Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 22:12:25 -0500
From: Sidney Gittler <SidG@compuserve.com>
Subject: Arkansas Vacation

This is the next installment of the Arkansas Vacation series.  It involves
man-boy sex in a fictional town called Peckertown, Arkansas sometime in the
future when the laws have changed.  If this is offensive to you, you're too
young, or illegal in your neck of the woods then please leave.  If not,
enjoy.  All comments welcome at SidG@Compuserve.com


			 Arkansas Vacation: Part 8
			 by Sid G. Copyright 1999

     Hello again, it's Marc Fogel trying to squeeze some time in to write
about what's been going on here in Peckertown, Arkansas.  I'm grateful to
Cody and Matt for filling in with the last two sections.  I mean those were
really their stories anyway and I've been swamped trying to get the hotel
open.
     Monday's opening day, four days from now, and we're getting there.
OK, so only the first three floors will open and the nightclub still needs
some work, but the opening double bill of the Olson Triplets and Boydini
isn't for another two weeks.  The coffee shop and Cody's Sports Bar & Grill
are ready and fully staffed.
     It's amazing how many of the street hustlers wanted to do something
else besides suck and fuck for a living.  They were even relieved when I'd
tell them no sex on the job.  If they wanted to set up something for when
they were off duty that was fine, but sex was not on the menu.
     That's going to be harder in the nightclub than the restaurants.  As
you know Cody and Justin decided that their waiters would be wearing sports
uniforms and the bouncers will be wearing referees' uniforms.  For the
coffee shop Daniel and I tossed around various options before deciding on
running shorts and tank-tops.  The nightclub workers on the other hand will
be wearing loose hanging loin-clothes.

     I know you may be tired of reading employment interviews but I have to
let you hear about Tad and his story.  He came into the office last Friday
and I was about to tell him we were finished hiring when I took a good look
at him.  He was about five and a half feet tall, brown hair, wearing a
tattered pair of dungaree shorts that barely contained his just over soft
four inch cut cock.  Yes, they were that tight.  But it was his eyes, green
eyes that looked at once thirty and thirteen, which turned out to be his
real age.  I told him to sit down and after getting each of us Diet Cokes
started talking to him.

