Bart and Chris
by: E Walk
(© 2008 by the Author)
 

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Chapter 6
The Dancing Fool

After the presentation, I dropped Devin off at the school and went to check on Chris.  He went into the hall with me and I knelt down so I could look at him, “Son, are you okay?”

He started to get tears, “Dad, I’m sorry for the way I acted this morning.  Uncle Tip talked with me as were coming to school.  He explained that he was really sorry for upsetting me and that he didn’t mean to.”

I hugged Chris and whispered, “Don’t tell anyone, but I have red briefs on too.”

Chris hugged me and started to laugh, “If anyone makes fun of me, I’ll just tell them that everyone in our family wears red briefs instead of boring white ones.”

I kissed him, “Have a good rest of the day.  I’ll pick you children up after school.”

When I got home with Barbie, the doors were locked which I thought was odd.  When we went into the house,  I could hear the vacuum cleaner running upstairs.  I went to check on Bart.  He was vacuuming the hallway, had my Ipod with the headset in his ears and didn’t hear me approach him.  I touched him and he jumped.  He pulled the headset off, “Dad, I had the most awful phone call while you were gone.”

I put my arm around Bart, “Bart, slow down!  Tell me what happened.” 

“Dad, I had just finished the downstairs and was having a glass of juice when the phone rang.  I answered it just like you would, ‘This is Jefferson and Washington residence.’  The voice started ranting about seeing me last night and that his friend and he were going to plug me from both ends and they were going to meet in the middle.”

I shook my head, “Bart, this sounds like a prank.  Did the caller call you by name or give you any indication that they knew who you were or where you lived?”

Bart shrugged, “The voice just said that they would take care of me at the party on Saturday night.”

I took a deep breath, “Bart, did you talk to anyone you knew at the Pizza Palace last night who you might have told where you were living and the phone number?”

Bart  started to get tears, “Dad, I didn’t even know the phone number here.  As far as I know, the only people who know that Chris and I are here are Kevin and his friends.”

I rubbed my forehead, “Bart, let’s go check to see if the caller I.D. picked up the number of the caller and find out where the call originated from.”

We went to the phone in the foyer and looked to see if we could find out where the call came from.  It was an 814 number.  I copied down the number, and we went to my laptop and to see if we could find out who was calling.  I fed the information into the search box and it showed that the number was from some fraternity house at Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania.

Bart started to laugh, “Dad, I guess you’d better add paranoia to my list of problems.”

“Come on, son, let’s fix a sandwich.  I need to make a dentist appointment for you.”

We fixed the three of us each a sandwich.  After lunch, I put Barbie down for a rest and Bart went back to vacuuming the upstairs.  I had talked to Dr. Robinson and he recommended a dentist that I should call.  I did so, and was able to get an appointment for 1:30 on Friday.  Well that pretty much kills tomorrow, since we have the play group here in the morning and Bart has an appointment with Dr. Feren at 4:15.  I looked in the refrigerator and freezer to see what we had for dinner.  We were fine for tonight but we needed to go to the store soon.

I started dinner and kept my eye on the clock so I could go pick up the children at school.  Bart was vacuuming the apartment and I got his attention by flipping the lights, “Bart, you need to watch Barbie until I get back.”

He followed me downstairs and I went to get the Robinson’s and our children.  The children came down the sidewalk together and as Chris was climbing into the van, he said, “Hi Daddy.”

Dr. Robinson’s oldest grandson asked, “Is he really your Dad?”

Chris was adamant, “Yep, Judge Evans said so yesterday.  Nano Mark and Zack are going to be Bart’s and my Dads.”

When the children were eating their snacks, I found out that none of them had any home work and I signed off on their work folders.  Chris had gotten 100% on his spelling test plus he had gotten all of the bonus words correct.

I looked at the assembled group, “Who would like to go to the grocery store with me.  We need to get some food, so we don’t starve this weekend.” 

The five youngest were eager to go but Bart deferred, “Dad, I’ll stay here and finish vacuuming and then take a shower.  I’ll be ready to help you unload the groceries when you get back.”

I wasn’t sure about taking the five young people, but figured I might be able to keep them under control.  When we got to the store, I asked Bobby and Chris to get a cart and I put Barbie into the seat of another one.

The children were very good and every now and then one of them would ask if they could get something.  When we got to the cereal aisle, I suggested that that they should each pick out two boxes of cereal that they wanted and that was a mistake.  Barbie and Billy went for sugared cereals, but Chris and Becky looked at the boxes and shook their heads no.  I was to find out that they had been studying nutrition and had been looking at  things like this in school.  We finally had ten boxes of cereal that Chris and Becky found acceptable.

