Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 18:43:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: Evan Yarrell <babyevany@yahoo.com>
Subject: White Out - Chapter 2

     Clint looked at me, as I was just in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I
closeed my laptop and smiled at him.  Clint looked at me and said, "Were
you busy, Mr. Snowden? Mom and my sisters were talking about clothes and I
wish I could talk to someone about fishing and sports."
     I said, "Want to talk about sports? Where are you moving to, Clint?"
     Clint sat at the table and said, "I like basketball and baseball and I
love hockey. I love to swim, too. Where do you live, Mr. Snowden? We are
moving to South Newfane. My grandparents sold their house to my mom. There
is a nice stream, so I am going to fish. I hope I'll like the town."
     "Clint, you can call me Doug. I love to fish and swim to. I live in
South Newfane, also. If you like to swim, you can swim in my pool. I love
hockey, soccer, lacrosse, NASCAR, basketball, baseball and football."
     "You live in South Newfane? Why, Doug? I wish we didn't move. I love
Durham. I'm going to miss my friends." Clint looked at me. I knew how he
felt - Durham, Connecticut is a nice small town, but South Newfane was as
good. I knew his friends would forget about him, but I hope I could help
him. I looked at Clint.
     Clint looked like he was was going to cry so I said, "Don't worry,
Clint. If you need to talk I will lend an ear. You'll find friends. I grew
up in West Haven and I didn't want to be in a city. 10 years ago, I found
46 acres in Newfane, so I build a nice home with an indoor pool. My
business is in East Hartford, but I live there. I love it."
     "You got an indoor pool? I wish I could swim in it. I think I would
like to talk to you. I'm going to miss Dakota, Blair, Randy and
Scott. Doug, what do you do? An indoor pool, you must be rich."
     'My on-line 'son' thinks that, too,' I thought to myself. I guess an
indoor pool is unusual, but I decided to have it and why not, the mortage
was going to be 100 dollars more, so I did it. I looked at Clint and said,
"I run a computer service company. I build custom computers, rebuild
computers, program and lessons. Clint, am I rich? I don't mind if I was
poor, since I love what I do. Are Dakota, Blair, Randy and Scott your
friends?"
     "They were my friends, now I am going to live in Vermont. I'll hate
it." Clint sniffed. "I hate moving!  I wish I was home."
     I got up and hugged Clint. "Just give it a chance, Clint.  Your mom is
making a move for the better and I hope you and I can go fishing." I
started stroking his hair and thought I'd love to take him to 'THE LEDGES',
a nudist beach near Newfane. "I would show you some nice areas. Do you like
camping?"
     Clint sniffed and said, "I went twice, Doug. Randy's dad took me to
Acorn Acres and Randy and I had fun. Do you like camping, Doug?"
     "Yes I do, Clint. I hope I could take you." I was caressing this sweet
little boy just to tell him that he is safe. "Tell me, ever been to
Miller's Pond, Clint?" I asked him about a small state park - really just a
pond - in Durham. I knew about it since I read about it in a nudist beach
guide.
     Clint smiled and said, "Yes, I've been there a few times. Mom said not
to jump off the cliff, but I was there when someone got hurt jumping
off. Mom was mad at me. I was there with Dakota, Randy and Randy's
brother. It was a friend of his who got hurt. How do you know about it?"
     "Did you think you discovered it, Clint? I went swimming in it in the
1980s. The cliff is bad, I saw one guy get killed jumping off of it and two
other seriously hurt. Your mom is correct about you jumping off it. I don't
want you to get hurt either. I'll show you a nice cliff to jump off of. It
is safer than at Miller's Pond." I knew about that cliff since I used to
swim at the rocky point across the pond. Miller's Pond was a quarry that
became a pond. It is known as a skinnydipping site, but now it is getting
popular with everyone.
     Clint looked at me and shooked his head. "I guess you are right,
Doug. I've heard people got killed, but Steve said that it is just rumors."

