Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2008 16:22:45 -0800 (PST)
From: E Walk <cane_lane_candy@yahoo.com>
Subject: Pinochle Chater 23

Pinochle
By E Walk
(Copyrighted by the author)
Edited by Will B.

Chapter 23 -- So This Is Our Advisor?

This is Ben.

When we left Mr. Dolan's office, I was more than just a little bit amazed
at how Grant had handled the situation.  He was starting to act more and
more like me and Brian. I wonder what Dad and Mom thought.  Oh well, they
will get over it.

As we were driving back to the hotel, Grant finally spoke, "Benji, I hope I
wasn't too obnoxious."

I wanted to laugh, "Grant, you didn't leave much to the imagination, and
would you please stop calling me Benji?"

Grant was almost giggling, "I might, if you stop calling me `Knock.'  I
think it is great that we have special names for each other, when no one
else is around.  I'd kiss you right now, but I know would yell at me and
tell me that this is not the time or the right place."

I reached over and patted Grant on the thigh, "You are so going to pay for
that comment when we get home tonight.  Now, let's get moving before we are
late for our appointment with Grandpa Donny."

When we arrived at Dr. Witherspoon's office, the secretary told us to have
a seat, and she would tell Dr. Witherspoon that we had arrived.  She
disappeared into the office behind her and returned with a frown, "The
doctor will see you now, but he is not very happy about having his morning
siesta interrupted.  He usually sleeps from 9:30 until 10:30 each day and
don't try to see him after 2:15 in the afternoon or you will be spending
the night waiting."

Grant and I walked through the open door and a gentleman was sitting
looking out the window talking on the phone.  His back was to us, and Grant
and I just stood there listening to him speak, "Yes ma'am. I
will. ... Ma'am, my partner is not very happy about me having to baby-sit
two silly freshman from the sticks. ... Ma'am, I do need to go.  The hicks
are standing here waiting for me."

I looked at Grant and he looked at me.  I sent a message, "I don't think
this is going to be very much fun.  What have we gotten ourselves into?"

The gentleman finally hung up the phone and turned around to face us.  He
was probably in his late 50's or early 60's.  He had salt and pepper hair
that had obviously been styled.  But what caught my attention were his
eyes.  They were brown, but so light that they almost appeared to be tan.
He had his eyes squinted; then he started speaking gruffly, "Well, don't
just stand there.  Identify yourselves, and tell me why I should be your
advisor."  He pointed at me, "You go first and make it brief.  I don't have
all day."

I thought I detected Dr. Witherspoon almost smiling, and before I realized
what I done, I snapped to, like I was in the military and saluted,
"Benjamin Benson reporting as directed, sir."

Before Dr. Witherspoon could respond, Grant did as I had done.

Grant and I were standing at attention and Dr. Witherspoon started to
laughed, "At ease you two freshman.  Get butts over to that sofa, and sit
down so you can't touch each other."

Grant and I did as we were told.  Dr. Witherspoon stood, and it was very
apparent that he took care of his body, because he sure didn't show any
signs of being overweight.  He picked up two folders from his desk and
walked toward us.  He plopped down between us, "Okay you smart asses, let's
get this over with."

He opened the two folders, "I don't know how you two hicks did this but you
have almost identical scores on all of the tests.  I even have a copy of
Grant's SAT scores, which I received thirty minutes ago.  I took the
liberty of filling out your schedules for the fall semester.  You will be
taking courses that are required for all of the students who are graduated
from our esteemed University.  I understand that you are leaving at noon,
so we need to make this brief.  If you will sign the forms, you will each
be taking 15 credits this first term."

I started to say something, but Dr. Witherspoon interrupted, "Don't make
you're your grandfather angry.  I heard what Grant called Hank."

Grant and I both responded, "Yes Grandpa Donny."

We finished our business quickly, and as we were leaving, both Grant and I
hugged him and kissed Dr. Witherspoon.

He was caught completely by surprise, "Heck, I may have to schedule
counseling sessions with you two daily.  Now get out of here, I need to
meet with my other two counselees, Ingrid and Maria."

Grant and I broke up; I was finally able to speak, "So Grandma Kate
arranged for you to be the advisor for our two friends also.?"

"I don't know how it evolved.  I thought I was done being an advisor, and
now I have four hot-headed freshmen to take care of.  I don't know who said
what to Hank today; but you sure impressed him, and Boss Kate thinks the
world of you.  You will have to tell us your story when you get back in
town.  I can't imagine how Grant might ever have been a piece of wood."

We hugged him a second time and left the office.  Maria and Inga were
sitting outside, waiting.  Grant looked at them, "Be careful!
Dr. Witherspoon is a sheep in wolf's clothing!  We'll talk to you when
school starts.  Oh, by the way, Ben's Dad has already decided that you will
be living in one of the room's in Grandma Dolan's house, that Ben just
bought.  You have Ben's e-mail address, so keep in touch."

