Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2015 21:03:10 -0700
From: Les Goldsmith <follies71@att.net>
Subject: Echoes From a Wishing Well Chapter 15

		       "Echoes from a Wishing Well"
			 Copyright Ritchris, 2007

				  A Story
				    by
			     Ritch Christopher

			   literary enhancement
				    by
				Les Martin

			       <><><><><><>

			      chapter fifteen

				<><><><><>

After spending the night at Cyrus' and Dean's, Trent and Angio got up
early, making a beeline to Granny Dee's house to help her with preparations
for Thanksgiving dinner.

Dee thought she would add two extra leaves to her dining room table to
allow space for her 'family'.

She kept the leaves in a closet in the barn, but Trent knew where they
were, so he and Angio dragged them outside to clean and wax them until they
looked brand new, then took them inside the house for Dee to inspect before
placing them in the center of her long table.

Jody and Laurie had arisen early to help prepare the meal and were kept
busy helping Dee with the food while Trent took it on himself, and on
Angio, to clean the silverware and give Granny's bone china an extra
scrubbing. When Trent had been living with his grandmother, this a normal
chore for him...and, doing it now, he felt that he was home again, helping
Dee as he always had done. These chores, the first of their kind for Angio
so, seemed more like fun than work for him.  Wrist deep in silver polish,
he became aware of feeling truly a part of this family and the joy that it
brought.

Standing by the kitchen sink, Angio began to sing the old tune from Walt
Disney's 'Snow White', "Whistle While You Work". Trent quickly joined him
in a duet to harmonize on the second eight bars. Granny's face broke into a
smile and she kicked up her feet in a jig as she heard her two 'grandsons'
serenading her. When they reached the bridge of the song, just as if a film
choreographer had designed it, Laurie spun Trent around, stabbing her
finger into his chest and marching him backwards as she sang, 'When there
is work to do, don't let it bother you! Forget your troubles, try to be
just like a cheerful chick-a-dee!'.

Trent and Angio both stopped singing when they heard her voice, surprised
at how well Laurie sang.

Angio joined back in and danced between Laurie and Trent to sing the last
eight bars with both of them!

The three stopped, hugged and laughed together.

Then Dee spoke up, "Well, con-sarn it! Don't stop now! I'm just getting
warmed up!"  So the three singers sang the song from the beginning, Trent
reached for Laurie's hand and put her into a dancing position and the two
of them broke into a lively polka, spinning around the kitchen. Not to be
outdone, Angio went to Dee bowed to his hostess, extended his arm and
polka-ed with her. The two couples danced and spun around the
room...singing, laughing, and cavorting.

 All this time, Jody had been seated at the kitchen table, snapping
beans. He was glad to see Laurie having a good time, but he wished there
was some way he could've danced with Trent. So he watched quietly without
much expression. Laurie caught a glimpse of Jody's face and broke away from
Trent to tap Jody on the shoulder and invite him to dance with her.  Jody
just shook his head and said, "Naw! Naw! I don't dance!"

Then, as if a prayer was being answered for Jody, Trent walked over to him
and said, "Aw! Who wants to dance with your sister anyway! Dance with me,
Jody!"

 This took Jody by surprise and he tried to refuse, but Trent wouldn't take
'no' for an answer and literally pulled Jody out of his chair,
 placeding his hand in Jody's and assuming the girl's position to let Jody
be the 'lord of the dance'.

Though it was awkward at first, Jody soon got the hang of it and was soon
leading Trent around the floor.

Laurie stood there beaming at the sight of her brother's happiness as he
and Trent danced together. Jody's face seemed to glow with happiness,
turned into light.

After one more chorus, Dee pulled away from Angio to sitdown. "Lord, have
mercy! I haven't danced since my husband died I was a bit younger then!"

 "You dance beautifully, Granny Dee!" Angio said to her, stooping to give
her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, delighting the older woman.  Did she
realize how much joy it had given to Angio?. Trent and Jody also stopped,
but both seemed to forget they were still holding hands after the dance
until Jody became aware of it and withdrew his hand from Trent's!

 "Jody, my boy!" Trent said.

"For someone who says he doesn't dance, you done good!"

 Even this offhand compliment embarrassed Jody and, self-conscious, he
dropped his head and went back to take his seat at the table to continue
snapping the pole beans.

During this exchange, Angio looked long at Laurie and then turned back to
Trent. "Trent, did you hear her voice?"

 "I certainly did!" Trent said.

"Laurie, you have a great voice! Have you ever thought about studying music
and becoming a professional singer?"

 "I'm only in the ninth grade, Trent, a little early to think about things
like that, but I did make the senior varsity choir my first day at school!"
Laurie said, proudly.

 "And I can sure see why!" Trent said. "I think you ought to come down to
Dean and Cyrus' house tonight or tomorrow and sing with Angie and me while
Dean plays the piano! Would you like that?"

 "That'd be real nice, but I'll only go if Granny Dee gives me permission!"

 Trent looked at his grandmother and said, "What have you done tothese two,
Granny Dee? Have you cast some kind of spell on them? Laurie won't go
unless she has your permission?"

 "You know what the good book says, Trent. 'Train a child in the way he
should go and when he is old, he will not turn from it..."