All three carts were filled when we got to the checkout stand.  The lady behind us in the checkout line asked, “Are these your children?”

Chris spoke up proudly,  “He’s my Dad.  He takes care of the other four and treats them like they were his children.” 

The conversation was interrupted because it was our turn to put our purchases on the conveyor belt.  It seemed to take forever but some of the children were emptying the carts and others were helping the baggers put the bags of groceries back in the carts.  When the total came up Chris gasped, “Dad, do you want to take some of the things back?”

Bart was waiting for us when we got home.  He and Bobby carried the bags in and the three youngest unloaded the bags while I put the groceries away.  When we finished, I sent the children and Bart outside while I fixed dinner.  After dinner, the five youngest were watching a special children’s show on television.  Bart came to me and asked, “Dad, when are we going to start the dance lessons?”

I figured now was as good a time as any, since Tip and Ty were there to watch the children.  I took Bart to my laptop, and we did a search to find out what songs were being danced to in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

We made list of the dances that were popular during those years and then I searched to find some of the songs that were appropriate.  It was amazing how much information we were able to find.  I decided that he needed to start with a slow dance because there would surely be some of that type music played.  Bart was a very good learner.  He obviously was a tactile/audio learner.

I told him that I was going to play the part of the male and that he was to assume the female role and that he was just to relax and respond to what I was doing.  I explained that dancing is nothing more than responding to the rhythm of the music.

When we started the first dance, he was almost like a board but by the end of the second dance, Bart had caught on to what was happening and started to respond to my touches that told him what I was going to do.  I decided we had done enough after I showed him how to do the jitterbug and the twist.

I went to check on the other children and Bart was listening to songs on the computer.  Tip and Ty were sitting in the kitchen with the five youngest while they were having baked apple that I had prepared earlier.

When the children finished, Tip and Ty took Ty’s four children to get them ready for bed and I sent Chris to the apartment and told him that I would be there after I took care of the dishes.

I was just about finished when Chris came to me in his briefs, “Dad, Bart is acting weird.  He is in the apartment pretending as if he is dancing.”

I knelt down and hugged Chris, “Christopher, he is just excited because he is learning to dance.  Now, why are you in the kitchen in just your briefs?  What if there was a lady here?”

Chris started to get tears, “Dad, I just figured that Becky and Barbie were already in bed and I forgot to give you something.  You need to call Aaron’s Dad.  They have invited me to go fishing on Saturday for Aaron’s birthday party.  He only invited Skippy and me.”

He got his backpack and handed me two notes.  I read the first one and it was from a Mr. Horn.  I read the handwritten note,

Aaron Horn, has requested that your son, Chris, accompany us on a fishing trip on the lake for his birthday party on Saturday. I have a small yacht at the lake.  If Chris would be able to go, please call and we will pick him up about 9:00 on Saturday and we should return by noon on Sunday since the boys have been invited to another birthday on Sunday afternoon.  Please don’t worry about a present, because Aaron just wants to have a fishing trip with us and some of his friends for his present.”

                                                                      Alton Horn

                                                                      605-1468

I looked at the clock and it was 8:30, but I decided to call anyway,

A voice came on, “This is Alton Horn.”

Chris practically had his ear glued to mine to hear what was being said,

“Mr. Horn, this Mark Leavitt.  We may have a problem here because I’m not sure that Chris knows how to swim.”

Chris violently shaking his head yes to tell me that he knew how to swim.

Mr. Horn laughed, “Mr. Leavitt, I always insist that the boys wear their life vests on the yacht when we are fishing.  My two older sons will be accompanying us and they will make sure that nothing bad happens to your son and the other two boys.  My wife and I will make sure that they are home by noon on Sunday.”

I pushed Chris away, “I guess it will be fine Mr. Horn.  I’ll make sure that Chris brings his red briefs.  I’ll send our address to school with Chris tomorrow if I can get him to stop crying.  I'm looking forward to meeting you and your family, Sir.”

Chris had tears in his eyes, “Dad, why is everyone always making fun of me?”

I pulled Chris onto my lap, “Because we love you, Son.  Now let’s read this other note.”

It was a very formal note:

You are invited to a roller skating birthday party honoring Amy Worthington on Sunday at 2:00p.m.  The party will be at the new Amusement Complex.  Refreshments will be provided and parents are requested to pick your child up at 4:00p.m.  Amy has requested that she receive gift certificates instead of gifts.  She prefers to shop at Macys or Nordstrums.  No R.S.V.P.s are required since more than 100 people have been invited.

                                                                      Mrs. J. T. Worthington

I looked at Chris, “Son, do you want to go to this party?”

