Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 12:33:16 EDT
From: Tulsadriller7@aol.com
Subject: Route 66 Tour, Chapter 12/12

Disclaimer:  The following story is a work of fiction.  If you
are offended by descriptions of homosexual acts or man/man
relations, please exit this page.

ROUTE 66 TOUR
Copyrightc 2003 by Tulsa Driller 7.  All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction and in no way draws on the lives of any
specific person or persons.  Any similarity to actual persons or
events is entirely coincidental.  This work is copyrightedc by
the author and may not be reproduced in any form without the
specific written permission of the author.  It is assigned to the
Nifty Archives under the terms of their submission agreement but
it may not be copied or archived on any other site without the
written permission of the author.
     PLEASE:  In a perfect world AIDS doesn't exist.  My
characters sometimes have unprotected sex.  I hope you use proper
precautions because I'd like you to be around the read the last
chapter of this story.

Route 66 Tour
Chapter 12:
     We drove to the furniture store where we'd bought the
furniture for Laura's bedroom.  We had several things in mind.
We needed a sofa and four wingback chairs for the living room.
All three bedrooms could use at least one comfortable chair for
reading and we could really use two in our bedroom.  We had two
coffee tables for the living room on the list and could use
something that would serve as a bar.
     We had talked about an additional curio cabinet to house the
collection of Boehm porcelains and Waterford Christmas bells, so
that was on our shopping list, also.
     As luck would have it, we drew the same salesman as on our
previous trip.  He had been super to work with then and would
prove to be invaluable this time as he knew his inventory and was
also knowledgeable about what could be special ordered, if need
be.
     We spent almost two hours in the store and ended up buying
seventeen pieces of furniture as we added a table and hall tree
for the first floor entry hall, then another table to go
upstairs.  We knew that we needed additional table lamps and
possibly some torchiere lamps on either side of the fireplace,
but didn't do anything except look at their offerings on this
trip.
     They could deliver the furniture the next day as that
happened to fit their delivery schedule in that part of the city.
I had a feeling that the salesman would have agreed to any day we
wanted it delivered as A.J. wrote a check for almost $9,000 for
our purchases.  Other than desks for the office, incidental
pieces and lamps, we were through with our furniture shopping.
     * * * * *
     When we returned to the house, there was a truck backed up
the driveway and Ralph was seeing to the unloading of lumber,
plywood, sheetrock and other materials.  Our garage was going to
be full and I was reminded that A.J. had called Curtis Cunningham
earlier that morning, but Ralph Greene arrived before we had a
chance to discuss it.
     "Did you have a chance to talk to Curtis this morning?" I
asked A.J.
     "Yes, he thought he would be able to schedule an early sale
for us and could probably get some of his helpers over here at
the beginning of the week to price the sale items and have the
sale on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of next week."
     "That's good.  If you know of anything we should add of our
own, this is the time to get rid of it," I said.
     "I don't know of anything, right now," he said.
     "That brings up another point.  What are you bringing from
your parents house and do we need to hire someone to move it?" I
asked.
     "There are a few clothes and my computer system.  I'd like
to bring my pieces of art and model cars, if that's okay?" he
said.
     "Why shouldn't it be okay?  This is your house, too, isn't
it?" I questioned.
     "Well, yes." he was hesitant.
     "What?" I was confused.
     "I guess that it's time I finally broke my ties to the house
I grew up in.  I know I haven't really lived there for six years,
but. well you know, it just seems final, somehow."
     Laura spoke up.  "It's the opposite of the 'empty nest'
syndrome.  It's all part of the comfort of giving up the security
of being able to go home to your parents."
     "I'm all excited about living here and having our own house,
but I guess grandmother is right.  It's breaking the final ties
by not having anything left there," A.J. said.
     "I understand.  I took things of mine from my parents house
over a period of several years, then they moved to a smaller
house and all of a sudden here was more stuff I'd forgotten about
- school pictures, old books, stuff like that.  All of a sudden,
it didn't seem important anymore and they no longer owned the
house where I grew up," I said.
     "No, you are right.  It has to be done and let's get
everything when we take grandmother home on Friday.  I'm sorry; I
don't know what I was thinking or feeling.  I certainly would
much rather be here with you than living with them or even by
myself."
     I walked over to A.J. and gave him a hug and a kiss on his
cheek as we pulled ourselves together.
     "Thanks.  I guess I needed that," he said.
     Laura did the same thing and we shared one big hug together.
     "We can rent a small U-Haul truck and probably have room
left over," he said.
     "That's fine.  They are usually cheaper to rent as a 'one-
way' rather than 'round-trip', so we can probably pick one up in
Oklahoma City with no problem," I told them.
     "There is a dealer that's only about a mile from the house,"
A.J. said.
     "I think our best bet is to get everything you want down to
the garage, then figure out how much space we need and get a
truck that's large enough," I said.
     "Sounds fine to me," he said, as if nothing had happened.
     * * * * *
     Ralph had plenty of room in the garage and only had to move
a few things.  He told us that he would be storing some tools
there so he didn't have to carry them back and forth.
     We took some things into the house and got the cleaning
supplies we needed for the apartment and went over there.  It
took us about an hour to clean the bathroom and kitchen,
including washing out the refrigerator and running the vacuum and
taking down the drapes.
     My first thought was to leave the hardware, but remembered
that when I'd moved in there were no signs of screw holes in the
walls.  They would take the hardware down and probably throw it
away.  So, a screwdriver made short work of the task.
     I took the keys and gate cards to the office.  One of the
women who worked there went back to the apartment with A.J. and
me to inspect the place.  I honestly think she was disappointed
because she didn't find something to complain about or deduct
from the deposit.
     We went back to the office and she filled in a "vacancy
report" which showed that we would get the total deposit back.
She told us that it was seldom anyone left a unit as clean as
ours was.  I signed the form and was told a check would be mailed
by the end of the week.
     * * * * *
     It was almost 5 o'clock when we got back to the house.  Much
to our surprise, Ralph and his son, Bud, had the framing up for
the organ speakers.  His son was a looker, but only about 5'10"
to Ralph's 6'4".  You could tell there was a family resemblance,
but Bud looked to be in his early 20's so probably was as tall as
he was going to be.
     They were just nailing the final piece of plywood on top and
Ralph had cut a hole in the sheetrock to access the outlet on the
other side of the wall in the closet of the second bedroom
upstairs.
     "Oh good, you're here," Ralph said.  "We need to plug a
light into the outlet, then have someone turn off the breaker so
we'll know the line is dead."
     "We can do that for you," I told him.
     "There is a small test light on top of that toolbox," Ralph
said.  "If one of you will plug the light in the outlet, then the
other can turn off the breaker.  Be sure to check both plugs.  I
don't think these are split circuits, but you never know if you
don't try them."
     "I'll go upstairs," I told them.  "A.J., you go to the
basement.  There is a listing of the breakers on the panel.  Make
sure I say the light is on before you turn anything off.  Laura,
can you stand at the top of the basement stairs and relay the
messages?"
     It didn't take five minutes to determine that the breaker
was off.  It turned out that Bud was a licensed electrician, so
made short work of what needed to be done to hook up an outlet on
the living room side of the wall.
     "We can put the sheetrock on this tomorrow morning," Ralph
told us.  "Do you want us to haul the speakers up there tonight?"
     "Isn't it past your quitting time?" I questioned.
     "Naw. not when you work for yourself.  I bid on the job, not
the time of day," he laughed.  "Besides it's easier when the
sheetrock hasn't been put up."
     I now knew why Doug Reynolds had recommended everyone who
was doing work for us.  They were all honest people who would go
overboard to do the job right.  Those people got in, got the job
done, didn't make a mess and were glad to be of service.
     "That's fine.  It won't take us five minutes to unhook the
wiring," I said.
     "Bud, you get the pads and straps out of the pickup.  We'll
have this done in no time."
     Bud left on his errand.  "His name is Jeremy, but he named
himself Bud when he was about 4 years old.  If I called him
Jeremy today, he probably wouldn't answer," Ralph said, with a
laugh.
     By the time Bud was back in the living room, we had the
speakers disconnected on both ends and they had a ramp with
moving pads secured to it set up beside the ladder.
     Bud handled the board with the amplifiers like it weighed
nothing, when in reality it had to weigh 60 pounds or better.
