Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:01:05 -0500
From: carl_mason@verizon.net
Subject: DENNY LAWRENCE - 1

DENNY LAWRENCE - 1


Copyright 2008 by Carl Mason

All rights reserved.  Other than downloading one copy for strictly personal
enjoyment, no part of this story may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, except for reviews, without
the written permission of the author.  However based on real events and
places, "Denny Lawrence" is strictly fictional.  Any resemblance to actual
events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.  As
in real life, sexual themes unfold gradually.  Comments on the story are
appreciated and may be addressed to the author at carl_mason@verizon.net

If you would like to read additional stories by this author, please turn to
the "Authors/Prolific Authors" link at the beginning of the Nifty Archive.

This story contains descriptions of sexual contact between males, both
adults and teenagers.  As such, it is homoerotic fiction designed for the
personal enjoyment of legal, hopefully mature, adults.  If you are not of
legal age to read such material, if those in power and/or those whom you
trust treat it as illegal, or if it would create unresolvable moral
dilemmas in your life, please leave.  Finally, remember that maturity
generally demands safe sex.


CHAPTER 1

(The Courtroom)

Denny Lawrence, a sixteen, almost seventeen year-old athlete from a wealthy
and influential family was apprehended nearly a month ago while committing
his second burglary.  He now stands before Judge Kyle Sensenbrenner in
Family Court where a closed hearing is underway.  More accurately, he is
sitting at the defense table, properly if informally dressed.  Nearly six
feet tall, with dark blond hair, Stone is a handsome young man who would
seem even more handsome were his lips not set in a perpetual sneer.  He
seems extremely nervous; his feet and fingers are jiggling constantly.  His
attorney is speaking.

"Your honor, I assure you that I have done everything in my power to ensure
that Mr.  and Mrs. Lawrence would be present today.  They fully realize
that their son might be tried for felony burglary in Superior Court as an
adult.  Nevertheless, having pleaded with the Court to allow probation with
community service in the first case, they insist that Denny now take full
responsibility.  Since he was apprehended, they have effectively washed
their hands of him and his continuing troubles.

"I would argue, sir, that in this behavior you see one of the roots of this
young man's difficulties.  Throughout his life, their implicit rule has
been: You may have anything you desire - as long as you do not demand
anything of us.  If, on the other hand, you embarrass us in any way, you
are on your own.'  Indeed, their responsibility for love and guidance has
consistently been thrust upon others...nannies, tutors, the headmasters of
fine boarding schools, coaches and, last year, Outward Bound.

"You see some of the results before you - though not all of them.  In the
papers I have submitted, you will find letters from religious figures,
teachers, and even two psychiatrists that argue there is tremendous promise
in Denny Lawrence, promise that society should not lightly discarded.  May
I add that these letter were not solicited by his parents.  Indeed, his
father told one writer that a few years in prison might make a man of
him'. You will also find extensive data from tests administered at the
University that support the letter writers' arguments.  In passing, I'll
also point out that every major lacrosse school in the country will be
actively recruiting this young man.  I'm told he's a strong candidate for
High School All-American honors.

"Finally, I would support the argument that we must do everything in our
power to keep young people out of adult prisons.  When kids do adult time
for adult crimes,' they learn lessons from hardened criminals that result
in their committing more serious crimes and more frequent crimes, and
becoming more of a threat to public safety.

"Respectfully, sir, I ask that Denny Lawrence be placed in foster care and
given outpatient psychiatric assistance while he completes his secondary
education."

(Pause.)

Giving every sign of already being in a "no nonsense" mood, Judge
Sensenbrenner noted that this was the young man's second major crime, that
he had showed no remorse, and that parental support was unavailable, if it
had ever been available.  He asked Denny if he had anything to say before
he remanded his case to the Superior Court for trial as an adult.

Struggling to his feet, Denny mumbled, "I don't want to be this way" and
told the Court that he would do anything to avoid going to prison.  Though
he held his head high, he frequently stuttered and his face was flushed and
damp with perspiration.

Not completely unimpressed by the youngster - and the letters and test data
that he has carefully considered - the judge told him that there was no way
in which he was going scot-free a second time.  He placed a choice before
him: remand to the Superior Court for trial as an adult on the felony
burglary charge or an indeterminate placement in a private juvenile program
approved by the State.  Pushing his lawyer's arm aside, Denny chose the
program, once again insisting, "I don't want to be this way any more."

