Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 20:36:12 -0500
From: Charlie <charlieje@mindspring.com>
Subject: Andy Part 23 (young-friends)

I have two apologies and a request to make before getting into the next
chapter of Andy. First the request, and one of the apologies: I thought I had
my email very well organized with folders for "answered," "To be
answered," etc. well, it seems that I mis-filed a bunch of notes and some
might have got lost. I had originally planned to hold all responses until the
series was finished, but it has gone on far longer than I had planned. Now it
seems that some notes I have received may have been lost. So if you have
emailed me and not received a response, if you would kindly email me again,
simply saying "I have emailed you before," I can do a search on your email
address and find your original note. I initially committed to answer all mail
and I meant it!

The second apology: The rate at which I post chapters from now on will
probably slow down. I had originally planned to end it with Chapter 23, but
when I reviewed the summary I realized that there is still a story to be told; a
story that is a lot happier than what I have already told, and so I plan to tell
that part of it, just to prove that I am not all gloom and doom. I must also
thank all the faithful readers who have stuck by my two heroes, and
indirectly me, through all the trials and tribulations. Here then is the much
revised chapter 23.

I should also say at this point that if you are under the age of 18, or whatever
age in your jurisdiction makes you legal to read information concerning
explicit sex acts, you should stop reading now. I am still committed to
avoiding explicit details, but some of the descriptions could become a little
more daring than in the past 22 chapters. So if you find male to male sex
offensive, or if it is illegal for you to read such, you have been warned.

              XXIII Back On The Farm

"You really loved him, didn't you?" Andy questioned as they lay in bed,
Charlie cuddled close and crying softly. They had just returned from Garth's
funeral, which had been sparsely attended by family and a few close friends.
Predictably Dennis had claimed the body as that of his son and had done
what he would have done for any other member of the family. Unfortunately
family and friends were not quite so forgiving.
"Course I did! He was my brother, Andy. It wasn't his fault he was the way
he was."
"Are you sayin' it was Mom and Dad's fault? Or yours?"
"I dunno, Andy. I don't think so though. I don't know whose fault it was, or
if it was anybody's, but it wasn't Garth's."

Andy tightened his grip as he held Charlie to him. "All I know," he said, "Is
that you've had to deal with far too much lately. Now we have to let things
settle down and get back to living. Just be my lil brother, ok? You're safe
now, and I love you so much!"
"Yeah, Andy, I love you too. And the first thing we gotta do now is to talk
about Myrtle Beach."
"We'll get there in lots of time, but right now let's not worry about it, ok?"
"No, it's not ok, Andy. We gotta talk about it now. I don't wanna go! I can't
go! But I don't want to mess up your chances."
"You don't want to go? But I thought..."
"I thought so too, Andy. I thought I wanted to go, but things have changed.
Things are different now. Seein' Garth that last time made me realize I can
never be happy any place but where I am right now. Please tell me I don't
have to come with you? Please?"

In Charlie's head, and only in his head, Garth's last words kept ringing over
and over:

"Go on, get outa here, Tonio! You got a great life, good family, a big
brother that's good to you like you deserve. Go back to 'em and make 'em
proud!"

He started to cry harder. Now he knew that Garth had already made his plan
when he said those words. He knew that Garth had known then that he'd be
dead within the hour. "Andy," Charlie said as he looked at his brother
through his very red eyes, "If you weren't my brother, if we had never met,
If you hadn't come to live with us, I dunno if I could get through all this.
Thanks, Andy. Thanks for being my brother! I love you so much!"
"I know, Charlie. But I did come! And that's why I don't ever want to leave.
You and our parents have given me love like I never dreamed I'd ever see. I
didn't even know love like this existed.

