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

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Chapter 55

The Storm Continues

I looked at Roddy, “Roddy, the shower is big enough for the two of us to take a shower together.  I promise I won’t try to do anything to you, if you don’t try to do anything to me.  You can always relieve your pent up sexual frustrations once I get out.”

Roddy started to laugh, “I get it.  You’re afraid to watch me perform, because you’re afraid that I might perform better than you.”

I punched him on the arm, “Come on.  I guess we’ll never know the answer to that comment.”

We went into the bedroom and Tio and Chris were obviously asleep.  Bart whispered, “Could the two of you please keep the noise down?  I’m exhausted.”

I shed my clothes in the bedroom and started to the bathroom.  I was getting to the shower when Roddy came in and shed his briefs.  He looked at me, “Nano Mark, now do you see why I’m so reluctant to let the other guys in the band see me?”

I hugged Roddy even though I was naked, “Roddy, I haven’t seen the other guys in the band, so I can’t comment.”

Roddy looked at me, “You saw Bart tonight, he is huge in comparison to me.”

“Roddy, you’re selling yourself short.  Bart is a very well endowed young man, but you are going to be fine.  You need to get over this penis envy thing.  Believe me, when you meet the right person, he or she isn’t going to say, ‘You’re too little to satisfy me.’  Love is more than sex.”

I was exiting the bathroom and Roddy sighed, “Mark, thanks for talking to me.  I always assumed that bigger was better.”

I woke up Thursday with a start, for some reason.  I looked at the clock and it said seven o’clock.  I looked at Tio and Chris and they were sleeping and Chris had his arm draped over Tio and Farmer Bear.  I looked at Bart and Roddy and they both were showing some major growth in their pelvic area.  I thought to myself, ‘I’ll have to tease Roddy about being a grower and not a shower.”

I went to see if the others were still asleep, and they were, but both couples were in a little more intimate position than Bart and Roddy.  I thought to myself, ‘Chris, had these guys pegged right.’

I pulled on the slacks and a shirt I had worn last night, and went to see if the advertised paper was on the door.  It was, and I sat in the sitting room and had started to read, when the phone startled me.  I grabbed it so it wouldn’t waken the guys.  “This is Mark Leavitt.”

A voice on the other end was breathing deeply. “Zack, is that you?”

Zack chuckled, “You’d better not be receiving any obscene phone calls from anyone else.  Are the guys up?”

“Nope, all of them were still asleep when I checked a couple of minutes ago, at least the eight who are staying in the suite with me.   Wait a minute.  I hear someone coming.”

Chris came into the room, “Daddy, who was the phone call from?”

I handed him the phone, “It’s your other Dad.”

“Hi Dad … Yeah, I was a little scared, at first.  They didn’t make us feel very welcome when we went to get ready for the show. … Thanks, Dad.  I’ll tell everyone what you said when they wake up. … Okay, here’s Daddy.”

“Mark, the young people were all wonderful.  There were several times when I was sure that someone would say something about you and me.”

I laughed, “There were at least two times that I was sure the two youngest boys were going to slip.”

“Mark, I need to go in early.  I have to go to St. Louis to meet with a client.  I probably won’t be back until late tonight.  I’ll try to call you if it’s not too late.”

“Love you, Zack; talk to you later.”

I had just hung up and the blasted phone rang again.”

“This is Mark Leavitt.”

“Mark, it’s Amanda.”

“Hi, Mrs. Sweet.”

 “Get everyone ready and meet us in Charlie’s on the lower level of the hotel at nine.  They have a nice breakfast buffet, and it’s reasonably priced by New York standards.  Talk to you later.”

Chris had reappeared, “Who was that?”

“That was Mrs. Sweet.  Go make sure everyone is up and tell them that we’re going to eat breakfast downstairs at a breakfast buffet, at nine o’clock.

“Bart, Roddy and Tio are getting dressed.  I’ll tell the other four guys.”

I was going to go change clothes and shave, but was delayed by the phone.  “This is Mark Leavitt.”

“Mark, it’s Hank Corbin.  I apologize for not being here to meet you yesterday, but I had to go to D.C. and didn’t get back until late last night.  I understand it was a little terse when you arrived for the taping last evening.  My people tell me that your two sons had the production crew and Dale Numberman in their places in no time at all.”

I laughed, “I wasn’t sure exactly what was going to happen.”

“Mark, have you seen the trade papers this morning, had the television on, or been on the internet?”

“No, we watched the show last night when it aired.  The only paper I have is USA Today, and I never thought to bring my laptop.”

Mr. Corbin laughed, “Well, the net is buzzing about the Fab 10 and Chris and Farmer Bear.  I understand that you are going to be picked up at ten by my people.  I’ll see you then.”

I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth when Roddy came in,  I looked at him and grinned, “Roddy, I’ve decided that you’re a grower and not a shower.  You have absolutely nothing to complain about.”

Roddy bent over from laughing, “Mark, I can’t believe you said that.  What would Zack say?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “It was very apparent because you and Bart both had tents in your briefs when I got up this morning and they seemed about the same size.  I didn’t check to make sure, but I will, the next time that phenomena occurs, if you would like.”

“Mark, you’re absolutely evil.”

