Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 23:47:24 -0600
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Photo 19

Photo
by:  dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)


19  On the Road part 3

Ronnie and Margaret had a long series of telephone interviews with the
burger company and the control manufacturer.  It turned out that the burger
outfit purchased all its cooking controls from the control manufacturer.
The burger people were suggesting that they would cancel the contract if
this matter went to litigation.  They would not confirm this in the
interviews but Rupert said he had solid evidence of this pressure.

The story was even more convoluted.  A rival firm had been trying to
purchase the little Milwaukee based control company but had been rebuffed.
It turned out several of the executives of the burger outfit had recently,
in the past year or so, purchased a large number of shares in the rival.
The advertising company that represented the burger boys would not comment
but I sure did.  Margaret managed to tone down my comments to something
resembling politely bemused.

The story had now been filed and it was up to the paper editors exactly
when it would run.  Some time in the next few days was my guess, if Martha
Stewart, ENRON or the situation in Iraq were quiet .  The burger boy's PR
department was strangely silent and did not seem to know anything about
this.  Rupert had hired on the best PR firm in New York to act on behalf of
the control company.  Press release wordings were flying over the internet
between Chicago, New York and Milwaukee until everyone was satisfied; all
that needed to be done was add the date.

"I think this will be the 'coup de gras", Rupert was saying.

"But can they afford to make such as an offer?"

"Sure, with the kind of backing I've arranged they can.  Besides they are
offering to purchase 27% or control of the rival control company at half
the current market value."

"But will anyone take them seriously?"

"Oh sure they will but few will sell in the short term, at that kind of
discount.  In fact when people see the declared dividend and profit
projections for the next quarter my client's share price will appreciate by
25%.  The rival's value will also shrink when the conflict of interest
between the burger boys is made public and the burger shares will take one
hell of a hit."

"Rupert, I don't mean to question your experience in these things but if
Mad Cow in Canada didn't badly damage the burger boys share price, why will
a squabble and litigation hurt them?"

"I happen to know that a substantial number of their shares are owned by
several privet investment funds and those fund managers are more concerned
with ethical investments then pure profit.  Within 10 minutes of our press
release hitting their electronic desk's 2.5% of the burger boys stock will
be on the block that should get the Shorters going.

"But aren't they one of our sponsors, what it they withdraw when they see
Veronica and Margaret's byline on the story," Bob signed.

"Let them, our PR people and Stuhec would have a field day with that one
and their computers would be breaking down the Foundation's door to sub in,
Right Margaret?"  She did not need to answer the way these ladies were
rubbing their hands together, said it all.

It was several days later when the shit hit the fan.  As the story hit the
papers and electronic news, it unfolded just as Rupert had predicted.  I
had a number of still photos published, again for stringer fees, and
Veronica and Margaret had three articles syndicated.  By that Friday,
Rupert figured the burger boys would be willing to settle.  He was right
again, we assembled that morning at the Adonis family's apartment in
preparation for a long weekend in south central Wisconsin, something Rupert
had arranged.  Our road show had been to Milwaukee, Madison, Springfield,
Iowa City, St. Louis and whole lot of other places.  We were moving on to
Calgary and the East coast after our mini vacation.

Jason, Trevor and Drew met us at the door, scooping up the kids and
smothering them with hugs and kisses.  Shelley clung to Trevor for the
first hour she was so delighted to see him again.  Jonas gravitated to
Drew.  They are much closer in age and Drew was determined to learn ASL.

"Are you going to call the burger boy's CEO, Rupert?"

"No, Jason, I think he should swallow his pride and call me.  I know he
just hates that, he thinks he should only be talking to another CEO, not
some legal mouth piece.  It will give me an advantage."

"How do you know he will call at all," Brad asked?

"Charles Tell knows that if we can't make some kind of announcement late
today, after the market closes; and if things go unresolved until Monday
morning, his stock will take another big hit.  The editorial writers will
have his hide in the Sunday editions demanding his resignation and the
Margaret and Veronica team will have another damaging article on the
Journal's front page.  I already told his legal people what I want, he will
have some difficulty eating crow but should be able to live with it."