 "Is that what you did with me?"

Trent asked.

 "Let me see if I can prove my point!

Angio, let me ask you something and you give me an honest answer!"

 "I will, Granny Dee,"

 "All right, Trent, don't you answer, I want to hear what Angio has to
say. Angio, in all the time you've known my grandson, how much marijuana
has he smoked?"

 "None, Granny Dee!"

 "How about coke, heroin, and all those other kinds of dope?"

 "No, ma'am!"

 "Have you ever seen Trent cheat or heard him lie?"

 "No, ma'am, but what..."

 "How about stealing? Has he ever shoplifted or taken anything that wasn't
his?"

 "No way!"

 "That's the way I raised you, Trent...and you've been gone from me about
three months.

I know three months ain't a world of time, but you're still doin' as I
taught you!"

 "Yeah, I guess I am!" Trent said, with surprise.

 "You guess? You know it and what's more, twenty or forty years from now,
you still won't be taking dope, cheating, lying, or stealing!"

 "You're right, Granny Dee!"

 "Why, I know I am!"

 "So will you kindly give Laurie permission to come down to Dean's and with
Angie and me?"

 "Sweetheart, when have I ever refused you anything?"

 "Never!"

 "But I do still liked to be asked.  And I wouldn't mind maybe tagging
along!"

 "Yes, of course."

 "Of course Laurie can go. Take Jody, too! He's never seen the inside of
Cyrus' house and I know he's dying to see it!"

 "Sure! You wanna go, Jody?"

 "I...well, I...I guess!"

 "Are you always this shy, Jody?" Trent asked.

 "Nope...just around strangers!"

 "Strangers? Well, for crying out loud! We're not strangers! You and I
share the same grandmother, so I guess that makes us step-brothers or
cousins! You and I are sleeping in the same bed, so to speak!"

Hearing Trent's last remark really embarrassed Jody and he turned over
thebowl of beans onto the table accidentally.

 There was a pregnant pause in the kitchen and then Trent ran to help Jody
put the spilled beans back in the bowl.

"Granny Dee, I'm so sorry!"

 "No harm, child! Nothing broke!"

Dee said.

After glancing around, Trant asked,
 "Granny, what's left to be done that Angie and I can help you with?" "Not
a thing, honey, everything's under control. Why don't you and Angio go back
to Dean's and clean up before you bring the rest down here to eat?"

 "If Daddy Art, Uncle Dean, and Uncle Cyrus showered while we were down
here, I bet
 there's not much hot water left."

 "There is if we shower together!" Angio blurted out without thinking and
drawing a warning look from Trent.

 "Now, Trent, don't go getting mad at Angio. Your grandpa and I bathed
together all the time just to save hot water. Back then, we didn't have a
hot water heater, so bath water had to be heated on the stove.

It's not embarrassing to say that you two bathe together. Shoot! Everyone
knows you sleep together, so why in the Sam Hill wouldn't you bathe
together?"

Hearing this, Jody looked up to examine the expression on Trent and Angio's
face at Dee's announcement. The idea of the two bathing and sleeping
together began to get Jody aroused. He was glad that the kitchen tablecloth
was hiding the rising bulge in his jeans.

 Angio recovered from his verbal faux pas and said, "Granny? It's my turn!
Can I ask you a personal question?"

 "Turn about's fair play!"

 "Are you really from Tennessee or are you a New Jersey transplant?"

 "Land's sake! Why would you ask that, Angio?"

 "Just the way you accept Trent's and my relationship! I'd heard all kinds
of stories about how harshly we'd be treated down here and you act as if
being gay is just the normal thing to do!"

 "Angio! No reason for you to question your lifestyle. Being gay is a
normal thing! I won't say who...but there have been more members of my
family who were gay than just Trent. I learned to accept people as they are
many years ago! I don't expect everyone in Weston to approve of the way
other folks live, but it's their loss not having those friendships...not my
loss!"

 "Granny Dee, I...I just wanted to say how...how wonderful I think you
are!" Angio said.

 "Now, Angio, you can't say something like that out loud without giving me
a hug!"

 "You bet!" Angio moved happily to where Dee was seated and wrapped his
arms around her neck. He knew his own parents loved him, but for them to
show it like this? Never.

 With his ear close to her mouth, she quietly said, "Thank you so much for
taking care of my Trent. Now that I've met you, I know I won't ever have to
worry about him again. I'm not a religious old woman, but I do believe that
God sent you to Trent and vice-versa." Then she gave him a big kiss on his
cheek. As Angio pulled away and stood up, his lower eyelids were filled
with tears.

 "Hey, Lover boy! Are you finally ready to go?" Trent said, loudly.

 "Yeah!" Angio smiled quietly at Dee, then turned back to Trent.

 "Then let's go s I can wash your dirty butt in the shower!"

 "Whose butt is dirty?"

 "Yours must be! You're so full of..."

 "You just watch your tongue, Trent!" Dee warned and they all broke into
laughter.

Trent and Angio left, running down the dirt drive toward the road to Dean's
house.  The two boys playfully fought each other all the way until Angio
stopped to say, "Wanna know something?"

 "What?"

 "Jody has a crush on you!"

 "I thought he had a crush on you!"