"Charlie," Andy said, "I've only been here a few months. I never wanted to
go to Myrtle Beach or anywhere else, but I felt I had to so I could look out
for you. I can't bear the thought of being away from you. You need me
Charlie, but I need you too. So if you're not going, I'm not either."
"You don't want to go? But why?"
"I love it here on the farm, Charlie! I never wanted to go! This is my home
now, and I don't ever want to leave! Certainly not till I have to."
"You have to now, Andy! You'll never get another chance like this."
"Chance at what? A life I don't want? Some high class job in New York or
Boston or some place? A music career in Nashville, touring all around the
country all the time? This is my chance, Charlie! This is the chance I
dreamed of my whole life and never thought would happen. Having a
family, parents that love me, a cool little brother! That's all I need and all I
want. Shit man, if you're not a performer I certainly am not one.

"Charlie, I won't go without you. And besides, YOU'll never get another
chance like this either."
"But what'll you do?"
"Same as you. Stay here and work the farm, go to school, then NC State.
But you and your music! It's so important to you! I never dreamed that you
would give it up for the farm."
"I love music! But it's not my life. This is my life, here on the farm! I love
the music more when I can enjoy it on my own terms, not somebody else's.
If I can't sing and play on my own terms then it loses some of the fun. I love
to perform, but it's 'cause I don't have to. I don't suppose I'll ever stop
singing and playing as long as I can do it, but it's not gonna rule my life. For
me it's the thing that keeps me going, the thing I can enjoy no matter what
else is going on. I love to perform, but only when and where I want to, not
whenever some agent says I have to. And I got some ideas about how to start
a new band: a family band! You wanna hear 'em?"

It took some convincing, but eventually the boys persuaded Dennis that they
had never wanted to go to Myrtle Beach, that each had been going because
he thought the other wanted to. When he reminded them that if they didn't
go they were faced with the same problem: that Charlie, and possibly Andy,
would be back in a school situation where they could not be challenged.
They had the answer for that too! "Everyone says what a great teacher you
are, Mom." Charlie said, "So why can't you home school us, like you were
gonna do if I'd joined the castrati choir? That way we can schedule our
school work around what has to be done on the farm."
"You sure you want that?" Karen asked, "You know I'm not an easy
teacher. I'd demand far more of you than any other teacher you might get."
"Does that mean you'll do it?" Charlie said excitedly, "AWESOME!"

                *       *       *
The home schooling idea worked out well, to say the least. Andy and Charlie
were caught up by mid October, and by Thanksgiving they were well on
their way to finishing their year. It was beginning to seem as though they had
indeed got back into the business of living their lives without interruption.
That is until Carlo and Guido came calling just a few days before Christmas.

"First thing I'd like to talk about," Carlo began after they'd had one of
Karen's best meals and were seated in the living room, "Is your farm. Dennis
Karen and I have been talking for a couple months now, and I think we have
a deal worked out that you're all going to like."
I thought so! Andy thought to himself, He's gonna buy the farm out from
under us. He has offered Dad so much money that he simply couldn't
refuse. Andy felt the panic building. He shot a glance at Charlie and he saw
in those gorgeous blue eyes the same panic.

"I have to tell you boys," Carlo went on, "Your mom and dad are formidable
negotiators. Don't ever think because they are country folks that they don't
know how to get the most from a business deal."
"Dad..." Charlie pleaded, "What... why did you keep it a secret? What're
we..."
"Just let Carlo finish." Dennis interrupted. "But nothing is signed yet. If you
boys don't agree, then I've already told Carlo the deal is off."
"But that's just..." Andy argued, but Dennis raised his hand to stop him.
"Let Carlo finish, ok?" he said.

"I understand your concern, boys," Carlo continued, "But hear me out. I
think you'll be surprised what we've worked out. I have looked around the
area and there are at least three thousand acres of farmland that is not in use
for one reason or another. Most of this land can be bought quite cheaply.
My proposal is that we go into business together, raising and selling sweet
potatoes, Irish potatoes and peanuts. You three have the expertise, you know
where to get good labor around here and it's no secret how hard you all
work. I have the money, so why don't we just pool our resources and build
up the farm? That way you can stay here which Dennis assures me is what
you want."

