Date: Wed, 04 Aug 1999 19:34:45 -0700
From: "Robert J. Cutter" <cutter57@hotbot.com>
Subject: "WINE COUNTRY - Chapter 7" (Teen/Teen)

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction.  It contains the depictions
of consensual sex between teenage males.  If this or any other aspect of
male/male sex offends you or if you are averse to anything homosexual,
please go elsewhere.

Important Author's Note: This is the seventh chapter in a novel length work
about Jack, Jevin, Nick, their friends and families.  Please do me a big
favor: take a minute or two and send me a comment at my e-mail address:
cutter57@hotmail.com.  Just a few words are sufficient.  Please understand
that this is the only feedback I get; I truly have no idea of how many of
you are reading and following this particular series.  If I do not receive
sufficient responses, I must stop what I am doing and pursue other
projects.  If you love these characters, as I do, and want to know about
their futures please take a few minutes and send me a note.  Thank you.
Robert J. Cutter


			       WINE COUNTRY
			       -------------
	 Copyright 1999 by Robert J. Cutter - All Rights Reserved

The author retains all rights to this story.  It is not permissible to
distribute it to any newsgroups and/or other web sites without the express
written consent and permission of the author.


		    Chapter 7 - Nicky's Story (Part 2)
		    ----------------------------------

I think we slept for about forty-five minutes.  It was just fabulous with
Vinny spread all over me; it was so incredibly comfortable.  When he lifted
his head he gave me a wonderful smile and kissed me.

"You were incredible Nicky!"

"I was incredible?  It was you Vinny - you were unbelievable!"

"Thanks.  But I was only that good because I had such a great partner.  You
are the best, Nicky."

"Then you've done this before, I gather," I said acting a little hurt.

"Yeah, I've done it lots.  And you'd be knocked out if I told you their
names."

"Really?  Holy shit!  Guy on the team?"

"My lips are sealed, but you'd be fuckin' blown away!"

I sat up and kissed him deeply.  "I love you, Vinny.  I really love you!"

"And I love you, my beautiful blonde Nicky with the incredibly thick cock."
We both laughed and kissed and hugged some more.

"Wanna try somethin' else?"

"What?" I replied.  I was willing to try anything with Vinny; he had only
to ask.  This guy was now my world.

"Well, it's called sixty-nine and it means that we...uh...well it means
that we blow each other at the same time.  Wanna try it?"

I nodded my head vigorously and Vinny smiled.  "Okay, I'll show you what
you gotta do.  We'll take it slow and steady, Nicky, so if you got any
problems let me know."

We began to hug and kiss again, and to lightly caress the other's body.  I
loved running my hands through Vinny's wonderfully thick body hair.  He
liked my blonde body hair, too.  I was getting all hard again and so was
Vinny.  I could feel his monster cock pressing against my body, and it was
just heavenly.  The heat from this magnificent wand was like a branding
iron against my flesh - but a branding iron that I could live with forever.

Vinny detached himself from me and flipped around so that we were head to
crotch and facing each other.  I saw his magnificent cock before my eyes -
and was it a beauty - long (I'd say way over seven inches), thick (but not
as thick as mine) and so, so enticing.  He moved closer to me until the
head of that beautiful cock was near my face.  I put out my hand and slowly
and softly stroked him.  He was very hairy in his crotch but it was
wonderful.  He smelled just so incredibly male that it was a fantastic
turn-on for me.

I slowly brought the head of that delicious looking cock to my mouth.  He
was leaking quite a lot of pre-cum and it was so incredibly inviting.  I
put my tongue out slightly and brought just a trace of Vinny's pre-cum into
my mouth; it was warm and wonderful and tasted completely of Vinny.  I
immediately went back for more...and more.  Pretty soon I found myself
licking the whole head of Vinny's cock.  I just loved the taste and feel of
Vinny's maleness and the feel of that pre-cum running all over my tongue.

Meanwhile, Vinny was doing an A-1 job on my dick.  He practically had the
whole thing in his mouth and I could feel the head of my dick touching the
back of his throat; it felt incredible as I could feel the back of his
mouth squeezing the head of my dick.  My senses were getting overcharged
what with Vinny's cock in my mouth and mine almost in his throat.

I became a little braver and enclosed the whole of Vinny's cock head with
my lips and mouth.  I began to slowly suck on it and absolutely adored
having it in my mouth.  I took a little more of the shaft and a little more
and still a little more until I had about three inches of Vinny's
incredible cock enclosed by my mouth.

Suddenly I began to feel a tingling in my crotch and I knew I was going to
come soon.  The feeling kept building while I worked harder and harder on
his dick.  My body started to involuntarily begin to hump my dick in and
out of Vinny's strongly sucking mouth while Vinny began to push more and
more of his dick into my mouth.  He began to moan and I could feel the
vibrations on my dick and it was so excellent.  Vinny's dick then started
to get thicker in my mouth and get even thicker.  It was incredible -
absolutely overwhelming.

And then it hit!  And did it ever HIT!  I reached a shattering climax and
could feel my jizm rushing into Vinny's mouth and squeezing throat.  Then
while I was primarily occupied by my orgasm, Vinny's hit.  His cum was
flooding my mouth and I was stunned and overwhelmed.  I swallowed once,
twice, three times.  All I could think of then was that Vinny sure produced
one helluva lotta cum.  I didn't know if I liked the taste or not but I
knew that it was Vinny's cum and I wanted it all.  We both sucked and
sucked until there was nothing more to suck out of each other's dicks and I
felt myself getting soft in Vinny's mouth and Vinny's dick getting a little
soft in my mouth.

Vinny flipped around and we hugged and kissed each other very passionately.
I could still taste Vinny's cum in my mouth and I'm sure it mixed with mine
in Vinny's mouth.

We went in to the shower and lovingly washed each other.  It was such great
fun washing my love and having him wash me.  I was so excited.  He even
sneaked a soapy finger into my asshole for a second or two and I just loved
it...just loved it.

