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

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Chapter 44

Unfit Parents

When Zack and I arrived in the kitchen, Bart was sitting at the table  with a pad of paper and pencil.  Zack asked, “Mr. Leavitt, would you  be so kind as to tell us what this negotiations meeting is about?  It would have been proper for you to have given us a written notice of what was to be negotiated, so we could have been adequately prepared to present our side of the issue, or issues.”

Bart started to laugh, “Dad, you’ve only been officially working for two days, and you’re already beginning to sound like one of them big time politicians.  I’ll make an agenda while Dad Nano calls Mr. Templeton.  He called right after Uncle Tip and Uncle Ty got home.  He wants you to call him tonight.  He said he would be at the television station until eleven thirty.  He said it was important that he talk to you as soon as possible.”

“Bart, did he give you any indication what it was about?”

“Dad, he didn’t say.  I did ask if it had anything to do with me, and he said no.”

I dialed the number and it had only rung one time, “This is Garrett Templeton.”

“Mr. Templeton, this Mark Leavitt, my son said you wanted me to call?”

“Thanks for calling, Mark.  Actually I have several things I wanted to talk to you about.  First, is there anyway that you could have Chris and Farmer Bear here at noon tomorrow to do a live show and perhaps do a segment that will air after the six o’clock news?”

“Mr. Templeton, I’m sure that I can have Chris there, but tonight was the first time that he has performed in front of a large audience.  When we left the house tonight, he had no idea what he was going to be saying.”

Mr. Templeton started to laugh, “That’s unbelievable.  It seemed as though he had been rehearsing it forever.”

“Mr. Templeton, Chris had no idea he was even going to be doing the show until last evening.”

Mr. Templeton added, “It will be interesting to see how Chris performs in front of the cameras and live audiences tomorrow.   I have the feeling that he is going to charm them.”

“Mr. Templeton, you indicated that you had something else you wanted to discuss.  Would you care to tell me what it might be about?”

“Mark, I was at the PTO meeting tonight, because our two youngest children go to Belvedere school.  When you introduced your new assistant, Mr. Franklin, I almost went to the bathroom in my pants.   What do you know about his background?”

“Mr. Templeton, isn’t that a strange question for you to be asking me?  Why, might I ask, are you so interested in Wilt?”

I could hear Mr. Templeton taking a deep breath, “I’ve known the young man as Aaron Thomas for nearly four years.  If he were to realize who I am, he could destroy my marriage.  I guess I will need to look into having my children change schools.”

I decided to lay it on the line, “Mr. Templeton, you’re overreacting.  Wilt is not going to be out to destroy you.  I do know how he has been supporting himself.  Now that he has a decent job, I would hope that you wouldn’t try to destroy him.  He cares too much about young children to try to ruin your marriage.”

“I’ll talk to Wilt in the morning and explain that I have talked to you.  I’ll have him contact you.”

“Mark, he doesn’t know my real name.  To him, I’m Hank Morgan.  He doesn’t have my phone number.  I always call his cell phone when I want to talk to him.”

“Mr. Templeton, I need to go. I have some other things that I need to take care of yet tonight.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bart looked at me, “That was an interesting call.  I guess you wouldn’t care to explain what it was about, would you?”

I ignored Bart’s comment, “I thought we were going to be doing some negotiating.”

Bart sighed, “Dads, I would really like to play football at the Academy, next year.  Steve and Andy are going to be playing.  Can you please make an appointment with Doctor Feren so he can check my eyes?”

I frowned at Bart, “Excuse me, but you know how to use the phone.  Why don’t you call and make your own appointment?  I’m not crazy about you playing football, but if Doctor Feren says it is okay, then I’ll sign the permission slip.  Now, what’s the next issue on the agenda?”

“Tory told me that the Robinson’s were going to be signing their children up for lessons at the community pool.  Would you or Uncle Ty please sign his children and Chris up for lessons?”

Zack answered, “I think that’s a great idea.  Maybe we could get you in some lessons as well.  We wouldn’t want you to drown.  What else is on the agenda?”

Bart got a glint in his eye, “Now that school is going to be out for the summer, Tory and I would like to be able to go do some fun things, at least one night each week.”

Zack raised his eyebrows, “Like what?”

Bart giggled, “Dads, I promise I’ll keep my dick in my pants.  We could go to a baseball game or to a movie, or perhaps, just hang out with some friends.”

I nodded, “I have no problem with you having some fun, as long as you behave responsibly.  I think Tory might check with her parents to see what would be the best night.  In fact, the two of you could baby-sit her brothers from time to time, if you’re not needed here.  So far this has been an easy negotiations session.  Is there anything else that we absolutely must discuss tonight?  I’m tired and tomorrow is another day.”