Warning the young man that failure in the program would result in automatic
remand to the Superior Court, the judge accepted his choice, remanding him
to Baylor Associates for orientation and placement.

(Judson State Prison)

Clad in an orange jumpsuit, Denny sits at a long table in a conference room
assigned to the Baylor Associates program by prison authorities.  (The
Company wants the young people remanded to its supervision to see that
there are "other possibilities" for their lives - and that not all of them
are pleasant.)  We join an orientation session in which their
representative is informing him about the program in which he will be
enrolled.

"Yes, that's correct, Denny.  That's exactly what the word indeterminate'
means.  You could be with us for 20 years; you might be with us for only a
year.  Everything depends on how much you really want to be different from
the young tough who sat in that courtroom.  If you want it badly enough,
the possibility of a good life could be fast increasing rather than fading
fast.  You will be evaluated constantly while you are with us in terms of
your attitude - how positively you approach things - and how well you
succeed in your tasks.  That evaluation is going on right now!  You will be
encouraged and offered guidance by some of the best trained professionals
in the business, but no one will do your work for you.  Again, it's really
up to you.

"Over the next few weeks, you will undergo a thorough psychological and
physical screening.  If you need medical treatment - of almost any kind -
it will be provided.  You will have opportunity to meet with guys your own
age who have been through the program - as well as those who now find
themselves in prison.  If the tests say we can move ahead, you'll be
assigned to a brief conditioning program that will increase your chances of
success.  Finally, of course, you will be assigned to an Associate who is
skilled in both working with guys in their late teens and early 20s and in
meeting the problems that your developmental group commonly experiences.
You'll never regret giving it everything you've got, Denny!  Any questions
today?"

"Yeah.  I've been a little surprised by the intensity of the physical
training program.  Hey, I had an older friend who went into Special Forces.
It's as rough as the program that he faced - and it's even worse than my
lacrosse conditioning!  Why is that?"

"Fair question...  When you are working with your Associate, you will be
given a good many tasks...challenges...call them what you will.  Success in
many of them calls for extreme physical toughness...some for extreme
psychological toughness...a few for both.  Since we want you to succeed,
we're just getting you prepared from the beginning.  I'll also admit to
believing in the old Greek notion of a sound mind and a sound body being
desirable partners.  Thus, serious physical training will continue to be
part of your work with us.

"No more questions?  Ok...  When we meet next time, I'll begin giving you
data from your testing program, and we'll set up your conferences.  Until
then, good luck!"
                               			*** (We rejoin an
orientation meeting some five days later.  The representative has been
discussing Denny's early test data with him and has moved on to the
conferences.)

"I've got one guy here at the prison whom I'd like you to meet, Denny.  He
was accused of a serious felony a couple of years ago when he was sixteen,
but he was accepted into our program.  Unfortunately, he washed out - just
never did quite get his stuff together.  He was remanded to Superior Court
for trial as an adult and convicted.  He's serving a 15-20 year sentence.
Name's Tony Moreno...  He can be here at 10:30 if you're interested."

"Definitely interested, sir - and thanks!" Denny exclaimed.

Their sharing and discussion of test results continued until a knock was
heard on the door and a guard accompanied a thin young prisoner into the
room.  "Ok, Moreno," he said, unlocking his handcuffs and pointing to a
chair at the table.  "I'll see you in one- half hour."  The Baylor rep and
the guard departed the room together.

For a few minutes, all was silence.  Then Denny pushed a pack of cigarettes
and a lighter across the table.  "My rep said these were cleared, Tony.
Like a smoke?"  "You Denny Lawrence?"  When Denny nodded, he said, "Thanks,
Denny.  I heard about your case."  Trying to keep his voice casual and yet
show his concern, Denny continued, "How's it going, Tony...really?"  The
dark-haired young man looked at him for a moment, then stared down at the
table.  Finally, his eyes beginning to water, he turned to Denny.  "I could
lie, Lawrence, but I'm not going to.  Stay out of this place!  Your life
isn't your own.  Your body can be had for a few cigarettes exchanged
between two alpha hoods.  You're a real big jock, but I promise you when
four or five of those fuckin' werewolves circle you in the shower or in a
cell, it won't matter one damned bit.  There's not a hell of a lot to do -
and you won't find many people with whom you want to hang.  For God's
sake," he almost sobbed, "stay out of this place!"

