Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 13:56:51 +0000
From: Deeper Diver <deeperdiver@hotmail.com>
Subject: Master and the Mate - Chapter 14

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"God this bed feels a bit damp; has one of you had an accident and wet the
bed?"  Mark enquired humorously, causing both Ryan and Kyle to stiffen in
more ways than one and blush like traffic lights (beacons for our British
readers). Bill and Mark both snickered at the apparent discomfort of their
friends and snuggled up to them and they all eased off to sleep.


The Master and his Mate - by Deepdiver

CHAPTER 14 - A Storm Brewing

The day of the benefit arrived all too soon as far as Mark was concerned.
School since his first day back had surprisingly been a much more positive
experience.  Classmates that used to avoid him or just didn't notice him
were now seeking him out and he was developing some interesting
friendships.  There was one girl in particular who was not only as
intelligent as Mark but he also found her very attractive.  Then too their
was Joe Green, the basketball jock of the class, who used to bully Mark but
was now treating him as an equal.  Mark was deeply anxious about how these
two and the others would react when they discovered that he was living with
a homosexual couple.  His life-long friend, Peter Christopher, already
knew, and although he had a hard time understanding the situation, remained
a true friend.

When Mark came out of his cabin dressed in his school uniform he did a
double-take on seeing Kyle dressed in a suit.  Apparently he and Ryan had
gone out during the day and bought him some dress clothes.  Now, flashing
one of his 'wfs', he now looked like he had just stepped out of the last
issue of GQ.  Mark couldn't resist and blew him a wolf-whistle.  Kyle
immediately struck a pose, fluttered his eyelashes and in a Marlene
Dietrich voice said, "Don't I just make you wish you were gay?"  They both
broke up.  Kyle had caught Mark totally off guard since there was no trace
of effeminacy about him.

In the car heading to the benefit, Mark's stomach was feeling somewhat
queasy and he just bit the inside of his lip to compensate for his anxiety.

"Gum?" Ryan offered; and as both his boys accepted the offer Ryan realized
that Kyle was just as nervous as Mark.

"Guys, do you remember my priest friend that spoke at the funeral of Mark's
parents?  He once told me that when he goes into a parish he knows before
ever stepping foot in the place that ten percent of the people will dislike
him.  Another ten percent will love him.  There is absolutely nothing he
can do to get the first ten percent to accept him.  The more he tries to
win them over, the more they will despise him.  For the other ten percent
there is nothing he can do wrong.  They simply love him and just take his
errors and foibles in their stride."

"What about the other eighty percent?"  Kyle asked.

"Oh, they don't even notice or care who the priest is.  They are so into
their own world and problems, it really doesn't matter to them." Ryan
answered Kyle and then continued, "It is an irrational belief to think that
in order to be happy everyone has to accept you and like you.  That just
never happens.  But you can be sure, that no matter what happens tonight,
your friends and new friends will be there for you.  The only change that
will take place is that now you will know better who are your true friends.
So relax you two and enjoy getting to know who loves you."

"Yeah, but what about those that want to throw stones at us?"  Kyle
objected.

"Kyle, we can talk about that later ... let's not get Mark more upset than
he already is with negative thinking."  Ryan reprimanded Kyle.

Once at the door of the benefit, Mark introduced Ryan and Kyle to the
Headmaster. The Headmaster noticed immediately that Ryan and Kyle were
holding hands.  Ryan noticed the raised eyebrow and thought to himself,
'this man needs winning over.'

Wine and cheese was served to the adults and soft drinks and snacks were
available for the students at another station.  Ryan spotted a nice round
heated brie cheese and prepared a cracker for Kyle.

"Here, try this." He said as he popped the cracker directly into Kyle's
mouth.  This gesture did not go unnoticed as many of the guests were
already trying to size up this strange pairing of a middle-aged man in the
company of what seemed to be a male escort.

The emcee made an announcement that the speaker had not yet arrived and
that they would extend the wine tasting for another fifteen minutes.  Kyle
had worked himself toward the chocolate fountain and was dipping a nice
fresh strawberry when he overheard the headmaster telling the host that he
had just got a call from Bruce Williams whose plane had been delayed and he
was going to have to cancel.  The Headmaster became somewhat ruffled trying
to figure how to save the event.  Kyle moved back towards Ryan and told him
what he had overheard.

"That's a shame.  I have often heard his show on the radio and he gives
very sound financial advice generally, I would have loved to hear him
speak."  Ryan said.  Then Ryan went up to the Headmaster.

"May I have a word?"  Ryan asked politely.

"Um, I am sort of tied up at the moment, can it wait?"  The Headmaster said
curtly.

