Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 12:46:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: T. Chase McPhee <survivalgame@yahoo.com>
Subject: "Adventures In Nature" 20

The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any
resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely
coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons,
in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is
staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you,
then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18
years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this
story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety
matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection.

%

"Adventures In Nature" 20
wriTten by T. Chase McPhee

%

"He looks mean," Seth said of Riley, as he, Diego, Philip, Aidan, Jeremy
and their fellow classmates paraded across the downtown section of van
Dusen Blvd, running north, the eleven year old's head keyed in on the cop
as they made their crossing, his chin tossed over his shoulder.

In his mind, Riley was thinking of Juan's comment about liking little
kids. Keeping up the professional facade, WRPD uniform, tin badge, police
cap, the dark glasses, Riley wondered what it would be like having a kid
like one the ones parading in front of his outstretched hands with purpose
to halt traffic.

"He's not really mean," Philip told Seth, whom walked with Aidan, in front
of he and Diego.

"Yeah, our dad knows him," Aidan filled in Seth.

"Your dad knows a cop? Wow! Must be cool!" Seth replied.

It's all Riley could do, keeping a straight, dignified, `police forced'
demeanor with overhearing the `kids-talk' as they processed in front of
him. For now, as the last kid passed in front of him, his job was done. The
directive from his captain was to only monitor the under-15 crowd. Others
could fend for themselves. The south side of van Dusen rerouted, saved him
from crossing three hundred kids all the way across the busy thoroughfare.

"So what do you do now?"

He knew the voice. Turning around, Riley replied so nobody but the two of
them could hear, "I wish it could be working your `versatile' ass?"

As Juan grinned, Riley followed.

Then, quite to Juan's surprise, maybe even a little of his own, Riley
blurts out, "Y'know maybe we should think about getting a kid."

"Um, is that a marriage proposal?" Juan detoured.  "Um, I'm only
nineteen. Do you think I can be a father?"

Taking it as Juan shooting him down on the idea, Riley says, "Forget it. I
was just thinking, but it doesn't matter. Um, look I'm on duty so I better
look like it."

All Juan could think of is what a fuck-up he was!

"Hey!" Somebody butted into Juan's back with their bod. "Where you been?"

"Oh hi guys," Juan replied, facing a bunch of the guys from the swimming
team.

"Coach is like pissed you dropped out," Matt Drijver told him.

"Yeah right. If my moneybags father didn't contribute more than my tuition
they would've kicked me out on my ass. Believe me, there's no hard feelings
between Coach and the fact I've been suspended from all sports activities,"
Juan told a different story.

Maybe there wasn't any hard feelings, but for Juan he was sensing something
entirely different as he checked out the unfamiliar face among his former
swim buds.

"His name is Ek Thorpe," Tim Hadani says, catching the eye contact with the
new swimmer.

"Nice to meet you," the broken English came from Ek's lips, a hand to also
encourage meeting the blond, cold-blue-eyed stud standing there with his
head above the other swimmers.

"Likewise," Juan replied, flashing his best smile, one he worked out the
one time he spent time in front of a mirror forever.

Jason Dobbs jokes, "You can forget him Juan. Ek is straight!"

Before Juan could suckerpunch Jason, Troy Kostellic intercedes with, "So
how you and your policeman getting along?"

The conversation switched to horses, Juan inviting them all out one day to
do some riding, swim in the lake. Wisecracking occured when Adam
Charbonneau mentions `rolling in the hay', a topic which diverted back to
Juan and his `police-stud' boyfriend. Quite by accident or possibly a
mental suggestion, Juan informs the team, "We're thinking of adopting a
kid." Splintering off, the guys made comments like, why adopt when you can
make one, hooking a man in only a week's time, crime `does' pay, and
others, all of which Juan shrugged off. When the guys left, Juan's
attention focused on one of the three cops present, his mind affixed on
Riley helping one of the boys plant a flower pot, the trowel full of dirt
flinging up over his uniform, brushing it off and `not' getting angry, but
laughing it off, letting the `culprit' slide. Standing up, Riley caught
Juan staring at him. He smiled back.

%

"It's nine o'clock on the dot. I'm going to find out about Denis. Maybe you
can find out something about Kev?"

In one way, Tom was concerned about Kev's welfare, but on the other hand
almost afraid to find out the damage done. A sigh of relief fell over him
when he and Tony exited the cafeteria, Tom literally running into Ethan.