` "I think maybe he's having a difficult time trying to decide if he's gay
or not...just the way you were, remember?. At any rate, he definitely has a
crush on one of us!"

 "Granny said he had been living in several shelters. I've heard how the
older boys make the younger boys give in to their demands. Jody's probably
been raped, both anally and orally, but I bet he's never known what it
feels like to be loved. I'm quite sure he's never had sex with
anyone. Look, Ange, we have three more days until we leave on Sunday. I
don't want to put him or us in a awkward situation."

 "Well, I'm sure a threesome is absolutely out of the question and neither
of us is going to court him individually, so I don't know what to do about
it."

 "Either way, we can't and we won't hurt him! He reminds me of me when I
lost Ronnie and before I met you...emotionally fragile."

 "Heck, Trent! I know how he feels! I still have a crush on you!"

 "What d'you mean? He should have a crush on you! After all, you're better
looking than I am."

 "Oh? So you finally admit it out loud?"

 "...and since you're so pretty, Angie baby, maybe I'll let you take me to
bed!"

 "Slut!"

 Trent quickly reached for Angio's crotch to give it a hard squeeze and,
laughing, ran down the road as fast as he could while Angio did his best to
keep up while holding on to his testicles!

<><><><><><><><><><><><>
 The biggest event Art, Angio, and Trent had ever seen in their lives had
been the opening night of 'La Di Da!'. The second biggest would've had to
be Granny Dee's Thanksgiving dinner with Dean, Cyrus, Laurie, Jody, Art,
and Angio, None of them had ever seen such a spread of food such as the
dinner laid out on the long twelve foot table which had been covered with a
beautiful lace cloth. On it was Granny Dee's fine home-cooking from one end
to the other...a glazed baked ham, corn, green beans, carrots, broccoli,
cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and asparagus dripping with a perfect
Hollandaise sauce, both sweet potatoes and new white potatoes, a tray of
fresh vegetables consisting of radishes, sliced tomatoes, scallions,
cucumbers, pickled beets, gherkins, and a tray of homemade yeast rolls and
cornbread---and the biggest turkey any of them had ever seen, replete with
cranberry-pecan dressing! The aromas coming from the hot dishes could have
melted the Great Wall of China. Art declared he almost needed a map just to
find his way around the table.

Cyrus had offered to help Dee by saying he would make mincemeat and pumpkin
pies, but after taking one look at Dee's table, Cyrus was glad his meager
offering wouldn't be compared with the feast Dee had prepared. When Angio
had left Dee's earlier with Trent, the table was empty, but now, just a
couple of hours later, the long table of food rivaled a banquet table at
the Waldorf.

 Art looked at Dean and asked, "Can you imagine what a spread like this
would cost in New York---if they could find a chef good enough to make it?"

 "I don't know, Art, but I'm sure it would range way up in the thousands of
dollars," Dean said.

 "Well, before you start giving me grief about spending too much on one
meal," Dee interrupted, "let me tell you how much all of this cost me! I
had to buy a ten pound bag of flour for my pie crusts and rolls...a five
pound bag of sugar, of course, a box of tea, and a can of coffee...so it
was less than twelve dollars for everything!"

 "Granny Dee! You've got to be kidding!" Art exclaimed.

 "Nope. Everything you see on the table was raised right here on the
Matthews farm."

 "She's right, Daddy Art!"

Trent spoke up. "She raised the turkey, cured the ham from killing one of
the hogs, she grew all the vegetables herself. Heck! Granny even churns her
own butter from the milk she gets from our cows."

 "This is truly amazing, Granny Dee!" Art replied.

 "Shucks! I sometimes cook this much for Sunday dinner!"

 "I can attest to that!" Cyrus added. "That explains the extra four inches
around my waist. Dean and I eat here with Dee three or four times a
week...and always on Sunday and I stuff myself until I'm sick!"

 "You know what I can't understand, Trent?" Art asked. "With you being
raised by a grandmother who made meals like this, how is it you have such a
small appetite for food? It's a wonder you don't weigh three-hundred
pounds!"

 "Daddy Art, it's not eating the food that makes it so important, it's just
knowing that it's there whenever I want it...in the refrigerator, in a pot
on the stove or a pan in the oven. It's a comfort just knowing that as long
as I'm around my Granny Dee, I'll never go hungry."

 "Boy! If you'd raised me, Granny Dee, instead of Trent," Angio added. "I'd
show you how much I appreciate your cooking by eating it day and night!
This is the most beautiful meal I've ever seen!"  "Thank you, Angio. You
know you didn't have to say that, but you get a turkey drumstick just the
same! Now, enough of this chit-chat--let's eat while it's hot or I'll have
to put everything back on the stove or in the oven to reheat it! Trent?
Will you gonna act as host and tell everyone where to sit?"

 "Yes ma'am!"

 "Well, git to it, boy!"

 "Okay, now I want you, Granny Dee, at the head of the table and Daddy Art
at the other end.

And those three chairs over there?...Laurie, you sit in between Uncle Dean
and Uncle Cyrus and you, Jody, you sit on this side of the table between
Angie and me! There! That didn't take long!"