"Uncle Rupert, is Mr. Tell really going to eat a crow?"  Rupert chucked a
bit

"No sweetie, to eat crow is an expression or aphorism indicating that
person must do something distasteful and perhaps damaging to his personal
pride.  Another expression that means something similar is 'eat humble
pie'."

Rupert pulled a large white board into the room and put a number of points
on it: 1. Unequivocal public apology to Apollo and the control manufacture.
2.  Those responsible for these unauthorized actions, statements and
unethical behavior are terminated forthwith.  3.  The control manufacture
will have an immediate three year extension of their contract and they will
sever all business relations with the rival control company for that
period.  4. Brad, Linda and the kids will be featured in and paid for
several commercials, Apollo, Bob, Veronica and Margaret will write,
photograph and along with their advertising department produce them. (His
word on this, not part of the public announcement.)  5. We will withdraw
our legal actions and they will pay my firm's, including the PR guy's,
fees.

"Rupert you drive a very hard bargain."

"Charles, Jason Adonis here, I think he went quite light, had they ask me I
would have been far harsher on your minions.  Just take a page from my
Amsterdam book and you can turn this into a PR success."

"You are absolutely correct about that, Jason.  Is Apollo in the room?"

"Yes sir, in fact we are all here including the children however, Margaret
and Veronica have taken off their journalist hats."

"While Rupert reads the fine print, that's what lawyers do, we can chat a
bit.  I have my executive committee and legal council on this end.  I guess
we have an electronic party going on.  Ladies I do want to say your
reporting was accurate, well written and fair.  Anyway Apollo, I want to
relay a personal apology.  Our bad boys admitted they had not checked their
facts and your name being dragged into this mess was quite unintentional,
and I hope you don't harbor any hard feelings toward them, me or the
company."

"No hard feelings sir, if the consequences for your 'bad boys' and
corporate reputation were not so severe the copyright part would be quite
humorous.  I guess it will make a solid example in future executive
training seminars."

"No doubt, how do the kids feel about doing commercials for us?"

"We think it is great, Jonas and I really like your burgers, will Ronald be
in our commercials, we can teach him ASL? Jonas figures that if he is
signing to us with the words captioned than parents would read it for
little kids."

"Well Shelley I don't usually get to involved in the details of things at
this level."

"Uncle Jason, told Shelley and me that if executives spent more time on
details and less time on grand schemes, their companies would run better,
Sir."

"Jason is absolutely correct son, I'll be sure to tell our advertising
department about your idea.  Jason, I think we had both better watch our
jobs with this kind of talent coming up."

"Chuck, this is 99%, I made a few grammar suggestions, we have a deal."

"I'll put out a press release at 4:30 central daylight time.  What are you
up to this weekend?"

"I taking the whole lot and Liz to Wisconsin Dells and Baraboo for a few
days."

"That sounds like lots of fun, I had my grandchildren at the Circus World
Museum last summer they loved it.  Don't forget we have franchises in both
cities."  He hung up.

I thought the whole thing went exceedingly well.  Jason and Trevor returned
to Calgary and we took the train from Chicago to Wisconsin Dells.  Drew
rode with us to Racine, getting off to see his girlfriend.  Trevor had my
little surprise for Jason tucked under his arm.  Our mystery man was last
seen at Union Station, some how he managed to find out about our departure.
This was just a bit unnerving.  He did not get on the train, that I could
see and definitely did not get off at the Dells.

The last time Brad and I passed through this part of Wisconsin it was
nothing but blowing snow and whiteness.  In the early summer things were
quite different.  Green, dark blue water, corn fields, mixed forests, blue
sky with lazy cotton balls and tourist facilities, lots and lots of them.
That is what we were treated to once we headed west from Milwaukee anyway.

