Date: Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:35:09 -0600
From: dnrock@rock.com
Subject: Photo 23

Sorry about taking so long between chapters.  I have been all tied up with
a day job deadlines.  They should be met in the next week or two.

Photo
by: dnrock(dnrock@rock.com)


23:  A Boy's love is like a Diamond, Forever

Derek Smyth, Plato Bidis, Tom Anderson, Richard Andersen-Big Chief, Geoff,
Sam, Jason and I took his Challenger with Ed and Johan from Calgary to
Yellowknife on our business trip.  We brought Shelley, Jonas, Bob,
Veronica, Margaret, Linda, Brad, Wilson, Alex, Alexandria, Eddy, Judy,
Fred, Freda, Drew and Eva along.  While the geological and engineering team
visited the diamond mine, the others would meet with the hearing impaired
and do some sight seeing.

Once in Yellowknife we rented two Beaver aircraft on floats.  As luck would
have it, Tom and Richard were qualified on the float equipped Beaver.
Jason got the right seat with Richard and me with Tom.  I sure liked flying
in a Beaver something I had never done before.  I sure knew all about this
famous bush aircraft.  It sure was a thrill to take the controls once in
the air.  We had to take along Air Thelon pilots as guides but that was all
right.  They were personable young men and pilots all have a instant
comradeship and respect for each other.

It was just dumb luck that Tom and Richard's piloting skills came up in
conversation.  When Jason learned that they were qualified on the Beaver
well that synched it they were coming to Yellowknife.  Both Derek and Plato
thought Tom's geology background would be useful anyway.

I was more then impressed with the beauty of the tundra and farthest
reaches of the boreal forest.  The subtle play of pastel tones with the
water, lakes and streams shining like, jewels, impressed my eye.  We
descended on the mine landing at its float plane base, on a near by lake
and spent most of the day touring and visiting with the on site personnel.
If Jason was going to invest in this enterprise, even as a minority partner
he sure wanted to make sure it was a good one and would be a dependable raw
and cut stone supplier.  Richard Smyth was their already and would stay for
a few more days, he was leading a team of mostly mining engineers as part
of Derek's firms evaluation work.  It was a bit of old home week for us and
good to be working together again.

Luck is something I don't believe in, I do believe in serendipity that
chance events or situations happen, that is what I mean by dumb luck.  It
is my skill, if I have any specific skill, to recognize the importance of
those serendipitous event.  That is also one of Jason's skills and just how
this whole thing got going.  He had a need and found a way to fill it.
Dane van Witt put Jason on to Derek, who suggested Plato as a collaborator,
me he already know about, who brought Tom and Richard into his sphere by a
chance meeting of our boys and friends.  His skill was seeing immediately
how to take all these independent events and weld them into a meaningful
whole.  My skill is illuminating those events and sometimes recording them.

Jason was telling me, "Some wag was waxing on about this idea of six
degrees separating any two people on the globe.  Another wag was on, As It
Happens, as I recall showing that was nonsense.  I agree with the latter
but must admit that once inside a sphere of influence or relationship, some
very surprising connections often come to the surface."  I guess it is not
all that surprising when you think about it.  The US and Canada combined is
just over 300,000 million souls but the geology community professions is
about 20,000 and the mining engineers and geologists about 5000 of that.
Their are about about 2000 geologists in Calgary alone.  Now putting all
that together it is absolutely not surprising that he would run into this
Mr. Nichols at lunch, that Dane would know him, that he would also know
Derek who would have gone to graduate school with Plato and that they both
would know Tom, by reputation if nothing else. I think I have belaboured
this enough.

What I think is truly amazing is that all of these man and their male
relatives or associates are bi sexual or at least tolerant of that
behaviour.  What is even more amazing to me is that most of us have found
female companions or lovers who are also willing to tolerate their man
fucking each other at every opportunity.  Enough already Apollo, get on
with the story.