 As everyone took his assigned seat. Jody felt proud and singularly honored
sitting between his two 'heroes'. Everyone remained still with their hands
in their laps, waiting for someone to give thanks.

Granny looked around the table, wondering whom to ask and decided to ask
Trent.

 "Trent, honey, would you say 'grace'?"

 Trent turned red in the face. "Me?  I...I've never prayed out load in
front of anyone!"

Trent looked pleadingly past Jody toward Angio.

 "Ah! Don't ask me. My dad calls me a heathen!"

 "I'll do it if I may!" came from a tiny voice between Cyrus and
Dean...and, turning, everyone looked at Laurie.

 "That's so sweet of you! Thank you, dear!" Dee said to her.

 Laurie scooted her chair back from the table, giving herself room to stand
and everyone else closed their eyes and bowed their heads as Laurie began
to sing softly, "Bless this house, O Lord we pray.


Make it safe, both night and day...

Bless these walls so firm and stout.


Keeping want and trouble out...

Bless the roof and chimneys tall,

Let thy peace lie overall...

Bless this door that it may prove.


Ever open to joy and love...


Bless these windows shining bright,

Letting in God's heavenly light.


Bless the hearth, the painting there,

With smoke ascending like a prayer!

 Bless the folk who dwell within,

Keep them pure and free from sin...

Bless us all that we may be,

Fit, O Lord, to dwell with thee..."

The entire table was wrapped in silence. Then, as individuals, they began
to breathe again. Cyrus was glad he had thought to put a handkerchief in
his pocket, as he reached for it to wipe his eyes and blow his nose rather
loudly. Art, Trent, and Angio's eyes were all transfixed on the angelic
little girl who had just out-sung and out-performed the fourteen-year old
Charlotte Church. Art couldn't decide if he envisioned her primarily on
Broadway or in a cathedral singing 'Ave Maria'. He recognized the fact that
Laurie's voice was crystal clear, her timbre, her vibrato, those of an
experienced trained opera singer, a voice unique for a person so young.

 Laurie dipped in a small curtsy before she quietly sat down and pulled her
chair back to the table while everyone else wiped his eyes and cleared his
throat.

 Dee was beaming with approval as she looked at her new little charge,
"Laurie, thank you!

That was lovely, dear."

 Art was still speechless and staring at Laurie, thinking to himself, 'And
that's what Thanksgiving is really all about!'  Across the table, Dean and
Cyrus were both looking intently straight at Art. Finally Cyrus broke the
silence, saying, "Go on, Art! Say something! The thoughts in your head are
deafening the rest of us!"

 "I...I'm at a loss for words!" Art said.

 "By God! That is a first for you!" Cyrus retorted.

 "Laurie, have you ever had voice lessons?" Art asked.

 "She doesn't need them!"

Cyrus said. "I don't know what it is, but there must be something in the
Tennessee water that springs out fresh young talent. Trent never had a
lesson either and look at him!"

 "No, sir, no lessons. I just like to sing!" Laurie said quietly.

 Dee spoke up, "Now, Art, I don't know what's going through your head, but
you've already captured my grandson, so don't you go setting your eyes on
my new granddaughter!"

 "Dean? That show you're writing with Cyrus? Could there be a role written
for a young girl?", Art inquired.

 "I hadn't planned on one, but I think I may have to add one!"

 "Uncle Dean!" Trent interrupted, "the part of the boy...? Doesn't he need
a best friend?"

 "A boy always needs a best friend, Trent!" Dean said.

 Trent reached behind Jody to slap Angio on the shoulder. "See? I told you!
Now quit worrying!"

 Angio dropped his head in embarrassment.

 "Why do you ask, Trent? Do you have someone in mind to play the part of
the best friend?"

Dean asked, trying to keep a straight face that might bespeak innocence and
ignorance.

 "You're darned tootin' I do!"

 Art spoke up. "When you finally get the show written, it looks as if we'll
have to have auditions here in Tennessee instead of New York!"

 "Maybe you should tell New York Central Casting to open up a branch in
Weston, Tennessee!" Cyrus added. "Hell, there's more talent down here than
up in cattle-call country!

 "Is anyone gonna eat?" Dee asked, with emphasis. "Trent, pass Cyrus some
cranberry dressing!"

 "Dee, my love, I was just about to reach for some!" Cyrus said, and at
that, dishes began to pass from left to right...person to person until
everyone's plate was full...everyone's except Trent's.

 Angio nudged Jody's elbow and said, "Jody, would you please pass me
Trent's plate?"

 "What?"

 Dee got Angio's idea and said, "You heard Angio, Jody, reach over and grab
Trent's plate and hand it to Angio."

 "Oh, good grief!" Trent moaned.

 Jody handed Trent's plate to Angio, who stood up and went around the
table, a spoonful of this, a serving of that, until the plate was piled
high with Granny's food. Then he placed it before Trent.

 "Is that enough, Granny Dee?"

Angio asked.

 "Well, enough for now anyway! Thank you, Angio!"

 Angio grinned broadly and returned to his seat and began shoveling food
into his mouth as fast as possible, moaning in ecstasy at every bite.

 After looking in disbelief at the food in front of him, Trent accepted
with good grace the fact that he had to clean his plate and started forcing
it down, aided by three glasses of Granny's iced tea.