We dressed and went out to an all night mini-mart to get something to eat;
we were both ravenous.  We brought the food back to the room, ate and
watched the all-male channel again.  We went to sleep wrapped in each
other's arms and our bodies all entangled and it was the best night sleep I
could remember since.since Frankie.

The next morning Vinny dropped me off; there was nobody home when we got
there.  I thought we couldn't do much more because I didn't know when
somebody would show up and because Vinny had to go to work.  But we went
into my bedroom and started hugging and kissing passionately and before we
knew it we were both naked and sucking each other's hard dick.  It was
marvelous all over again - I just could not get enough of my Vinny.  I
loved everything about him and having his dick in my mouth was a pleasure I
knew I would never get tired of.  It was another hour of blissand real
contentment.  When Vinny finally drove off, I cried and waved to him.  I
was hopelessly in love with Mario Vincent Cossatello - and I hoped to God
that he was in love with me.

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

The season went along great and the JV team was undefeated.  I started each
game but I was usually taken out at halftime because the games were so
one-sided.  Vinny was gone for a few varsity games because his grandmother
died and he had to go with his family to LA for the funeral and other
family stuff.  My family, particularly my father, was totally thrilled at
my progress and they all came to all of our games, including Uncle Jack
when he was around.  I felt really great having them there and cheering for
our team...and especially for me.

Both the JV and the varsity teams had a big game coming up between our arch
rivals The Cougars.  The varsity game was going to be played on Saturday
evening at home and the JV game was away on Friday night.  We practiced
extra hard that week.  These games were to be the highlights of our season.

Friday was very rainy which was very unusual for that time of year in the
Central Valley of California - usually the rains came later.  And they were
absolutely torrential.  We practiced indoors for a while and I lifted some
weights before we were hustled into the school busses for our forty-mile
trip.  I was very worried about the drive as soon as we left the parking
lot of the school.  The bus I was on (there were three busses going) seemed
to be having trouble getting the proper traction with the road.  I could
feel the rear end fishtailing - and I was sitting in the back.  After we
reached the interstate things were better and the bus seemed more stable
but the driver was taking it very easy; I fell into a conversation with
some of the other guys.

I'll tell you what I remember of the accident.  It's still not all that
clear in my mind thirteen years after it happened.  They say that long-term
memory gets better with age; well, I haven't reached that age yet.  Or
maybe it's what the psychiatrists said would happen - I would try to
completely sublimate the experience and suppress it to the point where I
could not remember the details at all.

The driver turned off the interstate and began taking a two-lane road that
would lead us to the town where we needed to get.  The road ran up and down
some mountains - big hills, really.  I heard what sounded like the big horn
of a tractor-trailer rig and saw some yellow lights through the fog and
moisture covered windows of the bus.  That is the last thing I remembered
clearly - except for the tumbling and the screaming and being thrown all
around the bus and the breaking glass and the crunch of metal - and the
fire.

The next thing I remembered was the quiet - the absolutely deathly quiet
and the beating of the rain.  The front of the bus was on fire but it was
not spreading - possible because of the heavy rains.  I had tremendous pain
in my legs - searing, excruciating pain - and I screamed out.  Nothing!
Not another sound.  I moved my head slightly and noticed the kid I had been
sitting with.  His eyes were opened and his tongue was hanging out of his
mouth slightly.  There was blood all over his forehead.  He looked...dead!
Grady looked like he was dead!  I started to scream again and was met with
more silence.

I tried looking at other area of the bus to see if anyone was moving or
anything.  But the only light was coming from the fire and what with the
smoke and all I couldn't see much.  The pain was getting worse - if that
was possible.  I put all my strength into another scream.  I tried to move
my body using my arms but I couldn't.  I think my legs were pinned.

I suddenly heard a faint sound of a...of a...of a siren.  Yes!  It was a
siren!  We had been discovered!  It was getting louder.and then louder
still.  I started screaming again and trying to wave my arms.  I needed to
let people know that I was alive...alive...alive.

And that's absolutely all I remember.

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

When I awoke I was in a very dimly lit room.  Actually, when I first awoke
I heard some strange noises ands before I even opened my eyes and saw
anything.  I heard all these beeping sounds.  It was a really weird
combination.  When I slowly opened my eyes I saw the dim surroundings - and
lots of plastic tubes.  I slowly realized that I must be in a hospital and
all those plastic tubes were going into me.  I was also in a lot of pain,
in my chest but mostly in my legs.

Someone must've noticed that I was awake and a nurse came in to check on me
and the machines.  I became aware of the fact that the sheets on the bed
were raised into a sort of tent over my legs.  I asked the nurse what that
was all about and she said that I had sustained some injuries in the
accident I was in and this was to protect my legs.

"Where am I?" I asked in a very breathy and low voice.

"You are in the intensive care unit at the University of California Medical
Center in Davis."

"Davis?  How the hell did I get to Davis?"

"You were brought here on a medical evacuation helicopter after the
accident."

"A-a-accident?"

"Yes, the school bus accident, young man.  Don't you remember?"

"Oh, yeah, the school bus."  I seemed to have dimly remembered the rolling
and the crashing and the noise and the fire.  "Was anybody else hurt?" I
asked.

She was quiet for a few seconds.  "I think I'll let the doctor tell you all
about that when he comes in to see you a little later, okay?"  I nodded and
she walked over to one of the plastic bags hanging above me and injected
something into it.

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

When I awoke again my bed was surrounded by doctors and nurses.  Mom was
sitting by the side of the bed and Rosemarie, Annette and Uncle Jack were
also there.  I also noticed my dad sitting in a chair near the door.

"Hi, mom," I said very weakly.

"Hi, honey," she responded in her sweetest voice and she squeezed my hand.
I immediately knew something was very wrong.  "Howya doin', sweetheart.
Howya feel?"

"Okay, I suppose, mom.  Except for an awful lotta pain in my legs...and my
chest."

"I know honey, I know.  Honey, Dr. Morrison here has something he's gotta
talk to you about."

Dr. Morrison, a rather tall, young looking man, came up to my bedside
"Hello, son.  I'm Cal Morrison.  I'm an orthopedic surgeon - a bone
doctor...bones of the limbs.  Dr. Delgado, standing over there, is a
vascular surgeon - you know, arteries and veins.  We, my colleagues and
I..."