The two big cabinets containing the subwoofers were next.  These
weighed better than 90 pounds each.  They put two straps on each
of them and together hauled them up the ramp, one at a time.  The
remaining six cabinets were a cinch in comparison.  Ralph and Bud
set the speakers as directed.  He had already cut the hole at the
top for the cable and Bud made sure where we wanted the box below
before he attached it to the stud.
     "You want us to wire these?" Bud asked, referring to the
speakers.
     "No, we can do that.  I've got what is needed and we'll cut
the wire to length and use cable ties.
     "That's okay.  If you'll go turn the breaker back on, we'll
double check to make sure this outlet works," Bud said.
     A.J. went downstairs and shortly their test light lit up.  I
went to the basement door and hollered that it was okay.  A.J.
came back upstairs.
     By this time they had the ramp taken down and were preparing
to take it to the garage in case they needed it again.
     Bidding us a good evening they left, telling us they would
be back about 8 o'clock the next day.
     * * * * *
     "I don't know how we lucked out in finding the great workers
Doug recommended," Laura said.  "The last people to do some work
on my condo were always at least an hour late in the morning,
then didn't do anything the last hour they were there and usually
took a couple of hours for lunch, too."
     "I have a feeling that Ralph is going to be in and out of
here before we're aware he's here," A.J. said.
     "I think you are right about that.  If you will be so kind
as to fix drinks, I'll unload the cleaning supplies out of the
car and bring them in."
     "What, no organ recital for happy hour tonight?" Laura
teased.
     "Well, we can delay it about twenty minutes," I said.  "I
can do a quick hookup and we can always take care of cutting
cables to length later."
     If the truth were known, I wanted to hear the sound with the
speakers up above, anyway.  I started up the ladder.
     "Do you need some help?" A.J. asked.
     "Sure, it'll go twice as fast."
     A.J. helped me relocate several cabinets, then turn the
large ones up on end so we could easily get to the terminals.  He
attached the wires to the various cabinets and I attached them to
the amplifiers, and then laid the board on the shelf, behind the
speakers.  We'd attach it to the wall the next day to minimize
vibrations.
     After I got back down to the floor, I turned the organ on
and A.J. verified that each of the amplifiers had a green light.
He came down and we removed the ladder to the garage, although we
knew they would need it the next day.
     * * * * *
     A.J. fixed drinks while I washed my hands and changed shoes.
He had laid out cheese and crackers a little earlier so put them
on a plate for us.
     I spent about 5 minutes checking the sound of various stops.
The sound in the room was great; although I thought maybe a
couple of speaker cabinets should be repositioned.  We'd have to
experiment with that later, but getting the speakers up high and
away was definitely okay.  There was good response for the 32'
bourdon stop without it being too loud, but still you could tell
it was on in full organ combinations.
     I started playing, having a piece of cracker and cheese
along with a couple sips of my gin between numbers.  I dug deeper
in the stack of music and pulled out some things that I hadn't
played for awhile, both loud and soft.  I had a good time and an
attentive audience that didn't hesitate to let me know what they
liked and didn't like.
     I didn't realize that Laura had gone to the kitchen until a
little later.  She had put some chicken thighs out to defrost
earlier, so had coated them with breadcrumbs and herbs and put
them in the oven to bake.
     We made it easy on ourselves with a bag of salad greens and
wild rice to go with the chicken.  There was ice cream for
dessert.
     It was a nice comfortable evening at home and the three of
us enjoyed just relaxing and visiting with each other.
     Laura had talked to Herbert Flowers, her attorney, each day
since she had been staying with us.  He had plenty of questions
for her each time they talked.  We had always made ourselves
scarce while she was on the telephone.  A.J. and I were sure we'd
find out what they discussed when it was time for the big
meeting.
     About 9 o'clock Laura announced she was going to her room to
read and would see us in the morning.
     We went downstairs to relax in the den.  The furniture was
perfect for cuddling, as it was soft, but well padded, too.  We
listened to Van Cliburn playing the Rachmaninoff "Rhapsody on a
Theme of Paganini and the Brahms Piano Concerto number 2 with the
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra.  This was a re-release of disks
made in the late 1950's on CD's.
     The recording must have been excellent because we both went
to sleep.  A.J. was sitting in the corner of the sofa and I had
my head on his thigh when we went to sleep.  It was only 10:30
when we came to, but I didn't remember hearing the "18th
Variation" of the Rachmaninoff.
     We shut things down and went upstairs to bed.  I think we
each shed our clothes, crawled in, curled up and went back to
sleep immediately.  The next thing I knew it was daylight and
someone was rubbing my chest and I could feel his hairy chest
against my back.  What a pleasurable way to wake up in the
morning.
     We got out of bed to take care of our need to pee, then
brushed our teeth and washed faces.  Then we went back to bed to
enjoy each other and by the time we were through we really needed
a shower.
     * * * * *
     "Good morning," Laura greeted us as we appeared in the
kitchen about 7:45.
     Both A.J. and I kissed her on the cheek, giving her our
"Good morning" greeting, also.
     "I have some muffins ready to go in the oven and they'll
take about 20 minutes to bake," she told us.
     A.J. grabbed two coffee mugs that were sitting on the
counter and poured coffee for us, then touched up Laura's cup.
     "Anything in the paper worth reading?" he questioned her as
he was putting the muffins in the oven.
     "A couple of the local columnists, otherwise we've already
seen it on TV," she laughed.
     "That brings up a question.  Do you want a TV set in your
bedroom?" I questioned Laura.
     "No, not really.  I can't stand the talk shows and I'm
seldom awake by the time they come on, anyway."
     "I think we could use a small TV here in the kitchen, either
put it on the counter, or get a shelf where we could mount it on
the wall," I said.
     "We could take the TV that's downstairs and put it in our
room and get a big-screen TV for the den," A.J. said, his eyes
dancing.
     "You know that if we get everything we want right now, Santa
won't have anything to bring you for Christmas," I teased.
     "Yeah, I guess that's right.  I've already got you and
grandmother, so I don't really need anything else," he grinned.
     About that time the phone rang.  I answered it.  It was the
delivery people for the furniture store.  They would be here in
about 45 minutes.
     "Santa's on his way with part of your presents now," I
laughed.
     "Early Christmas," Laura laughed, too.
     A.J. joined us.
     I touched up our coffee mugs and asked, "How much more
coffee should I make?
     "Why don't you make a full pot, maybe Ralph and Bud drink
coffee."
     As if on cue, there was a knock at the back door.  It was
Ralph and Bud.
     "Good morning," A.J. said as he opened the door.
     We could hear Ralph and Bud telling him hello, then us as
they entered the kitchen.
     "Do you fellows drink coffee?" I asked.
     "Can't live without it," Ralph said.
     "Good I was just getting ready to make a new pot.  We have
muffins in the oven so you can have coffee and a hot muffin in a
few minutes."
     "Sounds good to us, we'll be in the living room.  How does
the organ sound now?" Ralph asked.  "I hope you'll let Bud hear
it a little later.
     "Sure.  Let's have our coffee and muffins in a few minutes.
The movers from the furniture store are on their way, so when
they get through, we can have a little concert."
     "That would be great.  I was telling Bud about hearing it
yesterday morning.  He doesn't believe me when I tell him that it
sounds like a pipe organ."
     "He can be the judge of that when he hears it," I said.
     They brought their ladder back in the house and then carried
in at least six pieces of sheetrock.
     The muffins were just ready to come out of the oven and the
coffee was ready about the same time, so Laura told the men to
join us in the kitchen.  She had put out butter and a couple
kinds of preserves, along with two more coffee mugs and plates.
     "You folks will spoil us.  We generally just have coffee and
a 'Mickey D's Eggwich' on our way to the job.  This morning we
didn't have time for anything more than our coffee as we needed
to stop to pick up some things at the hardware store," Ralph
said.
     As we were sitting at the table visiting and eating, we
learned that Ralph's wife had died about a year ago after a long,
hard fought battle with cancer.  It had been in remission several
times, but the last time it became active it was with a vengeance
and nothing the doctor's did helped, except to keep her
comfortable.
     Bud had a degree in Political History but had obtained his
electrician's license while he was in college.  He and Ralph
worked together and his brother, Jim, helped as he could, but was
working on a degree in engineering.