"But the farm will be yours!" Andy protested.
"Not at all." Dennis answered, "That's why we're doing it this way. We will
be in business together, but the contract will be worded in such a way that if
we should decide some time later to end the deal, there will be a low interest
loan to pay off whatever is left of the debt."
"We'll need a lot of equipment." Charlie reminded them, "Those three old
tractors wouldn't be able to handle that much of a load."
"That just might be the best part of this." Carlo said. He knew of Charlie's
passion for machinery and took great pleasure out of telling them "Under the
terms of this agreement, there is provision for two new tractors, large ones,
plus a new combine, peanut harvester, potato digger, plus the various other
items such as five row plows, large boom harrows, and probably a new
truck. I think we've thought of everything, but we're interested in any
comments you might have."

Andy was silent. He was the newcomer here, didn't know as much as he
wanted to about farming, wasn't sure how much his input would be
welcomed. He looked at Charlie, who was looking back at him with those
searching eyes. They both looked at Dennis and discovered that he was
looking at them: first one, then the other, evidently waiting for a reaction.
When Charlie didn't say anything, Andy Felt compelled to speak.

"It all sounds good, Dad." Andy said, "But what happens if a crop fails? I
mean, with weather and all?"
"That's life on the farm, Andy." Dennis answered. "We do the best we can,
buy crop insurance which covers some of the losses, but the cruel fact is, it's
kinda up to us to make it happen."
"Is that how it works now?"
"Sure is. Only difference is the stakes would be higher."
"And of course," Carlo added, "I would share equally in the losses the same
as I do in the gains."
"Sounds too good to be true." Andy observed.
"It is!" Dennis agreed, "That's why I think we should agree, but only if my
partners, my sons, agree."

"Does that mean if we agree to go ahead," Charlie said, "That I won't be
getting any more pressure to go away to school? That I can stay here and
just work on the farm?"
"If we agree to this plan," Dennis said, "You will be needed here. There will
be no money, and certainly no one else I know to replace you, so you can
forget any thoughts about private schools, either here or anyplace else."
"Then I vote we do it!" Charlie said without hesitation.
"I agree." Andy added. He wasn't as confident as Charlie because he still
wasn't convinced that Carlo didn't have some hidden motive, but he was a
bit out of his element, so he had to trust his mentor, his hero, his little
brother. And the fact that it would end once and for all any talk of sending
him and his brother away to school had a very definite attraction.

There were lots of questions, lots of promises. But in the end neither Andy
nor Charlie could think of a good reason to say no, so they didn't. In the end
they accepted the proposal enthusiastically. The prospect of two brand new
diesel tractors was far from insignificant in their minds, because even
Charlie, as much as he loved his old tractors, had to admit the new machines
had a lot to offer, especially with the increased acreage they would be
working. So finally they told Dennis that he had their full support and to go
ahead and do what he had to do to make it all happen.

About the time Andy remembered that Guido was here and wondered why,
Guido himself spoke up. "With that out of the way," he said, "I have a
proposal of my own. Charlie, I would like you to come back to Italy with me
early in the new year to meet the members of my choir and work with us for
a month. Your expenses will be paid, and your family can come for your
final week, when we will be on tour in Italy."
"But I already told you," Charlie protested, "I got far too much to do here."
"I understand that, and I'm not asking for a long term commitment. I just
want you to meet the boys in my group, to learn from them and maybe even
more important, to teach them more of your Southern Gospel singing. I have
played videos of some of your work, you and your band, and they love it!
They are anxious to learn how to sing that way."