When I heard these words my mind went into overdrive.  I didn't hear a
thing the doctor was saying.  All I remember was that his lips were moving
and he was surrounded by all those other people.  The lights in the room
suddenly became very, very bright and then they began to dim and the whole
room became very dark and then they became very bright again.  Faces
looking at me became elongated and underwent changes in shape and color and
Dr. Morrison (was that his name?) looked like he was ready to bite me.  It
was so incredibly weird - everything was so distorted.

And then I felt a wave of nausea sweep over me and I started to gag but it
was just the dry heaves and nothing came up.  Someone put a bedpan under my
face and I saw my reflection in the bottom.  I looked and didn't recognize
myself.

"...that's why we feel that it was necessary to perform the surgery as I
have described it."

Everyone was very quiet; they were all looking at me.  I looked back at
them very questioningly.

"You didn't hear anything I said, did you Nick?" Dr, Morrison asked.

I shook my head.

Uncle Jack came over and sat down next to the bed.  He put one of his hands
on my chest and held one of my hands with the other.  "Nicky," he said,
"please listen to me and listen carefully.  After you were brought here the
doctors determined that because of the seriousness of your injuries...the
seriousness meant..." Uncle Jack took a deep breath as if to steady
himself.  "The seriousness meant immediate amputation of both of your
legs."

I could not believe what I was hearing from Uncle Jack.  "B-b-b-both?" I
stuttered.  He nodded.  "They cut off both my leg?" I wailed.  "Both legs?
Cut them off?  D-d-d-did they get a second opinion?" I screamed.

"Second and third, Nicky."

I was quiet.  I looked from face to face.  Dad seemed to be angry; mom was
crying.  The doctor's were impassive.

"H-h-h-h-how can l I-l-l-live w-w-w-without legs, Uncle Jack?" I suddenly
screamed out.

"Nick, you are a strong young guy.  I know you can overcome this trauma,
and I'm sure you will be able to live a full and wonderful life."  He
leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.  As he stood up he gave my hands a
tight squeeze.  He was crying almost hysterically.  To this day I can still
feel Uncle Jack's big hands squeezing mine.

Dr. Morrison sat down again.  His speech was very detached and he spoke
rather clinically.  "The surgery was performed right after you were flown
in from the site of the accident and..."

I was tuning out again...my mind was drifting and I had trouble
concentrating.  What had this doctor said?  I had no legs?  No legs?  These
doctors had cut off both of my legs?  Yeah, that's what I remember him
saying.  No legs.  I had no legs.  I was a legless cripple - a worthless,
legless crippled teenager - a fifteen-year-old cripple.  What was I going
to do?  What was to become of me?  Would I be begging for handouts in front
of some mini-mall?  "Oh, God!" I screamed out suddenly.

Dr. Morrison was taken by surprise by my outburst; he looked stunned.  He
reached out and took my hand into his and stroked it slowly.  "Sh-h-h-h,
Nicky.  I know you are still in a state of shock from the accident and from
finding out all of this information so quickly.  It was a very terrible
accident, you suffered terrible injuries and it will take time.  But after
a few days things will become more normal and then you'll be able to think
more clearly."

"What's to think clearly?  What's normal?  You told me you cut off my legs!
What's to think about except that they're gone!  You made me a cripple!
That's normal?"  I continued to rant and found myself rocking back and
forth rhythmically.

"Yes, Nick, you will begin to think normally again after a few days.  You
will begin a rehabilitation program and you will be fitted with artificial
legs.  You will be in the hospital for about four weeks and then treated on
an outpatient basis for a few more months until your rehabilitation is
complete.  You will adapt quite well and make excellent progress because
you are a strong and capable young man."

"H-h-h-how much of them d-d-d-did you c-c-cut off, doctot?" I blubbered and
stammered.

"The doctor were of the opinion..," he swallowed hard "...we were sure that
we needed to remove both of your legs a few inches above the knees because
of the extensive bone, muscle and vascular damage to you lower legs and to
the knees themselves.  I think we have left you with two excellent stumps.
After they are sufficiently healed and after strengthening they will be
excellent for prosthetic devices - artificial legs."

"You're left me with n-n-n-nothin'?  I know that!  I bet you left me with
nothing!"  I started screaming even harder and louder.  "N-n-nothin'!"

"That's not true, Nick.  We've left you will two excellent stumps - really,
they're excellent.  You will be able to be fitted superbly by the
prosthetists."

"No legs...no legs...no legs...no legs..." I started repeating over and
over and over like a mantra.  "No legs...no legs...no legs...no legs..."

"Nick, are you listening to me?  There have been tremendous advancements in
pros...er...artificial leg designs in recent years, and I'm sure we will
find the perfect limbs for you - something that will work excellently."

"No legs...no legs...no legs...no legs...no legs...no legs.. ."

Dr. Morrison stood up and put his hand on my shoulder.  I had calmed down
some by then.  "Son, I know it's going to be difficult time in your young
life.  But I've heard a lot about you from your family and I know that you
will come through this stronger and more determined than ever."  He turned
and started walking out of the room.

"I wanna see 'em." I said softly.  This stopped him in his tracks.

He turned around to face me.  "I don't think that is such a good Idea
Nick."

"I wanna see 'em now, doctor!  I want to see my LEGS!" I shouted, taking
everyone by surprise.  "I want to see how you cut off and how you mutilated
my body!"

Doctor Morrison turned red and I thought he was going to explode.  However,
in a calm voice he said, "Nurse, would you help me?"  He and one of the
nurses removed the sheeted tent that was over my lower body.  My father
left the room and my mother moved away from the bed.

I leaned forward and saw what was left of my body.  It certainly wasn't a
pretty sight and I felt that wave a nausea coming over me again.  I
swallowed hard and brought my hand to what remained of my thighs.  I began
to rub the thighs.  My legs ended in a swath of bandages.  I thought the
stumps were shorter than the doctor had said they were.  Maybe it was the
whiteness of the bandages against the white sheet.  I didn't know.I didn't
know.