     Ralph had a degree in English Literature, but enjoyed
carpentry more and had worked with his father, taking over the
company when he died about 10 years ago.
     We were just finishing our "breakfast" when we heard the
truck from the furniture company backing up the driveway.
     Ralph and Bud thanked us for giving them a bite to eat and
assured us that they would bring some wonderful cinnamon rolls
from a local bakery the next morning.
     * * * * *
     It didn't take the three men from the furniture store long
to unload the items they had to deliver and put them in the
appropriate rooms.  A.J. and I could tell that one of the young
men was all eyes and impressed with what he saw of the house.
The other two seemed to be lost in a fog and I wondered if they
had experienced a night of bad drugs.
     Regardless, they were gone by 9:30.
     Ralph and Bud made short work out of putting sheetrock on
the inside and outside of the speaker shelf and had the first
coat of mud and tape in place shortly afterward.  I was amazed at
the speed they accomplished things.
     They broke for lunch about 11:45 saying that they would be
starting on the office/bathroom project when they returned.
     Laura put the casserole that Michael and Michelle Langley
had provided into the oven and made a green salad to go with it,
so we were ready to eat our lunch by 12:30.  She had been busy in
the kitchen all morning and showed us several casseroles she had
made up and put into the freezer, along with some other goodies
she thought we should have on hand for quick meal preparation.
     * * * * *
     By the time we were ready to leave for Oklahoma City at
10:30 Friday morning, great progress had been made on the first
floor half-bath and office areas on the main floor.  The
sheetrock on the speaker shelf had been sanded and recoated twice
and would probably be ready to paint on Monday - certainly
Tuesday.
     I was astounded at the speed and progress Ralph and Bud were
making on their projects.  They were going to start on Laura's
bedroom and bath that afternoon since she would be gone and they
could work in those rooms, too.
     * * * * *
     We arrived in Oklahoma City shortly after noon on that
Friday and Laura wanted to take us to lunch at a new place some
friends of hers had discovered.  Morgan's Bar and Grill turned
out to be a place with some potential.  It overlooked Lake Hefner
and wasn't too far from Tiffin's Bistro where we had eaten days
earlier.
     The food, an extensive sandwich menu, was good, but the wait
staff hadn't been trained and this was going to be a detriment to
the restaurant as the service was poor.  Our drinks arrived only
shortly before the plates with the salad and then the sandwiches
were placed before us with the waitress shoving the salad plate
to the side while we were still eating.  I would have loved to
talk to the manager, but this wasn't my city and we wouldn't be
returning here to eat when visiting Laura in the future.
     We discussed quietly among us as to the longevity of this
restaurant, coming to the conclusion that it would not be open in
three months time.
     Laura had talked to Herbert Flowers the previous day and he
would be at her house at 2 o'clock.  He wanted a report on how we
were coming along with our house and then would give us some
papers to sign to finish the acquisition process.  We had taken
new interior pictures and printed them that morning before
leaving Tulsa.
     * * * * *
     We were at Laura's home a few minutes after leaving the
restaurant.
     "I've really enjoyed being with you boys the last 10 days,
but I'm glad to be back home for a while.  However, you are not
off the hook.  As soon as my rooms are ready at your house, I'm
coming back," Laura said.
     "Shall I call Ralph to have him devote all his time to
working on your bedroom and bathroom?" I asked.
     We laughed about that.
     "Seriously, I might actually consider establishing a
residence in Tulsa after all these years.  I've made a lot of
contacts with old friends the last few days while there and I
could be happy staying there part of the time.
     "Do you want to live with us?" A.J. questioned.
     "No, not on a permanent basis.  If I came to visit, I would
enjoy staying with you, but if I decide to rent an apartment, I
want it to be a place of my own where I can entertain my friends
and not interfere with what you are doing.  You guys have your
own things to do and all of us would be better off in our own
homes."
     "That sounds reasonable," I said.
     "I'm not going to give up my home here.  I just enjoy being
close to both of you and may decide to divide my time between the
two cities and my friends in both places," Laura said.
     Herbert arrived at Laura's place as we were discussing this
new idea Laura had proposed.
     A.J. let him in.  He had two soft briefcases under his left
arm.
     We greeted him as he came in and sat down.
     "Laura, I'm glad you are one of the few clients I have left.
You have kept me busy the last two weeks.
     Laura laughed, as did A.J. and me.  "Herbert, you are
younger than me by several years and you had better plan to be
around to handle all the flack that's going to be in the air when
I die."
     "What I've been working on should prevent a lot of that
flack from being fired.  We're going to secure things for you and
your two favorite men," nodding at us as he said that.
     "That sounds like you really have been busy," she said.
     "Yes, I've been working with Joe Wyton and Randall Davis in
that regard and we think we've come up with a solution to the
ownership of the company that should keep everyone happy,"
Herbert said.
     "Is it complicated?" Laura asked.
     "No, quite simple, in fact.  You own 55% of the company so
you can do as you please.  I suggest that A.J. become president
of the company and that David be elected to the board of
directors, as he will own 15% of the company under the proposed
changes.  That will give A.J. a 40% ownership, so the two of you
can approve or disapprove of any changes Jim or the 3 sons-in-law
might come up with."
     I was sitting there, stunned at what I was hearing.
     "Your son, Jim, actually owns or controls 45% of the stock.
The provision is that he would pass 5% to each of his children,
which actually makes A.J. now have a 45% share of the stock.
With David having his share, that gives the two of you 60% of the
stock. Jim would retain 25% and each of his daughters would have
5%, or a total for them of 15%."
     I spoke up.  "Aren't they going to have an objection about
me owning 15% of the stock all of a sudden?"
     "There is no provision in the by-laws about how the stock is
held.  Anyone can give stock away.  In a close-corporation like
this, you can't sell it to an outsider."
     "Wow," was all I could say.
     Herbert continued.  "When we wrote the corporate by-laws 30
years ago, we weren't thinking of a situation like this, but it
works perfectly for Laura to divide her interests and still
assure that things will go as she wants them to, as I know each
of you will consult with her before voting on anything."
     "What about any dissention?" A.J. asked, meaning his father
and brothers-in-law.
     "This is a case where if they have a problem, they will
really have a problem because they could find themselves without
a job and they don't control enough stock to even be able to call
for a vote," Herbert told us.
     I was sitting there thinking that Herbert and the two
financial advisors had this all worked out.  If everyone left
everything alone, there would be no changes, except for a
redistribution of Jim's stock, and that could take place
immediately, or when he wanted to do it.  Nobody was in danger of
losing a job or income.  The three sisters would be getting
control of their trust funds, along with A.J., and the income
from that money alone should provide a good living for each of
them.
     "What is the salary of Jim and A.J.'s brothers-in-law?. or
is it any of my business" I asked.
     "Jim's salary has always been tied to a percentage of sales,
so last year it was almost $2 million dollars, plus another 'good
performance bonus' of $1.3 million.  Gary and Mark have always
gotten a salary plus a commission over-ride, so each of them got
a total of $875 thousand last year.
     "Jim didn't get any income from the corporation beyond that
as the money was used to fund the various trust funds.  Assuming
that the individual trust funds that A.J., his sisters and you
have will continue to perform, even in this poor economy, there
should be anywhere from $300 thousand to $500 thousand annually
after taxes.  So, none of you are hurting for money, but might be
limited in any large bequests you might want to consider."
     I was having a hard time comprehending the figures that were
being tossed around and hoped that Herbert or one of the others
might provide us with something on paper.  That should make it
seem more realistic.
     "Jim and Betsy will be home a week from next Monday.  I
suggest that we set up a meeting of the family on Wednesday
evening and have dinner at the Country Club," Laura said.  "You
fellows can stay here with me that night if you want."
     A.J. agreed that would work for both of us.  I was sitting
there thinking, 'This is really going to be fun.'
     * * * * *
     We told Laura that we would be back in time for drinks and
dinner, but that we needed to go figure out what we were moving
of A.J.'s personal items, determine how it should be packed and
then rent a truck.  We knew we would be spending the night in his
bedroom at his parents' home, perhaps the last time for him.
     The only large item was his computer system.  He didn't want
the desk as he thought it would be too large for our new office
at home.  There were a few items of clothing, both in the closet
and his dresser and chest.  He'd already taken everything in the
bathroom, but there were a number of models, trophies, awards,
oil paintings, prints and his miniature Calder mobile.