"I'm sooooo glad you're here," Tom met Ethan with a hug.

"Nice," Tony said, realizing his error, correcting himself, "I mean `nice
to meet you'."

"Yeah. Nice to meet you too," Ethan replied, shaking Tony's hand as he
still held Tom in a hug. "And you are?"

Breaking up their bear hug, Tom fills Ethan in, "This is Tony
Gagliardi. He's the one who saved Kev's life."

Ethan's eyes were already on Tony the minute he and Tom made their exit. As
when Tony was checking out Tom, Ethan did the same with Tony. "Oh
well. Then this makes you one of the family, I reckon."

Tony accepted it as a friendly hug, until he felt Ethan's hands rub him up
and down his back, a kiss to the side of his neck. Blowing it off, he just
chocked it up to as Ethan being an affectionate guy.

Tom, his mind on Kev and the situation involving Tony says, "I don't know
how we're ever going to repay you."

"Forget about it," Tony replied, swatting it humbly aside.

However, Ethan was counting the ways he could make it up to the nineteen
year old beefy Italian swimmer.  At the nurse's station Ethan had to make
sure his crotch faced the underside of the desk, such was his yearnings to
`repay' Tony.

"Ethan? You coming?" Tom asked as he walked with an orderly, leaving Tony
at the desk.

"Um, sure," he replied. Fortunately Ethan carried along his jacket,
covering up his almost-tenting crotch.

 Watching Tom and Ethan walk away, from behind Tony came, "Hi there." When
Tony turned around the guy said, "Remember me?"

"Sure I do. Jim Collier. Right?"

"Jack," Jack set him straight. "And you're Tony, right?"

"Yup," Tony replied.

"Um, look. I know I acted like a jerk the last time we were... um I mean
when we went to my place," Jack said.

It was tough for Tony to forget Jack's invitation into his
homelife. Meeting his folks and checking out his gym layout was normal. But
when Jack and he got in the shower, Jack kneeling down, putting his hands
behind his back and asking Tony to piss on him, well he did have all the
rights to tear out of there and leave Jack on his knees. But then the words
came back at him of what Matt said to him, `Would it have been so terrible
to piss on the guy?'

Jack almost laughed out loud when Tony said, "If you want to, I'll piss on
you sometime."

"No. You don't have to piss on me. Kinky stuff doesn't like rule my life. I
can have a good time rolling in the sheets, too."

"Yeah, okay," Tony replied, but the strange thing, he also had a sense of
disappointment.

"So, can I help you with something?"

"Denis Clark. I came to see him, but can't get much satisfaction in finding
his room," Tony replied.

Ushering Tony over to the side, Jack spelled out to him, "Denis isn't
here."

"Isn't here? But his folder...."

Realizing Tony had been snooping over the counter, Jack says, "I won't tell
anybody as long as you have dinner with me tonight?"

Smiling, Tony replied, "Deal."

"Cool. Well late last night an ambulance took Denis to the Northern Pacific
Experience Nature facility."

"The `what'?"

"C'mon," he cowered Tony under the arch of his arm, "I've got a few
minutes."

As they downed cups of coffee and donuts, Jack summed it up, "It is
designed to equip individuals with the tools they need to achieve wellness,
to be able to return home after treatment and begin coping with challenges
of everyday living situations."

"Wow, you sound like you're really into this stuff," Tony said, kind of
amazed at Jack rattling off all the facts.

"I better be. I'm doing my graduate studies in psychology. Who
knows. Someday I might be working at Northern Pacific."

"Really?" Then, leaning over the table, Tony asks, "Will it be part of
therapy having guys piss on you?"

Sitting back, Jack smiled. He sensed something so spoke his mind in a cocky
manner, "After dinner at my place tonight, you could have your chance?"

In a thoughtful repose, Tony replied, "Dinner huh?"

"Yeah," Jack replied, adding, "Wine for you... lemonade for me?"

Mulling over the suggestion for a short interval, Tony responded, "Hmm." As
with the thoughts of possibilities, again reflecting on his bud, Matt
Drijver's advice, he gave in to allowing his tingling loins to make up his
decision. "You're on. Now fill me in on this Pacific place?"