The nurse replaced the tent and the entire medical staff left the room.  I
was quite stunned and nauseated.  "No legs...no legs...no legs...no
legs..." I was still repeating over and over, slowly rocking my upper body
back and forth.

Mom quickly sat down in the chair next to the bed.  My sisters were also
near as was Uncle Jack.  Nothing much was said and when visiting hours were
over they kissed me good night and left, telling me that they would see me
tomorrow.

"Yeah, all of me.  And there ain't that much left," I said under my breath.
"No legs...no legs...no legs...no legs..."

After they left I began to cry.  There were so many thoughts going through
my mind.  How was I going to live without legs?  How would I take a shit or
piss?  From a wheelchair?  How will I be able to work on the cars?  From a
wheelchair?  How the fuck would I be able to do anything - eat, sleep,
shower, play sports?  What'll happen if I wake up in he middle of the
night?  I won't be able to do anything!  How'll I be able to continue in
school?  How'll I fuckin' function at all?  I know everybody'll stare at
me; I just know it!  "Look over there at poor legless Nick pushin' himself
around in that doofy wheelchair.  Shit!  What a sorry case he is!  He has
no legs.  They cut 'em off - snip, snip.  Does he still have his balls and
dick attached?  How does he fuckin' do it?  It must be one helluva job not
falling into the pot when he takes a shit!"

And Vinny!  Oh, Christ!  What about Vinny?  Oh, Christ almighty!  How can I
continue my new and wonderful friendship with Vinny?  How will we have sex
together?  Who'd want a worthless, legless cripple as a friend, or worse,
as a lover?

I just had to know what was done to me and how much I was actually missing.
I moved my hand down to my groin area.  Maybe they removed my cock and
balls too?  Maybe they were also injured beyond repair.  I panicked when I
could not fee anything but then realized that I was bandaged.  Bandaged?
Why were my organs bandaged?  I started to scream and reached for the call
button.

A male nurse came into my room in the ICU.  "I can't feel my dick or
balls!" I screamed at him.

"Okay, okay, take it easy, man, please!  I'll check, okay?"  I nodded,
slightly embarrassed by now.  He lifted a flap on the tent and poked around
for a minute or two.  I could feel his hand on my stuff and squeezing me.
I knew they were intact.

"Feel that?  You're okay, man," he said while smiling.  "And they're real
beauties.  You're catheterized so you'll piss right into a bottle.  But if
you need to take a dump ring the buzzer, okay?"

I nodded and thanked him for his help.  After he left the room I started to
cry again.  I slowly rocked back and forth and cried and cried and cried.

A nurse came in and saw the precarious state I was in.  She spoke in a soft
voice and tried to calm me down.  I was suddenly in a lot of pain and not
in the mood to be calmed down.  "I'm in a lotta pin!" I screamed.  "I need
something fast!"  After about five minutes of screaming and hysteria a
doctor came in a gave me another shot and I managed to calm down to just
sobbing.  Then I was out again.

Dr. Morrison came in to see me later in the day and checked on my incisions
and changed the dressings.  I was still whimpering slightly and in pain.  I
was given more pain relievers - in fact a steady stream of them.  He told
me that everything looked "very" good with the surgery. "You seem to be
plenty strong, young man, judging by the way you were screaming before.
All your vital signs are extremely strong so I don't see any reason not to
start some early phase of rehab immediately.  Dr. Wallace will be in charge
of that phase of the program."  Dr. Morrison stroked my cheek softly and
lovingly and I leaned into his hand.

"Doctor, what am I going to do?" I whined.  Self-pity is a terrible and
debilitating feeling and I was wallowing in it.

The doctor pulled up a chair and sat down right next to the bed.  He looked
at me directly in the eyes.  "Nick, physically you are a very strong
person.  But to get through this episode you will need more than physical
strength.  You will need to be strong up here," and he tapped me on the
head.  "Luckily, here at the hospital we have many people here who can help
with that."

"You mean shrinks?"

"Yes, some of them are psychiatrists, some are psychologist, some are
social workers and some are ordinary people who happen to be amputees like
yourself."

When I heard him call me an amputee I began to start crying and screaming
again.  "I'm a fuckin' amputee!  I'll always be a fuckin' amputee.  I'm a
hideous cripple...I'm a fifteen year old fuckin' cripple...nobody'll ever
love me or...ever want me!" I blubbered.

The doctor leaned over to me and started to rub the back of his hand
against my cheek again.  "Sh-h-h-h," he said softly, trying to calm me
down.  "How do you know that nobody will want or love you?  You are a very,
very handsome young man, Nicky!  I'm sure there is someone out there for
you.  And you'll find that person some day."  He rubbed my hair and face
lightly and I did calm down.  "I know you will.  You will find that person,
I'm sure...just as I'm sure that someday I will find the right person for
me."  He paused for a few seconds and smiled at me.  I managed to smile
back at him.  "Now getting back to what we were discussing before.  We'll
have some of the people come in and visit you, but only if you
want. They'll talk to you and help you make some important decisions."

"Like what?"

"Well, what you may want in the way of artificial legs; how to adapt to
your new condition, and various other problems that will arise from time to
time.  Now, as I've already told you, your stumps are excellent for..."

When I heard the word "stumps" I began to cry again.  The doctor asked what
was wrong and I blubbered about stumps.

"Well, that's what you have now.  You no longer have your legs.  You have
two stumps of what were once your legs.  Those are the facts, Nick.  I'm
very sorry that it was necessary to perform the surgery on you, but I had
no choice and nothing can change that now."

I nodded at him and he smiled at me again.

"Nick, my specialty has me performing many amputations during the course of
a year.  None are easy for me to do, because I know how disruptive they are
to the people involved.  I have to admit that yours were the most difficult
I've had to do in many years."  He paused and looked away for a second or
two.  "You are young, you are strong and I know that you are a fighter.
All of these will be necessary for you to come through this ordeal in the
best possible shape.  You've had radical surgery.  It's hard on your body
both mentally and physically.  You can do it, though.  And I'm here to give
you any help you need."

He kissed me on the forehead, smiled at me and left the room.