Bart nodded, “Dads, thanks for listening to me.  It's just that I’ve been cooped up here with the children nearly all day.  I really haven’t had a chance to visit with any people my age except on the phone.”

I hugged Bart, “Son, we appreciate everything you have been doing.  We have been asking lot of you.”

“Dads, I’m not complaining.  This life is a hundred times better than the life I was living before.”

When Zack and I were finally lying in bed, I told him everything that had happened and how Jason sort of propositioned me.  Zack hugged me, “Dude, you'd better keep your dick in your pants like our son.  I wonder what Jason and Wilt are doing right now?”

I started to laugh, “So, you’re more worried about Jason and Wilt than you are me.  I’ll go cry myself to sleep in the living room.”

I was awakened by someone tugging on my arm, “Dad, Bart says I’m going to be on TV.  I don’t want to miss school.  Call somebody and tell them I can’t come.”

I pulled Chris on to me, “You won’t be gone from school that long, and I’ll take you to lunch and make sure that you are back to school in time for recess.”

“But, Dad, me and Farmer Bear aren’t ready to do another show and we won’t know anyone there.”

“Christopher Warren Leavitt, you and Farmer Brown will do just fine.”

“Dad Zack, that’s easy for you to say because you’re not the person who is going to look silly.  What’s going to happen when I go to the bathroom in my pants because I’m so scared?”

Zack pulled Chris onto the bed, “Look kid, if you go to the bathroom in your pants, we’ll have to take you to the hospital and get you a bunch of shots.  If Farmer Brown goes to the bathroom in his pants, we’ll throw him in the dryer and he’ll be so dizzy he won’t be able to talk.”

I hugged Chris, “Chris, you were sound asleep last night when I was talking to Mr. Templeton.  I should have asked you if you would do the show, but I didn’t want to wake you up.  I promise, I won’t do this to you again, without talking to you.”

Chris sat up, “We don’t have time to go running.  You two take your shower and no messing around.  Me and Bart will go start breakfast.”

After Chris had left, Zack hugged me, “Whose in charge around here anyway?  It sure isn’t us.”

As I was walking into school with the children, Chris looked at me, “Dad, what are me and Farmer Bear supposed to do on this show?  I can’t do what I did last night.”

“Chris, just do whatever feels right.”

I stood at the door and greeted the boys and girls as they came into the building.  The tardy bell was about to ring when Jason and Wilt arrived with Dr. DoDo.

I waited until the last stragglers had arrived and went into our offices.  They had already been totally refurbished and we now had computers.

DoDo and Wilt were talking as I walked in.  I had just sat down when the intercom came on.  “Dr. Del Rio, please report to Dr Plummer’s office.”

DoDo looked at us with a skeptical look, “I don’t like the sounds of this.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

When Wilt and I were alone, I started on him, “Wilt, I talked on the phone with one of your clients last night.  He was at the PTO meeting last night and he’s afraid that you’re going to ruin his reputation and marriage.  He has two children that go to school here.  Does the name Henry Morgan ring a bell with you?”

Wilt slumped down in his chair, “I saw some of my clients here at the PTO meeting last night.  Henry Morgan has been a regular customer of mine for the last four years.  He would pick me up every Thursday night at seven and take me to a motel.  Most of the time he would just play with my body.  Over the past four years, he has wanted to try most everything, but he was mostly satisfied with giving me a blow job, if you will excuse the vernacular.”

Our discussion was interrupted by Jason, “Wilt, you need to go talk to Horatio.  He is in rare form this morning.”

I went to the office to see which class the two Templeton children were in.  It turned out they were both boys and one was in Chris’ class and the other was in Billy’s class.  I decided to go observe them since I had nothing else I could do until DoDo and Wilt were finished with whatever they were doing.

I went to Chris’ class first, and since I had been there several times before, no one was distracted by my presence.  I walked around as the children were doing their math.  I checked Chris and he was right on track.  I finally found a nametag that said Oran Templeton.  I was looking at his work and leaned down, “Oran, I think you need to look at the signs.  You’re supposed to be dividing and not multiplying.”

Oran looked up at me, “Thanks, Nano Mark, my Dad would have yelled at me if I came home with a bunch of red marks on my paper.”

I went to Billy’s class and was watching as they were doing a dictionary hunt page in their language workbooks.  I watched and Billy knew what he was to do.  When I approached Efrem Templeton, he was struggling.  I knelt down and was offering him suggestions and he finally caught on to what he was supposed to be doing.  He looked at me, “Thanks, Nano Mark, I wish my Dad would help me like that.”