     We didn't need to rent a truck.  Everything could go in his
car, although it would be full.  We went to the liquor store for
boxes, and then got the bubble wrap and tape from our Tulsa move
out of the trunk of his car.  We had everything packed and in the
garage in less than two hours.  It was 4:30 and we weren't to be
at Laura's house until 6:15 for drinks.
     * * * * *
     We dressed casually, but with jackets to go back to Laura's
for drinks before going out to eat.  A.J. and I had discussed
family finances instead of indulging in our ability make each
other feel good.  Although we knew that Herbert and the two
financial advisors knew what they were doing, we still had
various 'scenarios' to talk about.
     Laura greeted us at the door and was thrilled because we had
worn jackets to go eat.  I honestly wondered if we could have
gotten by with being naked - as long as we were wearing a jacket.
     We went back to Lake Hefner, but to Tiffin's Bistro.  The
meal and service were as great as the previous visit.  Certainly
much different than what was passed off as food and service at
noon.
     Dinner was leisurely and Laura was talking about what
Herbert was doing.  She was very pleased with the results.
     "You both need to sit down and work with Herbert and write a
will that protects each of you and allows others to benefit when
the time comes, also," she told us.
     "Do you think there will be a problem with A.J.'s brothers-
in-law?" I asked.
     "What good will it do them to put up a fuss?  They are
already living on the family generosity and if they think things
through, they would realize that you could sell the company and
they wouldn't have jobs because the new owners would be buying a
profitable company and they would be part of the dead-wood that
would be swept out to make it even more profitable."
     One thing about Laura, she tells it as it is.
     "What I would like for the two of you to do, upon your
deaths, is to leave the money in a trust fund so it can be of
benefit to the arts and museums.  This is what I'm doing with my
money, although you already know that because the two of you are
the trustees and have to pass on every application.  The first
thing you have to decide is how much money to release each year,
if any at all.  You can rely on Joe Wyton and Randall Davis to
give you guidance there.  My personal things are to be left to
A.J. and any money I have left will go into the arts trust fund
since you two will have plenty of money."
     This had turned out to be another interesting day in Family
Finance 101 for both of us.
     Our meal was excellent and the same waiter attended us as on
the previous visit.  We did find out his name was Jon and that he
was one of the owners of the restaurant.
     A.J. told him we lived in Tulsa and would welcome a
restaurant like this in our town.
     "We've been approached about franchising, but feel that we
lose too much control over the service and the food," he told us.
     "I can understand that.  There are too few places that have
both, except for the country club dining rooms.  My pet peeve is
what happened to us today at lunch.  We gave drink orders and
they arrived only a few steps ahead of the salad, which was then
shoved aside when entree arrived.
     "The next thing was to be asked 2 minutes later if
everything was okay.  When we said yes, the check was slammed
down on the table with a 'Have a great day'.  If we had wanted
anything else, I'm sure we would have been out of luck," I said.
     Jon laughed.  "Oh yes, Mickey D's with tablecloths."
     "You got it," A.J. replied.  All four of us laughed.
     * * * * *
     We returned Laura to her house, telling her that we would
pick up some things for breakfast and be at her place about 8:30.
     A.J. drove back to his parent's house.  He was unusually
quiet which led me to believe that he was still thinking about
breaking the final ties to the family home.  I reached over and
squeezed his right hand, then brought it to my lips for a kiss.
     "Are you okay, babe?" I asked.
     "Yeah, I really am.  I'm sorry, it just seems like I'm
sneaking out while they aren't looking.  I'll bet that when we
see them a week from next Wednesday that they won't even realize
my room is empty of all personal things."
     "I'm sorry that bothers you," I said.
     "Don't be.  I really haven't spent any time here for the
last six years and certainly not as part of a family.  I was just
someone who 'rented a room' and had a different schedule than
they did," he said.
     "I understand," I said, thinking I really did.
     "No, my place is with you and I'm thankful for what
Grandmother has done in making all of this possible.  Up to now,
she's the only person who has really mattered to me.  I could
always count on her to be there when I needed somebody, or to
talk to, or receive guidance.  My sister's all got married as
soon as they could just so they could leave home."  He sounded a
little bitter.
     I tried to lighten the subject.  "So are you," making a
joke.
     He brightened up immediately.  "I hadn't thought of it that
way, but I am.  Only I'm in love and they were looking for an
escape."
     We both laughed, a little tentative in our response.
     "You know that grandmother is incredible.  She is very
perceptive and I think she realized that I was in love before I
did," A.J. told me.
     "Before either of us," I agreed.
     By this time we were rounding the corner of the garage.
     "Is it okay if we pack the car tonight?" A.J. asked.
     "Sure," I said.
     "I want to get up, clean up and leave here in the morning.
I want to go to grandmother's house and tell the world that I'm
okay," he almost shouted.
     * * * * *
     It didn't take long to pack the car.  It was crowded and
there would be several things that would have to be added after I
was in the car the next morning as the bundles would be wedged
around my feet and body as I sat in the seat and they would have
to be removed before I could get out.  We were through in about
25 minutes.
     * * * * *
     We were damp with sweat by the time we were through with the
loading of A.J.'s car.  We stripped our clothes off without
ceremony and showered together.  I could tell that A.J. still
wasn't secure about what was happening.  The only solution I
could think of was to take him to bed and let him know he was
loved - in whatever form it took.
     We dried each other the best we could before getting out of
the large shower and finished the job while standing on the bath
mat.
     It was by an unspoken agreement that we got into the bed
together, crawling in from opposite sides to meet in the middle.
     My sweet A.J. needed to be comforted.  Although he was one
of the most self-assured people I knew, I realized what he was
going through.  He now had his own home, but still needed to
separate himself from his room at his parent's home, the only
place he'd really lived until now.  Sure, he had been a student
at the University of Oklahoma for over six years, staying at his
parent's home only on occasion, but this was still a big step for
anyone at any age.  He could be 60 years old and still have the
same "withdrawal" symptoms.
     I was thankful that Laura had nurtured him into being the
person he was:  Smart, kind, loving, questioning, incredibly
handsome and usually self-assured, but still innocent of the way
the world worked.
     A.J. didn't need sex this night.  He needed someone to hold
him, to cuddle him in their arms and whisper that "it" was okay.
I was surprised.  He went to sleep very quickly and didn't stir
until the bedroom became light the next morning.
     * * * * *
     The person that greeted me when he awoke was the A.J. that I
knew and had come to love.  There was no hint of any problem from
the night before.  We had time to play around with each other and
did so - with gusto, not having intercourse as such, but still
achieving a mutual climax and painting each other with the
evidence of our love for each other.
     We cleaned up and then stripped the bed, putting the
mattress pad and sheets in the laundry for the cleaning lady to
find.  We had dressed casually for the day and after making sure
everything was in the car, we stopped at a wonderful bakery on
the way to Laura's home.
     I didn't try to get out of the car, but A.J. found a
wonderful Quiche Lorraine and English Muffins to take with us.
     Laura greeted us with her usual cheery welcome, giving each
of us a kiss and hug, which we gratefully returned.
     While having juice, coffee and bakery items, we visited
about what Herbert had told us the previous day.
     "What if they make a stink about all the changes that are
proposed?" A.J. asked.
     "The three of us can sell the company and all of us, Jim
included, will have plenty of money for whatever we want to do.
If Jim wants to cut his daughters in on the deal, that's fine,
but I can't imagine that the new owners will want Jim, Gary or
Mark working there.
     "You sound like you have a buyer for the company?" I
questioned.
     "Oh yes, several in fact.  This is a successful company, so
there is no problem selling it at a good price.  Any of the
possible new owners would trim the deadwood immediately and they
would be out of a job.
     "Actually, you are telling them, 'Play the game our way, or
there won't be any game'," A.J. said.
     Laura laughed.  "That's the simplest way I can think of to
put it."
     I wasn't sure if I should laugh or not, but then A.J. and
Laura did and I joined them.
     We finished our breakfast.  Laura had made arrangements for
a friend of hers to take her to the beauty shop and then the
grocery store, so we were dismissed.
     "Go on, start on your way home.  I know you have plenty of
things to do and we'll visit this evening and have drinks
together with Ma Bell playing host," Laura laughed.
     A.J. and I carried dishes to the kitchen and took the Quiche
Lorraine at her insistence.