The next morning I was moved to a regular room.  The tent was removed from
over my legs and I could see the sheet laying flat on the bed where my legs
had been.  Later that day Dr. Wallace came by to describe the
rehabilitation process and scheduled the hours for me.

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

During the next few days I began rehab and spoke to many other amputees and
various assorted cripples in the rehabilitation wing.  I was also visited
in my room by some amputees who were already back out in the "world".

One big hurdle to overcome was learning to use the wheelchair they gave me
and going to the john by myself.  The chair was trickier to operate than it
looked and it needed quite a few adjustments before I was comfortable in
it.  In rehab I just did some exercises to strengthen my muscles.  Since I
was in very good shape before the accident the exercises came very easily.

It was great meeting and seeing other amputees and cripples; I found out I
wasn't in such bad shape as I had thought.  It gave me a perspective on
things, I guess.  There was an twelve-year-old kid there who lost both of
his arms when they were ripped out of his body by a piece of farm machinery
and a young guy (with a wife and three kids) who lost both legs at the hip
in a bad car wreck.  There were paraplegics, quadriplegics, people affected
by strokes.  After the first few days I actually began looking forward to
the rehab sessions - it was a time to socialize, discuss problem and fears
with people facing the same problems as me.  It was a way of finding out
the solutions to problems we all encountered.  Also the exercises were a
good way to expend some pent-up energy and frustrations.

I also grieved for my teammates and classmates.  Of the twenty-eight of us
on that bus on that fateful night, ten had been killed and the rest pretty
severely injured.  Broken limbs and concussions abounded among the
survivors with a few really serious cases of head injuries, paralysis and
limb loss.  I could not go to any of the funerals, of course, but I did
read all the articles in the local papers that were brought to me.  The
whole city was in mourning.
 
I always closed my eyes when the doctors or nurses changed the dressings on
my stumps.  I could not look at them and I had Annette cover the mirror in
the bathroom with a towel so I could not see myself.

My biggest immediate problem was going to the bathroom to relieve myself.
I always had to be accompanied by an orderly.  I would ring for him and he
would assist me to the john.  He had to hold my dick and aim it at the bowl
or help me sit on the pot.  It was humiliating...absolutely humiliating and
degrading.

However, there was at least a bright side to it.  One of the orderlies, a
dark hair beauty named Ramon, would occasionally come to help me.  One
time, when shaking me off, he squeezed me slightly and I let him know that
I appreciated it very much.  I gave him a big smile and he smiled back with
the most beautiful smile.  It melted my heart and for a few seconds I
forgot all my problems.  After that, Ramon was in charge of helping me to
the toilet - and it was wonderful.

A few days after the first squeeze Ramon asked if I wanted some relief - if
I wanted to be jacked off.  I replied enthusiastically.  He did a wonderful
job - slow, soft and really mind-blowing.  By the eighth day he was taking
my thick cock into his mouth and blowing me; it was just incredible.  He
would also strip and I saw his magnificent dark uncut cock and dark hairy
body.  I also gave him a few blowjobs; sitting in my chair I was the
perfect height to make love to Ramon's equipment.  I loved every second of
our being together.  I loved everything we did and it really helped me
tremendously - it relieved my tensions and helped me feel more, you know,
human.  Ramon was a really beautiful person and a lifesaver.

A shrink visited me every day and we talked for about one hour each time.
I told her of my fears and hopes and she listened.  She didn't talk much,
only asking a few questions.  It was a good arrangement.  Dr. Morrison came
to see me every day and we became very friendly.  He told me that he had
known my Uncle Jack since they were undergraduates together.

On my eighth day in the hospital I was sitting in my chair in my room; I
had just returned from rehab.  There was a light tapping on the door and it
opened slowly.  I looked up and Vinny was standing there.  He was the first
non-family member to visit and I was thrilled to see him.  He smiled at me
and I smiled back.

"Hi. How ya doin'?" he asked as he took my hand and gave it a gentle
squeeze.

"Okay.  As you can see, they made a terrible mess of my beautiful body."

"Yeah, I can see."  He started to cry.  "Oh, Nicky.  I'm so sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about Vin.  Shit happens.  This time the shit landed
on me."

He smiled through his tears.  Then he kissed me lightly on the lips.  It
was a surprise but I like it very much.  I kissed him back, with passion.
"When ya gettin' out?"

"I think they say another three weeks.  I still have to be fitted with new
legs.  Then I'll be home for about two more weeks before I go back to
school."

"Are ya keepin' up with your school stuff?"

"Yeah.  I got my books here and my mom's getting the assignments from the
teachers.  I'm doin' as much as I can, but sometimes I get tired and fall
sleep over the books."

"I fall asleep over 'em and I'm in okay health," Vinny said laughing.
"Would it be okay if I was to get your assignments and bring them over
every day?"

"God, Vinny that would be great but I don't want you to have to go out of
your way.  It's sucha long drive for you."

"I want to.  I want to see you as much as possible before
I...I'm...uh...before I hafta move."

I was stunned.  "You're moving!  When?  Where?"

He looked down at the floor and started crying again.  "We're movin' to LA
in a few weeks.  Remember when my grandmother died?  Well my pop is going
to take over and run her business."

"What kind of business?"

"Moving and storage.  It's a good business and my pop thinks it'll do well
for us."  He paused and looked right into my eyes.  "But I am going to miss
you so much, Nicky."  He paused again and brought his hand up to my face.
"I think we had the makings of a real good...uh...thing between us."

"Yeah," I said.  "A real good thing."  I looked at him.  He leaned in to me
for another kiss.  It was soft and gentle and loving.

"The team's been decimated.  So many guys dead or severely injured.  What a
fuckin' mess.  You know, all our remaining games have been cancelled and
they may not have any teams play in the winter either."

"You mean no basketball or wrestling or swimming?"

Vinny nodded.  We spoke for another fifteen minutes about nothing in
particular.  Then Vinny stood up and kissed me again, only this time it was
an open mouth kiss.  I loved the feel of his tongue in my mouth and mine in
his.  "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Count on it!" he said as he blew me a kiss and walked out.

