Bart and Chris
by: E Walk
(© 2009 by the Author)
 

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 34

Billy’s Hurt

On Tuesday morning, Chris came in and woke me, “Daddy, can we please go running for a little while?”

“Of course.  Is Bart going to go with us?”

“No Dad, he’s still asleep.”

I climbed out of bed and put on a pair of running shorts and tee shirt.  While I was putting on my socks and shoes, Chris returned, ready to go.  As we were walking to the park, Chris was holding my hand, “Dad, why didn’t Bart want to tell me about the white stuff that comes out of his penis?”

I stopped and sat down on the grass even though it was wet and pulled Chris down beside me.  “Chris, I talked to Bart about not telling you, last night.  I told him he should answer any question you have, to the best of his ability.  That white stuff, as you call it, is semen.  When you get to be old enough, you will be able have it come out of your penis too.”

“Dad, do I gotta play with my penis like Bart does to make it come out?”

“Son, your body will tell you when it is ready to have the semen come out of your testicles.  You don’t have to do anything.”

Chris pulled away from me, “Dad, are you saying that my body is going to talk to me?”

“Chris, your body isn’t going to talk to you.  One night, while you are asleep, the semen will just come out.  You will probably think that you went to the bathroom in your briefs, but your body will be telling you that you are about to become a man.”

“Dad, how old do I need to be before that happens?”

“I would guess that perhaps it will likely happen when you are about twelve.  Every boy is a little different.  It is difficult to tell.”

Chris looked at me, “So, I don’t need to worry about it yet.”

“Chris, you have a couple more years before you need to worry.  You probably shouldn’t talk about this with anyone other than your other Dad, Bart or me.”

Chris was confused, “Why not?  Is it so bad to have semen come out of your penis?”

I hugged Chris, “Son, it’s not bad at all, but it is just something we shouldn’t talk about with other people.  I think we need to get back, to make sure everyone is up.  We’ll talk more about this later, I promise.”

We were just approaching the house when Chris threw his arms around me, “Thanks, Dad.  I love you.  I’ll go make sure everyone is up.”

A flash disappeared toward the house.  When I got inside, Bart was fixing breakfast for everyone.  Chris had gone to get ready for school so he was missing.  I guess Chris and I had talked for longer than I thought.

Bart took the four school age children to school while I was doing the remainder of the cleanup.  Ty was reading the paper, “Mark, have you seen the write up about the Debutante Ball, in the newspaper?  Amy and Chrystal’s article is here and there is a picture of you and Zack doing the Bunny Hop.  How many times will you ever see men and women in formal dress clothes doing the Bunny Hop?”

Tip asked, “Mark, how did the School Board meeting go?”

“I was hired to work three fourths time.  I wasn’t so sure at first, but it passed unanimously.  Dr. Plummer told me that she was surprised that the program was accepted so easily, because there are obviously several board members who aren’t willing to accept anything new in schools.  The way they learned should be good enough for everyone.”

Tip and Ty departed for their offices as Bart was returning.  “Dad, I need to go get dressed before Mrs. Sweet gets here.  Thanks for Elvis Bear.  After Tory saw him yesterday, she decided she was going to get a bear too.  It will be fun to see what she names him.  Barbie told me that you got one and his name is Teacher Bear.  You should get one for Dad Zack, too.”

Barbie was sitting at the table playing with the bears, “We did, but it’s a secret.  It’s for his gridution party on Saturday.  Nano Mark, can I show him to Bart?”

I nodded and Barbie went and retrieved Graduate Bear from the closet.  She admonished Bart, “It’s a surprise, so you can’t say anything.”

Bart held up his hand, “Barbie, I promise, I won’t say a word to anyone.”

After Bart and Mrs. Sweet started working, I checked to see what needed to be done around the house and started a load of laundry.  I decided to call Dr. Delaney and see if she would have time to visit with me.

“Mark, why don’t you come, about one.  I’ll be free until two thirty.  We can develop a basic outline for the curriculum and you can work on it at your leisure.  You need to keep track of your hours to make sure that you are adequately paid.  I have to tell you that you were very professional last night at the board meeting.  Dr. Roosevelt is trying to figure out a plan to get you out of your Nanoship.”

“But Dr. Delaney, that’s not something I want to do.”

“We’ll talk more about it when you are here this afternoon.  See you at one.”

I hung up thinking, ‘What have I gotten myself into?’

