gary
wouldn't mind. Can you image a party where everyone is gay or a
lesbian?"
"Now I wish I could go along. Let me guess, Ted is an alumni member
of 'the Club'." Will responds, "Shit yeah! He's the one who taught me
the handshake." In actuality he did, but was just to play with Will's
mind when he was thirteen.
Wondering what they were going to do now, "We're supposed to stay
for the whole weekend." he looks at Bart and starts blushing, he can
just imagine what it would be like. Todd's not watching because most of
the time he's looking at Bart also. It's not so much a crush, as Bart is
the hero of his fantasies. All this time, he thought Bart was this
incredibly Hot dude, not that Will wouldn't do in a pinch. He had always
thought they were straight and basically untouchable, but being gay put
them in a whole new light. Opportunities, he was wondering what it would
be like to do some that stuff himself. As he daydreamed, he didn't
notice that it was getting obvious to Bart and Will what he was
thinking. Then he noticed that they were smirking, and making rather
obvious glances at his running shorts.
Will started laughing, "Thinking someone we know?"
"Fuck, you go like that to the party you'd get a rise out of any of
'em" Bart chimes in, as Todd tries covering himself in a losing battle,
Oh God this was so embarrassing.
"We gotta get to that party." Will is determined to be there for
his brother.
Bart says, "Yeah, now we'll have to figure out how to get there."
"Why the problems?"
Before Bart can answer. Zack blows the horn to let them know that
they were at the Clinic. Parking the pick-up close to the door, they
help Todd into the emergency area.
An hour later, with crutches, his foot bandaged, and instructions
to stay off his feet, Todd is back in the truck. "Hey, you guys why
don't you come over and we can play some video games or watch a movie?
Otherwise, I'll just have to sit there by myself."
Bart says first, "Sure, but it'll have to be tomorrow. My folks
have the rest of my day planned." dreading the chores that are backing
him at home. Todd turns to Will, "What about you?"
"I wish I could but my mom wants me to stay around the house this
afternoon with my little sister. My mom and dad are going Russell take
care of some business. But I can come over tomorrow with Bart."
Todd is relieved that he wont be stuck alone all day. Todd's family
are not farmers and they live in town. Other than a church or two, a
super-market, Legion hall, and a couple of gas stations, Algo Hermoso
was little more than wayside. "That'll be cool."
After they had been on there way back awhile, Bart says to Todd,
"Well, tell us about this blues festival."
"Yeah, it's the Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival"
Bart and Will look at each other, they both start talking . Will -
"Where" Bart - "yeah, where did you" Will - "say it was?"
Todd looks sort of surprised by the sudden interest. "Kansas City,
the plan is to camp near there. If you"
Will and Bart start yelling at the same time, "Shit!' "Holy
Thunderfuck" "Talk about falling into it." "Fucking A" comes at
Todd
from both sides. Bart gives Will a high five. Then turns to Todd.
"That's where our party is!!!"
To Be Continued ...
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back to "stray e-mail, part one"