"Italy?" Charlie said, astonished, "All of us?"
"You would come alone initially, spend three weeks living with the choir and
rehearsing with them, then on your final week your family would join you."
"But the farm..."
"There's not that much to do in January." Dennis reminded him, "And I
think it would be a great experience for you. But I have to ask, Guido, why?
I mean why would you go to that expense?"
"I can't." Guido answered, "You can thank your friend Carlo. He is still
convinced that Charlie's voice is worth just about any price and he is willing
to pay to assure that he gets every opportunity available. Carlo is financing
the whole thing."

"I don't want you to give up your singing." Carlo added, "I understand why
you don't want to leave your home, but this way perhaps you can learn a
little more how to use your incredible voice to advantage, and also contribute
some of what you know to Guido's efforts. You are both a valuable
resource, and I don't want to waste either of you."
"But I already decided..." Charlie objected.
"They're not asking for any more than a month of your time." Dennis
interrupted. "Think of it this way: You'll be getting a free trip to Italy, and
getting a chance to sing with a group that is unique in the world! And in the
bargain you might just learn something!"
"Andy?" Charlie questioned, almost pleaded.
"Charlie," Andy said, "I can't make this decision for you, but if I had the
chance..."
"But I'll be gone a whole month!"
"Three weeks." Andy corrected, "And then we'll join you. And you'll have a
total blast! I think you should go, Charlie."

                *       *       *

"Andy?" Charlie said in his little boy voice that he hadn't used for so long
Andy forgot he had it. They had finally gone to bed, after having agreed to
both proposals and hammering out the details.
"Yeah, Charlie?"
"You think I'm ugly?"
"Ugly? God, Charlie, I cannot even think about putting your name and that
word in the same sentence! Why on earth would you say such a thing?"
"I dunno, Andy, I just wonder sometimes. I got these long arms and legs, no
hair on my body and probably never will have, and I got no..."
"Don't even say it, Charlie! I don't care if you got no balls or five hundred
of them! You're still the most beautiful creature on the face of the earth!
Haven't you ever noticed that we never ever get in bed without me running
my hands all over your body? I mean ALL OVER? You think I'd do that if I
thought you were ugly?"
"Yeah, I've noticed. Why do you do it, Andy?"
"Because I can't help myself, Charlie! You do the same to me ya know."
"But that's different. You're..."
"I'm what? I'm Andy and you love me! You're Charlie and I love YOU!
Isn't that enough? Do you want me to stop with my hands?"

Charlie suddenly wished he'd never started this conversation. The thoughts
of going to bed, going to sleep, without his entire body being caressed threw
bolts of fear running through him. "NO, Andy!" he cried, "I love your touch!
I love it when it gets me turned on and we... well, you know. But even when
we don't, when I just go to sleep, that's the last thing I feel at night, and
when I wake up in the morning I can still feel it! Oh man, no, please don't
ever stop! Unless that is you are just doing it cause you know it makes me
feel good."
"I'm glad it makes you feel good, Charlie. I mean, I'm REALLY glad! But
that's not why I do it. I do it for much more selfish reasons. I do it 'cause I
think you are so beautiful I can't keep my hands off you! I do it because
when I look at beauty like you, I have to touch it!"

Andy didn't tell Charlie that lots of times he found himself running his hands
over Charlie's body without even thinking about it. He didn't tell him that it
was a much a part of him as breathing! He didn't tell him these things
because until now he hadn't even realized it himself. But now he realized
that all the time they'd been talking, his hands had been roaming, touching,
savoring, worshipping, all over his younger brother's body. The long slender
neck; the still somewhat immature but solid shoulders; the hairless, smooth
chest with its tiny flat nipples and its slightly pronounced ribs; the flat
stomach; the cute little navel, which hadn't changed since the first time Andy
had seen and touched it. The still totally hairless genitals. The penis had
grown some, but not a lot; the testicles were gone of course, but the empty
scrotum still remained, was still as silky smooth and soft as ever. And those
legs! Long and slender, slightly defined muscles, so sensitive to the touch;
the bubble butt which didn't protrude a lot, but was definitely there; the
back: long and thin, which quivered when he touched it; the arms, long,
slender as a twelve year old's, yet strong as a lot of men! And the hands! So
incredibly long, with fingers like tentacles with long nails and a grip of steel.
And those fingers were like beings themselves when they were near a
keyboard.