I sure like the way the Beaver handles it is a dream to fly.  Not very fast
but a pure dream.  Powerful, responsive, stable, with great visibility.  I
had my window open and my cameras were going the whole time.  The
professors were holding court educating us layman and students about the
impalement of diamonds.  Absolutely fascinating.  Richard Smyth was as good
as his dad when it came to the engineering stuff too.  I know Geoff and Sam
were absolutely thrilled to be carrying the samples for these three great
geologists.  It was now certain in my mind anyway they were both smitten by
the study of rocks, fossils and minerals, just as I had been smitten by
photography.  They were as interested in how the world works as I am in
recording those workings.  Sam and Geoff followed those three around like
puppies, hanging on ever word.  I was paying close attention too I like
science almost as much as photography.

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

Our under 16 boys and girls had all become fast friends in record time.
Shelley and Freda seemed to get along well with Sandra and the boys were
all bum buddies after the first evening together.  I was not all that sure
about letting Jonas loose but having seen how well Eddy handled himself and
they are about the same age, relented.  Drew of course had sex with his
brothers and was free to interact with the other young men like Sam, Alex
and Richard although I don't know if he did.  The men's boys just seemed to
know which man belonged to which boy and that it was hands off your friends
man unless invited.  For the younger ones I also assumed his man's
permission was also needed, it was for Jonas anyway.  Everyone would soon
be going their own ways.  I was looking forward to some touring in Banff
with Plato and Derek, so were Sam and Trevor.  The Andersons would spend a
few days in Banff with us too.  The children would spend some time with
their families before our second round of travel, this time to the eastern
Us and Europe.  Margaret and Ronnie were working on Jason's business
scandal and Linda went home to help her mother.  That left us young men to
ourselves.  We worked our way west from Banff to Bellingham for some much
needed darkroom and photo business efforts.  I did have the diamond mine
commission to hand in before we traveled again among other assignments.

Bob, Brad and I stayed with Jonas and Shelley until the Stampede ended that
left Jason and Eva in Calgary to rest and pick up the pieces, as we all
dissipated over the last 4 or 5 days of the event.

It was reasonably obvious that we would need to think a little about the
fall.  Bob was taking a job at the School for the Deaf in Vancouver,
Washington.  Derek was suggesting that Shelley and Jonas attend the same
boarding school, Fred and Freda attend, which was just a few blocks from
the School for the Deaf.  I wondered if that might not be a good idea.
Perhaps Margaret and Ronnie could continue their writing efforts from
there.  I could always set up a secondary office or in the Portland area.
Lots of options.  Linda and Brad still had one more year of high school and
I did not think it to good an idea for either of them to change schools in
their last year; unless I could find a way for them to make lots of money
to pay their expenses at St. Andrews.  I also know Derek was after Plato
and Aphrodite to move to Vancouver.  He was also after me to do a fine arts
BA since I would only need two more years and could complete that part
time.  I wondered if Professor Parks was right about my teaching ability.

Mom told me that more and more commissions were coming in and that sales
had taken right off.  Every place the traveling show visited or the books
went on sale spurred more interest my catalogue.  She suggested I would
need several full time staff in the near future.  We were also anticipating
lots of modelling work for all of us; Shelley, Jonas and Brad big time and
the remainder of our crew less so but still a good part time job.  She
though I should look into a full time agent and perhaps a distribution
representative as well.

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

It was now almost two weeks and we were scheduled to pick Jonas and Shelley
in two days when the following e-mail arrived.  Now I get lots of e-mails
from both of them and a plethora of digital photos from each but this one
was a bit different.  It was personal and quite late at night.  In fact
Brad was already asleep and I was almost gone.  The chat bell rang and I
opened my eyes easing myself out of bed.

"This boy needs his man."

I answered, "This man needs his boy more."

He replied, "This boy needs his man more than more, please come and get
me."  This was sounding a little melodramatic and Jonas is not usually that
way.

"Turn on your web cam."  I saw his shining face and almost naked body.  He
stood a few feet back from the cam and I could see he was wearing his new
thongs.  He rubbed his butt with one hand on each cheeks and signed.  "I
need my man, bad."  I signed back, "I need my boy too."  He rubbed his
crotch with his right hand and picked up his dildo with his left.  His eyes
said "please", his expression said "please, I'm desperate".

"Jonas I will pick you up in the afternoon can you be ready?"

"I'm ready now," he signed smiling.

"I'll call in the morning as soon as I know my flight time. Ok, little
man?"

"Ok, big man, I love you."

"love you to Jonas, now go to bed and play with your dildo, you can have
the real thing as soon as I can get to Spokane."