Vinny's visit did more for me than any doctor or shrink or physical
therapist could.  It told me that I was still a desirable person and that I
was still me.  Uncle Jack visited later in the day and I mentioned Vinny's
visit to him.  He smiled when I spoke about him and he saw the sadness in
me when I told him about the move to LA.  "Why did he smile when I
mentioned Vinny?" I wondered.  "What did he know or suspect?"

Vinny came by every day with my school assignments and we kissed a lot.  By
the fourth visit, Vinny shyly asked me if I thought I was strong enough so
that we could have some sex together.  I was so thrilled I could not answer
him.  I just cried.  When I regained my composure went into the bathroom
and Vinny took off my hospital gown and gave me a class-A blowjob.  It was
wonderful feeling Vinny's great hot mouth on my thick cock again.  We tried
to do this every time he visited me.  I also returned the favor
occasionally and it was so great having Vinny's magnificent cock in my
mouth again.  He was such a gentle loving guy - he was still my dream man.

So I had Ramon in the mornings and Vinny in the afternoons.  I was having
more sex than when I was a whole person!  I was lovin' every second of it!

Vinny's last visit was something special.  The heavy bandages had been
removed that morning and I was on the bed wearing a tee shirt and a pair of
shorts looking at a car magazine when he came in.  My stumps were peeking
out of the bottoms of the shorts and were covered only by a thin bandage.
He looked over at me and gasped slightly.

"I'm sorry," I said.  "I didn't mean to startle you with my appearance."

"No...n-n-no..." he stammered.  "That's fine.  You look great!  Really
wonderful!"  He looked down at the floor, then looked up at me again as he
walked closer to the bed.  "You look beautiful, Nicky," he whispered.

I started tearing up a bit.  "Really?"

"Absolutely.  You look really beautiful.  You are really beautiful."  We
kissed and began to talk after he gave me the school assignments and help
me into my chair.  We went down to the snack bar with Vinny pushing my
chair.  We had Cokes together.  He bought me a couple of new car magazines.
When we got back to the room, he asked me if he could remove my tee shirt
and shorts.  "I really would like to see your...you know, your new...body,
if you don't mind.  All of your new body."

"Okay," I said, "but I have to tell you something first.  I have never seen
my stumps in a mirror."

"Never?" he asked with real surprise in his voice.

"Never!" I responded.  "But I want you to see them and I want that to be
the first time I ever see them."

Vinny gave me a big, beautiful smile.  We both went into the bathroom.  He
lifted my tee shirt and then took off my shorts and briefs.  His eyes
became very big when he saw my stumps.  They still had light bandages on
them, but they could be seen in all their "glory".

"You are really so very beautiful to me, Nicky," Vinny said.  "Just so very
beautiful."

I started to cry and so did Vinny.  He kneeled down and held me around my
chest; he slowly rubbed my back, shoulders and arms.  We continued to cry
on each other's shoulders.  Then he removed the towel hanging over the
mirror and I turned and saw myself for the first time.  I had lost a lot of
weight and I looked rather haggard.  Vinny hugged me again.  "You are just
so incredibly beautiful, Nicky," he whispered in my ear.  "You will always
be the most beautiful person in the world to me."

We kissed passionately and I began to feel so much better.  Vinny began to
lick my chest and nipples.  I began to feel wonderful.  He worked his
tongue into my hairy armpits.  He lick down my body and I knew I was in
heaven.  It felt so wonderful.  He kneeled down started licking around my
balls and my cock.  He gently fingered my cock and balls and sac.  He ran
his tongue over my thighs, very close to the ends of the bandaged stumps.
I could not believe how marvelous it felt.  I threw my head back and began
to moan loudly and thanked Vinny for being so wonderfully kind to me.  He
told me that kindness had nothing to do with it - he said he lusted after
me and lusted after my leg stumps.  It was absolutely glorious.

He took my very erect cock into his mouth.  It was like that wonderful
night in the motel.  Vinny worked all over my thick cock and squeezed my
balls in his hot hand.  It was absolutely marvelous.  He took my entire
length and I could feel his powerful throat muscles working and working and
working over the head of my cock.  I grabbed Vinny's head and ran my
fingers around and through his hair.  I came very violently shooting what I
felt to be an incredible load into Vinny's mouth and throat; he had such a
talented mouth, throat and tongue.  I was shaking so hard when we finished
that Vinny had to hold me to stop me from falling out of my chair.

After he did me I had to taste him again for one last time.  I moved over
to the toilet and explored all around Vinny's beautifully long cock and his
wonderful hanging ball sac.  He was so magnificently endowed - I knew I
would missed his fantastic equipment so much.  I was able to tongue his
balls and then took as much as I could of that incredible dong into my
mouth.  I worked my tongue all over the surface of the head, into his piss
slit and down the shaft.  Vinny was pumping out a good load of pre-cum and
I relished every drop.  When he came it was a torrent of cum - an absolute
torrent.  It was delicious.

When we finished, he kissed me passionately, dressed me slowly and so
gently carried me back to my bed.  "I've gotta go now," he said.  "I'll
send you my new address and telephone number when we're settled."

"Okay," I responded without enthusiasm.  I looked up at him and I thought
my heart was going to break.  My beautiful Vinny - my incredibly sexy Vinny
- my love!  "One more kiss, Vinny?" I pleaded.

"Absolutely!"

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

The doctor's were extremely pleased with my progress - the rapid healing
and the buildup of my strength.  I was going to be fitted for my new
prosthetic legs and I really was excited about it. All bandages had been
removed the day prior to the fitting.  After Vinny's last visit I did not
have any problems looking at my stumps; in fact, they looked pretty good I
suppose - for stumps.  They had very bright pink scars that were very
slightly puckered.  Dr. Morrison - Cal - and his team did a pretty good job
on them.

It was a rough day - very tiring both physically and emotionally.  There
were all kinds of measurements taken and casts were made of my stumps and
then more measurements and additional casts and photographs.  I was told
that the limbs would be ready for the initial wearing in two days.  When I
got back to my room I just flopped on my bed and slept for about three
hours.