Amtrak runs on the old Milwaukee Road right-of-way from Chicago's Union
Station through Glenview, Racine to Milwaukee and on to Minneapolis and
St. Paul.  The train is called the Empire Builder which was the name of the
crack Great Northern Passenger train of the past.  From the Twin Cities
west Amtrak runs on the old Great Northern right-of-way.  We boarded the
modern Empire Builder just before 2 pm.  Except for myself, Rupert and
Mrs. Waltham (Liz) none of my traveling companions had ever been on a
transcontinental train before.  We are all to young to have ever been
pulled by steam or to even remember passenger trains that were around
before Amtrak.  I've been on steam trains at museums and restoration
societies.  One of my favorite adventures was taking pictures of the live
steam pulling the tourist trains out of Durango Colorado.  That's another
story and a totally different set of adventures.

Rupert explained about the old ways, promising to take the kids, all of us
kids, on a live steam ride later during the week.  I don't quite know what
it is about trains, especially steam trains but they seem to hold a
fascination for almost everyone.  I noticed a considerable difference
between the old jointed rail road beds and the modern unit rails.  The
rhythm of the wheels crossing those frequent joints is just not the same on
the unit rails.  The modern cars are nothing like the old style either.
Many of the old cars displayed an opulence just not seen today on the other
had today's cars have more room and I believe a smoother ride.  The thrill
of embarking on a long or even short train journey was visible in all of
us.  I think I miss that rhythm.  When ever I hear it my mind drifts back
to the little short story by Mark Twain called, well I'm not sure but the
punch line goes "Punch Brothers, Punch, Punch the ticked of the
Pass-en-geer."

Jonas and I took pictures out the window and of our companions.  Every once
in a while Jonas would pull out his new sketch pad and do some drawing.  He
was reluctant to show any of us what he was sketching.  Veronica and
Margaret were working on their laptops, Brad and Linda were engaged with
Shelley, Bob was orienting our new PPI staff when my cell phone rang.

Damn, I thought why didn't I turn this foolish thing off.  My mind had been
wondering and I was lost in the green landscape and black and white cows of
south eastern Wisconsin.  I had been looking at the glacial land forms as
we were passing though the terminal moraine with its kettles, kames and
drumlins.  I was wishing Plato were here to explain the land forms.  This
annoying noise was bringing me back into reality, I was reluctant to
return.  I wanted to be in the mountains again, I wanted to be making my
wildlife and land form art, I wanted to be sleeping in my tent, hiking and
free.

..............

Rupert's granddaughter Alexandria and her friend Judy were the drivers that
picked us up at the Wisconsin Dells station.  These were lovely young
ladies in the 17 to 18 age bracket.  We settled quickly into our rooms.
Alexandria and Judy work at a large motel complex.  Alexandria's husband
Alex and Judy's husband Sam also work at the motel, which is managed by
Sam's brother Fred and sister Sara.  Our kids, that's all of us, were
thrilled to see the large pool complex and expansive lawns in fact we
hardly managed to get out cases opened before everyone hit the water,
including the PPI staff.  Sam and Alex came over and introduced themselves.
These were two very handsome young men both competitive swimmers from their
looks.  Their upper bodies displayed powerful shoulders and arms.  In no
time at all they had Jonas and Shelley chasing them around the large pool
and diving in.  (Yes, these are the characters from my story Delta Cubed.)

A message broke over the PA system requesting our party and the staff to
report to the office.  We rinsed the pool water off and still in our
bathing suits headed for the office.  Crossing the parking lot I could hear
the voice of an angel, with piano accompaniment, giving a credible go at
Felix Menedelsshn's Mighty Oratorio followed by Schubert's Serenade.

Entering the office a boy about 11 or 12 came out singing the popular theme
song from the movie Titanic, this time without the piano.  Alexandria
followed him.  His voice was like magic and you could see from the look on
his face he just loved to sing.

"High, my name is Wilson, I'm the little brother," he said extending his
hand.