His answer surprised me, “Not really Dad, but Amy is a friend of Becky's so I guess we should go.  Maybe we could get her a gift certificate at a book store.  She never seems to come to school dressed in anything that she ever wore before.  Excuse me for saying this, but her mother acts like a witch.  She comes in and yells at the teacher and says that she isn’t treating Amy correctly.  Amy is really rather nice, but I think she doesn’t like her mother very much.  I don’t know if she has a father because she never says anything about him.”

I pulled Chris close, “Christopher, did Becky get an invitation, also?”

“Yep, she was going to show it to her Daddy tonight.  Why don’t you talk to Uncle Ty and see what you want us to do.  I really want to go to Aaron’s party but I could care less if I go to Amy’s party.”

I smacked Chris on the butt, “Okay boss, I’ll check and see what’s going to happen.  Now get your little bottom to bed before the gremlins get you.”

As Chris was leaving he stuck out his tongue at me, “Don’t worry Dad, Jiminy Cricket is watching over me.”

Tip and Ty were sitting in the living room and I joined them.  “Ty, did Becky show the invitation to the birthday party on Sunday for Amy Worthington?”

Ty laughed, “Yes, and it sounds like something the bitch would do.  We knew Amy’s mother, Lindsey, in high school, when her father was a Captain in the Air Force.  She dumped one of our friends, Tim, because he wasn’t good enough for her.  She finally snagged a Lieutenant and he has done well and is now a full colonel.  The funny thing is, he keeps getting these isolated assignments.  I can’t imagine what kind of a marriage the Worthingtons must have.  I think we should let the children go to the party, but I’ll be danged if I’m going to buy a gift certificate to Macys or Nordstrums.  Why don’t you and the children decide what to buy?”

I nodded, “With that in mind, I had better go check on the children.”  I checked on Ty’s children first and they were fine.  I went to the apartment and Bart was sitting on the sofa listening to something on the laptop and the headphones.  I opened the bedroom door and Chris was laying there in a pair of boring white briefs.  He looked at me, “Does this make you happy, Dad?”

I laid down beside him and hugged him, “Christopher, I liked you much better with the sexy colored briefs on.  These make you look like a little boy.”

That caused a reaction. Chris practically flew out of the bed and changed into a pair of blue briefs.  When he returned, he asked, “Dad, is this better?”

“Son, that’s much better.  I’ll wear blue briefs tomorrow also.”

Chris realized I was giving him a hard time and he hugged me.  I returned his hug, “Chris, you need to get to sleep.  I’m going to go talk to Bart for a few minutes.  Oh, by the way, you will be going to both birthday parties, but we need to talk about the gifts in the morning.”

I went into the sitting area and sat down beside Bart.  He handed me the head phones and asked, “What kind of dance would you do to this?”

I listened and started to laugh, “Bart, I had forgotten all about that dance.  It’s called the Bunny Hop and I believe it was started in the early l950s and is something that even people who don’t like to dance will do.  I’ll show you how to do it tomorrow.   The other children will even be able to do it.  There are several other mixer type dances that musicians use to get people to join in.  It’s time for bed.  We still have tomorrow night and Saturday to get you ready.”

I hugged Bart, “Son, I’m going to go take my shower.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

As I was in the shower I heard Bart enter his bedroom humming a song and it sounded like The Beautiful Tennessee Waltz.  I thought to myself,  ‘Another dance that we should probably teach Bart.’

I put on my clean briefs and crawled into bed.   Chris looked as if he was already asleep, but he still rolled toward me and snuggled against me.

The next thing I remember was being awakened by Bart, “Dad, it’s almost 6:15, Aren’t we going to run today?  Uncle Tip is ready.  He said Uncle Ty had some business to take care of so he will be here with the children.”

I quickly went to the bathroom and I joined by Chris.  He looked at me, “Don’t forget Dad, you said you were going to wear blue briefs today.  I’ll check before we go to school.”

As Ty was taking the children to school, I suggested, “Becky and Chris, why don’t you check with Amy to see what she would like for her birthday.  Tell her that your Dads don’t want to get gift certificates to Macys or Nordstrums.  Chris, why don’t you find out what Aaron might like.  We can go shopping after dinner tonight.”

Gee whiz, I hope Zack gets home early tonight. 

To be continued...

Feedback always welcome:     

Editor's Notes: I think Amy's mother is a stuck up prig just like she was in high school.  Somebody needs to teach her some manners.

Chris is starting to feel more comfortable with people around him joking, but he still has to think about it or he gets his feelings hurt.  The rest of the family should try to show him how much they love him, and not keep teasing him quite so much. 

Bart seems to be doing  quite well, and I think he is going to be just fine, now that he has a real family that loves him and wants him to succeed. 

We are definitely ready for more chapters. I know I always say that, but it is always true, so there!

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 10/17/08