That night the family came by again and we discussed the money that the
school district had offered the families of the victims of the crash and
the pending lawsuit against the owners of the truck that had forced the bus
off the road.  All my hospital bills were being paid by the school district
and money that my family had received was being used to make changes to the
house including modifications to the bathroom, kitchen and the
installations of new ramps into the house.  My father ripped out the old
one (the one for poor little Frankie) right after he died.  My sisters were
thrilled when I told them about me being able to use my new legs in two
days; they wanted to be there when I took my first steps.

I was never conscious of wearing shorts and having my bare stumps showing.
I know that many amputees make a big deal over never exposing their stumps
to others.  I was never afraid to show my body as it now was.  Maybe this
was because my family (and Vinny too) made me feel so comfortable with my
condition.  They never made a big deal about my stumps when they were
exposed either while they were bandaged or when all the bandages came off.
I owe them a lot for the lack of angst that I had to undergo in adapting to
my new circumstances.

My family did as they promised - they came to the rehab center to watch me
take my first steps.  I was very happy and eager when the day began - and
crying and discouraged when it ended.  It was a very traumatic experience -
totally and completely traumatic.

I got down to the rehab center early - I was very, very eager for the day
to start.  I warmed up a bit doing some stretching exercises.  Then I saw
one of the rehab therapist carry in my new legs.  I couldn't believe how
excited I got.  The chief therapist, Dr. Wallace, came over to speak to me.

"Hi Nick.  I'm sure you noticed your new legs.  They look great, don't
they?"

"Yes they do.  I can hardly wait to try them on."

"Well, let me tell you a few things first.  You are not going to take right
off on them.  I am warning you that there is going to be a rather lengthy
period of acclimation before you will even begin to become proficient with
them.  Is that understood?"  I nodded.  "So when you begin I don't want you
to be discouraged or upset at the speed of your progress.  Because progress
will be made however slow it seems to you.  Are you alright with this,
Nick?"

I nodded and said, "I just want to get start."  She said okay and I began
what was to be the slow and quite torturous process of learning to walk
again.

I sat on a table and the assistants put on my legs.  Of course they looked
strange and they felt even stranger on my leg stumps.  They were what we
would describe a low-tech legs today - fiberglass (that was supposedly the
color of skin) and metal and rather clunky looking.  There were socks and a
pair of sneakers on the feet; I thought this was rather quaint.

The therapists rolled the table over to a set of parallel bars; they helped
me slowly slide off the table and for the first time in weeks I was
standing instead of sitting down.  It was exhilarating - and scary.  I
wobbled terribly and was afraid I would fall.  There were two people
holding me up.  I reached out for the parallel bars and nearly fell flat on
my face.  I was kept from falling by the two assistants.  They placed my
hands on the parallel bars and then instructed me what I had to do to begin
walking between these rails.

It was incredibly difficult to take even one step.  I tried to force my
body to follow the instructions I was being given and nothing happened!
Dr. Wallace spoke to me.  She told me that I was learning all over again
and instinct was not good now.  I had to concentrate on every move I made
and follow through complete on everything.  I was instructed on how to take
a step again.  This time I listened very carefully and was able to take
that very first tentative step - not without some difficulty, though.  But
took it I did.  I looked up and saw my mom, Uncle Jack and both of my
sisters smiling at me.  The girls were jumping up and down a bit and were
very excited.

I then prepared to take my second step.  Again Dr. Wallace gave me detailed
instructions that I followed almost exactly.  She corrected me in the
middle of the step and said I should start over again.  I did and the step
was okay I suppose.  Suddenly I began to feel very tired.  I had taken only
two lousy steps and I was sweating like a pig and very, very tired.  One of
the physical therapists told me that this was not unusual - it was all the
adrenaline that had been pumping through my body and was coming down to
more normal levels.

I was starting to get some pain in my legs (stumps) and after about ten
more minutes (and just a few steps) and the lead PT said that I had had
enough for the day.  I was back in my chair without my new legs a few
minutes later.  I was very distraught.  My family came over to congratulate
me but I was still very unhappy.  I was sure I was going to master those
things on the first day - and I didn't.

The doctor also gave me instructions about the proper care of for my stumps
after the prostheses were removed.  I had to make sure that they remained
fully able to accept the legs and that the skin stayed smooth, pliable,
clean and free from any defects or cracks.

Just before leaving for my room we had trouble finding Annette.  Uncle Jack
finally located her on the patio outside talking to Tyler, the kid who had
both of his arms yanked out by the farm machinery.  They were very deep in
conversation and just staring at each other; she was also feeding him ice
cream and he was loving every second of it.  She very reluctantly left.  He
looked at her with real puppy-dog eyes as she walked slowly away.

There were two more weeks of physical therapy - some very intense, some
less so.  I thought I made excellent progress and so did the hospital
staff.  Cal Morrison even came down one day to see how I was doing.  He was
very pleased with my progress and so was I.  Annette continued to see Tyler
every time she visited and I thought it was becoming quite serious; however
they were such young kids that I knew it could not last for long.  But it
did, and I hope to relate their story sometime soon.

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

Mom drove me home the day I was released from the hospital.  I slowly made
my way up the new ramp wearing my prostheses and using two canes.  When I
walked into the house, Rosemarie and Annette had decorated the place with
"Welcome Home Nicky" signs and decorations.  It was a very warm and loving
welcome and I appreciated it.  We all cried.

I quickly adapted to the setup and routine of the house and I could get
around pretty well.  I rarely wore the legs in the house, relying instead
on my wheelchair.  The bathroom presented no terrors for me and I was able
to shower without too much difficulty.  What I couldn't adapt to was the
presence of my fucking father.  He never visited me when I was in the
hospital and we did not speak to each other at home.

One evening at dinner, things took a very bad turn.  I was sitting in my
wheelchair at the kitchen table and as I reached over for the bowl of
mashed potatoes it slipped out of my hand and crashed down on my dinner
plate.  Bowl, plate and potatoes went flying and breaking.  Rosemarie
quickly ran to get stuff to clean up the mess.