"I'm Apollo," taking his hand, "Your voice is absolutely wonderful."

"Thanks Apollo, I'll sing more later, at the BBQ.  Those kids are deaf, how
do I sign my name?"

I showed him how to finger spell his name once, and he had it down pat.
When the kids came in he introduced himself, signing his name.  The kids
responded with a barrage of ASL.  Wilson just seemed to understand and
taking them by the hands lead Jonas and Shelley through the office into the
living quarters and out to the patio.  I was flabbergasted.

"Not only can Wilson sing but he picks up languages like most people pick
flowers.  Within a few days he will be signing like a pro," Alexandria
said.  "He learns music just a fast, run through a song once and he knows
almost all the notes and words."

I was taken aback but this display of pure creative genius and talent.  It
is to bad the kids could not enjoy his music, I thought.  Little did I know
that those three would find a way to share their talents.  Later that night
I came into the family room to find Jonas and Shelley laying on the grand
piano with Wilson pounding the keys on the left side.  The kids were
feeling the vibrations by pressing their cheeks against the polished wood.
I quickly took lots of pictures of this as no one would believe me
otherwise.  Later as Wilson sang some popular ballads, first Shelley and
then Jonas, would touch his throat to feel the vibrations of his angel like
voice.  Those three became fast friends and absolutely inseparable for the
next week.  Alexandria was right, Wilson learned to sign within hours.  One
of us would teach him phrases and words by showing him once or twice that
is all it took.  Soon he was signing the words as he sang the songs, the
english ones anyway.

The next morning I was sitting on the patio drinking my coffee as Jonas
sketched.  I think he was sketching me but I was not sure.  Judy came in
with a fresh pot of coffee and noticing Jonas she came up behind him and
observed his efforts.  When Jonas became aware of her presents he looked up
and smiled holding up his pad for her.  She took the pad and bending over
took the pencil and made a few marks on it.  Jonas smiled and nodded his
head in thanks and continued.  I was quite blown away he had never shown us
his work why would he show it to a stranger?

"You must have some kind of magic Judy."

"I don't know about that, I'm an art major at the University of Wisconsin,
Madison."

"How did he know that?"

"I told him, Wilson piped in, entering the patio.  "I told him Judy would
be glad to give him tips and pointers."  Well I guess that answered my
question.

Shelley came running in, more precisely out.  "Look Apollo, Sam gave me a
Trilobite fossil," she signed.  I examined the specimen it was Ordovician
from southern Wisconsin, "a Calamine and a Flexacalaminie," two specimens
on one piece of yellowish-tan limestone rock, I signed for her.  She look
very disappointed that I knew the fossils and that I had not given her a
chance to surprise me.  "Remember my dad is a geology professor little
one," I signed and smiled.  "I'm sorry I should have given you a chance."

"That's OK," she smiled and her face brightened up as she went to show
Jonas.

"Well you sure made her day Sam, thank you."

"Oh, no need to thank me, it is always a pleasure to stimulate interest in
the kids.  Shelley told me how much she enjoyed the Field and Sue, I think
she gets off on the sciences."

"I didn't know you knew ASL?"

"Oh, I don't, Brad and Linda did the translating."

"Speaking of Brad and Linda."

"They are all in the office with Fred and Sara exchanging ideas on
bookkeeping and management stuff.  I hope you are enjoying your stay so
far?"

"Oh yes, very nice, I do have one or two requests however.  My dad wants me
to take some pictures of the Trempliau Formation and the Baraboo Quartzite
at Rock Springs and some place called Parfrey's Glen, I have a list"

"Well you came to the right man for that.  Is your dad Dr. Plato Bidis?  I
have read several of his papers, geology is my major"

"Yes he is and I guess geology and biology are my minors, my mom teaches
biology."

"How did you escape the science bug?"

"Don't know, never really escaped it just was more interested in art than
science I guess."