As we were walking back to hotel, Grant looked at me, "Benji, kick me in
the butt and tell me to back off.  It's as if I am finally realizing what
it is like to not be a piece of wood.  Thank you, my wicked man, for making
me real."

As we were arriving at the hotel entrance, Mrs. Dolan's car pulled up and
my parents got out.  Mrs. Dolan waved and yelled, "I'll see you later."

There were two New York State Patrol officers standing there, "Mr. and
Mrs. Benson, we will be escorting you and the two gentlemen to the
airport."

Mother asked, "Why do we need an escort?  Do you know something we don't?

The officer was very honest, "Ma'am, our office received a call from the
Governor's office, and we are just following his orders."

Dad started to look concerned. "Go get your bags, we need to get started to
the airport.  The crew has filed for a twelve o'clock noon departure."

This was so new to Grant and me that we just did what we were told to do.
We did, however, take time to go to the bathroom.  We met my parents in the
lobby, and after the bell captain loaded the car, we were on the way to the
airport.  We were being led by a state patrol car and tailed by another
one.  When we arrived at the terminal, two of the patrolmen jumped out and
started to watch the assembled people.

The terminal building wasn't that big, and it was like our bags
disappeared, and the rental cars had already been turned in.  We entered
the terminal to find a crowd waiting for us.

Grant and I weren't surprised to see Mrs. Dolan, but Inga and Maria were
also there.  They were supposed to be meeting with Dr. Witherspoon.  It
seems that they were having lunch with Grandma Kate, Grandpa Hank and
Grandpa Donny and were going to be meeting with Dr. Witherspoon about there
schedules after lunch.  We had just said goodbye to everyone when Sammy
came bursting through the doors, "I was afraid I would miss you."

Sammy took Grant and me aside, "Thanks for talking to Adam and Allan.  I
can make it with their support and yours.  May I please have your e-mail
address?  Guys you probably saved my life!"

That statement shook both Grant and me.  Grant responded, "Sammy, please,
please, if you ever feel that low again, please call Ben or even his silly
brother Brian.  Either one of them will get you little butt out of the
doldrums so fast that you will think that you are an asteroid whirling
through space."

Grant did something that surprised even me.  He pulled Sammy close and held
him and kissed him on the lips, "Sammy, you are special and don't you ever
forget it."

Everyone who was watching started to get tears in their eyes.  Fortunately,
the flight attendant came to get us, so the drama of the moment was put
aside.  Sammy had to have the last say, and he came and threw his arms
around me, "Ben, thank you for treating as an equal and not ridiculing me.
I will always remember what you and Grant shared with me even though your
Dad embarrassed me.  I'll get you next time Mr. Benson."

When boarded the aircraft, Dad and Mother were sitting in the first two
adjacent seats, and Mr. Garrison and Mr. Gordon were sitting in the two
seats behind them, so Grant and I took the third role of adjacent seats.

The steward came back and announced, "The Captain has requested that some
of you move to the other side of the aircraft to even the weight load at
least for take off.  Once we are in the air, the table will drop, and you
will be sitting beside each other, anyway."

Grant and I got up; Grant asked which seats we should sit in.  The steward
indicated that the first two seats would probably be best.  I was sitting
across from my parents and Grant was sitting across from his Dad and
Mr. Gordon.

We started to taxi and Mr. Gordon started to get very tense; and was
holding tightly onto the arms of his seat.  Grant noticed, "Dad Harley, do
we need to undress you here in front of Mrs. Benson.  You surely wouldn't
want to embarrass her!"

By the time this dialogue finished, we were airborne, and Mr. Gordon had
begun to relax.  The steward came back and announced, "I'm going to put the
table down.  I will bring you your coffee and juice and you can visit while
I fix your lunches."

We all knew what to do except Mr. Gordon, Grant reached over to activate
their seats so they would turn, and we thought Mr. Gordon was going to
freak out on us.  Mr. Garrison put his arms around Mr. Gordon.  "Harley, it
is okay.  You need to get used to traveling first class."

I almost lost my breakfast when Grant started, "Yeah, Dad Harley, if you
are going to be my other Dad, you need to expect the unexpected.  Otherwise
we ain't inviting you and Dad to any dinners where we will be eating with
our paying guests on the Epicurean delicacies that the chef you hire fixes
for us.  We will probably be so overweight that they won't even permit us
to ride the transit buses to the campus."

The steward brought our juice and coffee, of course, for Mr. Gordon and
Mr. Garrison.  Dad started, "Okay guys, how did your meeting go with your
advisor, Dr. Witherspoon?"