     We exchanged kisses and hugs as we went out the door.
     A.J. helped me into the passenger side of the car and handed
the packages so I could arrange them around my feet.
     As we backed out the driveway, A.J. tooted the horn and we
both waved at our benefactor and provider.
     * * * * *
     I was lost in silence for a few miles.
     "I think Oklahoma is about to have a major earthquake," I
said as we were driving down the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
     A.J. laughed.  "Dad loves that company, so he'll do whatever
it takes to see to it that he has a place to go everyday on his
way to and from the golf course."
     "What about Gary and Mark?" I questioned.
     "Maybe they'll actually have to thank Laura. and us. that
they have jobs."
     "Somehow I don't think we're going to be too popular in
Oklahoma City and it's a good thing we have a 90-mile long
turnpike separating the two cities.
     "Would your father try to buy the company if it were put up
for sale?" I asked.
     "You know, I don't really know.  That's an interesting
thought, although I'm sure if it came to that, several other
companies would outbid him," A.J. said.
     By this time we'd made the transition to the Turner Turnpike
and would be home by 11:30.
     * * * * *
     We were surprised to find that Ralph, Bud and the other son,
Jim, were working on the new bathroom and office area, along with
Laura's bathroom.  The two doors into the living room had been
closed up and the two pocket doors installed.
     Ralph greeted us, and then introduced Jim.
     "This is a nice home you fellow have here and I think you
are making some great improvements to it," Jim told us while
shaking our hands.
     Jim had the finest qualities of his father and brother.  He
was taller than Bud, probably 6'1" and more slender, at least in
appearance than either his father or Bud.  He was the younger of
the two boys.
     "Thanks," I said.  "This was a situation where it seemed
like the bedrooms were almost an extension of the living room."
     Jim answered, "Getting rid of the two doors and hiding the
other behind that screen you built for the organ speakers is a
great idea and it will make your music room seem larger, too."
     He was right, it did and when the new sheetrock was painted
to match the living room, that enclosure would seem to disappear.
     "I haven't had a chance to hear the organ yet," Bud said,
sounding like a young child.
     A.J. laughed.  "I'll speak to the maestro and see if a
private concert can be set up for you."
     "At your service," I said, bowing deeply.
     "I told them they were in for a treat," Ralph told us.
     "Well, I can't disappoint them, can I?" I said, sitting
backward on the bench to change my shoes.
     The three men stood in the corner of the room, waiting for
me to start.
     "You may want to walk around and see how much the sound
changes from one area to another.  I haven't done any adjusting
or sound leveling yet and I know there are a few things that need
to be changed.
     I swung around on the bench and launched into the
arrangement of J.S. Bach's "Come, Sweet Death" that was made
popular by Virgil Fox.  That was one of the great transcriptions
of organ literature in my book.  It certainly made great use of
the organs resources except for the brilliant reeds and I would
play Andre Campra's "Rigaudon" so they could experience that.
     When I finished the first selection, it was quiet, then
applause.  I didn't give them a chance to comment, but started
the second piece.  The Festival Trumpet certainly spoke with
authority with the speakers in their new location and I was
pleased that the sound seemed to be from several different
directional sources, which was due to proper placement of the
various speaker cabinets.
     There was a lot of applause for just three people.  When I
looked around A.J. was applauding, as were Michael and Michelle
Langley from next-door east, who were standing in the room, also.
     "We brought some smoked brisket that Michael prepared on our
grill," Michelle said, walking up with a large covered plate in
her hand.
     I was beginning to change my mind about these people because
we had really enjoyed the chicken and pasta casserole they had
given us the other day.
     "That really sounded great," Michael said, with Michelle
agreeing.
     A.J. spoke up.  "They came to the backdoor, otherwise I
don't think I would have heard the front door bell."
     Ralph and his sons walked up to say "thank you" and tell us
they would be back about 8 o'clock on Monday morning.
     "Dad was right," was all Bud said.
     "Sounded great," were Jim's words.
     "Please forgive us for just walking in the back door, but we
rang and realized that you might not be able to hear the bell as
we could hear the organ," Michelle said.
     "That's not a problem," I replied.  "Obviously you knew we
couldn't hear anything except the organ."
     "They've really made a lot of progress on your remodeling
this week," Michael said.
     I slipped off the bench and changed shoes so we could walk
through the house, as I hadn't seen all the changes they'd made
since we left here 24 hours ago.
     They had closed up two doors from the living room into the
bathroom and our new office.  The hardware for the pocket door
into Laura's bathroom (as we thought of it) was in place and the
door was leaning against the wall.  The inside of the old hall
door had been framed and sheetrock in place, so the mirror could
be hung shortly.
     I was surprised at the new half bath as that room appeared
to be shaping up nicely.  The stool was ready to set and the
cabinet and lines were in place for the lavatory.  The doorframe
was in and the hardware for the new pocket door into our office
was in place.
     We discovered later in the afternoon that the frame for the
dolly for the organ console had been assembled.
     These men didn't waste any time.
     A.J. gave Michelle the casserole dish from the other day and
we both assured her that all three of us had enjoyed it.
     Michael spoke up that they had to be somewhere by 1:30 and
still had to change clothes.  Somehow, that was good news for me.
We'd had a big day yesterday along with the drive back from
Oklahoma City this morning.  We needed some time for ourselves
and needed to unpack the car, too.
     * * * * *
     Curtis Cunningham called almost as soon as the Langley's
left.  He told us he wanted to come by later in the afternoon to
see about space for the sale and what needed to be done to have
it ready for his crew to start pricing on Monday morning.
     We told him that the garage would be unlocked and there were
some tools and building materials stored there, but at the rate
the remodeling was going, we thought that area of the garage
would be empty in a couple more days.
     * * * * *
     "I'm ready for a Saturday noon libation," I told A.J. as he
pushed the button on the speakerphone.
     "That sounds like a wonderful idea.  What are we going to
have for lunch?"
     "Gin," I said, laughing.
     "I love you," he said, giving me a kiss and joining in the
laughter.
     As we were leaning in for another kiss, the telephone rang
again.  A.J. pushed the button for the speakerphone.  It was Doug
and Tom.
     "Hi," we both said, almost together after we found out who
was calling.
     "How are the plans for remodeling coming along?  Did you
have a chance to talk to Ralph Greene yet?" Doug asked.
     I started laughing.  "Would you believe that he's almost
through with the project?"
     "What?" Doug was incredulous.
     "He came by the week before last, when we were getting ready
to move and we discussed what we wanted done.  Then he called on
Tuesday morning, saying he'd had a delay on another project
because of another subcontractor holding him up, waiting for
materials.  He came over, presented his bid for the work, we
accepted it and he started work that afternoon," I said.
     "He never ceases to amaze me," Doug told us.
     "His son, Bud, has been helping him all week and today Jim
was with them.  I didn't expect him to work on Saturday, but they
were here when we got back from Oklahoma City before noon," A.J.
told them.
     "They all work hard and I've never had a complaint about
their work," Doug said.
     "We certainly don't have any and at the rate they are going,
I think they will have all the structural changes completed by
the end of the week.  The shelving for the office probably will
take longer," I told them.
     "What do you want to bet that they'll get that built over
the weekend and be ready to install it sometime this week? A.J.
asked.
     "That wouldn't be improbable," Doug laughed.
     "Thank you for giving us the names of Curtis Cunningham,
Ralph Greene and George and Paul and Charlie and Blaine.  These
guys get in, get their work done and disappear and I don't know
how it happened, but we seemed to get the next spot on all their
schedules," I said.
     "Part of that is luck, but they know I give them good
recommendations and they are anxious to have me give them
referrals," Doug told us.
     "I don't care what they call it, but I'm impressed with all
of them," I said.
     "The reason I called," Doug said, "is that I have some
paperwork to give you and wondered if we could drop it by in a
few minutes.  We're going out to lunch, so won't stay unless you
want to give us a drink," Doug laughed.
     "You knew there was a catch, didn't you?" Tom spoke up for
the first time.
     "Do you have plans for lunch?" Doug asked.
     "No.  In fact when you called we were just discussing having
a drink ourselves, so come on over before we get into the booze
all by ourselves," A.J. giggled.
     "We'll be there in about ten minutes," Doug said.  "And
lunch is on us."
     I pushed the button on the speakerphone.