As I was walking back to my office, I was thinking, ‘I don’t think I like Mr. Templeton very much.’

Wilt was sitting there with his head in his right hand.  He looked up at me, “I can’t believe that woman would do that?  She’s not fit to be a mother.”

DoDo heard what he said, “Wilt, what woman?”

“Horatio came to school this morning all upset because his Mother was blaming him for making her look like a fool last night at the PTO meeting.  Is there any way we can have her charged with child abuse?”

DoDo answered, “We need to be very careful.  We have only heard Horatio’s side of the story.  I agree that we need to do something.  There is also the possibility Horatio is acting out so he will get some personal attention.  It would be interesting to make a home visit to see what goes on there.”

DoDo changed the topic of the conversation, “The reason I was called to the office is that I need to appear in court this afternoon in the case concerning the young lady I was dealing with yesterday.”

I nodded, “Wilt, it looks as if you will be manning the office by yourself for a while this afternoon.  I need to take Chris to the television station.  He and Farmer Brown will be appearing on a show at noon.”

We finally started to talk about what we needed to do.  I looked at the other two, “I really think we need to visit with the entire staff tomorrow afternoon at the staff meeting and get some input from them.  I need to be going.  Wilt, why don’t you take the lunch room duty today.  DoDo, I guess I won’t be seeing you until tomorrow.  Wilt, I’ll be back as soon as I can get here.”

When Chris and I walked into the station, the same rude young man from last Friday was at the reception desk.  He stood and smiled, “Good morning Mr. Leavitt and Mr. Leavitt, Dad is expecting you.”

“Good morning to you too, Mr. Templeton.  I talked to your two brothers this morning.”

“Which brothers?”

I was surprised, “Oran and Efrem.  How many brothers do you have?”

“Or and Ef are my half brothers.  I have two other brothers and one more half brother.  Dad is waiting for you in his office.”

The door to the office was open and I knocked.  Mr. Templeton was on the phone, but he motioned for us to come in.  “Yes honey, I won’t forget.  I’ll pick up Oran and Efrem after school.”

He hung up and walked around the desk, “Chris, thanks for coming today.  One of the other guests who was to be on the show has cancelled due to illness.  We’ll have you be the first guest, so you can get back to school.

Chris nodded, “Mr. Templeton, I don’t know what I’m going to be saying, so I might not be any good.  If I’m going to be first, I would like to have Farmer Bear already be in place where I will be doing the show.”

“Let’s go to the area where you will be doing the show.  You can get everything set the way you want it.  When the show starts, you will be standing behind the curtain with your Dad.  I’ll introduce you and ask you a couple questions before you and Farmer Bear begin.  If you can’t think of anything more to say, then have Farmer Bear get back in his box, so I know that you’re finished.”

While Chris was fixing the stage as he wanted it and the crew was wiring him and fixing his hair, I was talking to Mr. Templeton.  “Mr. Templeton, since you are going to be picking up your sons at the school this afternoon, why don’t you come a half hour early.  I really think you and Wilt need to sit down and talk.  I talked to both Oran and Efrem this morning, and I think it would be best if everything was laid out on the table.”

Mr. Templeton was looking a little piqued, “Does that mean that Wilt knows who the boys are?”

“No, he was taking care of another problem while I checked on your sons.  Oran is in Chris’ class, Efrem is in one of my employer’s sons' class.  Wilt knows that I talked to you and that is about all that I told him.  He told me about your Thursday night meetings.”

Our conversation was interrupted by Chris, “Mr. Templeton, I need to go to the bathroom before the show starts.”

Mr. Templeton directed Chris to the bathroom.  He turned to me, “So are you going to use the information to blackmail me?”

I chuckled, “Mr. Templeton, I’m in no position to blackmail you, even if I wanted to, which I don't.  I have a partner who just happens to be my employer’s step brother.  Besides, I only want what’s best for your sons.  I understand that you have at least six of them.”

Mr. Templeton frowned, “You sure do know a lot about me.  Have you been checking me out or something?”

“No, I’m a good listener.”

Chris returned and Mr. Templeton looked at his watch. “Chris, it’s time to get this show on the road.  Ready or not, here we go.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Now I have to agree with Mark.  He is indeed a good listener.  He is also very intelligent.  

I must say that I am not at all fond of Mr. Templeton.  Of course, I am ready for the next chapter to see where all this is going.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 08/07/09