"I'll set you up for a trip on the river right away, while the light is
still good.  You can get lots of good Trempleau shots and we will swing by
Rock Springs on our way back from the Circus World Museum, Parfery's Glenn,
Devils Lake and the International Crane Foundation.  No, we better do Rock
Springs on the way to North Freedom, Rupert wants you to get a steam train
ride their but only after you ride the "The Riverside and Great Northern"
here in the Dells.  The engineer that built it was a friend of his."

"Can Judy give Jonas a gift, if I get some more rocks and fossils for
Shelley?"

"I don't want you guys to go to any trouble, but sure."

"Oh, it's no trouble, Judy wants to set Jonas up with some pastels,
charcoals, paints and stuff like that.  Rupert told her that professor
Parks had given Jonas that sketch book and since he likes it so much she
thought expanding his media and a few pointers on how to use the stuff
would be good."

"That would be very kind but let me contribute some money, this stuff is
expensive and she, well you both are students, students are poor as I
remember."

"No way man, the way he burns up printer paper making prints from his
camera must cost you a lot as it is.  Judy wants to do it, she is the
visual art member of this family so let her.  Besides we both have lots of
resources.  She told me the kid is good, given he is only ten, very good."

"Ya, ten going on twelve or more.  He does seem to have talent but that
Wilson is something else isn't he?"

"Oh yes, he sure is.  He was like Jonas at 8, well not like Jonas a lot
more shy but he liked to sing.  He will be making his first recording this
summer in Banff, Alexandria's mother is giving violin master classes at the
Banff school and Wilson will be taking some special voice classes at that
time, in July."

"Shit man, we will be in Calgary for the Stampede, that's in July."

"I guess we will get together again."

"It's a date," I said, as our hands grasped in a firm shake which neither
of us were overly willing to let go.

"A date for sure, and only two weeks away."

"By the way my dad and Dr. Derek Smyth will be with us in Calgary and Banff
if you can get away from other stuff I'm sure they would like nothing
better then explaining the geology to both of us."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world.  Hey man I'll gladly carry your cameras.
Do you know Dr. Smyth?"

"Oh, ya since I was a little kid.  He and my dad were in grad school at
Northwestern and I just did a photo assignment for him along with two of
his sons and one of his daughters."

"I'm looking forward to his book on the Cascades it is supposed to have a
real good volcanology section."

"That was the project, I can't speak for Derek's and dad's writing but my
photographs are real good, not to brag to much."

"Now I know I got to cary your camera, that is if Brad doesn't mind."

"Why would Brad mind?"  He looked at me and hesitated.

"You and Brad are like Alex and I."

"We are?  How did you determine that, what ever that is."  Sam sat down
next to me.

"Alex and I have been lovers for years I know two bisexual lovers when I
see them.  I figure Bob and Jonas are involved too, just like Wilson is
with Alex and I."  I quickly explained the situation to him as I understood
it.  That's when he told me he thought Drew Henderson was Jason's boy.  I
had only just met Drew and did not know him all that well yet, so could not
comment.  He just patted my knee saying "If I identified you and Brad as
lovers, I'll bet Wilson has pegged Jonas as `your boy', and when the `boy's
men' are away, the boys will play.  We will all have a very interesting
time in Canada, a very interesting time, in fact we will all have an
interesting time here in the Dells.  Now you better get your stuff
collected and round up Jonas for your river trip."

Later that evening Sam and I were the last two in the pool.  I helped him
shut the place down.  Any questions I might have had about what he meant by
an `interesting time' were quickly answered.

We entered the stall and began our shower, washing each other's bodies.  I
did Sam first, making sure that I tenderly cleaned up his ass and back.  I
loved the feel of his hard swimmer's body, and soon both our dicks were at
attention.  Sam then set to work washing my body, cleaning my arms and
chest quickly, but lingering on my stomach.  He washed my crotch carefully,
soaping up my long dick and stroking it, cleaning all around the head, and
bathing my low hanging sac, which swung even lower because of the heat of
the shower.