"Did Jonas want anything besides your cock up his ass," Brad questioned as
I crawled back into our bed.

"No, but he did appear desperate for my presence."

"I can understand that, had the same feeling myself a few times.  You are
going, aren't you?"

"If you and Bob can pick up my slack here I'll head to Spokane in the
morning."  Brad did not answer but pressed his face against my chest,
kissing my cheek and drifted off to sleep.  He knew I would do anything for
my boy, just as he would, just as we would for each other.

......................  "Yes mamma, yes mamma I will have the children at
the airport two hours before the flight.  Yes mamma your sure you don't
mind, I know how valuable your time is.  Oh, Captain Andersen said
that... well I'm sure Garth ...  that serious ... I hope you don't think
... he told you that what Apollo's Flying Circus does or doesn't think is
irrelevant.  I guess being a take charge kind of guy goes along with being
the youngest Chief training pilot in the industry.  Yes mamma.  Seven AM
sharp."

"What the hell was that all about?"

"That was Captain Richardson from the airline, I guess Garth gave her
strict instructions to give Shelley and Jonas another complete cockpit
checkout before we fly to Minneapolis.  Put the fear of god into the poor
woman.  Brad why is everyone calling our road show Apollo's Flying Circus?"

"Oh Jason tagged us with that, I guess it kind of stuck, sounds better than
Brad's or Shelley and Jonas' flying circus don't you think?"

"Ya, right.  You know it does kind of fit, I mean the flying circus part
anyway."

Linda, Bob, Shelley and Jonas were just bubbling when they came in later.
They had just been on the phone with Calgary telling us about Eva and
Jason's wedding.  Jonas and Shelley were wild with enthusiasm for having
been chosen to be part of the wedding party.

Shelley wanted to know when Veronica and I were getting married and if she
and Jonas would be part of our ceremony.

"I don't know, she hasn't asked me yet but for sure you and Jonas would be
a part of it." I signed.

"Your supposed to ask her aren't you?"  Shelley questioned.

"You know Apollo never does anything quite the way normal people do."  Bob
interjected.  Brad was on the phone while all this was taking place.  I
wondered about him and Linda, I figured they would just have to hold off
for another school year.  Now Bob and Margaret were a bit more than thick,
hum maybe a double wedding?

"Apollo, take the phone, Stuhec wants to talk to you."

"Apollo here ... That tight, well we will just have to live with it.  Him
too I won't even ask how you arranged that one ... the first lady said that
about us, wow ... Both State senators and all the congressmen from
Washington, Idaho, and Montana all together ... You told them that ... for
sure, we are not partisan and the kids aren't old enough to vote yet, right
on, hearing impairment doesn't vote either, I like that one.  The National
Gallery, your kidding and the Guggenhime, Independence Hall.  Professor
Parks did that.  Sure I have a great shot of him with the kids, consider it
done.  See you in DC."

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

"No, Jonas you can't take your camera to meet the president.  I can't take
mine either.  They have an official photographer who will send us pictures
and Trevor has his press photographer credentials."

"Can I take my sketch pad?"

"I would imagine so, I'll ask."  I did and it was ok.  We got to the Rose
Garden early and were briefed by a press aid on what was to happen and how
long it would take etc.  The aid was somewhat taken aback when Margaret and
Veronica asked about his planned remarks.  "You have no right to vet the
presidents remarks," he bluntly stated.

Veronica was just as blunt, "these children will not be a party to even a
hint of partisan politics and you people have no right to use them in that
way.  They are here to see the office not the man who fills it."  I was so
proud of her for standing up to this press aid.

"Ms. Newfeld, the White House is not Media Corp."

"Their PR department thought they could bamboozle us too.  We are on the
same side here but "you know what they say about being upstaged by children
or pets".  The hearing impaired are about 1 percent of the population but
only one tenth of one present of the civil service and none work at the
White House.  This administration failed to even keep up with inflation in
its last several budgets and even cut programs related to hearing impaired.
They may only be ten years old but that are more than aware of these and
other facts; in addition to having PhD's in being political."