Andy grasped those fingers now and slowly, gently moved them to his own
genital area and deposited them there. Once there they knew what to do,
understood what was desired, were as skilled as they were at the piano.
There they played not a musical instrument, but Andy himself; and oh, the
music they created! They moved slowly but determinedly to the waistband of
Andy's boxers and moved inside as Andy's hands did the same to Charlie.
As each boy's hand found its target on the other's body, their lips met in a
long, gentle, lingering kiss; and each was content, confident that he was
loved, cherished, needed. And they made love.

                *       *       *

It was mid January, the night before Charlie was to leave for Italy. The
Conner family had had a great holiday, the boys had their work all caught up
and Charlie had been given a month's worth of assignments by his mother.
He had been increasingly excited by the whole adventure until now, crawling
into bed with Andy. "I don't wanna go without you, Andy!" he sniffled.
"Don't be silly, lil Bro," Andy said, "You're gonna have a great time!"
"Not without you. I don't ever want to leave you! And for a whole month!"
"Not a month. Three weeks. Then Mom and Dad and I will be there too.
And you're gonna learn so much!"

"You want me to go, Andy?"
"Uhhh not exactly. But I think it'll be good for you."
"Good for me? How?"
"Well, you're gonna learn a lot about singing, but you're also gonna meet all
those boys that have had the same operation you had. And maybe you'll be
able to live with it a little better."
"I thought I was livin' with it pretty well anyway."
"You are, Charlie. But we can always learn from others. In fact, maybe you
were meant to go so you could teach them something. Maybe they need to
know that it's still possible to have a life, a family. Maybe there's a boy there
who needs a shot of your self confidence. Yeah, I want you to go 'cause I
think it's a wonderful chance for you. I'll miss ya like crazy, but you'll have
a blast with all those other guys. And it's only for three weeks. They'll go so
fast we'll be there before you know it."
"You better!" Charlie warned.

Monday morning the familiar white limo arrived at the Conner home before
daylight and whisked Charlie to the Raleigh airport where he boarded a
plane for New York. Carlo had sent one of his trusted employees to get
Charlie booked in and on the right plane. He had never flown before, and
the skies seemed to sense that and gave him a spectacular view of the ground
below. He was absolutely glued to the window as the ground beneath, the
cities, towns, highways slipped beneath the plane. In New York he got
another surprise when he switched to a big Alitalia 747 nonstop to Rome.
Carlo had booked him in the first class section. That, added to the fact that
he was still a child and a first time flier, gave him an experience that he
would never forget. The attendants doted over him; made sure he was
comfortably situated before takeoff; jumped to his every request for the
entire trip.

When Andy finally got up for the second time it was almost 7 am. He'd got
up at 5 to see Charlie off, then had gone back to bed. They had hired help
doing the milking, so all he had to do most mornings was to make sure the
chores had been done, then do his schoolwork and then work at the task of
preparing their newly acquired land, getting it ready for planting. The first of
their new tractors had been delivered last Friday, and today Andy was going
to put it through its paces by plowing a large field that hadn't been cultivated
for three years.

As he climbed aboard the new machine he was thrilled with all the
conveniences it had to offer: Heated air conditioned cab, am/fm/cd stereo
system, CB radio so he could keep in touch with home base, the other
tractor when it arrived. It had an incredible hydraulic system, more power
than Andy had ever dreamed of, and inside the cab with the doors and
windows closed, it was as quiet as his new truck! Andy felt a little guilty
being the first to work their new tractor, knowing how much Charlie would
have loved being the first to test it. On the other hand, he knew that Charlie
was having a high old time flying to Europe, meeting other musicians, all the
things that fantasies are made of.