     "Thank you sir, I am grateful that you are willing to talk with me
even though you're probably fully staffed already.  As you can guess I've
been working down here as a hooker for a little bit now.  Before that I
worked in Los Angles for about four years."
     "Hold on a second, how old are you?"
     "Thirteen, I'll be fourteen in March."
     "So you started at nine?  Why?"
     "It really started when I was seven I guess, not the sex but the end
of my old life," Tad stopped and took a sip of his soda.  I was about to
tell him he could skip it when he started talking again.
     "I lived with both my mother and father in Orange County, which is
south of LA. I came home to our apartment from school on a Friday and all
of our stuff was gone. I had thought we had been robbed. I went next door
to our landlord to call 911. He was surprised to see me, because my parents
moved out that day. We called the cops. I was in child welfare custody for
two years. In that two years I never spent more than three months in the
same foster home. It wasn't because of me.  It's just that the system
really sucks. I got sick of it and took off on my own.
     "One night while I was digging in a dumpster for cans I could sell, a
man offered me twenty dollars, a hot meal and bath, if he could take
pictures of me naked. I said yes and he took me to his place. I had a long
bath and a large meal. He then took like three rolls of film of me playing
with myself on his bed. I was too young to shoot at the time. He then let
me sleep on his couch that night and then gave me a ride to Hollywood the
next morning. He told me I could find all kinds of work there. I met
several boys on my first night, and they kind of took me in and showed me
the ropes. I lived on the streets for almost four years.  In the four years
I have lived with three other men.  The men that I lived with never cared
about me, all they wanted was the almost free sex I could give them, so if
I fucked up, all they had to do was beat me and then kick me out."
     "How about drugs and alcohol?  If you use drugs I'm not interested, if
you drink on the job your out," I said.
     "I don't drink or do drugs, except for cigarettes," Tad said.
     "How did you manage to do that?  I always thought that most of those
kids were addicts.  We've had problems here too."
     "You're right really, I was one of three who didn't use.  I think the
main reason I was able to stay off drugs is because of all the other kids
I've seen on drugs. When you're that low in the pits and use drugs as an
escape, I think it makes it worse not better. I have also seen several kids
die a really bad death because of their drug problem.
     "The other reason is because I did get drunk once and I was so sick
for the next two days I could not work, and I went hungry for those two
days. I also missed a Friday night which is the best working night, so I
could not get a motel room that week to get myself cleaned up. One rule you
learn fast is that if you don't get a motel room once a week and clean
yourself up, you tend to get really smelly and that will turn off your
clients. Just because I got drunk one night, it took me four weeks to make
the money to keep feeding myself and save up to get the motel room for the
night."
     "Do you know where the hotel is?" I asked.
     A huge smile lit up his face.
     "I take that as a yes.  Go over and ask to see Daniel Jorgenson.  Tell
him you need to fill out the paperwork.  How are your reading and writing?"
     "OK, I mean I can't write script but I can do simple stuff OK."
     "Fine, tell him that I want you working the reservation's desk and the
back office.  That'll keep you away from being groped and propositioned.  I
get the feeling you want to take a break from sex," I said.
     Tad nodded, "I am tired of depending on it to live.  I promise I'll do
my best."
     "I'm sure you will.  Where are you living?"
     "There's a secluded section of the park where a lot of us younger kids
stash our stuff and take turns standing guard and sleeping."
     "Ask the lady outside to call Zeus and he'll find you a cheap room to
rent, probably has a couple of boys looking for roommates.  And before you
go to the hotel go across the street to the Tasty Buns.  You look like you
could use a good meal or two."
     "I can't afford it."
     "Tell Aaron I sent you and don't worry."
     He came around the desk and hugged me.  "Thanks Mr. Fogel, I really
appreciate everything."
     I kissed his cheek and gave his smooth back a squeeze.  "Now get
going.  You've got lots to do today."
     He thanked me again and left.
     I put my feat up on my desk and smiled as I waited for my erection to
go away.  Yeah, Tad was hot and if I'd told him he had to blow me to get
the job he would have.  But that's not me and not why I moved down here.
Besides, I have my own gorgeous fourteen-year-old at home, though we do
have an open relationship.  I try to stay away from having sex with
Jorgenson Enterprises's employees but as we're the largest employer in town
I don't always succeed.

     About seven that evening everybody arrived in the office for a
meeting.  I sat at one end with Daniel on my left and Elijah Jorgenson was
at the other.  Cody, Justin, Aaron, Benjy, Kevin, Margaret and Zeus filled
the other chairs.  Kevin runs the In Boy Inn.  In case you've forgotten
Margaret, "the lady outside," is the office manager, and Elijah's niece.
Zeus had been rapidly promoted from bouncer to operations manager of the
hotel and he would have his office there for the boys who needed some
therapy.  Finding big men to work as bouncers was no problem, and even the
ones who probably called me faggot or worse at home knew what family
controlled a lot of land, money and jobs in the area.
     We covered a lot of territory over the next two hours and it again
amazed me that I was dealing with four boys ranging from just turned
eleven, Benjy, to sixteen, Aaron.  Kevin is in his late twenties and
started working at the inn during junior high, long before the law changed.
     The only downer was Benjy's report that two of the slaves were on
their last legs and the doctor said they'd probably be dead within two
weeks from AIDS.  However, the other dozen boys who worked in one facility
or another and test positive were responding well to medication, so
hopefully these will be the last deaths for a long time.
     The good news was that all the businesses were doing well and making
enough money and producing enough cash to carry the hotel for several
months if needed.  And this was just the entertainment division.