 Needless to say, everyone found the meal delicious and Granny's reviews
around the table were almost as good as the reviews Art had received for
his show. Dee was pleased beyond belief.

 When all had reached their limit, Art and Dean helped Laurie clear the
table as Dee made covered dishes from the leftover food and placed them in
the refrigerator.

True to his personal habits, Cyrus rose, patted his full stomach, and
headed for the couch in the living room to stretch out.

 Never having seen one, Angio wanted to see the rest of the farm so he
suggest that Trent show him and Jody all around outdoors. Needless to say,
Jody was thrilled to be included and relished the idea of going for a walk
with the two New York guests.

 Trent was miserable from having eaten too much, but he complied by donning
his leather jacket and gloves to give Angio and Jody the grand tour of the
barn and the chicken coop.

 It was Angio who began the conversation.

"Jody, does Granny Dee cook like that for you and Laurie for every meal?"

 "Just about!" Jody replied.

"Laurie and I didn't know what to think the first time we sat down to eat
at her table. Neither of us had ever seen so much food at one time in our
lives."

 "Shoot! If I lived here with her, I'd soon get a job as the fat man in a
circus!"

Angio quipped.

 "How do you like sleeping in my bed, Jody? Comfortable, isn't it?" Trent
asked.

 "Don't laugh, Trent, but's it's the first real bed I've ever slept in!

Since Laurie and I were never separated in the shelters, often we'd have to
sleep on a blanket spread out on the floor. It's the first room I've ever
had all to myself!"

 "When I was living here, I always had my own room...the one you're
sleeping in now, all to myself my whole life. You're what?  Fifteen?"

 "Yes."

 "Well, a fifteen-year-old boy needs a room all to himself. He needs some
privacy, a place to dream his dreams, to gather his thoughts, decide what's
important to him, and how he's gonna live his life! Do you do that?"

 "I can now, thanks to Granny Dee."

 "If you had your wish to be whatever you wanted to become, what would that
be, Jody?" Angio questioned.

 "You'll probably think I'm stupid..."

 "Don't ever say that! I thought it was stupid for me to dream of being on
Broadway. I thought that was stupid...and now...now I see that it's
possible! So what would you like to do that's so stupid?"

 "I don't know...maybe go to New York like you did...but I'd like to study
art and get good enough to have my artwork shown in a gallery, maybe even
in an art museum someday!"

 "You draw?
 "Well, yeah. Kinda..."

 "Do you paint with oils and watercolors, as well?" Trent wanted to know.

 "Not yet, but I might soon. The art teacher at Weston High gave me some
charcoal and a sketchbook to see what I could do with that. Then he said
he'd like to see what I could do with oils or watercolors."

 "Do you have any of your art that you could show Trent and me?" Angio
chimed in.

 "Oh, I'm not that good! I'd be too embarrassed to show you! All I have are
some pencil drawings...mostly of Laurie..."

 "Please show them to us!" Angio said. "I know Trent wants to see them too,
don't you, Trent?!?"

 "You bet I do!" Trent said.

 "Well, maybe, when we go back inside the house..."

 "When will you be sixteen, Jody?" Trent asked.

 "Not till next June."

 "You'll be getting ready to start dating then, I suppose..." Trent said.

 "Oh, I don't know about that yet!"

 "I know you've only been at Weston High for three days, but have you seen
any girls to catch your eye?" Trent carefully probed.

 "Naw! I don't even know any of their names yet!"

 "I guess with your moving around so much, you haven't had much time to
pick out a girl friend..."

 "I would've been too embarrassed.

Up until last week, I only had one pair of overalls...and I've never had
any money. Without clothes or money, there's no reason even to look for a
girlfriend."

 Trent decided to delve deeper, "You know about Angie and me, being
boyfriends or partners, don't you?"

 "If you're asking if I know that you two are gay, then,yes."

 "You don't have to answer unless you want to, Jody, but do you have a
hankering more for girl... or boys, like Angie and me?"

 "Well, since I've neither had a girlfriend or a boyfriend, it's kinda hard
to say."

 "You, uh, you do fantasize when you go to bed, don't you? I mean all
fifteen-year-old boys fantasize. I know I did!"

 "So did I!" Angio added.

 "Well...yes."

 "So do you find yourself fantasizing more about girls or boys?"

 Jody had now been confronted with a subject he dreaded the most. No way
could he tell them that Trent was the object of his nightly fantasies.

"Uh...well, boys, I guess...".

 "You weren't ever attacked by boys in one of the shelters, were you? I
mean, no boy ever forced you to do unusual things with him, did he?"

 "No! I...I've never had sex with anyone!"

 "I didn't want to ask you that, but there was a chance that some older
boys might have hurt you in some way..."

 "No...Laurie told me about watching some gay guys in the bathroom at one
of the shelters, but I never saw anything like that...let alone, had any
kind of experience like that!"

 "Laurie saw them?"

 "Yes. She and one of her girlfriends spied through a crack in the wall of
the girls' bathroom."

 "I bet that shocked the daylights out of her?"

 "No, she said it didn't bother her. She...heck, I don't know how to say
this, but she told me that if I turned out 'that way', she wouldn't mind,
she'd always love me the same..."