Andy knew that if Charlie hadn't gone they still wouldn't have been together
all day. If he were here they would have been on opposite ends of the farm
all day, but still there was a consciousness there; a definite feeling of
loneliness knowing that when dinner time came, his little brother wouldn't be
across the table from him. Was he all right? Would he be so thrilled with life
in Italy that he'd change his mind and join the choir for good? Did Guido, or
Carlo, or both really have something in mind other than what they'd
admitted to?

As he sank the big plow into the ground for the first time and opened the
throttle, he was absolutely thrilled at how easily the big diesel responded to
his command and began turning the sod on the big field. But his enjoyment
was clouded by thoughts of Charlie, so far away by now. What if someone
hijacked the plane? What if something mechanical went wrong? Did they
have competent pilots? What if they lost their way? Would Charlie suffer
before he died? Was it wise sending him halfway around the world, after all
the trouble the Conner family had had in the last year or so? Andy kept
shaking his head, trying to clear it of all these worrisome thoughts; but they
came coming back.

He thought of Charlie living in the dormitory with all the other castrati. What
would that be like? Would it be similar to the dorms he'd lived in when he
was in orphanages? Most of the inhabitants were, after all, orphans. Andy
knew what went on in most of those dorms because he'd been there. On the
other hand, he knew that Charlie being the way he was, would profit from
the experience and value his home even more. But did he need the
experience? He had already proven that he valued his home more than most
boys his age.

"Well," Dennis said at dinner time, "How's our new toy?"
"Totally awesome, Dad!" Andy answered, "You would not believe how
easily I plowed ten acres today. I just sat there and steered and listened to the
stereo."
"So I take it the new John is a little improvement over the old one?"
"Oh yeah, man! You gotta try it, Dad. It is a total blast!"
"But?" Dennis said, sensing that all was not well.
"But... Uhhh... I wish it had been Charlie to try it out today, not me. I miss
him, Dad, and I'm worried about him."
"We all miss him." Karen said, "But he's gonna be fine. But because we
miss him we're all gonna take the rest of the week off and go to Disney
World in Florida."
"Florida?" Andy questioned, "But... Charlie would love that! He's never
been to Disney, and I know he'd love it!"
"Think of yourself for once, Andy." Dennis suggested. "Charlie is flying all
over Europe as we speak, and we are not going to sit home and just miss him
while he's gone. You know he wouldn't want that, so let's just go on with
life. We love him and he knows it, and he wouldn't want us sitting home
wishing he was here."
"You talk as if he was dead." Andy observed. Then felt a bolt of fear
paralyze his body when he realized what he'd said.
"Not dead," Dennis said, "But certainly spreading his wings. I hate that
almost as much as losing him, but on the other hand it's going to happen
sooner or later, so we might as well get used to it."

Andy eventually agreed that Charlie's spending time away from home was
more than likely something that would happen more and more, and he told
Dennis that he loved Charlie enough to let him go if that was best for him.
He also said for the millionth time, "I love you and Mom so much, Dad!"
"It's a two way street, Andy," Dennis answered, "We love you too! You've
been nothing but pure joy in our lives since the first time you came. Now
let's go to Florida and enjoy ourselves."

                *       *       *


It was a full twenty-four hours after Charlie had left home that the big jet
landed gracefully in Rome. Guido was waiting at the gate, a broad smile on
his face. "How was your trip, my friend?" he asked warmly as they shook
hands.
"Awesome!" Charlie answered, "I had no idea that it would be so smooth
and quiet! And those flight attendants spoiled me to death!"
"That was Carlo's touch," Guido said with a chuckle, "First class is
significantly different from tourist class. But I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"We're not going directly to the school." Guido said when they were in the
car, "I've got us a hotel suite here in Rome so we can spend a day just
relaxing and seeing some of the sights."
"That sounds really cool." Charlie answered, "I'd love to see the
Colosseum."
"Once you get to the school you'll be treated like all the other students."
Guido went on, "That way you'll get a real sense of how they live, and
you'll get to know them. I'm really anxious for you to become one of them
while you're here."
"That's ok by me," Charlie agreed, "But if you're hoping I'll change my
mind..."
"No, my friend," Guido assured him, "I have no ulterior motive. I just want
this experience to be good for all of us, and I think the best way to do that is
to have you integrate with the other students."