     "Were our lives dull before we met each other?" I asked
A.J., leaning in for another kiss.
     "Must have been, but I'm sure having fun now," he replied.
     * * * * *
     True to their word, they drove up the driveway within ten
minutes and we greeted them at the front door, giving each other
hugs as they came inside.
     Doug looked around.  "This place looks like a different
house.  I'm glad you were able to figure out what to do with
those three stupid doors off the back of the living room."
     "Two are gone and one is hidden," A.J. proudly said.
     "Yes, and when that new wall is painted, that whole area
will disappear, or certainly not be obvious," Doug told us.
     "That's a good place for the organ speakers," Tom told us.
     "Yes, there is room for a facade of organ pipes and I need
to call a couple of the local organ servicemen to see if they
have any junk pipes that are in good shape.  We can build toe
boards and racks to hold them after we lay out the design," I
said.
     "How does the organ sound in here?" Doug wanted to know.
     "Really good.  Do you want to hear it?" I proudly asked.
     "Thought you would never ask," Doug laughed, poking me in
the ribs.
     "You asked for it," I said as I said down on the bench to
change shoes again.
     A.J. said, "I hate to interrupt, but somebody called and
said they were thirsty and we're thirsty, so I'm opening the
bar."
     All of us laughed and gave him our drink orders.
     I repeated the two pieces I'd played a little earlier.
     "Wow, I feel like I'm in a cathedral," Tom told us.
     "This is a wonderful room for sound, isn't it?" Doug asked.
     "Yes, the hardwood floor, tall ceiling and hard surfaces
give it just enough reverberation to make it sound great.  I
could turn the reverb up a little more, but I think that makes it
sound artificial and we really don't want that," I said.
     "I have to agree.  It sounds real now and if you add any
echo it won't be a desirable sound," Tom said.  Doug agreed.
     We walked on through the house so they could see the
remodeling project and they approved of what we were having done.
     The next stop was the dining room.  "Are you going to keep
this light?" Doug asked, indicating the one hanging over the
dining room table.
     "No, definitely not.  We have a nice crystal chandelier and
I'm going to get Bud to hang it for us on Monday.  This one is
going in the sale."
     "I know someone who is looking for something like this.
They may not want this one, but I'll tell them to call you, if
you don't mind," Doug asked.
     "Fine with me.  Do you have any idea what it's worth?" I
asked.
     "Price it at $400.  You can always come down, if you have
to," Doug said.
     "What?!"  I was stunned.
     "Sure, just go to Lowes or Home Depot or any of the lighting
places.  Things like this bring top dollar and people gladly pay
it," Tom said.
     "Have them give us a call, then," A.J. said.  "I think it's
ugly."
     "I do, too, but they didn't ask my opinion," Doug told us.
     * * * * *
     We had a great lunch at an Irish Pub called Kilkenny's on
15th Street.  They had a good sandwich menu and excellent drinks
and we were feeling no pain when we left the place.
     * * * * *
     We didn't really do much the rest of the weekend, except to
revel in our new house, rest, make love when the mood struck us
and eat when we felt like it.  We did go to church on Sunday
morning, and then treated ourselves to the Sunday buffet at the
Gilcrease Museum.  A nap was in order after we got home.
     Our usual conversation with Laura was around 6 p.m. both
evenings.  Although she swore she was glad to be home, both of us
thought she would rather be with us.
     * * * * *
     The next week went pretty much as we had expected.  Curtis
and his crew showed up to price and arrange things for the sale
on Monday morning.
     Jim helped his father and brother three days of that week
and, A.J. was right, they had the shelving ready to install on
Wednesday.  The small bathroom was complete except for cutting
and stretching the carpet and the sheetrock in all the rooms had
been painted.  The glass company arrived on Friday afternoon to
install the new mirror in Laura's bathroom, covering the area
where the door into the living room used to be.
     The sale started on Thursday morning and the stuff I
considered to be lesser quality sold first and at good prices.
The people Doug knew didn't take the dining room light that we
took down, but it was sold within 20 minutes of start of the sale
and for $475.  By the time the sale opened on Saturday morning,
it looked like the remnants from a junkyard.  Finally, with our
permission Curtis closed the sale at 1 p.m. and a friend of his
who had a booth in a flea market bought and hauled away the few
remaining items.  The sale had gone much as Curtis expected and
grossed a little over $30,000.  By the time we paid Curtis his
30% plus the $450 to appraise the items we had thought we wanted
to keep, we made a total of $1,550 on the sale after having paid
the Martin's $19,000 for the furniture we kept and what went in
the sale.  Doug realized that we hadn't kept everything we'd told
him about, so gave us back $200 of his appraisal fee, insisting
we take it even when telling him no.
     Ralph and his sons brought the organ platform around to the
front door, as there was more room to maneuver it into the living
room.  The five of us, plus one of the men working for Curtis
placed the console on it.  We lifted and he shoved the dolly
under it.  It was a perfect fit and was the same color as the oak
of the console.  It rolled smoothly on the floor and was nice as
the console could be shoved against the wall if we wanted it out
of the way.
     Ralph told us to call him when we got the pipes and he would
help measure and build toe and rack boards for them.
     * * * * *
     We had given Laura a daily report of the various activities
each evening.  We could tell that she was itching to get back
over here, but said she would wait until after the big meeting on
Wednesday night.
     Our weekend was a lazy one, although we looked at cars to
replace the Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe I was driving.  We had
decided that a 4-door sedan of some kind was much easier for
Laura to get in and out of.  However, we didn't buy a car that
weekend.
     Laura had already invited her granddaughters and their
husbands to the country club for dinner on Wednesday night.
Tamara and Mark indicated that they had other plans for the
evening and Laura told them to cancel them that this concerned
them as it was related to the family business.  That statement
must have given all of the girls and their husbands something to
talk about.
     A.J.'s parents arrived back in Oklahoma City on Monday
afternoon.  Gary, who was Marilee's husband, was pressed into
service to pick them up at the airport and we found out later he
wasn't happy about it because he had to miss an afternoon of
golf.  Life is tough.
     Jim, A.J.'s father, didn't say anything to Laura about the
upcoming meeting, but Herbert Flowers told him that he and Joe
Wyton and Randall Davis would be present at the dinner, too.
     * * * * *
     We drove to Oklahoma City on Wednesday morning and had lunch
with A.J.'s parents.  They were nice people and we all seemed to
be comfortable with each other.  Of course, we had questions
about their trip, where they had been, what they saw, etc.  As
A.J. had predicted, they didn't know exactly where they had been
and what they had done, except that the large cities seemed
modern, but the rural areas were backward and that people
actually lived in mud huts.
     After we were through eating, A.J. told them of our having
met each other and that we were living together as a gay male
couple.  The news didn't faze either one a bit and I remembered
that Jim had told A.J. at one point that a couple of his golfing
buddy's had sons who were gay and he would be glad to introduce
them.
     "Do you know what this meeting is all about that Mom is
having this evening?" Jim questioned A.J.
     "Yes, a little.  She's making some changes in her will and
the administration of the trust fund for the arts she has
established," he told his father.
     "Oh, I thought maybe it was something serious," Jim said,
dismissing the subject.
     "Well, it's serious to her," A.J. said without volunteering
to divulge anything more.
     I had tried to talk to Betsy, but found her to be largely
uninterested in the fact that A.J. and I had bought a house and
were having some extensive remodeling work done.
     Her reply was, "Maybe I ought to have our house redecorated
again.  It's been about four years since that was done the last
time.
     My first thought was comparing having the house redone to
having the oil changed on your car.  Something that had to be
done on a regular basis.  That further explained why the house
looked like a museum instead of a place where people lived.
     Jim invited us to join him on the golf course that
afternoon.  When I told him that I didn't play he seemed
surprised, as if he thought everyone played golf.  Betsy had an
appointment at the beauty shop, so had to leave as soon as we
were through eating.
     A.J. said, "We are staying with Laura and will bring her
with us this evening."
     "Why aren't you staying in your own room?" Betsy questioned.
"It's large enough for both of you."
     "Because ten days ago I moved everything out that I wanted
to keep and it's now in our home in Tulsa."  A.J. told me later
that as he had thought, she hadn't been in that part of the house
since they returned from their trip.
     After we left the restaurant, A.J. told me to help him
remember to give his father his house keys and garage door
opener.
