Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 10:15:23 -0400
From: C. E. Jordan <c.e._Jordan@MailAndNews.com>
Subject: THE VILLAGE BOY - Part 5

The Village Boy - Part 5
Copyright c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com

From end of previous episode: The Village Boy
_______


     As I descended the stairs, I decided to tease him a little bit: "And
take care of your `other' boyfriend too, give cute Kevy an extra hug for
me."

     "Oh you.......". Jeremy looked around for something to throw at me as I
ran down the steps but he couldn't find anything, "I'm gonna get you next
time," he yelled.

     I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked up to see him still
standing there silhouetted against the night sky just like the last
time.....but this time around I knew I would definitely be seeing him
again.

     "'Bye Chaaarles!" Jeremy shouted at the top of his lungs from the top of
the long staircase causing the few other people going up and down the
steps to turn and smile at me.

     I laughed, "'Bye Jeremy," I yelled back just as loud, "call me tomorrow."

     He was still standing there when I turned a corner deep into the station.


__________________________________________


The Village Boy
Copyright c.e._jordan@mailandnews.com



			 THE VILLAGE BOY - Part 5



"What a difference a day made,
Twenty four little hours,
Brought the sun and the flowers...
Where there used to be rain..."

     I was home again, collapsed on my carpeted floor. Sipping sparkling
ginger ale and listening to Dinah Washington's lush, caressing voice
singing lyrics that were the perfect sentimental punctuation to my day, I
was in a mood for the old classics--music by Frank Sinatra, Ella
Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Nat King Cole--voices so totally cool, it's all
about encompassing warmth. Still, my mind was turning cartwheels:
Jeremy, Eliza, Kev. Kevin, Eliza, Jer. I was tired, but restless. All that had
happened this day was amazing.

"My yesterday was blue dear,
Today I'm a part of you dear...
My lonely nights are through dear,
Since you said you were mine."

    With the soft flood of music eddying around me, I sat on the floor with
my back pressed up against the sofa. I made a mental list of things I had
to do. At the top of that list was Jer's mom. I lowered the music and
immediately put in a call to Dr. Docter, my personal physician, and left a
message on his answering service. The poor guy gets endless grief with
folks making fun of the coincidence of his name. But Robert Docter--most
folks just called him Dr. Bob--was actually a brilliant Oxford-trained
medical whiz.  I'll have him take a good look at Eliza as soon as possible.

     I turned the music up again.....

"Lord, what a difference a day makes,
There's a rainbow before me.
Skies above can't be stormy,
Since that moment of bliss
.....that thrilling kiss...."

"It's heaven when you...
Find romance on your menu,
What a difference a day made,
And the difference
 ......is you...."

     As those last words of the song died away, I became aware of another
sound, the chiming tones of my doorbell. It was not the more insistent
whine sent up from the building's front entrance, but someone was
actually right outside the elevator on my floor of which I was the only
occupant. Frowning, I headed for the door. I had no idea whom it could be.
I didn't expect anyone and nobody just came up to my floor without the
doorperson announcing them. So it must be a neighbor from one of the
lower floors...or...could it be......Jer?. I was smiling by the time I got to
the
door. It had to be Jeremy. That little devil must have followed me on the
subway and sneaked into my building. If he meant to surprise me, he had
certainly done that.

     I swept open the door. And my mouth fell open in shock. Standing there
before me in his baggy clothing, still clutching his skateboard
was.........Kevin!

     "Kevin? Wha.....how...how did you.......?"

     "I followed you on the subway, I had to know."

     I was mystified. "Had to know what?"

     "What you want with Jeremy." The boy glared at me belligerently, balling
up his little fists, "Are you one of them child molesters? If you hurt Jer,
I'll...I'll......do something....."

     Belligerence gave way to confusion. Kevin was on the verge of tears.
He was a brave kid. It had to take a lot of determination and ingenuity to
follow me, to actually get right into my apartment building; and it must
have taken even more courage to confront this strange man he knew
practically nothing about. I realized at that moment how much he loved
Jeremy.

     "Why don't you come in Kevin." I stepped aside as the curly-haired boy
reluctantly entered. He just stood there, a bit unsure of himself.

     "Please....sit Kevin...I won't bite." He perched at the end of the sofa
still
holding on to his skateboard like a shield. It appeared as if he was ready
to flee at any moment. "I was just having something to drink...would you
like a ginger ale, or maybe some coke?" He kept his eyes on me, but
didn't say no, so I decided on Coke and poured some for him. As I placed
the drink before him he asked again, "What d'you want with Jeremy?"

     I sighed and sat on the floor near his feet. I looked up into his face,
"I
don't really know Kevin."

     "What? You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?"

     "Well....what do YOU want with him?" I asked.

     "I........I............" His voice trailed off.