Sam pulled and played with my loose sac, weighing my balls., juggling them
back and forth in his palms. " just gonna play or are you doing something
with them?" I asked. Sam grinned at me, and then sank to his knees.

Sam leaned forward, burying his face in my crotch and covering it with the
loose, wrinkled skin of my scrotum.  He licked and kissed at my sac,
sucking on my balls. When he pulled back, the sac dragged across his face
before flopping off to swing between my thighs.  Sam kissed and lapped at
my balls again, batting at them with his tongue, licking the shower water.

He stuck out his tongue and pressed it against the bottom of my cock shaft,
and then, flattening it out against the shaft, he licked all the way to the
top and swirled it around my swollen head.  With one hand, he reached under
my testicles and between my thighs and began prodding at my prostate; my
sac sagged against his wrist.  His ministrations on my prostate were
rewarded as precome oozed out. He quickly wrapped his lips around my cock
head to savor it before the shower washed it away.  I groaned as his lips
enveloped my cock head again.

Placing one hand on his wet head, I slowly fed him cock.  His lips
stretched easily around my shaft as he willingly accepted me. About halfway
in, I hit the back of his throat.  Sam swallowed, opening his throat for
me.  Inch by inch I buried my penis deep in his throat.  He choked a
little, but the sound and feeling only turned me on even more.  I stayed
there, my penis buried balls deep in his teen throat.  He swallowed, using
his throat muscles to massage my cock; I groaned, holding on to his head.

I slid my cock out of his mouth until just the head rested between his pink
lips, and then I pushed it back in.  I started to fuck his face.  I held on
tightly to his head and fucked my cock into his mouth, thrusting deep into
his throat and then pulling back, earnestly attempting to make this
pleasurable for both the fucked and the fucker.  The wet slap of my balls
against his chin turned me on even more, fucking his face more intensely.
I slid my cock deep into his throat, and then pulled out, deep in and then
out.

I pulled all the way out, my dick head sliding between his lips with a wet
"plop".  I told him to turn around, so that his face wasn't in the spray of
the shower while he knelt in front of me.  Instead, the shower hit me in
the chest and ran down my body.  I pushed my dick against his face again,
letting the soft, swollen head rest on his lips.  He opened his mouth to
accept me, and I pushed all the way into his throat and held my cock there.

I again felt Sam breathing through his nose into my pubes.  His throat
contracted around my invading cock and released it.

Sam reached between my thighs and began teasing my prostate again.  Precome
oozed from my swollen dick head down his throat.  I slid my dick out of
Sam's throat; he reached up and grabbed the shaft.  About half of my penis
was stuck in his mouth, and he sucked hungrily on it, swirling his tongue
around the shaft, coating it with his spit.  He pulled back, keeping just
the head between his lips.  With both hands on my shaft now, he began
stroking me, milking the precome from my dick onto his tongue.  He flicked
his tongue against the sensitive underside of my engorged cock head, and
then swirled it all around the swollen glans, lapping up my precome. "Oh
fuck," I grunted.

I looked down, watching Sam's talented tongue working at my cock head,
eating up the steady stream of precome that now dribbled from my penis.

I was very close now, my testicles were tightening up, pulling close to my
body.  Sam noticed and sucked harder, one hand stroking the shaft, the
other playing with my prostate.  He suctioned his mouth to my balls.

"You're a mess," I said, and he smiled up at me, globes of ejaculate on his
face and in his hair. "I think you made a mess on my leg, too."

"Thanks, and yeah I did," he replied. "Good thing we're in the shower." I
laughed.

Sam laughed and stood up. "all right,"

"all right," he said.

We finished showering and got dressed, putting our Speedos on, that is.
Heading across the parking lot toward our quarters I wondered if I still
had enough starch to keep the lovely Veronica satisfied.  Sam's ass was so
firm and tight underneath those massive shoulders my cock started to come
back to life.  "Yep," I thought, "just spend a bit of time with your face
in her crotch and you will be delivering another multi-orgasmic experiences
to your best lady."