Date: Fri, 08 Apr 2005 14:48:42 -0400
From: Sequoyah <sequoyah@charter.net>
Subject: Moon Watching Chapter Seven

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Chapter Seven

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Keith had gone back to
College Park with Joe and Trey late Sunday night. What would have happened
to our friendship in that case? I'll never know because Keith stayed in
North Carolina.

At breakfast Sunday Joe said he and Trey had to be back at work Monday and
probably should leave shortly after breakfast. When we had finished
breakfast and gone out to the front porch with our coffee and tea, Joe
said, "It is so peaceful here, I'd like to stay."

"You are welcome to stay as long as you like, you know that," Dad said.

"I know, but we both have to be at work tomorrow."

"How long was the drive up?" Trey asked.

 "Just under three and a half hours," Joe said.

 "Then we don't have to be in a rush to get back, so let's not worry about
it."

The two did a very good job of not worrying about the trip back and
rationalizing. Trey had said, "I can sleep on the way home and you can
sleep while I am on the way to meet my crew at Juliette so there's no
rush. When they finally left at 10:30 Sunday night Mom made them promise
they would call as soon as they reached College Park. They called just
after 1:00, Joe having exercised some professional privilege, according to
Trey, by driving like a bat out of hell.

Joe said he'd check out things so far as LaTasha and the gang situation
were concerned and call sometime Monday.

I wondered how Keith and I would handle the events of the weekend, if we'd
just pretend they didn't happen or what. Eventually those events would just
become one among many treasured memories, but for the days immediately
following that night on the hill top, we sorta felt our way along. For
example, I had always skinny dipped in the river and thought nothing of
doing it. Monday was very hot for the mountains and I suggested Keith and I
go swimming mid-afternoon. When we reached the pool in the river, I
immediately started stripping off my clothes. Keith looked at me kinda
funny, then grinned and said, "Yeah, ok." I knew what he meant and was not
concerned about it.

As we left the pool, we were walking side by side when Keith put his arm
about my shoulders. Taking that as permission, I put an arm around his
waist and we walked back to the house, arm in arm. Such touching and
holding became a real part of our life and, later I thought, was an
extension of that night on the hilltop. It was as though only the slightest
touch, embrace, whatever, was a reaffirmation of our friendship.

When we reached the house, we went to the fridge and poured large glasses
of lemonade and took them to the porch where we collapsed in two rocking
chairs. We had only been there a few minutes when Mom came outside and
said, "Guys, I have just got off the phone from talking with Joe. There
have been some developments over the weekend, but he also had news of
LaTasha from earlier."

"After the required wait following the official determination that LaTasha
was brain dead, her mother gave permission for the machines to turned off
and any usable organs donated. There was no service or anything held in
College Park. LaTasha's body was shipped to Mississippi where her mother
had grown up and where she will be buried."

"Before LaTasha's mother left for the funeral, she helped the police get
the goods on her two stepsons. Before they were picked up, she apparently
shared some of her stash with them. I guess they ended up so stoned they
didn't know what was going on and she bobbitted them. Well, I guess it was
a variation on cutting off a penis. She castrated both. Put a rubber band
around their scrotum and cut it off. Called 911 and reported someone had
mutilated her stepsons.

"Ouch and double ouch," Keith said. I just grabbed the family jewels,
protecting them.

'Well, I guess I should say that at least everyone believes she did the job
on the two. The two stepsons are not talking, Joe suspects all LaTasha's
mom would have to do was let the word get out that the information about
the gang leaders came from the boys and they would be pushing up daisies."

"Anyway, Joe is convinced with the information the police have now, they
would soon break the back of the gangs in East Point and College
Park. Keith, I know you didn't want the gangs to know where you were, but I
think you should let your parents know. You know they are worried sick."

It took a bit, but Mom finally convinced Keith he should call his
parents. He felt they had deserted him by just having him shipped off to
Detroit, but Mom reminded him the decision might not have been the best,
but they were trying to protect him from obvious danger.

When Keith called, his mom and dad told him about the same thing we had
learned from Joe. In fact, Keith knew more about the situation than they
did. In spite of the fact the danger gangs posed for Keith was likely
minimal, they agreed that it was probably best that he not go back to
College Park and spend the rest of the summer with us in North Carolina.