I continued doing the laundry and dusted the downstairs except for the dining room where Bart and Mrs. Sweet were working.  I was going to run the vacuum, but decided against that since it might disturb Bart and Mrs. Sweet.

I read Barbie a story and was pointing to the words.  She would point to a word she thought she recognized and say it, then look up at me for approval.  In almost every instance, she was correct.  At this rate, she’ll be reading before she gets to kindergarten.  I thought to myself, ‘I’ll have to keep working with her and the other children, over the summer.’

Barbie and I were doing something when Mrs. Sweet departed so we didn’t get a chance talk to her.  Bart came looking for us.  “Dad, what do you need me to do?”

“Let’s get some lunch.  I need to go to the school offices to talk to Dr. Delaney.  I’ll take the bug and leave the van here in case I don’t get back in time and you can pick the children up at school.”

As we were eating, I explained that I had dusted the downstairs except the dining room, “Bart, if you have time, you can run the vacuum and it will be done for the week.  I’ll scrub the kitchen floor tomorrow.”

As I was leaving for the school offices, I looked at Bart, “I’ll take the cell phone, in case you need to get in touch with me.”

Dr. Delaney and I were working in her office going over a proposed outline when the my phone started to vibrate.  I excused myself and pulled it out to see who was calling since only a few people had the number.  It was the house number.  “This is Mark.”

“Dad, the school called and said that Billy fell and cut his lip open and they can’t get it to stop bleeding.  They said that he knocked out at least one of his teeth.”

“Bart, I’ll go get him.  You had better be prepared to go pick up the other children.”

“Dr. Robinson stopped by and he’s going to pick them up for the rest of the week, since we will need to do it next week while he is gone.”

I explained to Dr. Delaney what was happening.  We made arrangements to get together at nine in the morning.”

I rushed to the school and Billy was in the nurse’s office.  He had a cold compress on his mouth and his shirt was covered with blood.  I signed him out and took him to the emergency room.  We were seen almost immediately by a young lady doctor.  She was very gentle, “Mr. Jefferson, this may hurt, but I need to check to see how badly damaged your lip is.”

Billy was very brave, even though I could tell that it hurt by the way he was clutching my hand.

Doctor Bridenbaugh turned to me, “Mr. Leavitt, I would like to speak to you outside.”

Billy spoke up, “Doctor, please talk to Nano Mark, so I can hear what you are going to say.”

The Doctor wasn’t quite sure how to respond, but answered, “Billy, you’ve lost a lot of blood and your lip is going to need stitches to be able to heal properly.  You also lost one of your baby teeth.  We need to admit you into the hospital so we can make sure that everything is okay.  We are going to need to put you to sleep, so we can put the stitches in; it will be very painful.”

“Doctor Bridenbaugh, I need to call Billy’s Dad.  I have the power of attorney to authorize the medical procedure, but I think Billy’s Dad should be here.”

“By all means, Mr. Leavitt, I agree that Billy’s Dad should be here.”

I called Ty and he arrived within fifteen minutes.  Billy was hooked up to an IV when Ty arrived and it really shook him to see Billy like that.  The Doctor explained what they were going to do and Ty quickly signed the paperwork authorizing the hospital to do whatever they needed to do.  He took Billy’s hand, “Son, I’ll be here while they fix you up as good as new.”

When they wheeled Billy into the operating room,  Ty held me, “Mark, I know from first hand experience how painful stitches on the lips can be.  There were two occasions when I was playing pro-football that I had a split lip.  I doubt very much if Billy will be able to go back to school for some time.  Do you know what happened?”

“No, but I’ll find out.”

“Mark, I’ll stay here until I’m sure that Billy is okay.  You go take care of the rest of the children.  I’ll call and tell you what’s happening.”

When I arrived at the house, the children were very concerned about Billy.  I explained what had happened and that the doctors were going to make him better.  Barbie, bless her heart, suggested, “We need to take Billy Bear to him, so he knows that he has someone who loves him.”

“Barbie, let’s wait and see what your Daddy says when he calls.”

I checked the children’s folders and sent them to change into their play clothes.  While they were gone, I hugged Bart, “Please take them to the park so they can forget about Billy for a little while.  Everyone doesn’t need to worry.  I’ll fix dinner while you’re gone.”

As I was fixing dinner, I was thinking about Billy and wondering how he was going to be able to eat.  It’s going to be interesting to see what instructions the doctors send home with him.  The phone interrupted my thoughts.  “This is Mark.”