Dad suddenly became very angry.  "You miserable fuckin' cripple," he
muttered under his breath.

"What did you say?" I shot back at him.

"I said you're a miserable cripple!"

"That's just great, Fred, calling your son a miserable cripple because of a
condition he had no control over," my mother said in a very civil tone.
"Look at the wonderful progress he's made!"

He glared at her.  "I'm not speaking to you!" he growled at her.  "What
good are ya?  A fifteen- year-old kid with no legs!  You're fuckin'
pathetic!  Another god-damned drain on the family!"

"Not as big of a drain as you!  You're fuckin' pathetic, you fuckin' lush!"
I shouted at him.  I pushed my chair quickly back form the table and
crashed into a cart holding various kitchen utensils; thing noisily
clattered to the floor.  "All you wanted was a son whose sports abilities
could get you out of your rotten, shitty nowhere life.  I was to be your
meal ticket outta here.  Wasn't I?  Nick Turner, star athlete - I was gonna
get you somewhere, wasn't I?  Now I won't be doing that and you have no
further use for me."  He didn't respond, just continued to glare at me.
Annette picked the scattered items.  "I'm just fucking useless to you now,
another throwaway kid - like little Frankie was."  I started to cry when I
mentioned Frankie's name.

When he heard this, his face turned completely red; he was ready to
explode.  "How dare you say that shit to me!" he stammered.

"It's the truth!" I yelled at him through my blubbering.  "When Frankie was
sick for the last time you wouldn't even let us take him to the doctor.
You cheap fucker!  You're a murderer!  You wanted him dead!  You wanted him
dead because he was a cripple - just like I am now!"

He leaned over the table and hit me so hard that I literally went flying.
My chair fell over sideways and I was thrown out of it.  I screamed in pain
from both the belt to my face and the agony from my stumps as they hit the
hard floor.  The girls fled the room and mom came over to pick me and the
chair up.  Dad stormed out of the house and we heard his car starting.
Although I'm sure he visited the house many times after that night to get
his stuff and all, I have never seen him again to this day.

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

I went back to school two weeks after I got home.  Some days I would wear
my artificial legs and some days I would use a wheelchair.  It depended on
my mood and the weather.  The school district also arranged for a special
bus to take me to and from school.  One student who was in most of my
classes was asked to help me when I needed it.  This translated to helping
me in the boy's room.  My studying at home and in the hospital paid off
because I was completely up to date on my work.

I noticed that Rosemarie and Annette were spending more time at home now
that the old man was out of our lives again.  They were studying more and
running around less with their sleazy friends.  They also became nicer as
people and the three of us actually became friendly and did many things
together.

That spring I got into sports again; they offered me some important
structure in my life.  I practiced wheelchair racing and became rather good
at it.  I also began to play wheelchair basketball and I really loved that;
I played on a team of injured, wheelchair bound vets.  I also started to
swim a lot and did very well for a DAK amputee.  I found that people stared
at me at first when I went to the pool but then I was accepted by most of
them very easily.  I had no really good friends since Vinny moved but I was
content.  We spoke occasionally on the phone but they became more and more
infrequent as the months went by.  I missed him so much.  I sometimes cried
myself to sleep thinking of Vinny and what we could have had together.

What made me the happiest was that I started working on the cars again.  I
found I could do just about anything I needed to do and without legs I
could get right in there with the engines - actually in the engines.  One
Saturday morning Uncle Jack drove up and I showed him what I was doing with
an old heap.  He was very impressed and that summer I lived with him in his
apartment in San Francisco while he worked at the dealership.  It was
wonderful.  I learned to cook and do everything around the house.  I
learned to fish and sail.  We also went camping and to ball games.  I no
longer doubted my ability to do anything I wanted.  My self-confidence
bloomed under Uncle Jack's tutelage.

It was while living with Uncle Jack during that first summer that I first
realized that Uncle Jack was gay.  This secretly made me feel good and not
that much of a freak.  Nothing was ever said between us but he would come
home on the weekends with different men.  There were no more girlfriends -
just men and every one was very good looking.  These guys would usually
leave on Sunday after brunch.  Most of them were usually very pleasant to
me and I liked them.

One very nice guy who had been over a few times spoke to me one Sunday.  He
told me that he was a devotee.  I looked at him questioningly and told him
I didn't know what that was.  He explained to me that a devotee was a
person who was drawn to amputees and liked having relationships with them.
He said he was very turned on by amputees and with me in particular.

I didn't say anything - I did not want to make him think that wanted
anything from him, but when he came back in about a month, he asked me if
he could "explore" my body.  It had been so long since I had any kind of
sex with anybody that I agreed.  He licked and rubbed my chest and then he
paid incredible attention to my leg stumps, massaging them and kissing them
and even biting them very lightly.  It felt really wonderful and so
incredibly sexy and unbelievably stimulating.  He also gave me a top-flight
blowjob.  He shot his load just by rubbing my body and stumps.  I liked
what he did an awful lot and liked him but he never came back.  Maybe Uncle
Jack found out and didn't want me to get involved with him since I was a
minor.

When I graduated from high school I went to USC on a scholarship.  I liked
college and adapted quite easily, thanks to the love of my family and Uncle
Jack.  Every summer I lived with him and when he bought Jack's Garage I
began to work there in the summers.  I lived with him and worked for him
during all school holidays.  I graduated with a business degree, but I just
loved the old cars too much and I begged Uncle Jack if I could come and
work permanently with and for him.  He was kind enough (and business savvy
enough) to hire me full time.  I moved in with him and we have been living
and working together ever since.

I get around very easily now with the newest high tech legs with those
fantastic hydraulic knees.  I walk with barely a limp and people are
shocked when they see me wearing shorts and wearing my legs.  They almost
look like small machines attached to my body.

So that's my story.  My life has been difficult but very wonderful too.  I
have done many things and seen many things in my lifetime.  And I've been
through a lot and learned a lot, too.  The most important thing I've
learned is that people are people - they can be good, they can be bad and
they can also be somewhere in between.  Acceptance of others without
prejudice or malice is our number one job.  It's what makes us human.

End of Chapter 7