It drew a smile on Jack's lips, his whole face showing excitement of
winning Tony over to his kinky desires. Even though Tony wasn't as firmed
up in the shower the day he `turned him off', Jack had an inkling the
changed attitude would harden up Tony's fucking tool. After writing out the
exact name and location, Jack hands the info to the him with a strong
suggestion, "Spend the night?"

"Depends on how good a cocksucker you are!" Tony said as he folded the
paper into a neat box and stuck it in his pocket tee.

"You're spending the night!"

%

As the morning wore on the kids got worn out, the crowd of three hundred
dwindling to about fifteen by noontime. Gone were the photographers along
with a lot of the hype. In front of Birdy's Restaurant Michael and Dean,
the baker from next door, began cleaning up tables. Their collaboration
offered free drinks and tidbits of baked goods to folks attending the
event.

"Great turnout, I'd say," Dean mentions to Michael.

"Tremendous. H'orderves outside, but inside they kept my crew as busy as
hell!" Michael said of the freebies outside and the paying customers
indoors.

"I agree. They kept Nicholas and Scott busy at the counter all
morning. Good thing Nicholas showed up super early to do some baking in
anticipation."

"Um, Scott. Do I know him?" Michael asked, sketchy on the face details.

"Scott Cutler. He's a freshman at the community college. On the swim team?"
Bypassing Michael's ill recognition, "I kind of felt sorry for
him. Originally I told him we're new to town, but when he said he's tried
every place else in town, I kind of caved in. I mean, a long time ago I was
in his situtation."

"Haven't we all been there?"

"I don't know. I thought you always ran a successful business, Michael."

Wiping the tables down, Michael educates him, "Oh the early years. Nothing
but struggle. First year I was in business we had a fire..."

"Your place?"

"My cafe, the cleaners, your place which at the time was a pet shop, the
whole row of stores on this side of town. Almost caught fire to Donovon's."

"Donovon's?" Dean questions.

"Yeah. Mr. Donovon was something. A model for generosity. He used to give
more ice cream pops away to any kid who stepped into his store. I think he
gave away more than he sold!"

"So what happened to him?"

Continuing the story, Michael says, "Had a heart attack. The store was left
to his family back east. They were in a hurry to sell. Bernice Bridges got
wind of it and bought it up. Her son Matty and his partner, Chad Barr, took
over. Changed the name to Barr & Bridges."

Dean followed the story, enjoying the history but also smiling because the
cute manner in which Michael told it.

"Last year they sold half of the business to the Letterli brothers. When
the store flooded, it was zoned to be torn down. That's when Chad mentioned
to his partner they ought to search for a larger location. Of course it was
a dropped hint on Chad's part, Matty already being in the real estate
business."

Paying attention with interest, when Michael's focus was swept away by a
noise in the street or a passerby saluting him with a `hello', Dean didn't
fight the feeling to check a part of his conversationalist's body
structure.

"By the time the city got around to condemning the structure, they already
had bought the old shoe factory. And the rest is history, as you
know. However, I hear through the grapevine Mr. Pinque's was interested in
purchasing the old Donovon lot."

"Mr. Pinks?" Dean questioned.

"Gay club. The whole place was ruined by the mud flow. Talking to the guys
who own it, it was due for an upgrade anyway, so no biggie in the switch of
locations."

All cleaned up, Dean took the last of his supplies back inside the bakery,
thanking Michael for sharing the event with him.

Going about his business, whistling a tune, Michael smiled knowing Dean had
been checking him out, until interrupted by, "Need a hand with the tables?"

No sooner had Dean made exit, Nicholas Achille stood there towering over
Michael until he stood up. He didn't know where it came from, but totally
off subject he said to Nicholas' face, "Yeah, you can start by leaving
Kevin alone if you catch my drift!"

Nicholas stood there, lost for words.

In his silence, Michael hit the twenty-six year old with, "Don't act so
innocent. I know what has been going on. You're not fooling me one bit."

"But..."

"Let me put it this way... does Dean know you flirt behind his back?"

"In Europe we..."

"I don't give a damn what you do in your country. This here is the United
States and we don't cater to others cutting in on our man. You better watch
your step is all I can say."

In the process of folding up a table, Michael gave one of the legs a
kick. When Nicholas went to help with the banquet table, Michael flat out
refused, "I got it."  Letting the table drop to its side, he grabbed a
second one leaning against the building and entered the door to the
restaurant.

"Anything wrong?" Clif Luq, Birdy's twenty year old chef inquires, seeing
Michael in a heated state.