Shaken, Denny continued.  "Can I ask what went down in your Program that
landed you in Superior Court, Tony?"  "My own damned fault," the young
prisoner mumbled.  "When I was remanded to the Program, I thought I had it
made and relaxed.  Got lazy...  If I had it to do again, I would hit the
deck running and not stop until I was out of breath and out of spit.
There's people at Baylor who can help after the Program is over," Denny,
but you got to make some serious changes in your life during the Program."

The conversation continued for another 15 or 20 minutes.  Details fleshed
out the message that Tony had given.  When a knock sounded at the door,
however, the haunted look that came into his eyes said as much to Denny as
any details he had shared.

Three days later, Denny met with Sam Porter, a 22 year-old who was
completing a four- year stint in the Program.  Going right to the heart of
his concerns, he asked about what Tony Moreno had said, i.e., that you have
to give your jobs 125 percent from the git-go.  "Absolutely!" Sam agreed.
"It doesn't matter what the job is, give it everything you've got...and do
it positively.  Don't suck up to people, but make sure they know you
appreciate what they're trying to do."  "What are these jobs', Sam?" the
dark blond kid continued.  "Oh, there's an enormous list of openings that
your Associate will have...like firefighting or herding sheep or coaching
at an after-school playground.  You'll spend a week at a time in the field
with a couple of days in between.  Some assignments are wicked hard; others
are relatively easy, but in every case you'll be evaluated on how well you
do and with what spirit.  Additionally, your Associate could occasionally
take you on as his Personal Assistant" for a week, but that's a difficult
assignment, too - and, in any case, it's probably best for him to ask you
rather than you, him.  I only hope," Sam added, "that you have an Associate
who is as super as the man who worked with me.  I can't believe what a
great human being Dr. Pat Mahan is - and what a difference he's made in my
life."

(Pat Mahan)

The Baylor rep sat across the table from Dr. Patrick Mahan in his office in
the McBride Building.  "Well, Pat, those are the results from his testing.
I was a little surprised that the M.D. didn't feel that any drug
intervention was necessary, but he's the specialist.  Frankly, I thought he
evidenced some problems at the hearing.  It appears as if this young man is
smart, smooth, sexy, and healthy as a young stallion.  He's also naturally
manipulative, and you're going to have to watch that when he wants
something.  Better hit him hard at the beginning to get his attention and
let him know he's not going to get by with anything.  Right now, he's
completing a short conditioning program with Ayrs Patterson.  Ayrs told me
that he isn't taking him too far...just far enough to ensure instant
obedience to a direct command and weakening a few cultural hang-ups.  After
all," he smirked, "the American penchant for homophobia and the
particularly deep- seated notion that anything that feels good has to be
evil SHOULD be weakened!  He ought to be ready for placement in a week.  I
know you're just finishing up with Sam Porter.  Are you ready to take on
another case so soon?"

"Well, friend, this is an interesting case, one that I can't let go by.
It's exactly the kind of case that convinces the State that Baylor
Associates can rehabilitate even their most complicated juvenile cases.  I
only have one question.  You've mentioned that he's
 sexy', but you haven't mentioned any testing or anecdotal data on his
sexual orientation.  What's the word?"

"There isn't any, Pat, and I wouldn't begin to hazard a guess.  Clearly, he
doesn't stand at either endpoint of the male personality continuum.  He may
be a jock, but in almost no way is he at the macho, rough, insensitive
pole.  Nor does he tend towards the quieter, more withdrawing
intellectual-artistic pole.  Further, even if we did know where he stands
on the continuum, we wouldn't know much about his sexual orientation.  To
the extent that it's relevant to helping him get his life back together and
going forward again, you're the one who must help him discover the truth.
I will say this: If there is a sexual factor, I don't think it's the only
factor that's been chewing up his life.  For instance, he hasn't suddenly
discovered that he's gay and is fighting it.  There's something else going
on - and, frankly, I'm not sure what it is.  I do agree with many of the
people who wrote letters for him.  Underneath all that crap, there's a nice
human being.  This IS an interesting case'."

"One thing I appreciate about your work, John, is that you never ask more
of the data than they give you.  Let's see.  I think I can accept him next
Sunday evening at my place.  With Paul's help, I'll have his first two
placements ready to go.  Ok with you?"

The Baylor rep's agreement set the stage for the next chapter in our story.


To Be Continued