"I was just informed that your speaker is unavailable.  I am a psychologist
and have given talks to couples on systemic theories which were well
received.  I'd be glad to offer you my services as substitute speaker."

"Well, I really don't know if that would fit his occasion, er, Mr. ...?"
The headmaster said looking to free himself of this seeming misfit.

"Loud, Dr. Ryan Loud."  Ryan said and humbly walked away.

"So I guess we should just tell the parents that we will reschedule then?"
The host said to the headmaster.

"I suppose we have no choice.  Can you imagine?  That queer offered to
speak, him over there, a so called Dr. Loud."  The headmaster said
disparagingly.

"Not THE, Dr. Ryan Loud?  Really here now.  I have heard him speak and I
have read several of his published articles.  He would be great."  The
emcee said excitedly as he headed in Ryan's direction.

"Dr Loud, I was just informed that you are here and willing to address the
gathering.  We would be so honoured."  said the host.  "I'm hosting this
benefit; my name's Robin Gray, ."

"Oh, why yes, I'd be glad to help you out."  Ryan responded
enthusiastically.

Mr. Gray hurried to the podium and asked everyone to take their seats.  He
then apologized, saying that Bruce Williams, the scheduled speaker's flight
had been delayed, and he was unable to arrive on time and he then explained
how fortunate the group was to have the renowned Dr. Ryan Loud standing in
at short notice.  The applause was not very enthusiastic as most parents
had never heard of him.  Mark turned three sheets to the wind when he
realized that Ryan would be speaking.  Kyle too had a surprised look on his
face, but was very eager to hear what Ryan would say.

Ryan began his remarks with a joke about a farmer who had a mule that
wouldn't obey him.  "A friend offered to help," he said.  "Thinking his
friend knew something about mules, he was delighted.  The friend then hit
the mule over the head with a baseball bat.  The mule went down on all
fours.  'What have you done to my mule?'  'Nothing yet,' replied the
friend, 'first I had to get his attention!' "

Not many found this story humorous and some even moaned.  Mark slouched
down in his seat wishing he could just melt into the floor.  He thought
this was fast becoming a disaster.

But then Ryan got serious and began explaining how hard communication
really is.  He explained how we talk digitally and analogically, at the
same time and how often these different levels of communication can send
mixed messages.  He used some examples from couples he had counselled and
his audience began to identify with the situations he presented.

Then he explained how everything we say has a message or a content as well
as a command.  He compared it to writing an email and then hitting the
'Send' command.  He reinforced all of his observations with examples which
were truly humorous.  Within an hour and a half he had the audience
understanding where their own communications had broken down.  In some
cases parents began to see why they were getting such strong reactions from
their adolescent kids.  Some even began to see why some religious groups
found communication so difficult because their interpretations of scripture
were often limited to only the digital message without taking into account
the analogous meaning of certain passages.

Ryan ended his talk by opening the floor to questions and answered as many
questions as he could before he closed.  He had kept his audience in rapt
attention and the applause was enthusiastic and prolonged.  Even the
headmaster had to admit, that Ryan knew his stuff and was able to present
complex ideas in a way that non-professionals could easily appreciate.  The
school psychologist was present with his wife and children and made a point
to congratulate Ryan and present his family.  Some of the students even
approached him and asked him for his autograph.

Several students were gathered around Mark and telling him how lucky they
thought he was to be able to actually know and live with Ryan.  Some even
hinted that he should invite them over.  Several girls were ogling Kyle who
was blushing, but when he returned one of his 'wfs,' they just swooned.
Finally Ryan made his way back to Kyle and introduced him unabashedly as
his lover to the school psychologist and to the host.  The psychologist
asked if they would be willing to give a talk to his Mental Hygiene class
one day on the topic of homosexuality.  Kyle's eyes opened wide when he
realized that the psychologist was including him in the invitation.  He was
feeling so proud to be associated with Ryan.

On the way home all three were feeling pretty good about how the events of
the evening turned out.  They stopped for pizza since both Mark and Kyle's
nervous energy before the benefit had left them famished.  Mark missed his
parents deeply, but he felt very fortunate to have this new family which he
was learning to love and appreciate.

                                   * * *

At school the next day everyone treated Mark as if he were a rapper or a
teen idol.  That is until he went to the washroom where he was cornered by
some members of the football team.

"We don't want any fags flashing their asses here in our school!"  "Are you
a Homo too?"  "If you were straight you would never agree to live in a den
of fags."  "You want to suck my cock?"  They tormented him.

Mark tried to push his way out, but there were at least five guys holding
him against the wall and they were all athletes.  He didn't know them all,
but they all wore the team jacket which had their letters pressed to the
front.

"You're all nothing more than bigots!  Let me go!"  Mark tried to yell
above their voices.