"No. Nothing I can't handle."

Putting some finishing touches on a dessert Clif asks, "It's that Nicholas
fellow, isn't it?"

"So I'm not the only one who takes notice?"

Placing the two tables back in storage, Clif stands at the food locker
door, lending assistance. "Kevin is not the only one he's been making
passes at. Tell you the truth, I was chopping up some parsely the other day
and.... well if he came any closer I would have had to defend myself!"

"He was here? Back here in `our' kitchen?" Michael asked, noticably pissed.

"Um, yeah. He..." Clif hardly had the time to reply, as Michael shot out
the door.

Hearing the unfamiliar guy shout out, "Who's next?" Michael bucked the line
ahead of three bakery patrons to ask, "Where's Dean?"

"We ran out of flour. He ran over to Barr's & Bridges. Nicholas is in the
back if....." Scott's eyes watched Michael bolt out the front door.
Following the sidewalk, Michael stepped back inside his
restaurant. "Thomas?"

"What's up?" the thirty-seven year old moonlighting fireman asked.

"You're in charge," he handed over the keys to whatever needed to be locked
or unlocked.

"Me?"

"Yeah. I'll be back in an hour. I need you to handle things. Can you do
it?"

Michael didn't wait for a reply. With Christian off to China for who knows
how long, it left Michael in a bind. But he had a gut feeling Thomas could
run the ship even though he hadn't any prior restaurant experience.

"What's up with Michael?" Marta Sanchez, Riley's eighteen year old niece
asked.

"I don't know, but he's sure pissed about something," Thomas replied as the
two watched Michael make an illegal turn on van Dusen Blvd.

"Let's hope Uncle Riley isn't watching!" Marta joked. "Hey, I gotta get in
these orders." She whisked away to the kitchen, pad in hand.

"What's with Mikey?" Jim Faulkner, decked out in white shirt, black pants,
a black bowtie completing his waitering outfit.

"Don't know. He stuck the keys in my hand and lit out. Must've been
something important. He tore right through traffic, making a u-turn right
in the middle of the boulevard," Thomas said, still his mind outside.

It was kind of noisy in the restaurant, but with nobody near the door, Jim
felt a little hushed when he asked, "By the way, if you want to, my
boyfriend and I are having a get together after work tonight if you want to
drop by?"

"Tonight you say?" Thomas Tallis, standing there at six feet, three inches
tall, the thirty-seven year old could have been mistaken for a lumberjack.

"Yeah. Starts around ten," Jim replied.

"I don't know. Who knows how long Michael will be gone?" Thomas
replied. Deep down inside he ached to attend one of Jim's parties after
Jim's description of ordinary and kinky goings on.

"We don't have any time restrictions. It could go on all night, so make it
when you can."

Turning to Jim, Thomas had a sly grin as he said, "Save me a hot boy?"

"Don't forget your candles and condoms!" Jim replied, getting back to work
when he glanced over and saw someone from a table he was covering, signal
him.

"Two," came from over Thomas' shoulder.

Turning around, Thomas stood silent a moment, taking in the sight of one of
the two college guys, holding up two fingers. But it wasn't him who held
Thomas' interest.

Looking around, the same guy said in Thomas' silence, "You do have a table
for two?

Shifting his head around, Thomas spotted the empty round table, the guy's
eye pointing the way. In seconds he was seating them. Before the other guy
sat, he took off his jacket. Right away Thomas noticed the little wavy pin,
the pride colors lined up across it.

"Nice pin," Thomas said, leaving the nineteen year old college stud to
respond.

"Thanks."

It was all that was given, so Thomas set two menus on the table then
hastily rushed off to inform Jim he had another table to wait.

"Cute, wouldn't you say?"

"Ya think?" Matt returned, his eyes following Thomas' ass all the way back
across the restaurant.

"Just remember I saw him first!"

"You have your friend Maury to play with Evan," Matt responded, his
attention now bobbing between his college bud and Thomas.

"Maury's okay but I bet he," meaning the maitre'd, "would look real hot
decked out in a harness and chaps. Wouldn't take anything at all for me to
get down and lick off his Doc Martens."

In Matt Drijver's mind he was thinking of licking above the knees.

"Hey Evan, what's up? Haven't seen you around lately," Jim greeted his next
table of customers.