     When we finished the ten of us went across the street for dinner and
were greeted by Elijah's exhausted wife and daughter along with Chris and
Shawn.
     "We're closed, if you want something to eat call for pizza," Francis
Jorgenson said from where she sat with her legs up on another chair between
sips of a drink.
     "The two of you left and the crowd roared in and never let up till ten
minutes ago," Kris said.
     Elijah walked over and kissed his wife on the cheek.  "Have the four
of you had anything to eat?"
     "No, and I'm starving," Chris answered.  I looked at the nude busboy
Daniel and I had rescued from the Maryland panhandle and thought that he
was even skinnier than when we'd first met.  A quick look at Shawn showed
him to be as muscular and fit as ever.
     "Aaron, come into the kitchen with me," Elijah said to his eldest son,
"we'll whip something up quickly."
     "I'll come with too, since I'm in charge of whipping," Benjy said.  We
all chuckled and groaned.
     Daniel sat on my lap and after exchanging a long, wet kiss I whispered
for him to take a good look at Chris.
     He nodded and called Chris over.
     "Are you feeling OK?" Daniel asked.
     "Sure, feeling fine," he chirped.
     "Eating OK?"
     He hesitated at this, "fine, just wait to you see how much I eat
tonight.  Ask your mom, I always finish my meals."
     "Don't look it," I said.
     "He eats the one meal here and that's it.  I can't even get him to eat
a cookie at home," Shawn said.  "Keeps claiming he's fat."
     "I am," Chris said.
     "What gave you that idea?  Have you looked at yourself in the mirror?
You can count every rib," I said.
     "My pop kept saying I was eating him out of house and home and a
couple of customers said I had a plump butt.  We can't afford a large food
budget and I want to stay good looking for the customers, I know it's
important."
     "Come here Chris," Francis Jorgenson said in a firm tone.  He went
quickly.
     "Yes ma'am."
     "First of all, you have a job here regardless of how much you weigh or
what you look like.  Do you understand that?"
     Chris hesitated, nodded.
     "Secondly, you are much too thin and if you don't eat properly you'll
get sick and wont be able to work.  Do you want for Shawn to have to work
the streets to make up the money?"
     "No, no, no," he cried, "I don't want him to ever do that."
     "Finally, if you need more money to make ends meet tell us and we'll
see about giving you a raise."
     "In fact I think they're due one anyway.  They haven't gotten one
since they started."
     "Is that so?" Francis said.  "Then I think my general manager had
better keep a better eye on things like that."
     "I'll take care of it first thing in the morning Mrs.  Jorgenson," I
tried to sound humble but I think my smile gave it away.
     "Now will you promise to eat properly Chris?  And I take promises very
seriously."
     Chris nodded and whispered, "I promise."
     At least at supper he kept his word, even took an extra dessert.

     We dropped Chris and Shawn, Cody and Justin off on our way home and it
was almost eleven when Daniel and I crawled into bed.  At my age I'm
beginning to think of that as late on a work night.  Daniel had a way to
reinvigorate me.
     He came into the bedroom with two glasses of wine and after handing
them to me snuggled tight and took one back.
     "To you my love," he said.
     "To you my love," I responded.
     "No today is your day.  We couldn't have pulled this off without you,
and when Tad told me his story.  I'm so happy that you're here.  Even if we
weren't lovers."  Daniel tapped his glass against mine and we drank our
wine.  He took my glass and put both on the night-stand.
     "Now there's something else I want to drink," he said.
     Before I could respond he started sucking on my left nipple and all
thought of sleep fled.  I stroked his long black mane and he let loose with
a lion at peace purr.  After working on both nipples he started licking
down my chest and eventually reached my groin.  I was getting very hot but
resisted the urge to guide my love's talented mouth directly onto my rock
hard prick.
     Instead I just lay back and moaned as he started licking the outside
of my shaft and my balls.  Then he took each ball in his mouth and gently
chewed on them until I could feel the cum get ready to start its journey.
Daniel felt it too and let them fall out of his mouth.
     When we'd met his hair was shoulder length but despite his mother's
touch-ups it was now halfway down his back.  He pushed his hair out of his
eyes and smiled.
     "Are you ready lover?" he asked.
     I reached down and pulled his mouth to mine as a reply and we had a
long, wet, passionate kiss.  My hands touching every inch of his firm but
soft, youthful body I could reach.
     "I'll take that for a yes," he said when we finally broke, and moved
back down so his mouth was centimeters above my still erect prick and he
gently lapped the precum off the head."
     "Oh yes, oh yes," was all I could say as he deep throated me in
seconds.  He'd never been a street slut but he's the most talented sex
partner I have ever had.  No boy-whore could swallow me that quickly, or so
deliciously.  After only a moment to adjust he started running his tongue
around my engorged cock and then started slowly sucking on it.  Three times
he brought me close to the edge, each time closer than the time before.
     As I reached climax for the fourth time I said, "Don't stop, let me
fill your mouth before I explode my love."
     As the word love left my lips my love juice left my body, and flowed
into the most important person in my world.  Daniel worked on my cock,
draining every spermatozoon from my body.
     When I couldn't take it any more I pulled him off me and back to my
mouth.  Before I kissed him I said, "Fuck me my Lion."
     We kissed.  He roared.  I turned over and spread my legs.  Daniel bent
over and rimmed me, tongued fucked me for several minutes.  Then I felt
first two, then three of his fingers twisting inside me.
     "Fuck me Lion," I growled.
     Fingers pulled out and I felt his cock head out my entranceway.  He
stayed there for at least a minute and then slowly entered me.  Very
slowly.  It took forever for him to insert his full seven inches inside me.
Finally I felt his balls against my ass.  I'd told him he didn't have to
continue shaving his body for me but I loved the fact that he did.
     Once he was completely inside me he lay down on my back and started
nibbling on my shoulder blades as he started fucking my ass.  His long,
slow strokes were driving me crazy as they went past my prostate gland,
stimulating the production of my next load.  It didn't take him long to
fill my ass with his cum, a load that was punctuated by his Lion's roar.
     Satiated he collapsed on top of me and rolled off.  His cum soaked
cock leaving my hole with a loud plop.
     We kissed gently and wrapped our arms around each other.  And my love
fell asleep before me.