I looked at Grant and he sent me his thought waves and I began, "It was the
strangest meeting I have ever been involved in.  He acted liked we were
aliens from another planet at first, and then he made us feel like we were
his wayward grandsons.  To top everything off, he is also going to be
Maria's and Inga's advisor.  I can hardly wait to get back to Ithaca and
see what happens."

Grant diverted the attention away from us, "So what happened at the
building on The Commons this morning?"

When the four adults finished explaining what had happened, Grant and I
were almost sliding out of our seats.  I looked at everyone, "Is that why
we had a state patrol escort to the airport.  Uncle Harley and Uncle Gregg,
did you have escorts too?"

Mr. Garrison answered, "We had one state patrol riding behind us on the way
to the airport.  I guess Mr. Petrillo can't be too angry with us."

Dad interrupted, "Gregg, you need new glasses.  Actually, you and Harley
had three state patrol cars with you."

The steward served us our lunch.  We started to eat and I wanted to switch
our attention away from Ithaca for a while, "Dad and Mother, I don't
understand how T.J. could be Uncle Tommy's son, when Uncle Tommy has never
been married."

"Ben, this could take forever to explain."

"Dad, we have over two hours!  Surely, it can't be that complicated."

Dad started, "Tommy had just finished his internship, and it was his first
day at Doctor Dad's clinic.  He was called to the hospital to help with an
emergency.  He was just leaving the hospital, when a young woman came up to
him and said, "Please take care of him!"

"The woman disappeared, and poor Tommy had no idea what was happening.
When he got to his car, he soon found out.  When he opened the door and
crawled in, he saw a bundle lying on the front seat in a box. He looked at
the package and saw that it was a new born infant.  He picked the little
person up and saw a paper attached to the baby's blanket.  He opened it,
"Please take care of Thomas Jeffrey Wilson.  His birth certificate is the
bottom of the box."

"Tommy looked at the birth certificate.  It did indeed name him as the
father, but the mother's name had been blotted out.  Tommy put the
certificate in the box and left for Doctor Dad's house.  He was having a
very difficult time controlling his emotions.  His mind was going miles a
minute.  He called Aunt Anita and ask for her help.  They made a makeshift
nursery, but Tommy always took T. J. to bed with him.  When T. J. was old
enough to sleep in a regular bed, he refused to sleep by himself, and he
always climbed into his Dad's bed."

"Everyone thought that when he started school he would start sleeping
alone, but T. J. was determine that he had to sleep with his Daddy, so he
could make sure that his Dad was there.  It wasn't until he had a serious
illness when he was eight that they stopped sleeping together.  T. J. was
so ill that he had to miss nearly an entire year of school.  Mrs. Tice, who
had been one of my tutors, had retired, and she stayed with T. J. during
the days so Tommy wouldn't have to stop working.  Anyway, it turns out that
Mrs. Tice was really T.J.'s maternal great grandmother."

"It seems that after Jeff's funeral was in news, T.J.'s mother, his
stepfather and his three half brothers visited with Doctor Dad, Tommy and
T.J,. and she told them why she had done what she did.  She said that she
had had a crush on Tommy for a long time and allowed herself to become
pregnant when she was dating someone who wouldn't or couldn't take care of
her and Mrs. Tice suggested that Tommy, Jeff and Doctor Dad would provide
well for the new son."

I couldn't handle it and started to laugh.  Everyone was looking at me like
I was strange.  "I just realized that Uncle Tommy and T. J. are not
relatives so there isn't anything incestuous in their affair."

Any further dialogue was stopped because the steward announced, "Lady and
gentlemen, we will be landing in five minutes.  I need to store the table
and ask that you return seats to their original position and make sure they
are locked."

Mr. Garrison was pointing out some of the features they could see out the
window to Mr. Gordon.

When we reached the terminal Dad sent me to get the van.  I pulled up in
front of the general aviation terminal, and Grant and Dad loaded the
baggage.  Grant was in the other front seat and the four adults were in the
back.  I drove to Mr. Garrison's house and he Mr. Gordon exited.  Grant and
I took their luggage into Mr. Garrison's house.

I was a little surprised when Grant decided to get back in the van with us,
but I figured he must have something on his mind.  He turned to my parents,
"Ben and I are going to check on the Shoppe after we get the baggage
stowed.  I'll have him home by midnight, before he turns into a pumpkin."

This is Beau.

What is this about?  Grant has something on his mind.

IFYOU WANT TO READ MORE OF THIS STORY OR OTHER INTERESTING STORIES, YOU
MIGHT LIKE TO VISIT www.tickiestories.us.

Editor's Comments: Well, well, well! Ed makes editing his stories--and fun!
Come on older brother, let's get the next chapter done.