 "Good Lord!" Angio interjected.

"Laurie sounds as if she's really kin to Granny Dee!"

 "Well, all I can say to you, Jody, is...be careful at Weston High . If you
discover that you are gay, keep it to yourself. Not everyone is as
accepting of gay guys as Laurie and Granny Dee."

 "Heck, don't I know it. You know, I heard talk about an asylum near
Chattanooga called, Silverdale. It was filled with crazy people,
schizophrenics, and the like. Used to, back in the fifties, anyone who was
thought to be gay was picked up by a paddy wagon driven by men in white
coats, and the gay guys were locked up in Silverdale."

 "You're kidding, right?"

Angio said in disbelief.

 "No, Angie, I heard the same thing about Silverdale. They used to give the
gay guys electro-shock treatments to cure them, to make them straight!"

 "Now, that's the Tennessee, I heard about!" Angio admitted.

"For years, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama led the nation in hate crimes
against gays."

 "Christ! I'm glad I was raised in New York! That's insane!"

 "It still goes on in some parts of the country. Didn't you hear on the
news about that preacher who brings a bunch of his congregation to
interrupt military funerals because he says that the war in Iraq is God's
way of punishing the gays in the world? Then that other preacher, Pat
Robertson said that God caused 'nine-eleven' to happen because of the gays
in the United States. He also blamed gays for global warming." "Then he's a
total asshole!"

Angio said. "Yes, but millions contribute money to his religion because
they believe him and think he speaks the truth...right out of God's mouth!"
"Then they're ALL a bunch of ignorant assholes! They're the ones who
elected George Bush...the ones who hate gays so much!" "That's why I had
such a difficult time trying to decide whether I was gay or not. I mean,
half the country looks at us as if we aren't human beings...but just a
bunch of female impersonators who love to suck penises. To them, we're vile
and sinful!" "Please don't say we're heathen! My dad accepts me being gay
but he still calls me heathen!" "Do you know why?" "Because I'm not a
devout Italian Catholic! My mother wanted me christened in the Notre Dame
Cathedral, but Dad wouldn't let her do that. Apparently, the Italian Church
outranks the French Catholics in his eyes. Me? I don't go for all that
incense and shit. IF there IS a God, then God is what people want him to
be.

Those idiots on television, those preachers with ten-cent educations who
call themselves doctors of theology, they create God in THEIR image, not
the other way around. You can pick ANY verse of scripture from the Bible
and hand it to the Catholics, the Baptists, the Evangelicals, the
Presbyterians, and they ALL interpret the same verse in different ways,
just to fit their own needs. Who's right?  Who's to say who's right? The
Muslims think Allah is God. Before that, you have to ask when did the Roman
god Jupiter live or the Greek god, Zeus. The Buddhists think Buddha hung
the moon. The Mormons think their way into heaven is through Joseph Smith
and God's gonna set up heaven, here in the United States! The little Muslim
kids volunteer to be suicide bombers so that they can hurry and die and go
to heaven to fuck seventy-two young virgins who are sitting there waiting
for them.

BUT in this country, when anything goes wrong...it's always the gays'
fault!" "Wow! Angie! Is that a speech from a play?" "Nope. I just made it
up...just now!" "Then it OUGHT to be in a play!" "A musical, maybe?"
"ABSOLUTELY!" Trent exclaimed.

"And YOU should write it!" "I can call it, 'Faux Pearls of Wisdom' by Angio
Marcano!" "Well, now that we're covered in bullshit, let me take you and
Jody into the barn to see where the cows shit!" Trent walked over to the
door and pulled up on the wooden bar and pushed the huge door wide
open. The aroma of cow manure hit Angio's nose like a burst of
steam. "Damn, Trent! That smells just like New Jersey on a windy day,"

Angio exclaimed, holding his nose and faking a cough. Trent and Jody
laughed at the city boy. "I didn't know you were a bovine connoisseur,
Angie!" Trent joked. "What's that suppose to mean, that I'm an expert at
smelling cowshit?" "No, idiot, the cows! All of Granny Dee's cows are
Jersey/Holsteins. They give the best milk." "Now who's bullshitting who?"
"I'm serious, Angie. Haven't you ever heard of Jersey/Holstein cattle?"
"Trent, you wanna know something?  That cow right there is the first real
cow I've ever seen!" "You've GOT to be kidding, Ange!" "When does a kid
from Brooklyn ever get to see a real live cow?" "Then I guess you've never
milked one," Trent continued. "You guessed right!" "Wanna try?" Trent
asked. "It's really easy," Jody urged. "It's not like I don't know which
end of the cow the milk comes out of..." "Jody, get that stool over there
and one of the milk buckets and set it beside Sally, over there." "They
have NAMES?" Angio couldn't believe his ears. "ALL farm animals have
names. Just like puppies or kittens." Jody scurried to the other side of
the barn and retrieved a stool and bucket and set it down for Angio to milk
his first cow. "Sit down, Angio, and plant your feet firmly so that the
stool won't tip over," Jody instructed. Not to be outdone by two Tennessee
boys, Angio sat down on the stool and took a long hard look at Sally's
udder. "She won't kick or bite when I touch her, will she?" "No, Sally
loves giving milk,"