“Mark, Billy is out of the surgery.  He is still sedated.   They had to use five stitches to close the cut.  He should be able to come home later, if his vital signs remain stable.  I’ll stay here with him until he is ready to come home.  I’ll grab something in the hospital cafeteria while he’s still out.  Have someone bring a change of clothes for Billy, since the clothes he was wearing are covered with blood.”

The children came in as I was hanging up.  I informed them, “Billy will probably be coming home tonight.  Bobby, please go get a change of clothes for Billy.  Make sure you get a shirt that he doesn’t have to pull over his head.”

Bobby came back with the clothes, “Nano Mark, Billy doesn’t have very many shirts that he doesn’t have to pull over his head.  All his pajamas have to be pulled on over his head.  What’s he going to wear to sleep in?”

Tip had arrived and heard what Bobby said, “Why can’t Billy pull anything over his head?”

Becky answered, “Billy was playing kickball at school and wasn’t watching where he was going, and ran into the fence of the playground when he was trying to catch a ball.”

I took over.  “He had to have five stitches in his lip and he lost a baby tooth.  Ty thinks that he will be coming home tonight.  Ty wanted someone to bring a change a clothes for Billy, since the ones he was wearing were covered with blood.”

Tip nodded, “I’ll take the clothes to him and stop and pick up some pajamas and shirts that Billy will be able to wear.  Mark, please save my dinner for me.  The rest of you go ahead and eat.”

Tip returned with several packages, “The Doctor thinks that Billy will be able to come home about eight o’clock.” 

As Tip was eating, he explained, “Billy should probably sleep with an adult in the room tonight just in case something should happen.  He’s probably going to have a rough night, since he’s rather young to be taking pain medication.  It will be interesting to see what they prescribe.”

I had just gotten the four other children settled when Ty came in carrying Billy.  Billy was complaining as best as he could,  “Daddy, put me down.  I’m not a baby.  I can walk.”

Ty put Billy down.  Billy started to walk and he realized that he was a little wobbly, “Nano Mark, help me, please.”

I took him to the sofa and had him lie down.  Ty began telling us what the doctor had said, “Mark, Billy is not to go to school tomorrow.  Dr. Bridenbaugh wants to see him at two o’clock tomorrow in her office in the Medical Building, next to the hospital.  It’s going to be extremely difficult for Billy to eat for several days.  His lip and mouth are going to be extremely sensitive to heat and cold.”

“Billy was seen by a pediatrician; he prescribed some pain medication, but it is going to probably make Billy a bit dizzy.  He should not take it unless absolutely necessary, other than at bedtime.  It is in suspension, so we can are to give him two milliliters in the dropper.  That way it won’t hurt his lip.  They gave him a tetanus shot and an antibiotic shot to prevent any infection.

I looked at Billy, “Are you hungry now?”

He shook his head no.

I nodded to Tip and Ty, “I’ll take Billy to the apartment and he can sleep with me tonight.  That way, I can make sure he is okay.  Come on, dude, let’s get you ready for bed.  Here, you carry Billy Bear and I’ll carry you.”

Surprisingly, Billy didn’t complain.  He didn’t even complain when I helped him go to the bathroom.  He tried to laugh when I told him, "You probably won’t be able to brush your teeth for a while and that may make you have to stay away from everyone, because you're going to knock them over with your bad breath.”

He mumbled, “Nano Mark, don’t make me laugh. It hurts too much.”

I helped get him undressed and had him get into bed, while I went to get his medicine and his new pajamas which I had washed.  Bart was in the kitchen, “Dad, do you need me to do anything?”

“Not right now, son.  If Dad Zack calls, tell him I’ll call him back.  I need to get Billy settled first.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Poor Billy!  I am sure he will be alright, but I can tell you from first hand experience that it hurts like the dickens to cut your mouth open like he did.  I did that once when I was about Billy's age.  I was at school and I was late for a class. I took a short cut through the basement of the school to avoid the crowds headed for their classes, and I was not watching where I was going. I ran smack dab into an Iron post that was in the middle of the hallway. They were positioned about every twenty feet or so as support for the first floor. I hit it hard enough to knock me to the floor and I had cut my lip. I think I actually bit my lip in two.  To top it off, I had broken my nose as well, so they didn't know at first, if the blood was from my nose or my mouth. I suspect it was from both, but I really don't remember. They called my parents and my mom came and took me to the ER and they stitched up my mouth, and repositioned my nose. I don't honestly know how I stood it, but I know it really hurt bad.

I want the next chapter so we can find out what happened to Billy.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher.

Posted: 05/29/09