"Given the profile these children have and our nonpartisan congressional
meeting this afternoon it is a PR situation you can't win, please don't set
your boss up for an embarrassment.  Have him say something like hearing
impairment isn't a handicap or something to overcome but a hidden strength
looking for an outlet and he wants everyone to help uncover that hidden
talent to become the best they can be or what ever.  How does that sound?"

"Margaret that sounds like you have give this a lot of thought, I think we
can do this to everyone's best advantage.  Who among you is making a
statement?"

"The children will sign and Apollo will translate for Jonas and I will
translate for Shelley."  They have a short prepared statement, she handed a
copy to the press aid who would see it was handed out to the media.  "It is
a good idea to remind him to look at the children when he speaks to them or
when they sign, we will be just off camera the kids will look past him to
us for the signing translation, although they are not bad lip readers."

The statement was the usual "We want to thank you Mr. President for
proclaiming National Hearing Impaired Awareness Week.  We hearing impaired
children seek only to have doors opened for us.  Given the chance we will
take charge of our lives and make the most of our talents.  We represent
the hopes and dreams of all children everywhere.  Through our experiences
they can see no dream is unattainable.  Everything and anything is possible
if you never give up that dream.  Sometimes kids need a little help from
adults too.  Once we only dreamed we would have even one friend.  Not only
do we have each other but we have thousands of friends right around the
world; some are children like us and some are powerful people like
yourself.  Together we will make all our dreams happen."  They would then
give him a signed copy of the book before the press bit.

The Pres. entered and we chatted a bit he asked the children a few general
questions.  It was obvious he had been well briefed, it was obvious he had
children of his own.  Taking their hands he lead them up to the podium.
The President proclaimed National Hearing Impaired Awareness Week.  Urged
his fellow citizens to make an effort, no matter how great or small to
reach out to the hearing impaired, to make a new friend and so on.  Then he
picked up the book.  That was not part of the plan.  "I want to tell you
this is one of the most powerful statements of humanity I have ever seen.
Jonas and Shelley, all your emotions and your dreams leap from these pages
to completely engage and inspire the reader.  I felt privileged to be able
to share your experiences.  I think the adults that helped you with this
need a whole heap of credit for a job well done.  Thank you for doing it, a
good story well told."

Jonas and Shelley thanked the president and made their statement each
taking a sentence.  Everyone clapped and the photographers had one field
day from beginning to end.  Trevor stood out, he is a good head taller than
most.  The Press withdrew wisely leaving the press to interact with the
real stars of the show.

We walked from the White House along the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial where
we got lots of great pictures of the kids and then to the other end for our
pictures and tour of the Capital building.  All along the way the press
photographers were coming up to Brad, Trevor and I praising our work.
Several joking with Jonas as he took as many pictures of them as they did
of him.  Ronnie told me later that Margaret and herself received many kind
words and much praise for the text.  It is always good to get positive
feedback from your peers.

By the time we got to the Capita,l the hard ass political reporters tagging
alone were eating out of their hands.  Jonas and Shelley answered their
questions and asked a few themselves, charming the most cynical.  It was a
bit of a struggle to get the kids past the Smithsonian's Space Science
Museum but we managed.  They had been through it the day before.  Jones was
telling the reporters about his flying experience and Shelley showed them
her wings.

At the Capital their must have been a thousand deaf kids assembled along
with the politicals.  Everyone toured the building in groups of 25 or 30.
They shook everyone's hand, had a thousand pictures taken and then ran down
the steps to join the kids on the lawn.  This drove the PPI and park
service staff crazy but they had fun and all their admirers had fun.  We
adults did our politicking.  It was quite a day.  Hell every day with
Apollo's Flying Circus is quiet a day.

Back at our hotel were a thousand messages.  Everyone wanted to meet the
kids.  It was very fortunate that Trevor was with us his command of five
languages was essential.  We were getting invitations to visit countries
all over the world.  I was impressed but was just a bit concerned how all
this stuff was to be financed.  Several of the massages were from agents
wanting us to consider them.  Each had a slightly different take on how we
should be handled and managed.  I had a significant problem with anyone
trying to manage me that's for sure.  I thought the Abitsford's and
Sanders' would want some say about their children.  The most intriguing was
from Alexandria's mother's and Wilson's, New York based agent.  We would
see about all this in next few days as we were on to N.Y.C.