Instead of rightly greeting Jim in return, Evan states, "Lucky him and his
partner, they get to live with `Master Maury'!" Then realizing the two
haven't met, "Jim, this is Matt Drijver. He's on owr illustrious swim
team."

"Cool," Jim replied. Seeing the gay pride pin he felt comfortable saying to
Matt, "There's a lot of hot guys on the team."

"Me included?" Matt joked around.

However Evan answered for Jim, reflecting the type of humor they enjoyed,
"I'm sure Jim wouldn't mind doing you, would you Jim?"

"Y'know Evan, sometimes you can be a real asshole?" Returning to his waiter
duties, Jim says, "Be right back with your water."

"Are you guys this kind to each other all the time?" Matt questioned his
college bud.

"I'm sure Jim will let this get back to Maury. Should be a hot session for
me next time," Evan Colfax replied, waiting for some reaction from Matt.

"I think I'm missing something here," he said.

"Say, I got an idea. Maury invited me to a party tonight. Why don't you
come along?" Evan asked excitedly.

"Party, huh?" Matt questioned as he sat back in his chair.

"Yeah. Things could get real interesting, if you have any kind of
imagination."

Basically, Matt had shown an interest in being submissive when Evan
mentioned it to him.

"Is it going to be all that whips and chains stuff you mentioned?" Matt
asked as he leaned in for a more private audience.

"Anything you want it to be." This time it was Evan who leaned out as Matt
thought things over. It's also then he noticed something. Leaning in, he
informed Matt, "Oh by the way, don't look now but you're being checked
out."

Curiously, Matt turns his head around from chin to shoulder. He should have
adhered to Evan's suggestion.

"Oh shit!" He replied when his eyes met up with his secret admirer, the
same dude who inquired of his gay pride pin.

He wasn't the only one, Thomas quickly feigning off staring at Matt.

"He already knows you're gay from your little `faggot society' pin," Evan
says, his eyes scanning for anymore of Thomas' flirtatious stares.

"Yeah well, it doesn't mean he's gay too," Matt made excuse.

"Really? You don't think he knew what your pin is all about?"

"He could have thought it was something else."

"Yeah right, Matt."

"Besides. I'm not into older guys," Matt continues looking at his menu,
blocking his view to Evan.

"Betchas he's got big balls!"

Looking from side to side, Matt scolds, "Will keep your fuckin' voice
down?"

"I won't say another word." But Evan wasn't at his last word yet. "I bet
you would have a tasty meal. Betcha his balls are loaded with a hot juicy
creme."

Matt wouldn't admit it but his mouth did feel dry as a desert. When Jim
brought the water, Matt gulped half his glass down.

"Ready to order guys?"

"Yeah," Evan replied, an evil plot on the tip of his tongue. "I'll have a
cheeseburger and Matt will have your matre'd!"

"Evan, you know you're a stoopid fuckin' idiot?" Matt softly reprimanded
him.

In all seriousness, Jim replies, "Then why don't you bring him along to the
party tonight? Thomas will be there."

"Thomas?" Matt asked, his eyes trying to search the immediate area around
them.

On the sly, Evan strongly suggests, "Oh but it would have to be `Master
Thomas' for Matt here!"

Still in a serious demeanor, putting the finishing touches on Evan's order,
Jim directs to Matt, highly suggestive, "I think you and Thomas could have
a good time. That is if you are into it."

Matt ordered the same, without the cheese. Both topped it off with a coupla
Cokes.

"So, you up for it?" Evan badgered, but sure Matt was more than slightly
interested.

"I'll think about it," Matt replied, his mind not really sure but his
pulsing cock pushing him to say `yes'.

%

"Anybody for some lunch?"

"We're starved!" Aidan called out, Philip running for his spot at the
table. Good thing Mark and Jose were off to somewhere, as was the case of
Tom, his girlfriend Penny and Eric.

"Gather round guys," Max said, a bowl of potato chips in one hand, a dish
of salsa in the other.

Philip played host, directing Diego to sit next to him, Seth next to Aidan
and Jeremy between the two.

"So how many do we have for hot dogs and who wants a hamburger?"

Aidan led the gang with, "A dog for me."

"Hamburger!" Diego called out, raising his hand as if in school.

"Hot dog... two, if ya got enough?" Seth ordered up.

"I'll have one and a burger," Jeremy followed.

"And what'll you have Philip?" Max questioned, hoping he got everything
straight.

"Hmm..." I'll have the same as Seth.