Trent said. "It's almost an orgasmic experience for her." "She has four
tits. Does it matter which one I choose?" Angio said, a bit cautious. "Grab
the two nearest to you." It was as if Angio was about to have sex with a
woman for the first time and he was hesitant about feeling her breasts. He
took a deep breath and grab the two closest tits, one in each hand. "These
things are warm!" "They should be." "But it's cold in here." "Angio,
they're warm because Sally is alive." Angio squeezed both tits at the same
time and no milk came out. He tried again and failed. "What? Doesn't she
like me?" "I don't know, Angie--you two have just met!" "Well what do I
have to do to get these things to work?" Jody knelt beside Angio and said,
"Here, let me show you." Jody grabbed one of the two remaining spigots and
said, "Now push up into her milk sac...way up at the top and then stroke
downward...all the way to the tip. Like this..." Jody demonstrated the
milking procedure and Angio observed while learning. Jody removed his hand
and stood up, then Angio grabbed the top of the tits and stroked downward,
slowly...and voila! Milk came out of both tits at the same time and
squirted into the galvanized bucket. "HEY! I DID IT!" "Congratulations. How
did it feel?" Trent said. "Actually, it felt like I was grabbing two soft
cocks connected to one big testicle and milking the sperm out of 'em! No
wonder it's an orgasmic experience for Sally! I kinda got a sexual charge
out of it myself!" Trent and Jody, all but bent over double with
laughter. Leave it to Angio to find something sexual in milking a
cow. Angio turned around and began milking quicker and more
forcefully. Soon he had almost an inch of fresh milk in his bucket. "That's
enough, Angie. You'd better stop before YOU have an orgasm!"

Trent said. "WOW! Farming is fun!" "Come on and I'll show you a bigger
surprise." "Ah no! I'm not milking a bull's dick! I'm might be a dumb city
boy, but I know you don't get milk from a bull! Why don't you drop trou'
and get on your knees and see if I can milk you?" "You clown! We're going
inside the chicken coop!" They left the barn and went inside the adjoining
wooden structure which housed hundreds of white chickens and Rhode Island
reds. "JEEZ! LOOK AT 'EM! HUNDREDS!

MAYBE THOUSANDS! Do they all have names?" Angio asked Trent snidely. "I'll
tell you what, Angie. We can come back tomorrow afternoon and I'll let you
give each one his own name!" "Heck! There aren't that many names in the New
York telephone directory!" "Come over here. I want to show you the nests."
"Chickens build nests...the same as birds?" "No, people make nests for
chickens.

They're not smart enough to make their own." "I see what you mean. Their
heads are too small to have large brains. That's probably why they don't
run when someone goes to kill one of 'em. They're too dumb to know that
they're headed for the chopping block!" "Come here and watch with me."
Angio and Jody joined Trent at a long row of chicken nests. "Now what?"
"THAT ONE!" Trent said, with excitement. "The one in the fourth nest. See
how she's trying to stand up...but only slightly?" "So, she's tired of
sitting and wants to get up and walk around." "No, dummy. Come here and put
your hand, palm up, underneath her." "Why? So she can shit in my hand?"
"Angio, trust me!" "Okay, but I swear, Trent, if she shits in my hand, I'm
not going to wash it until late tonight after I've jerked you off with my
hand full of chicken shit!" "Hurry!" Angio was more nervous about putting
his hand under the chicken than he was touching Sally's udder. He slowly
place his hand beneath the chicken and suddenly a huge smile stretched
across his face. "Holy crap!

She laid a hot egg in my hand!" "A nice surprise, huh?" "I feel like I just
gave birth to a baby!" "In a way, you did, Angie!" "Do you see another one
about to stand up?" "Wait, it'll only be a few minutes." Halfway down the
row of nests, Angio spotted a second chicken about to lay and he ran to it
to 'deliver' his second egg. "Shoot!

IF my dad could only see me now!" "He's a born farmer, wouldn't you say,
Jody?" "He did better than my first attempt!" "I could sit here all day and
have chickens lay eggs. We could put 'em in one of those egg cartons and go
sell them to some store!" "That's what farming is all about. Like Granny
said at the table, everything was grown right here on her farm. If you
like, tomorrow we can go gather some corn or pick all kinds of
vegetables...even pumpkins and watermelons!" "It never dawned on me where
all those things came from or how they got to supermarkets!" "I've think
you've had enough farming for one day. Bring your milk and eggs and take
them inside to Granny Dee. You've reaped your harvest!" "You know, I'm
beginning to see why Uncle Cyrus and Uncle Dean gave up show business to
take up farming!" "Well, when the time comes, Granny Dee will more than
likely leave this farm to me and if you decide you'd rather farm than
appear on Broadway...we can discuss it then!" "It's like my dad's always
telling me...that I should have something to fall back on if my show
business career doesn't pan out!