     * * * * *
     We arrived at the Oklahoma City Country Club at 6:15.  Laura
had a room reserved for our party, with the table set for 14.  It
was a good thing that cocktail hour was planned to be an hour,
because it was pretty stiff when it started.  A.J. introduced me
to his older sister, Marilee and her husband, Gary.  Then there
was Tamara and Mark.  These were the two men that were part of
the business.  The other, younger sister was Lorraine and her
husband, Phillip.  She had shown up wearing a new maternity
outfit as their way of announcing they were expecting their
second child.  I noticed that there was little visiting between
Laura and her three granddaughters.  I felt badly about that
until I realized they weren't visiting with Betsy, either, and
didn't have that much to do with each other.  It was going to be
a long (happy?) hour.
     Finally, Laura signaled that we were to be seated at the
table and it was then that I noticed the place cards.  I was
between Lorraine and Marilee, with their husbands on the other
side of them.  Laura was at the head of the table and Herbert
Flowers was at the foot.
       For as strained as the conversation was, the food more
than made up for it.  I ate well, but noticed that Lorraine was
picking at her food, which was a sirloin roast with twice-baked
potatoes, steamed broccoli, glazed carrots, onions and green
beans.
     "Good food," I said.
     "I'm thinking of becoming a vegetarian," she told me.
     "The vegetables are good," I said, realizing that my attempt
at conversation was futile.
     "They have other things in them.  The vegetables are glazed
with meat drippings and the potatoes have cream and butter in
them."
     "Oh," I said wishing I'd kept my mouth shut.
     Marilee was a little friendlier, but not by very much.
     I was glad when the plates were taken away and the dessert
was served.  The offering was pears poached in port wine and
served with coffee.
     The meal seemed to last forever and it had been rather quiet
around the table.  I wondered how long it had been since this
family had eaten a meal together like this.
     Finally Herbert Flowers stood up.  The two quiet
conversations that were going on ceased immediately.
     "I'd like to thank Laura for the wonderful dinner this
evening.  The food is always great here and the menu was well
chosen.
     "Laura asked me to talk to you this evening as she has had
Joe and Randall and myself working on her will and the trust fund
for the arts that has been established for several years.  There
are few changes that concern you, but we felt that a family
gathering was the best way to talk to all of you and answer your
questions at the same time.
     "All of you have met David tonight.  He and A.J. met
recently and have decided to become domestic partners, so he is
now part of the McDermott family."  There were a couple of groans
from the brothers-in-law.
     "Now, I have some good news for all of you.  Many years ago
Andrew James and Laura McDermott loaned their son, Jim, the money
to go into the appliance business.  All of you know that this
business has been very successful and has supported all of you in
grand style.  Proceeds from the business have gone into four
trust funds to benefit Marilee, Tamara, Lorraine and A.J.  The
terms were that none of them could draw any of that money until
Lorraine reached the age of 23, which will take place in January.
Those trust funds are worth $5 million dollars each and you can
use the income in any manner you please."
     There was a gasp around the table, then applause.
     "In addition, Laura has funded, from her own money, a trust
fund for her great-grand children.  Company money which has
funded the other trust funds will no longer be used for that,
instead they will be diverted to the trust funds for the younger
generation."
     There was more applause.
     "Now, as you know, Laura has retained majority ownership of
the company all of these years and this will change some, but
won't effect any of you.  The terms of the by-laws of this
corporation are that stock may not be sold to an outsider;
however, it may be given away at the owner's discretion.  She has
given David control of 15% of her stock and the control of the
other 40% has been passed to A.J.  Both will be elected to the
board and A.J. will become the president of the corporation."
     There was much murmuring and Gary stood up.  His greed was
immediately apparent to those of us in the room.
     "He's not even part of the company.  He didn't want a job
working for us and we've been paying him as a consultant when in
reality he has been going to school."
     Mark, wisely kept quiet, but you could tell he wasn't a
happy camper.
     "Point well taken, Gary.  Let me clarify this for you.  A.J.
was given the title as consultant with the company to help him
out with the college expenses his scholarship didn't cover,
namely for a portion of his living expenses.  Since your
compensation has always been based on salary plus a commission
override, it didn't have any effect on the money you received or
expected to receive in compensation.  Furthermore, Mark is paid
the same as you.
     "Actually in the past six years, A.J. has drawn a total of
$54,000 from the company.  That's $9,000 per year and I believe
that last year your total salary and commission override was $875
thousand, plus car, insurance, retirement and club memberships
which amounted to another $100 thousand.  The same is true for
Mark."
     I was enjoying this as Gary sat down without saying anything
further.
     "Are there any questions?" Herbert asked.
     Phillip, Lorraine's husband, stood up.  "I think Laura has
been more than generous with everyone in this room.  However, I'd
like to know if any of the rest of us will ever have a chance to
buy stock in this company?"
     "That's a fair question," Herbert said.  "I'm not telling
any secrets when I say that Jim's will is set up to leave his
stock to his wife and eventually, his children.  However, he can
make that distribution anytime from today to when the
administrator of his estate has to deal with it.  The stock
doesn't pay any dividends, the profit has always been reinvested
in the company to allow for growth and also used to fund the
trusts we talked about earlier.  So, there is really no advantage
to owning stock, except for who has controlling interest."
     Gary jumped back up.  "How come David fares so well?  He's
an outsider and a lot older than A.J.  How do we know he's not
going to take our company to the cleaners and leave?"
     "Good point.  The terms of any of David's financial benefits
from Laura or this company are that if at any point he and A.J.
decide to end their relationship, he has no claim whatsoever on
the corporation or any principal amount that's been set aside for
him.  He cannot sell the stock he's been entrusted with, unless
the majority of the stockholders decide to sell the company."
     Phillip was heard to say quietly, "He'd be a fool to leave."
     Mark was on his feet this time.  "Are you trying to tell us
that he and A.J. could sell the company out from under us and we
don't have any say about it?"  He was livid.
     "Technically, that is possible.  However, keep this in mind.
The company is healthy, it provides a very good life for each of
you, trust funds have been set up and matured for Jim's children
and provisions have been made to do the same for his
grandchildren.  And. most importantly, you have Laura and her two
financial advisors, Joe Wyton and Randall Davis to thank for this
as they have invested the trust fund money wisely and helped it
grow by leaps and bounds.  All of you would be wise to leave the
principal intact and use only the annual income and interest.
There is no consideration for selling the company, although there
have been offers.  However, Laura, A.J. and David feel this
should still be a family corporation."
     There was noise in the room, but no sign of dissent.
     Jim stood up.  "Mother, I'd like to thank you for helping me
to realize my dream of owning my own store.  The fact that you
owned the majority of the company stock was never a problem for
me, because I've received more salary than I ever needed.  The
corporate salary structure for me was always based on sales and
good performance.  You gave me great financial advisors to work
with and my wife and I have always had everything that we needed.
     "Gary and Mark came on board at the time they married into
the family.  In the last five years we've opened two new stores
and have plans to open two more as soon as it is possible,
however, finding managers who are team players is not easy.  Your
generosity has given Gary and Mark a wonderful lifestyle.
     When Lorraine and Phillip were married, he was offered a job
with the company and he declined.  I know he has always made good
money as a financial advisor, but he has followed his own dream
and from what he has told me, his company is starting to grow and
attract clients who are paying him good commissions."
     There was a little applause.
     "A.J. has been an ideal son, although Mother is the person
responsible for that.  She took him under her wing early on,
taking him on trips, nurturing his interest in history and art.
They have always been close and the fact that he is gay makes no
difference to his mother or me.  He has indicated that David is
his soul mate and that they are in love with each other.  I saw
the pictures of their new house today and although they have just
moved in and are getting settled, it's going to be a beautiful
home they can rightfully be proud of.
     "Gary, you and Mark married well.  I'm sure your marriages
are happy and filled with love (I found out later that Laura and
A.J. almost gagged at that statement, too).  You have been great
business partners and I'm hopeful that you will continue to grow
with the company and reap the benefits provided to you.  Mother
has always been generous to you and I'm sure that A.J. and David
will continue what she has started for each of us.
     "Betsy and I love to travel and we've seen a good portion of
the world and it's a wonderful place, but makes us happy we live
here in the United States.  We intend to continue to explore
other parts of the world and Gary and Mark will be taking on more
and more responsibility and Joe and Randall will be called on to
guide them in the running of the company.