"Oooookay," he said, but hoped he tallied things right when it was time to
bring the food out.

"It looks like you've got your hands full, Max?" Chad asks.

"I could use another?"

"Hmmmm," Chad replied, a smile saying a silent, sexual connotation to Max.

"Um, don't suppose you know how to use one of these?" He present Chad with
a turner.

"Sure. Turn around. I'll flatten down your buns with it!"

"Flirtin' with the chef, Preppy?" Taking the turner from Max, Matty slapped
it up against Chad's stomach, saying, "You better get out there and
entertain the troops. They're getting a little rowdy!"

Taking the soda bottle from Max, Chad says, "I'll handle this." With two
liters of soda in one arm, Chad's free hand stacked five glasses as he made
exit.

"So," Matty stirred up conversation, "what's Berk been up to?"

Max, following Matty out to the deck with a tray of burgers and hot dogs,
he responds, "Busy guy. You did hear he's got a full time position as
manager of Barberio's Landscaping?"

"Barberio's Landscaping? Not Sal Barberio, from the town hardware store?"
Matty questions as he arranges hot dogs, Max drops onto the grill.

"Strange how disaster can bring on a new flourish of business," Max
states. "With all the development, Sal thought it an opportunity take set
up the first business of this kind. Unfortunately for `us'," meaning their
relationship, "Berk has been swamped by work." Then, joking, "Some nights
he comes home so tired, it's shower and to bed. Like I got to jerk myself
off half the time `thinking' of getting a hot fuck."

"You keep talking like that and I'm gonna have to excuse myself to the
little boy's room!"

"Sorry to be so graphic, but...." Max trails off.

Changing the subject, Matty says, "Well it's funny I haven't heard about
Sal setting up the landscaping part of his business from my mom."

"Got anymore soda?" Chad asks, standing there with two empties.

"No more in the fridge?" Max questions him.

"Like, zilch?" Chad tells.

"I guess I can whip up some ice tea," Max suggests.

However, he runs right into Chad's bod, as he blocks the doorway. "No
sweat. I don't need a cookbook to tell me how to boil water!"

Turning to Matty, Max asks, "Should I trust him on this one?"

"Believe me, Max. There are few things Chad can do in the kitchen and one
thing is make a good glass of ice tea."

Max gives the go ahead, "The tea is in the cupboard above the stove."

"Cool," Chad says as he twirls around and leaves.

Picking up on the landscaping subject, Matty leads off in a slightly
deviated course, "I bet there's a lot high school or college boys looking
for summer jobs, huh?"

"You're wired today, huh Matty?"

Standing accused, Matty again used the burger-turner to set the record
straight, "For your information I wasn't even thinking what you're thinking
what I thought I was thinking. Matter of fact, if you were thinking I
thought `that' then I guess we know where your mind is!"

Shaking his head as if to clear it, Max responds, "Um, want to run that by
me again, Matty?"

"You know what I mean."

It took only a few steps to stand next to Matty. Placing his arm on his
shoulder, Max asks, "How's the dogs? Done yet?"

"Almost," Matty said, a smirk on his face as he turned his head, Max's
stubble smack in his face.

"What was that for?" Max said of the quick smooch.

"I love you any... even if your mind is on boys all the time!"

"Me?" Max slapped his own chest with his hand.

Time for confession, Matty renders, "Okay. So yeah... I `was' thinking of
something more when I mentioned Berk working with some hot barechested
boys."

"Aha!" Max was quick to judge. "I knew it!"

"Don't for a moment try to hide you thought the same thing when Berk broke
the news to you."

Instead, Max escaped interrogation by holding the platter while Matty fed
the hamburgers and hot dogs to it.

"What took you guys?" Jeremy asks when the two chefs walk in the room.

"Where's your dad?" Max asks, instead of answering the `other' question.

"He went out to get more soda," Diego told them.

"I wonder what happened to the ice tea?" Max mentions to Matty.

Overhearing, Aidan says, "We don't like ice tea!"

The crowd of squirts responded with like opinions, not minding they had to
put Chad out to fetch some more.

"What do you think you're going to drink til he gets back?" Matty asked.

Utilizing the improper word, instead of saliva, Philip says, "We can use
our own spit!"

The two shook heads at one another as Max matched up buns while Matty
handed out the dogs and burgers.

%

Copyright 2008 T. Chase McPhee

This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior
consent from the author.