     As always the alarm clock rang too early but Wang was already in the
kitchen with breakfast ready when we arrived.  One of the personnel moves
we made was to take Billy Ray Bob, Daniel's first lover, from his job as
doorman at the Little Leather Club and put him in charge of the front desk
of the hotel.  Wang volunteered to take Billy Ray's old job and when we
told him that part of the job was security he flipped Billy Ray on his ass
in about one second. Billy Ray was so taken by that they started dating,
and Wang says they're even talking about him moving into Billy Ray's
apartment.  You never know where or when you're going to find love.

     We dropped Wang off at the club and headed to the hotel.  Daniel and I
were talking baseball as we entered the lobby.  Our attention was
immediately grabbed by loud shouting coming from Cody's Sports Bar and
Grill.  I started running over knowing Daniel would follow.  Silence fell
as I entered the doorway and saw Cody staring at a younger boy who just
topped five feet tall, slender and very close cropped blonde hair.
     "Keith?  What are you doing here?" Daniel shouted.
     "That's what he said," the boy said turning.  "Isn't anybody happy to
see me?"
      I racked my memory and realized this was Cody's youngest brother.  A
closer look confirmed the family resemblance.
     "I'm happy to see you Keith," Cody said.  "It's just that," he stopped
and looked at me.
     "Why don't we go into the conference room and talk about it," I said.