      The light behind him caught in his hair like a halo of fire. And as the
warm glow spread across his cheek, I could see how soft and innocent
that face was.....more like a ten year old than a thirteen or fourteen year
old
teenager. "It's Jeremy you think of the first thing in the morning, and you
can't wait to see him every day, and just looking at him does funny things
to your insides......you even dream about him sometimes......."

     Kevin's eyes grew bigger as he listened to me. His lower lip trembled,
he reddened, and looked away. I was telling all his deepest secrets. I
moved closer to him and spoke softly, "It's okay Kev, it's nothing to be
ashamed of....... it seems we are in the same boat. You love him, don't
you."

     A pause, then, still looking away from me, Kevin hugged his
skateboard tightly to his body as he whispered the word: "Yes."

     "Then you don't have to worry Kev, I will never ever hurt Jeremy. You
see, I love him also...and I think I can help him--and his mom. I'm not
trying to take your place either, I already told Jer that I will love whomever
he loves, and he told me he likes you an awful lot....maybe he even loves
you too."

     "You think so?" The question was asked in a small shy voice.

     "Actually, I'm sure of it." I got up off the floor and sat next to him. I
took a
chance and put my arms around him and his skateboard. He didn't pull
away. I think he just needed to be comforted at that moment.

     I glanced at my watch, it was almost eleven at night, "Damn! It's late.
Your parents must be wondering where you are."

     He gently untangled himself from me and stood. "Naw, my mom's
working until two tonight, she's a waitress...but she usually calls home
near twelve to see if I'm alright. She'll get all worried if I don't answer
the
phone...then I'll be in trouble."

      I didn't bother to ask about his father, I was sure this boy didn't have
a
one either. He'd finally  relaxed enough to become aware of his
surroundings. While drinking his Coke he looked around with an
expression close to awe on his face. My place, filled with art and other fine
things, must have seemed like something out of a magazine to him. It
was redesigned to my specifications on the top floor of the condominium,
a former Chelsea factory. I let Kevin wander around investigating things
while I called for a car. I don't drive, and I prefer to use New York's subway
system to move about the city, but I retain a car service for those times I
might need one. I didn't want Kevin riding the subway alone or waiting
around for a slow cross-town bus at that time of night.

     I found Kevin with his forehead pressed up against the glass of the
large windows which gave a panoramic view of the city looking uptown.
The horizon was a deep purple glow shaded upward into star-studded
darkness. Below, the lights of traffic and buildings resembled so many
multi-coloured ribbons and sparkling jewels scattered on black velvet. I
put an arm around his shoulder once more and I could feel his body slim
and firm beneath his clothing. We stood there silently together for a few
minutes.

     "Great view, huh?"

     "Yeah.....your whole apartment is so totally cool. It's so big!"

     "Well, Kevin, you're always welcome here....you still have to see the
room with my computers, large screen TV and video games......there's
even a game about skateboarding." I grinned to see the sparkle of the
night had transferred itself to the dark blue of Kevin's eyes.

     "May I......?"

     "Nope, not now," I laughed, I have to get you home before your mom
calls...but now that you know where I live, I hope you will come visit by
yourself--or with Jeremy, okay?"

     "Alright."

     I took Kevin down to the car that was already waiting in front of the
building.      When Kev caught sight of the long sleek car, he whispered
almost to himself, "Oh wow.....it's a limo!"

     Recognizing me, the driver got out and stood waiting beside the
opened car door.  "Good evening sir."

     "Good evening Arthur, this is Kevin, you'll be taking him home to the
Village, he will give you the address, okay?"

     "Yes sir."

     Kevin placed his skateboard on the back seat, but just before entering
the vehicle, he pulled me aside, "I have to ask you something Charles..."

     "Anything."

     "Please, Charles, don't tell Jeremy what I did...how I sneaked into your
building and how I yelled at you...and...and..."

     "I don't know Kev, I shouldn't be keeping any secrets from Jeremy.....I
don't think he'd mind anyway."

     "Please, pleeease Charles, don't tell him.....he might get mad at me...I
couldn't stand it if he got mad at me...please Charles?"

     The boy was beginning to panic, so I said, "Alright Kevin, I won't say
anything, but I think maybe YOU should tell him as soon as possible,
you'll see, Jer will understand why you did it, because you care about him,
I'm sure he won't be upset with you."

     "Oh, thanks Charles, thank you..." And impulsively, he wrapped his
arms around me, hugging tightly. He abruptly broke away and gave an
embarrassed glance at smiling Arthur still patiently waiting there beside
the open car door, "Um....I'd better go."

     "See you soon Kevin."


                                                       ******

     Bemused, I stood watching the shiny black car ride noiselessly off and
dissappear from the driveway. My life had suddenly got complicated; full of
love, confusion, and uncertainty, it was the beginning of an adventure.
Yes,  I thought, recalling the words of the song, `what a difference a day
made'.

(to be continued....)