Charlie was a little ill at ease in spite of Guido's assurances. He was also
concerned that they would be sharing a room tonight; but when they arrived
at their hotel he realized that he would have his own room, and there was no
attempt by Guido to invade his privacy. By the time they headed for the
school it was late Wednesday afternoon. They had visited the Colosseum,
the Vatican, had walked the streets of Rome and visited a few of the shops
Guido thought that Charlie might find interesting.

"Our school is not well known in Italy." Guido explained as they drove the
100 kilometers to Anzio, the site of the school. "There is some danger that
people might revive the custom of castrating young boys for personal gain,
and we don't want that. Our goal is to give boys a home, a goal in life, who
might otherwise not have one. So as far as the general public is concerned,
we are just a boarding school for homeless boys. Our instructions are
primarily in Italian, with a few English classes because some of the boys are
not yet fluent in Italian.

"We have about 350 students in all," he continued, "But there are only forty
or so castrati and they make up our choir. The remaining students are day
students, mostly from very wealthy families in the area. The families know
why we're here and they understand that their tuition helps pay the bills.
They are permitted to participate in the music program and even have a
school choir, but it's separate from the castrati choir. Sometimes they sing
together, but for the most part they each have their separate performance
schedules."

As the car approached its destination and the school which would be
Charlie's home for the next month came in sight, his apprehension grew. He
felt his heart begin to beat faster and his breath speed up. This was it! He
was about to take a step back in history.


Charlie didn't know exactly what he was expecting, but it wasn't what he
found. The school was a single large building with rather tight security, a
large courtyard in the center with a beautiful garden, trees, and even a small
fish pond. It was absolutely spotless everywhere despite its obviously
advanced age. Guido took Charlie up and down several hallways where he
saw various classrooms, a well equipped gymnasium, a modern well
equipped cafeteria. All were completely empty except for the odd faculty
member. "The day students have left for the day," he explained, "And the
residents will be just leaving the auditorium, heading back to the dormitory
where they will dress for dinner. We shall go there now and you can meet
them before we eat. We have two dormitories. You will be in with the
younger boys."

The school had obviously been prepared for Charlie's arrival. When they
walked into the dorm, which was one large room with twenty or so beds in
it, the boys were all sitting on their beds in groups of two or three, chatting in
Italian with the odd English phrase thrown in, evidently waiting for him to
arrive. When Guido appeared they all scurried back to their own beds and
stood at the foot facing him. They were not at attention as they would have
been in an army barracks, but their respect for their leader was still plain for
all to see. "Gentlemen," Guido said in a loud voice, "Allow me to introduce
the young American I told you about. His name is Charlie and he will be
spending the next three weeks with us, then singing with us on the tour.
Please make him welcome."

Charlie followed Guido down one side of the dorm and back the other,
shaking hands with each as he was introduced. They ranged in age from
about 7 to 18. There were three Americans, five Italians, four Africans, two
Germans and two Spaniards, one Canadian and two Polynesians. They all
seemed genuinely pleased to meet Charlie, and all gave the impression he
was happy to be here. By the end of the introductions Charlie was feeling a
lot better, thinking it would be good to get to know all these boys. But one in
particular caught his eye. Paul was a beautiful Polynesian boy, about eleven
years old. When their eyes met and their hands touched, Charlie felt the
same electricity that he'd felt the first time he met Andy.

                 *       *      *

If you wish to comment on this story, please send your comments to me at
charlieje@mindspring.com