     As we walked through the lobby I told Billy Ray where we were going
and no calls.  I was about to tell him to find Justin when Cody's
multipurpose partner appeared and I motioned him to join us.
     He moved to my side and whispered, "Thank God you're here.  I called
Margaret but she didn't know where you were and you weren't at the house."
     I nodded, "Did you know about Keith coming?"
     "No way, I don't even think Cody's had any contact with his family
since they left."
     We entered the conference room and I closed the door behind me.  All
the boys were looking at each other, nervously moving around the room.
     "Sit," I said, "now."
     Justin and Daniel sat immediately and I stared at Cody until he took
the chair next to Justin.  I stood behind the chair at the head of the
table and looked at Keith.  "Anyplace, it doesn't make a difference."
     "You can sit next to me if you want," Daniel said.  Keith smiled and
almost leaped into the chair.
     Cody and Justin were holding hands, and Keith was staring at them when
he wasn't looking at me.
     "Welcome back to Peckertown Keith Jorgenson," I said.  "Do your
parents know where you are?"
     He shook his head.  Great.
     "You will make that call later.  Now will you please answer the
question that your brother and Daniel asked."
     "Why am I here?"
     "Yes that one," Cody snapped.
     "Ease up Cody," I said soothingly, "nobody's on trial here."
     Cody slumped back in his chair and glared at his brother.
     "Cody I was miserable there.  No friends, hardly allowed out of the
house except for church.  And I missed you so much," Keith stopped and
wiped a tear from his cheek.
     "What do you mean?  What about school?" Daniel asked.
     "He home-schooled us.  Told us that it was the public schools which
put you on the path to an eternal damnation that existed even below the
pits of hell.  The last couple of months some of the other kids whose
parents followed him to Alabama joined us, but we weren't allowed to talk
to each other during or after school," he paused.  "You remember the way
he'd spank us if we did something wrong?"
     "Yeah," Cody muttered.
     "Now he does it with his belt, and every Saturday night, even if we've
been good just to drive the demons out before they can take hold."
     "Oh Jesus, oh Jesus," Cody moaned and put his head on Justin's
shoulder and started crying.  Through the tears he said, "I'm sorry, so
sorry," over and over.
     I glanced over and saw Daniel had Keith in his arms and they were both
crying.  I shook my head.  I've believed in God all my life, and my faith
has never wavered, but the things some men will do in his name sicken me.
     "Cody," I said gently.
     He picked his head up slightly and nodded.  "Why don't the three of
you go to your apartment and settle Keith in.  Talk things through."
     "We've got so much work here, we can't," he said through his tears.
     "You are in no condition to deal with anything," Daniel said in a firm
voice.  "I've seen Benjy go to the club upset and let it out on everybody
there and it's taken a week to get things back to normal.  You don't have
that week, so unless you want to lose half your staff go home."
     "But who'll supervise?" Justin said.
     "I will," Daniel said.  "Marc will drive you home on his way to the
office, now get going."
     I looked at my lover and assistant and blew him a kiss, "I love you
and I'm proud of you," I mouthed, and he smiled.
     On my way out I saw Zeus walk in with Tad.  It was quite a contrast
between the large, seven feet tall Afro-American and the small white boy.
Zeus had given Tad one of his tee-shirts which completely covered his lithe
frame and had been cut off at Tad's knees.  From the way they were looking
at each other I knew they had hit it off.  Zeus and Tad waved at me and
Zeus told me he'd call me later.  I nodded and turned.
     "Zeus," I called.
     "Yes boss?"  When he said that in his Texan drawl I thought we'd gone
back to before the Civil War.
     "Do me a favor, take Cody, Justin and Cody's brother home, and stay
with them awhile?"
     "Cody's brother?" Zeus asked.
     "Just showed up and it's not going well and on top of anything else I
need those two concentrating on Monday," I said.
     He gave me a big smile, "Yeah, I know what you're worried about."
Zeus told Tad where to go and took off after the boys.
     "How you doing Tad?" I asked.
     "Fine, spent the night with Zeus, no sex," he added quickly."
     "Could you?  No, don't I'm sorry."
     Tad laughed for the first time.  "After four years of whoring?  Yeah,
I can take anything anybody has.  Look, I know I'm not your usual kid, even
for Peckertown, so if you have any questions just ask."
     "You gay?"  I blurted out.
     He shrugged, "I've had sex with men and women, whoever paid.  When I
find someone I love I'll know the answer to that."
     "Good answer, now get to work.  Any problems don't be afraid to ask
for help.  We want you to succeed."
     "Thanks Mr. Fogel," he waved and turned.
     My eyes followed him through the door to the reservation desk.  Then I
turned and went back to the Sports Bar.  Daniel was sitting at a table
looking at a menu giving orders and asking questions to a group of the
waiters.  Another group was putting plates on tables, followed by busboys
cleaning up and then resetting the tables.  Some were in their uniforms but
most had on their whore clothes.
     I noticed a couple of the bouncers standing against the wall and
walked over.  They almost snapped to attention.  "At ease gentlemen, you're
not in the military here."
     "Sorry Mr. Fogel," one said, "I'm Sargent Ryan and this is Tom Garp."
     "I said."
     "That is my name, dad was awfully disappointed I didn't make the Army
or police work my career," he said with a smile.
     I nodded over at the boys.  "What do you guys think about protecting
their asses?"
     Tom laughed, "the answer you don't want is that those asses don't need
or deserve protecting but you're not going to hear that from me.  Part of
me feels real sorry for the cards dealt these boys, but another part feels
proud to be able to help them get a new start on life."
     "Not that there's anything wrong with them being hookers," Sargent
added, "just that ain't no life for anybody, much less young boys like
these.  Can I ask you a question sir?"
     "Shoot," I said.
     "Did these boys have to, you know, before they got," he stopped
talking, a blush clearly visible through his sun darkened cheeks.
     "No, we all have our partners and one of the reasons the Jorgenson
family decided to reopen the hotel was to give those boys who wanted off
the streets the opportunity.  Plus giving jobs to local people just helps
everybody.  Any other questions?"
     "Yeah," Tom said, "my baby brother is fourteen and straight as a nail
but wants an after school job.  Does the fact that?"
     "No, the fact that you're working here doesn't make a difference.  He
just has to realize he might get propositioned and that he has to work with
these kids so he can't go making cracks.  I think the In-Boy-Inn is looking
for a couple of new bellhops too, that is if he doesn't mind their
uniforms."
     "Thanks Mr. Fogel, I'll tell him.  He's a good kid," Tom said.
     "Marc, I thought you left?" Daniel called and I waved good-bye to the
two bouncers and walked over.
     "Zeus walked in as we were leaving so I sent him instead, and told him
to stay awhile," I said.
     "Good idea.  You going to stay here or go to the office?"
     "Check in back first and then head over.  Talk to you later?"  I
leaned down and gave him a kiss, which drew giggles from the waiters
hanging around.
     