     I was about to answer Clint when there was a knock on the door
seperating the rooms. I told Clint to answer it, since I had a feeling it
was his mom and I needed to adjust my tool since I was getting hard. Clint
opened the door and said, "Doug, it is my mom! Mom, Doug is cool. He knows
about Miller's Pond and he said that the cliff is dangerous. He lives in
South Newfane."
     Francis looked at Clint and said, "Did Mr. Snowden say you can call
him Doug, Clint? Could you go to the room, Clint? I need to talk to
Mr. Snowden."
     "Bye Doug," Clint said. He went to his room leaving just his mom and
me in my room. I looked at her and said, "Want to sit down?"
     "Yes, thanks," Francis said. She sat in a chair at the table and
looked at me. "I hope Clint didn't bug you. It seems you are busy. You know
about Miller's Pond? I thought you lived in Vermont."
     I looked at her and told her that I grew up in West Haven and I been
to Miller's Pond when I was at UNH (University Of New Haven). I smiled at
her and said, "Clint wasn't bugging me. I was checking e-mail when he came
over. I think Clint is looking for someone who would like him."
     "His dad never care for Clint. When Clint was born, he lost his job at
Pratt. After he got a job at Foxwoods, he never talked to me or the kids
except to yell. It was about 2 years ago that he been out all nights and
then he up and left 18 months ago. I decided to divorce him, Clint took it
hard because he thinks he caused it."
     "I told him that if he needs to talk I'll be there for him. I hope you
don't mind that I said that. He is a boy and I think he wants to chat with
a male about things. I know I had a hard time talking to my mom about guy
stuff. Anyway, I know you are moving to South Newfane, so I hope we can be
friends."
     "I'd like that. Are you married, Doug? Where in South Newfane are
you?"
     I told her where I live and she knew where it was, then said that she
will live a mile from me. I also told her that she and her daughters can
swim in my indoor pool, anytime. She smiled and said, "Thanks. I think
Clint will be safe with you. I'm going to take them to McDonald's, want to
come?"
     I said, "Thanks, but I was going to walk to Applebee's. I hope you
would join me. According to the internet, this storm is a big
one. McDonald's is ok, but Applebee's is better. I'll pay." She smiled, so
I said, "You are beautiful when you smile. You are nice."
     Blushing, Francis said, "Thanks Doug. I think we will be great
friends. Clint will be happy that you are his friend. When you going to
Applebee's?"
     "You ready? I'm ready," I said. "I just have to put on my coat."
     "I think we should be ready. I guess I should get my coat on,
too. We'll meet you in the hall." Francis then went to her room. I put on
my coat and met them in the hall, we went across to Applebee's and had
dinner. During dinner, I talked to Francis and Clint and also for the first
time, I talked to Jill, who was 16, Aimee, 15 and Chelsea who was 13. They
were nice, but my heart was captured by Clint. I know how he felt since his
sisters were talking about girl stuff, although they liked sports - Jill
being into soccer and basketball, Aimee into ice and field hockey and
Chelsea was a softball player, but most of the time they chatted about
things that I didn't care about. After we had dinner, coffee and dessert,
we headed back to our rooms. We stepped out of Applebee's and I'm glad we
only had to cross the parking lot, the snow got heavier, the temperature
dropped and the wind started to pick up. Clint wanted me to carry him, so
looked at his mom who said it was ok, so we walked back. As we were, I was
thinking about Clint and me at some of Vermont's famous skinnydipping holes
in the summer.

     When we got to the rooms, Clint wanted to stay in my room. His mom
asked if it was fine with me, so I said, "It is fine." Clint and I went to
my room and we decided to see what was on TV. We settled on a bed with our
clothes on, watching a college bowl game on ESPN. Clint loved to watch
football, but he didn't know a few rules, so I was telling him. Soon the
door knocked, so I opened it and his mom gave me Clint's pajamas. She
looked at Clint on the bed watching the game, smiled at me and said, "I
think you are going to be a good friend of his. I hope I'm right about
you. He said that he wishes he could stay with you. He loves sports, but he
couldn't at the house. He looks happy. Be careful, he might want you to
ADOPT him."
     I smiled at Francis and said, "Do you think I could?" I turned at
Clint who commented at a great play the wide reciever made, so I said,
"Clint, want to say anything to your mom? She brought you your pajamas and
your toothbrush."
     Clint said, "Thank you, MOM! See you tomorrow."