Suddenly a fist slammed into his face. And then punches came from every
side.  He slid down the wall as he was punched and kicked.  Once he fell
unconscious, the thugs left in a hurry feeling proud that they had done
their part to keep America free of perverts and queers.  Mark laid in a
pool of blood until his best friend, Peter, came looking for him.  He
alerted the dean of discipline who in turn told him to get the school nurse
while he called an ambulance.  Mark was rushed to St. Vincent's hospital.
He awoke in the emergency room surrounded by doctors and nurses all working
hurriedly.  He heard the voice of a priest saying some prayers over him.

"I'm not Catholic, Father."  He managed to say.

"Are you a Christian?  Would you prefer I call a pastor?"

"No, I'm not baptized."  Mark said.

"Do you believe in Jesus Christ and life everlasting?" The priest asked him
anxiously.

"I think so ... yes, I do."  Mark said as he recalled Ryan's words from the
funeral and coughed up some blood.

"Would you like me to baptize you now?"  The priest asked sympathetically
as the doctors moved to push needles into his arms and tubes down his nose.

"Yes, please if you can.  I don't want to die."  Mark said now feeling more
pain.

The priest immediately poured water over Mark's head and baptized him with
the ancient words of the sacred rite given by Jesus himself to the
apostles, "Mark, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit."

Mark passed out and began to feel a closeness to God as he saw his parents
reaching out to him with their love.

                                            * * *

Back at school the police began an immediate investigation.  Within hours
they had identified one of the attackers and under pressure from the
detectives interrogating him, he soon gave them the names of the others
involved.  They were arrested and charged under the provisions of the Hate
Crimes legislation.

The dean of discipline had gone along in the ambulance and was in the
waiting room when Ryan and Kyle arrived.  Both were physically shaken since
they had received a call from the headmaster informing them of the attack.
After a while the chaplain came out of the emergency room and introduced
himself to Ryan and Kyle.

"I was here when they brought him in.  He was in very bad shape but he's
still alive.  The doctors will have to fill you in on his condition.  He
asked to be baptized which I did just before he passed out. I also anointed
him with the sacrament of the sick.  I will keep him in my prayers."

Within minutes the waiting room was filling with reporters.  Finally the
chaplain showed the three men to a private waiting area away from the
paparazzi.  Both Ryan and Kyle sat holding one another.  Ryan began to pray
and asked God to give Mark the strength to survive and to one day forgive
his attackers.  This surprised Kyle but impressed the chaplain.

"Those bastards should be given the electric chair!  Goddam it."  Kyle said
angrily.

"Kyle, baby, its OK to be angry.  I'm angry too.  But most likely the boys
that did this to Mark are probably gay themselves."  The chaplain listened
attentively to Ryan and noticed that he had called Kyle, 'baby.'  He then
noticed how they were holding each other's hands and comforting one
another.

"What?  That's so ironic.  You mean to tell me gay guys beat Mark perhaps
to death and he isn't gay!  Damn."  The chaplain was really confused by
what Kyle had said, but continued to listen attentively.

"It comes from living in a prejudiced society.  They learn that if they
allow their true feelings out that they will be rejected like Bill.  So
they fight to repress their homosexuality by attacking it wherever they see
it.  They are really just trying to distance themselves; to say that being
gay is not them."  Ryan explained.  The chaplain understood what Ryan was
saying and wondered if he had contributed to society's rejection of
homosexuals.

"If I could just get my hands on one of them, I'd choke him to death with
my bare hands!"  Kyle said, expressing what he was feeling.

"So you side with the society that wants to suppress gays ... you want to
strike out at it, at the unknown.  It would make us no better than them."
Ryan confronted Kyle.  "I am glad you are sharing your feelings and thank
you for that, but I hope you will do some serious soul searching before
acting on them."

After what seemed like hours, the doctor came out and informed Ryan that
Mark had sustained some serious injuries, but was now stable.  They were
sending him up to the ICU.  Once he was all set up there, they could see
him for just a few minutes.

"We have him pretty heavily sedated, so he won't respond.  Depending on how
it goes tonight maybe tomorrow we will allow him to wake."  The doctor said
and then went out to meet with the reporters and said pretty much the same
to them.

Ryan and Kyle continued their prayers for Mark.  They both offered to
remain celibate until Mark recovered; both thought it was a small sacrifice
to make for their son.  The chaplain prayed with them and asked the Lord to
bless Ryan and Kyle's love and family.

- - - - - - -   - - - - - -

The next chapter is ready to post, but we find it necessary to wait until
we receive at least 10 emails confirming that our readers are continuing to
follow this saga.  deepdiver_pr@yahoo.com