     Three hours later Zeus called me at the office and told me he needed
me at Cody and Justin's apartment.  I got in the car and made record time
across town.  Zeus opened the door and stepped out.
     "Glad you could come over boss.  Things aren't going to well in
there," Zeus said.
     "What's the problem?"
     "Keith came in, stripped and knelt in front of Cody which freaked big
brother out.  Keith started begging Cody to punish him for his sins and
started listing them.  An amazing list of things that nobody else would
consider sins."
     "You've got to remember what his father's done to him.  Reverend
Erikson has gone over the edge in his preaching.  If it isn't in the Bible
it's a sin, and probably half the stuff in the Bible is sinful anyway," I
took a breath before I got upset.  "What are they doing now?"
     "Keith wants ten lashes for each sin and I can't even count that high.
Cody tried talking to him, Justin tried, but Keith just wont listen."
     "Wont listen to you?"
     "Wants me to beat him for each of the five times in his life he used
the n word."
     I shook my head, "C'mon, let's go in."  Zeus opened the door and we
walked into the living room.
     It was an eerie tableau that greeted us.  A naked Keith had prostrated
himself in front of his brother who had curled up in a ball on the couch.
Cody seemed almost comatose, I wasn't sure if he had seen or heard us come
in.  There was no reaction to our presence from either Erikson boy.
     The only sound was Justin's dry bawling.  He must have run out of
tears a long time earlier.  He slowly turned when we closed the door to
look at us.  Seeing me he just mouthed, "help me."
     I picked him up in my arms, he was bigger and heavier than Daniel but
I found the strength, and took him into his bedroom.
     I sat down on the bed and brought him close to me.  I could feel his
rapid heartbeat and the small tremors throughout his body.  My mind
whirled, if Zeus, a trained psychologist, couldn't get through how was I
going too.  I started by doing the one thing Zeus wouldn't do.
     My hand guided Justin's mouth to mine and I kissed him, letting my
tongue brush against his lips.  Justin opened his mouth and responded
eagerly.  There was no sex in the exchange, rather a young boy looking for
love, friendship and acceptance in the only way he could at the moment.
When he reached for my belt buckle I took his hand and broke the kiss.
     "Not now Justin, not now," I said.
     "Don't you love me?  Don't you want me?"  Fresh tears welled in his
eyes.
     "Of course I do, you know that don't you?"
     The fifteen year old motherless boy who had been kicked out of his
home when his father had discovered him in bed with another boy hesitated,
and then nodded slightly.  "Keep holding me, I feel so cold."
     "Of course."  We sat there for several minutes until he finally seemed
to settle down.
     "Can you help them Marc?  Zeus tried but, but."
     "We will help them.  Cody needs you now more than ever.  Tell me what
happened before I got here."
     Justin proceeded to go over much the same ground as Zeus had, until
the final revelation.  "I thought Keith had finally run out of sins but
then he bent over like that and told Cody he had the biggest sin yet to
confess," Justin took a deep breath.  "He told Cody that not only had he
masturbated but that he thought about having sex with Cody as he did it.
Cody shrieked no at least a dozen times and then curled into that ball and
Keith hasn't moved either.  I'm not even sure if either of them are alive."
Justin started crying again and I just held and rocked him until he settled
down.  When he did I sent him into the bathroom to wash his face with cold
water while I thought.
     He looked a lot better when he emerged ten minutes later.  "What now?"
he asked.
     "Are you ready to go back in there?" I asked.
     "I'm a little scared but Cody's my life and I have to help him.  What
do I do?"
     "Get on the couch with him and hold him, kiss him gently on his face
or lips.  Whisper to him that you're there with him.  He may not respond
right away but he needs to hear and feel that you're with him.  Cody may
even try and shrug you off but don't let go."
     "Not even if he hurts me," Justin said with a little more courage than
I knew he felt.