Mom invited them up for a weekend and they came the weekend after Joe and
Trey had been up to our place in the mountains.

The lazy days of summer sped by and before we knew it or were ready for it,
it was Labor Day and the beginning of school, our sophomore year.

Dad finally had to come to school to talk with my counselor and science
math program director. The director simply would not sign off on my
schedule with the auto body repair classes scheduled and the counselor said
that without the director's approval, I could not remain in the
program. Dad pointed out that I had taken two freshman classes the year
before in summer school. "He is taking or has taken all the classes the
science-math sophomores are taking AND the vocational course, so what's the
problem?"

It all boiled down to the director feeling that vocational course were
beneath her students.

"I hope you remember that the next time you need a plumber or auto mechanic
and tell them you are sorry, but they are beneath you. I suspect you'll
discover quickly just how valuable they are. I'd also point out that both
probably make more money than you or I do." Dad finished the conference
with, "I trust there'll be no further problems arising out of Tom's
schedule decisions. And while I am here," Dad said, "I'd like to review
Keith Anderson's schedule."

Before the counselor could object, stating confidentially regulations, Dad
produced a statement from the Andersons asking him to serve in loco
parentis with regard to Keith's schedule. Keith also wanted to take another
auto mechanics class. His parents had objected the previous year since they
held some of the same attitude about vocational classes that the director
held. Dad pointed out that "getting his hands dirty will help him
understand the importance of everyone, not just book smart people." And
Keith's parents finally agreed.

While we waited for Mom to pick us up after school, Keith said, "Now all we
need is a car to work on." We talked about what we'd like to do and agreed
we'd, somehow, get cars and I'd do the body work and Keith the mechanical
work.

With a zero period before God was out of bed, a full class schedule, and
baseball in the spring semester, neither Keith nor I had time to work so
where the cars were coming from was a problem. Of course, the only time we
could drive was in the car with a parent. We both had gotten our fifteen
year old learner's permits the day following our fifteenth birthdays. We
had to pass the written test to get it and could only drive with a parent
or someone over twenty-one.

After the events of the summer, the fall was, thank goodness, borderline
dull. We saw Joe and Trey from time to time. Trey was scheduled to start
working the Jackson to McDougnal section which would put him much closer to
College Park and he'd be able to stay at home. "That's the good part," Joe
had laughed. "The bad part is that he will be leaving so early and getting
back so late, he'll still get out of working around the house."

Joe and Trey had closed on their house and had the conversions needed to
provide for Queen Joyce, who, by the way, objected strenuously to her place
being called a "mother-in-law" suite. In her best street talk she informed
all, "They's the royal apartmints." While the apartment was completely
separate from the rest of the house, the guys had put their foot down and
there was a connecting door-complete with bell. The door had been kept
locked until Queen's diabetics went completely crazy and the guys found
her, passed out, in the middle of her living room floor.  After she had
collapsed, the bell was used, but the door was never locked.

What can I say about school? Very little. My classes ranged from the
perfectly terrible-trig with a teacher who couldn't teach, which was
matched only by his lack of knowledge-to awesome-honors sophomore
composition and literature. I was really getting good at body work and
could hardly wait until I could-some way-find money to buy a car to repair.

No handsome prince came riding my way, but I definitely had my eyes
open. There were a couple football players I was sure were gay. They were
often together and I saw them walking arm in arm at times. When I mentioned
this to Keith he said, "Duh, you think they might be gay? What about us?" I
had to laugh because we were walking arm in arm at the time.

We mentioned that to Joe and Trey and both said the fact that football
players walked arm in arm gave some people permission to do that. "That's
the reason you haven't caught flack," Joe said. "You should thank the two."

A couple days later as Keith and I were waiting for Mom, the two came by,
arm in arm. As they did, Keith called out, "Hold up, Guys." The two
stopped, turned and walked to where Keith and I were sitting on a low
wall. "Guys, I'm Keith Anderson and this is Tom McCarter."

One of the fellows extended his hand and said, "Kent Johnson."

"Marc Swift," the second guy said.

"Marc, Kent, Tom and I have two gay friends, Joe and Trey. Joe's a
policeman in College Park and Trey works on the railroad. Couple days ago
we were at their place and mentioned that you two walking arm in arm, I
guess, gave us permission to do the same. I mean nobody in their right mind
is going to say anything to you two!" The two smiled as I did at the very
idea anyone would take on one of the pair, much less two. "Anyway, they
said we should thank you and they are right. Thanks. I'm interested. How
did you two start walking arm in arm? Even holding hands?"