     "Phillip, at the present time you have no direct involvement
with our company, other than being married to daughter number
three, but the offer will always be open and maybe at some point
you can take over for Joe and Randall with our family
investments.
     "I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I owe my
gratitude to my parents, especially my Mother and now my son and
his partner.  I know you will carry on the tradition that my
parents started.  I plan to retire in a couple more years, but
the company will always have my attention."
     He sat down to applause from everyone.
     Herbert stood up.  "Thank you Jim.  I know those words are
from the bottom of your heart and well said."
     Laura stood up.  "You are a wonderful family.  Thank you for
understanding that I'm trying to keep the company going by
passing my interests on to the next generations and from what
I've heard this evening, my son is doing the same.  Please
understand that I'm not changing anything, but making way for
future growth and health of our company."
     There was more applause as she sat down.
     A.J. was the next to stand, which surprised me.
     "Our family has been blessed by the leadership of my
grandfather, whom I never knew, along with my grandmother.  My
father and his family have been the direct benefactors of their
generosity throughout the years.  I have been fortunate to have
gotten a good education and recently have met someone that I love
deeply.  Grandmother realized this before I did and I thank her
for being supportive.  We plan no changes in the company except
for a careful expansion, as my father has indicated.  Hopefully
the profits from the company will allow those involved in its
operation to receive more compensation each year as well as
provide for future generations.
     "Thank you grandmother and thank you Dad and Mom."
     A.J. sat down to well-deserved applause.
     * * * * *
     The dinner broke up with people being much more friendly
than when we gathered for cocktails.  Gary and Mark had some
valid questions about what was going on, but realized that they
were first in line at the hog trough and nobody was going to
shove them out of the way.  They realized they had nothing to
fear and I hoped that they would feel free to talk to A.J. and me
about their ideas for the company; after all we were all in this
together and would benefit from positive changes.
     I was very pleased that both Gary and Mark took the time to
talk to both A.J. and me, together and separately.  Gary didn't
say anything about it, but Mark congratulated me on becoming part
of the family.
     As far as Jim and Betsy were concerned, they could continue
to travel the world and not learn anything.  They already had a
trip planned to India and Laura, A.J. and I wondered why on earth
they would choose to visit there when there were so many places
in paradise they could go instead.  It turned out that Betsy had
heard the Taj Mahal was a beautiful place and had been built as a
memorial to a man's love.  Besides, none of their friends had
been there.
     Gary and Mark would carry on with the stores and expand the
operation, continuing in their loveless marriages with the
children in private schools.  Phillip and Lorraine were happy in
their marriage with soon-to-be two children.  His business would
continue to grow and he would be called upon to help Joe and
Randall, the two family financial advisors, but wanted no direct
input as he felt the burden would be too great if he made bad
decisions.
     Laura was the stabilizing force behind this family.  She
admitted with no hesitation that A.J. had always been her
favorite and through his urging, Laura began to see her great-
grandchildren on a regular basis.  Somewhere, somehow, they had
gotten the message that Grandmother Laura McDermott was a kindly
lady who loved to give them the attention she had once given only
to A.J.
     Through her efforts, they began attending events, from
junior symphony performances to museum visits geared toward young
people.  She paid their way to arts camps, music lessons and one
or two day trips to historic sites that had children's programs.
     After a year of this, both A.J. and I could see those
children starting to bloom and become more self-confident.  They
loved to spend a weekend in Laura's company and you could tell
that she enjoyed opening her window on the world for them to look
through.
     Laura loved to travel and, of course, we always accompanied
her on the various trips she carefully planned.  We were great
traveling companions.  She had been seen by a new doctor recently
as the one she had been going to had retired and sold his
practice.  When she had a physical, the doctor was concerned
about her inability to walk more than a short distance.
     The problem turned out to be a simple one involving a
pinched nerve, which caused some numbness in one foot.  This
resulted in her dragging that foot instead of picking it up and
stepping ahead.  A very minor surgical procedure stopped the
problem completely.  She was off her feet for about three days,
then built up her endurance quickly.  By the time we went to
London and onto Glasgow a month later, she was walking as well as
we were and I'm not so sure we didn't have trouble keeping up
with her.
     We celebrated Laura's 76th birthday at Stratford on Avon,
seeing a production of "The Taming of the Shrew" after a lovely
dinner at the hotel next to the theatre.  She loved to travel and
so did A.J. and I.
     * * * * *
     We settled into our house and started having regular dinner
parties about twice a month.  The crowd was generally a well-
mixed group of both straight and gay people, most of which
already knew each other.  We would usually take part in a
progressive cocktail/dinner/dessert party that the gay couples in
our neighborhood had every few weeks.  There were usually
anywhere from a dozen to maybe 20 people involved and we always
rotated the homes so we never did the same course in a home twice
in a row.
     This gave us a chance to meet other gay and straight
couples.  If Laura was in town she was always automatically
included in the invitation.
     We literally pulled out all the stops for a Christmas party.
Laura insisted we have it catered and she paid for it.  This
party started at 4 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon and invitations
had been sent out specifying "cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, 4 to
5:30 p.m."  The next group read "cocktails and buffet, 6:30 to 8
p.m."  The last group read "dessert, 9 to 10 p.m."
     We had invited 50 people for the first part of the party, 35
for the second and a small group of 24 for the dessert part of
the party.  According to the guest book we had 49 for the first
section.  One couple didn't show up and another brought a guest.
We had 37 for the dinner as one couple brought guests and 18
people came for dessert.  We didn't expect that many for dessert.
     The party was "well mixed" and most knew each other.  It was
fun to give a party and have someone to tend bar while others
prepared food and served it.  By the time the last guest left,
the caterers were packing up to leave, too.  And, the bonus was
that the house was cleaned up and in good shape.
     We had not gone "all out" to decorate.  We'd simply hung
greens at the appropriate places in the various rooms, decorating
them with colored balls and lots of ribbon.  It was under-done,
but that's what we wanted.
     * * * * *
     The next spring, shortly after our return from England and
Scotland, Doug Reynolds found a nice one-bedroom condo for Laura
to rent.  It was less than a mile from where we lived and easy to
pick her up for grocery shopping, the beauty shop or to go out
for an afternoon or evening.  She enjoyed it immensely and spent
about half of her time in Tulsa.  We helped her with her own
small dinner parties, which never exceeded 8 people, and it was
amazing how quickly her circle of friends grew.
     We did buy a four-door sedan, a Lexus, which made it more
comfortable to take Laura places with us.  She insisted on paying
part of the cost and we finally gave in.  However, for the most
part we drove A.J.'s Acura around town, as it was easy to get in
and out of traffic and parking spaces.
     In April, A.J. and Laura surprised me with a trip to Spain
for my 60th birthday.  We had a grand time and were gone for 12
days.  I think all of us were glad to arrive back home.  The trip
wasn't tiring, but there is something about being in a place
where English isn't the first language that made all of us
uncomfortable.  Maybe it was because this was my first foray into
a totally foreign country, but it took me 10 of the 12 days to
adjust to it.
     We also traveled a lot on our own, but at least when we got
home; we knew where we'd been and what we'd seen.
     At the end of May we received a call from a friend of ours
who asked for our help.  A couple of his friends had a son who
was 17 and had just announced to his parents that he was gay.
They went ballistic and tossed him out of the house.  He stayed
with a friend for a couple of weeks, but that family was getting
ready to leave for a month in Mexico to go on a archeological dig
and the boy, Jarred, didn't have a place to stay.
     The friend who called wasn't gay, but knew we were and had
no problem with it.  However, the young man needed a place to
stay and he was hoping we would take him and provide an example
that being gay is okay.
     We agreed to meet with him and Jarred to find out what his
needs were and, more importantly, his attitude.
     * * * * *
THE END of Book One

AUTHORS NOTE:  Thanks for being a reader of my second story to
appear in the Nifty Archives.  I've left a "hook" at the end of
"Book One" and will consider writing a second story dealing with
Jarred, if there is enough response.  My thanks to Paul Daventon
for helping catch most of the obvious errors in the story.
Regardless of how carefully we proofread, I always discover wrong
words that make it past spell check when writing.  You may
contact me at the following e-mail address:
TulsaDriller7@aol.com.  Thanks again, David.