     Neither brother had moved and a peek at my watch showed Justin and I
had been in the bedroom for almost an hour.  I pointed at Cody and Justin
did as instructed.
     Silently I sat on the floor and pulled Keith on my lap.  "Are you
going to punish me?" a raspy voice asked.
     "Look at me Keith," I said and waited as he moved himself into
position.
     "Yes sir."  It was a statement, not a question.
     "You have confessed your sins and are forgiven.  God does not want his
pound of your flesh."
     "That's not what Reverend Erikson said.  He says that only through
physical purging can a soul be cleansed."
     "Listen to what you're saying.  If you truly believed that in your
heart would you be here?  No, you would still be in Alabama, willingly
giving yourself to his law."
     "I was unworthy of being in his service," Keith said.
     There was a stirring on the couch.  "Listen to you, you can't even
call that fucking bastard father or dad any more," Cody exploded, "look
what he did to me, to you, to our family.  He saw me with my friend on a
cold and rainy night and cast us out even though we were doing nothing
wrong.  He's got you believing you're destined for a damnation that won't
even end when Jesus returns on Judgement Day.  Do you think God wants his
children beaten for every real and imagined sin?"
     Keith had started sobbing as soon as Cody started yelling but stopped
as his big brother's words sunk home.
     "Keith, I love you," Cody continued softly, "all of us, including God,
are here for you."
     "You love me?  You're not repulsed that I'm attracted to you?  I can
stay?" Keith whispered.
     "Yes I love you, yes you can stay with Justin and me, forever if you
want."  Cody held his arms out and Keith slowly got off of my lap and
walked slowly to his brother.  I took a good look at his back and saw
dozens of welt marks covering it.  If I remembered correctly there were
still two boys and two girls at home.  Joshua Erikson had cranked six kids
out in seven years and he was probably beating the other four several times
a week now, if not daily.  Something would have to be done.  But for now I
was contented to see the first and fourth of his sons hugging and saying I
love you over and over.
     I got up and walked over to Zeus who stuck his hands out.  "How'd you
do that boss?"
     "Well God does work in mysterious ways but more than anything else it
was being able to hold Keith tight and having Justin telling Cody that he
loved him.  I know your training discourages physical contact with your
patients but you've got to remember most of these boys were physically,
sexually and/or emotionally abused before they got here.  The one thing
they need most in their lives if closeness.  That's why you find boys like
Chad who wants to find boyfriends or become slaves to find the security of
somebody to take care of them."
     "I hear you, hand holding and hugging are all right to go with
reassurances of their own self-worth.  I really appreciate your faith in my
abilities, just wishe they had worked better today."
     "Relax, Tad seems to have taken your words to heart, seemed a lot
happier today than yesterday," I said and walked over to the couch.
     The three boys turned to look at me.
     "I'm going to get going but Zeus will stay for a little bit.  Keith,
you are going to be fine.  Cody and Justin love you.  Do you understand
that?"
     "Yes sir."
     I ruffled his hair, "the name's Marc."
     He grinned up at me.
     "Thanks Marc," Cody started to say something else but just shrugged at
his lack of words.
     "Yeah, I know," I said and ruffled his hair, and Justin's for good
measure.  "See the three of you at the hotel tomorrow?"
     "Yes," Cody answered, "we've got a lot of work to do, and we could
always use another busboy."

				**********

     That's the end of this part of Arkansas Vacation.
     Except for one detail.  Tad, and his story, are real.  He survived
four years as a whore, living by his body and wits before he received a
second chance at a normal life.  Which he's grabbing with both hands.
     Tad has one request of all of you.  If you see a homeless boy like he
was buy him a meal, clothes, haircut or whatever he needs that you can
afford.  Don't give him money because in most cases he'll just use it for
drugs.
     And pray for the children.