"No offense taken, but if you are suggesting we are gay, you're wrong, not
that that would matter. We grew up together. We were born two days apart
and our moms shared babysitting so both could work. I guess we have been
holding hands and walking arm in arm ever since we could walk," Kent said.

"And, yeah, we hold hands sometimes," Marc answered, "but not at school. It
takes too much energy to set some people straight. Wouldn't care if people
thought we were gay, but they better not make shitty remarks about it. You
two gay?"

I wondered how Keith would respond to that!

"No, just friends who also grew up together."

I didn't know why I felt I had to answer as I did, but almost without
thinking I said, "Well, Keith's half right. He's not gay, but I am."

"Boyfriend?" Kent asked.

"Still looking," I answered.

Since Kent and Marc were seniors, we had no classes together, but when our
paths crossed, the two always smiled and said hello. One afternoon while we
were waiting to be picked up, the two came out of the school talking,
looking at a book and not watching where they were going. I was walking
toward the wall where Keith was sitting and the two ran into me.

"Unless your sense of direction improves," I laughed, "you'll end up
scoring for the other team."

"Unless I get my head around this algebra I'll be scoring for no team. Math
just is not for me."

"Mind if we look?"

"Not at all," Kent answered.

"Double that," Marc added and handed me the book and gave Keith the
notebook where they had been trying to work a problem.

The problem was not at all complicated or difficult when I looked at
it. Keith said, "Both Tom and I are in the science-math magnet program so
we're doing advanced math. For us, this is not a difficult problem. That
doesn't mean you are stupid, just that you don't understand. Who's your
teacher?"

"Lazy Larry," Marc answered. "Sorry, Mr. Lawrence."

"You think he's bad in algebra, try him in trig. Ok, two ways we can go
with this. Tom and I could just do the problems in a few minutes and you'd
be scot free OR we can help you learn the material."

"As much as I'd like to say, 'Just do it, it wouldn't be much help
tomorrow. And you are willing to tutor us in math?"

"Sure, why not?"

Amazing how something so simple as offering to help two guys with their
homework can change your life, but it can. That first day, Keith sat with
Kent and I with Marc. I suspect the two of us began to wonder why we had
offered to help because it was obvious to us both that the guys hadn't the
foggiest idea what algebra was about.

By the time Keith's mom arrived, we were frustrated, but, I hope, had
managed to hide it. As we were going home, we talked about the guys. Keith
summed it up for his mom saying, "Mom, those guys have just been passed so
they could play football. It didn't matter whether they know anything or
not.

For the rest of the year, Keith and I tutored the two. And after a few
days, they often came home with one or the other of us and the four of us
worked on their assignments. Then they walked home, getting some exercise
along with their grasp of math. By the end of the next six week's grading
period the two had raised their grades from a "we need them playing
football" D to an honest D. The next six weeks they had an honest C.

Suddenly the two had become both cheerleaders and ass kickers for the rest
of the football team. It was very strange to see not only that, but also
the two as tutors for their teammates. Ok, we both admitted it, it was a
great ego booster.

I guess we were also surprised to see members of the football team walking
arm in arm, even holding hands. It almost caused a riot when the team was
the visitor at Stockbridge and a couple of the guys walked off the field
hand in hand. Fortunately an official heard the home team coach make a
remark about "my guys having to play queers" and he was sent out of the
game.

Keith and I were at Joe and Trey's one evening and Queen Joyce was
"visiting" with them. When we talked about how proud we were of the guys we
were tutoring, Queen Joyce asked if we were getting credit for it.

"Credit? What do you mean?" Keith asked.

"Look, you'll have more credits than you need to graduate, but that's not
the point. You want a record to present to the college YOU choose rather
than having to attend a college which will accept you. Right?" Keith
nodded.

"Well, there's a course number which will give you credit for teaching
experience, for tutoring. Ask to be given that."