I think I've just found it!" "Jody! You were going to show us some of your
drawings. Would you mind letting Angie and me see them now?" "Are you sure?
I mean, I'm really not that good." "Let us be the critics. An actor can't
review his own show. It takes an objective eye, not a subjective one, to
judge one's work!" "They're up in my room...or YOUR room, I should say, I
guess." "No, Jody, it's YOUR room now...for as long as you want it, it's
yours!" "Trent, do you think there's a chance that Granny Dee would send us
back to a shelter?" "Jody, believe me, that thought would never cross her
mind. You'll leave some day, but it will be when YOU decide to...not Granny
Dee. You and Laurie can both ease your minds. As long as you both stay out
of trouble, you have a home here for life!" "Now, if I could only find a
girlfriend...or a boyfriend..to talk with after you two go back to New York
on Sunday..." "When summer comes, would you like to come to New York to
visit Angie and me?" "Boy! I'd love to!" "Plan on it, Jody!" Angio said.

"We'd love to have you come visit!

I'll bet you'd have no trouble finding a girlfriend AND a boyfriend in New
York...one of each...at the same time, if you want!" "You know, I've only
known you one short afternoon, Angio," Jody said, "and yet, I feel as if
we've been friends for years! You're not at all like I expected you to
be. I...I was really scared about meeting you. Of course, I didn't know
that you were coming with Trent.  But I'm sure glad you did, I've had twice
the fun!" Angio put his arm around Jody and said, "Jody, whether it's with
a boy or girl, you're gonna make someone one heck of a boyfriend!" "You
think so?" "I wouldn't have my arm around you if I didn't know so!" Angio
pulled Jody closer to him to give him a one-armed hug. Angio had one hand,
carrying the bucket and eggs while his other was around Jody's waist. Trent
was on the other side of Jody with his arm around Jody's other side and the
three of them skipped back to the house as Angio and Trent sang, 'We're off
to see the wizard..."<><><><><><><><> When the three boys returned, Granny
was tickled to see Angio's milk and eggs.

She poured Angio's portion of milk in with a bucket she had in the
refrigerator to boil later. She added the two eggs to her egg bin, pleased
as punch over Angio's offerings. Art, Dean, and Cyrus were chatting in the
living room and Angio took center stage to recite his impromptu monologue
of his experience with Sally and the two hens. He stretched the truth, just
a little, to make his presentation more humorous and soon the three adults
were laughing heartily at Angio's performance. They applauded when he had
finished. Then Trent stood up and took Jody's hand to lead him down the
hall to his bedroom, Angio following close behind. Once inside, Trent
walked about the familiar surroundings with a reverie of memories, some
happy, some sad, but this was the place where Trent had become the person
he was now. Angio tried to drink in as much of the room as possible for it
was his way of getting to know his lover better. Jody was on the floor,
reaching under the bed to retrieve his drawings and place them in a certain
order. Trent and Angio sat on the bed as Jody stood in front of them,
showing each drawing in turn. Angio was more familiar with art than Trent
was as his mother had taken him to many French art exhibitions in New York
and Angio was more than impressed by Jody's talent. The drawings weren't
just good, they were better than good. Trent knew that Jody must show these
to Art, Cyrus, and Dean to give Jody the encouragement he needed to pursue
his art work. Jody showed over twenty drawings to his two new friends,
saving a special one for the last.

Then Jody looked at Trent. "Trent, this last one, I drew especially for
you. I want you to have it to take back to New York with you. It's my way
of thanking you for letting me sleep in your room and letting me call it my
own." Jody had a large piece of cardboard about two feet wide and three
feet long and he slowly revealed it to Trent. Trent gasped as his breath
stopped and his eyes filled with tears. Angio was affected in almost the
same way as he reached to hold Trent's hand. Jody held the drawing in front
of him so that neither Trent nor Angio, could see his face. The drawing was
sketched to perfection in charcoal. Jody had copied the picture of Granny
Dee and Trent which sat on the dresser. Angio thought that Andrew Wyeth
could not have drawn it better or more realistically. "My God, Jody!" Trent
exclaimed.

"It...it's perfect! It's so real and life-like...I don't know what to say.

I'm so moved." "You really like it?" Jody asked from behind the
cardboard. "Jody, it's sensational!"

Angio added. "Boy! Do you have talent!

You don't belong in Weston High, you need to be in an art school. I know
you said your teacher wanted you to try your hand at watercolors and oil,
but, kid, once you have your first exhibit in New York, Paris, or wherever,
the art world is going to stand up and take notice. Jody, you're going to
make a fortune at your very first show!" "Hey, I...I'm really not that
good!" "Want to get three expert opinions?" "What?" Angio went to the door
and called for Art, Dean, and Cyrus to join them in the bedroom.

Granny Dee and Laurie came with them. "What is it, Angio?" Art
asked. "Don't say a word, Daddy Art.

Just look!" The three men and Granny were stunned by the portrait. Angio
didn't have to ask Art not to say a word because Art couldn't. He was
totally speechless. Cyrus lifted his hand to his mouth while Dean stared
without blinking until his eyes were moist. Granny Dee shook her head and
dropped it, retrieving a tissue from her apron pocket to blow her nose.
Laurie beamed as she observed everyone's reaction to her brother's art
work. She was proud of him and he was HER brother!


(fade out)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><>

(To be continued in "Echoes From A Wishing Well"---chapter sixteen...next
week).


ADDENDUM:

The above note was written long before Ritch passed away. I'll do what I
can in his memory.  -Les

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