Our counselor said she didn't know what we were talking about when we went
to see her. Keith suggested she contact Queen Joyce. Mistake, I guess. Our
counselor said she didn't need anyone telling her her job and made some
very cutting remarks about Queen and sent us back to class. I guess she
thought she better check out our request because before school was out for
the day, we got a note from the counselors' office tell us we were enrolled
in ED. 500: Practical Education: Math Tutoring and were earning a unit for
it. "Please send me a weekly report of your activities," the note
concluded.

Shortly after we started tutoring the guys, I realized it might help to
know something about them and what they liked and suggested to Keith that
we attend a football game. The guys were so pleased and proud that their
tutors had attended a game that we felt obligated to attend the rest of the
season's games even though neither of us were interested, or became
interested, in the game itself. I guess we were like proud parents. Of
course the fact that before long Keith and I each had four or five football
players to tutor three afternoons a week after school meant we got to know
almost all the players very well.

One afternoon, as the football season was coming to an end, Marc and Kent
stayed behind after the other players had gone. Marc kept hemming and
hawing for awhile until Keith finally said, "Come on guys, whatever it is,
it can't be that difficult. Out with it."

It took awhile, but finally the two got around to telling us they were
afraid we'd abandon them now that the football season was over.

"Marc, Kent, football season is not very important to me," Keith said. "To
be honest, I really don't like football and the only reason Tom and I came
to the games was because you guys were playing. It's something you do and
do well and we wanted to support, but that not why we helped you with your
school work. I doubt that either of you will ever make the NFL, but you
might get to college on a football scholarship. But unless you manage to
get THROUGH college, it won't mean a great deal. Sure we'll keep helping
you guys as long as you want."

"See, Kent," Marc said, "I told you they'd not give up on us."

The football season ended with the win-loss columns equal, but at the
awards banquet-to which Keith and I received invitations-Kent proudly
announced that the academic average for the football team fall semester was
the highest it had ever been. "And, teachers, coaches, principals, we owe
it to two guys who tutored us, Keith Anderson and Tom McCarter."

Kent and Marc were standing together at the head table and asked us to come
forward and when we did, we were presented with a trophy. We were both
stunned when whole team stood and applauded and applauded.

Thanksgiving came and Mom asked about inviting the Andersons to join us for
Thanksgiving dinner, but before she got around to it, Joe and Trey invited
us and the Andersons to their place for dinner. "Queen Joyce will be
presiding," Trey had laughed when he called with the invitation.

I was amazed at how quickly Christmas vacation followed Thanksgiving. Some
official in the school administration had definitely screwed up the
calendar. Christmas was on Monday and we were in school the Wednesday
before. Tuesday night at dinner Dad had asked about spending the Christmas
holidays in North Carolina. Mom pointed out the house was definitely not
winterized, but I reminded her that with the propane space heaters, it
could be comfortable. "It'll be warm enough, I'm sure," Dad said.

"And if it's not and is uncomfortable, we'll come back?" Mom asked, but I
knew she expected the answer to be yes. Dad and I both nodded. Mom said
she'd give it some thought. Clearly she wasn't convinced-yet.

Mom and I talked about it on the way to school the next day and Mom finally
said she had decided it wasn't a bad idea. We had been talking as though
Keith wasn't in the car and he started sniffling like he was crying. "Not
subtle, Keithee Poo," Mom said. "Check with your parents and see if they'd
like to join us. Remember it likely to be cold and you know the cabin," Mom
said. When we told Dad we'd like to go, we told him Keith was checking with
his parents to see if they would like to join us.

"I was holding off to make sure you two would like to go, but I thought
we'd invite Joe and Trey if we were going and you wanted to do that," Dad
said. "Guess we need to hold off on that. We'll run out of space."

Mom called Mrs. Anderson and they talked for ages. When she hung up the
phone she said, "LaLisa thanked me kindly, but they cannot go to the
mountains. Old Mrs. Anderson's finally reached the point where she can no
longer live alone. The family is getting together in Albany to decide what
to do. LaLisa is really wound up. She knows what a pain Alexander's brother
and sisters can be."

"They already know Octavia is going to raise hell about 'putting Mother in
one of those places,' but that's all the contribution she will make. Either
LaLisa and Alexander have to find someone to live with old Mrs. Anderson or
she will have to go to an assisted living facility.  They know they will
not only have to make all the decisions and do all the work and pay all the
bills, but also put up with the brother's and sisters' carping."

"She said, 'Rebekah, it is not going to be a very pleasant Christmas. I
hope we can go down, get things settled and get back here so Alexander can
have some time to recover before we go back to work.'"

"Mom, did she say Keith could come? I don't think he's interested in seeing
his Auntie Octavia again soon-or later for that matter."

"I asked about that and LaLisa said she thought it was a very good
idea. She said she had hesitated earlier since it was awfully pushy, but
she was giving some thought to asking if he could spend the Christmas
holidays with us so he will be coming. Tom, why don't you call Trey and
Joe. Tell them Queen Joyce is invited as well."

I called Joe and he said he couldn't come until the day after Christmas. "I
have six days after Christmas, but I have always worked Christmas Eve and
Christmas. I'll sleep at the fire station so I will get some sleep, but
officially I am pulling three twenty-four hour shifts. The other officers
have family and need to spend time with them. I usually sleep eight
straight hours when I get off even though I do grab some sleep if there's
not a lot of activity. Then Trey and I have Christmas. But I'll have him
call when he gets in. He and Queen Joyce went to some celebration tonight."
I told him to call anytime before midnight.

Trey called just at midnight and talked with Mom. When she hung up, she
said Trey didn't want to leave Joe alone over Christmas. "'He works, but he
can get by for dinners and we get to see a little of each other. It's a
special time for us even with Joe working,' Trey said and I agreed," Mom
said. "He asked about the three coming up after Joe finished his Christmas
Day shift and I told him of course."

Mom and Dad both had to work Thursday after school was out, making sure
report cards went out and doing other administrator things. Keith and I
went downtown to finish our Christmas shopping. We finally split up to shop
for each other and agreed to meet at 1:00.

Mom was home when we got back to the house. She and Keith went to shop for
the cabin. In the meantime, Dad and I got stuff together we'd need-like
extra blankets. Keith's parents brought his stuff and said they had planned
to leave for Albany later, but something had come up. They got the cell
phone number and said they'd call to tell him goodbye later. They both
looked as if they were attending a hanging and they were the guests of
honor. Keith had said both really dreaded what lay ahead, but his dad was
the only one in the family who had enough sense to get something done.

The trip to North Carolina was uneventful, until about half-way between
Rabun Gap and the Cashiers-Highlands area. As we drove up the mountain, a
light snow started falling and was falling faster every mile we
traveled. By the time we were five or six miles from the house, the road
had enough snow on it to make driving treacherous. It took over half an
hour to cover those last few miles and when we reached the house, Dad was a
basket case. Mom ordered him to just sit in the car and relax while we got
the house open and the propane heaters going. While she and Keith were
starting the heaters, I built a roaring fire in the fireplace, then
attended to the water system. By the time we were done, we were about
frozen, but the heaters and the fireplace were warming up the house.

We had stopped in Gainsville for a late lunch and Mom had cold cuts and
things for sandwiches for supper. We ate and Mom and Dad got out books they
brought and started reading. Keith and I found the Yatzee game and started
playing.

We played until about 9:30 when Keith said, "It seems like at least
midnight." I agreed.

I was stiff from sitting on the floor playing Yatzee and when I said so,
Keith said he was too.

"Then let's see about a walk outside."

Keith and I stepped outside and stood on the porch. The snow had stopped,
but the whole world seemed blanketed in white. The snow was the kind that
clings to everything. Even the tiny branches of the bare trees were
covered. The sky had clear and bright moonlight revealed a dream world.

"Tom, it's so beautiful," Keith whispered as through speaking aloud would
disturb the scene before us. As he spoke a rabbit came bounding around the
house, saw us and stopped, standing upright as though he was frozen. I
guess he decided we meant him no harm and went hopping off into the
snow-covered trees. The moon was so very bright, we decided it was light
enough for us to walk to the river. When we got back, we told the parents
goodnight and went upstairs to my place. Fortunately, heat rises, and the
propane heaters and the fireplace had the loft cozy warm.

Even so, Keith and I got undressed and quickly dressed again in warm,
winter PJs. We crawled into bed and Keith soon spooned himself into my
back, and put his arm over me. As he did, for some reason he was reminded
of school and said, "Tom, it's been a good fall semester." I agreed. We
were both silent for a moment and the Keith said, "Goodnight, my brother."

"Goodnight, my brother," I replied.