Everyone was assembled in our suite at 8:50, and we made our way to the restaurant, and were seated by the maitre de immediately.  I was to find out that Mrs. Sweet had called ahead.

We placed our drink orders and everyone went through the buffet line.  I noticed that Roddy and his Dad were talking.  I saw Mr. Del Rio laughing and I thought to myself, ‘That’s nice to see.’

We were nearly finished eating when we were approached by a gentleman.  He looked at Chris, “Aren’t you the young people that were on the Numberman show last night?”

Chris looked up, “Yes.”

The man nodded, “I thought so.  I’m James Larkin, and I’m putting together a special that will air next week.  Do you have an agent?”

Chris looked at me, “Dad, do we have an agent?”

I stood and offered my hands, “I’m Mark Leavitt, I’m the contact for my sons and their friends.  We have signed no contracts with anyone to be their agent.  We have been working with a Mr. Corbin and we are to meet him at ten o’clock.”

Mr. Larkin started to laugh, “I should have guessed that Hank was involved.  I know Mr. Corbin rather well.  Would you have any objection to me sticking around to see what he has to say?”

I shrugged, “Be our guest.”

Mr. Del Rio paid for breakfast and we made our way to the lobby to await the arrival of our escorts and Mr. Corbin.  We didn’t have to wait long.  The same escort arrived with a handsome man in his late 30’s or early 40’s.  He looked at Mr. Larkin, “Jimbo, what are you doing here with these people?”

Mr. Larkin answered, “Hank, I came to find out why you hadn’t booked them on the special I’m putting together?”

“I was going to do that, today.  This is the first time I’ve met these talented people in person.  If you will remember, I was in D.C. all day yesterday.”

“Everyone, I’m sorry that my partner has jumped into this affair before he was scheduled to.  Let me explain what I have set up for you, today.  You will be free to tour the city and do whatever you would like, from ten until four.  At four o’clock, Jimbo and I will accompany you to Yankee Stadium for a game between the Yankees and your Kansas City Royals.  I have procured eighteen seats for us, in an ideal location.”

“After the game, we’re going to take you to a neat Mexican restaurant.  Mr. Del Rio, I think you know the owner, Pablo Martinez”

“Tomorrow morning, you are scheduled to be at the studio, where your instruments and costumes are stored, at eight o’clock, to perform on the Today Show.  Then at two, you will go to studio three to do an interview for the evening news and at four o’clock, you will be taped to appear on Mr. Larkin’s special that he is producing.”

“You have seats on Saturday afternoon to see a show that just arrived from Houston.  It’s “Oliver” and stars two brothers in the lead roles of Oliver and Fagin.  They are wonderful.  Allie is ten and his brother is older.  I’m sure that you will enjoy it.  I hope I can get the two groups together.”

I interrupted, “Mr. Corbin, there has to be a catch.  Who’s paying you to have us appear on these shows?  We have not signed anything that makes you the Fab 10 or Chris and Farmer Bear’s agent, so we aren’t going to be paying anything.  Who paid for our airfare and our hotel?”

Mr. Corbin looked at me, “I’m a talent head hunter, I find new talent and bring it to the producers.  I also find sponsors for the shows.  That’s how I was able to get your airline tickets and hotel rooms so they cost you nothing.  The people pay me for doing this, believe it or not.  That’s also how I was able to get the tickets to the Yankee’s game and the show on Saturday, for you.”

“I know it sounds quirky, but in addition, the shows are obligated to pay you at least a minimum for appearing on the shows.  I need to go.  Your escorts will take you where you would like to go.”

Chris spoke up before anyone else could, “People, could we please go to see the Statue of Liberty and maybe the Empire State Building?”

Mrs. Sweet responded, “Chris, I think you will enjoy the trip to the Statue of Liberty, but the Empire State Building is just an old building, anymore.  I think maybe you might enjoy visiting one of the galleries here in New York, more than spending time at the Empire State Building.  It was really something, when I was little, but now it’s just another tall building that is dwarfed by other buildings.”

Our escorts took us to the point where we could catch the ferry to Liberty Island, so the young people could see the Statue of Liberty.  I had been there before, so it was no big deal, but Chris and Tio were wowed, to say the least.

When we arrived at the statue, there was a line waiting to enter.  Roddy took Chris and Tio with him, as I chose not to go inside, since I had been there twice before.

When the young people returned, Chris was so excited, “Dad, that was great; we walked around the crown and saw New York City.  I’m kinda a tired from climbing; can we get something to eat when get off the ferry when we get back?”

I figured that the ride back to the city would be easy.  It turned into a nightmare. 

The first thing that happened was that some thug tried to steal Mrs. Sweet’s purse.  She pulled out a can of something and sprayed it on his face and he was writhing on the ground.  The harbor patrol security officer on board took him away.

It was only a few minutes later when Roddy was standing at the rail with Tio and Chris and they were discussing what they were seeing.  I watched as a man moved behind Roddy and put his arms around him.  Roddy took exception to what the man was doing and yelled, “Get you’re hands out of my pants.”

Roddy turned around and punched the man, and the man fell to the deck of the ferry.  A crowd gathered, and the man who was sprawled on the deck tried to explain, “We’ve had complaints of some Spic pandering with young people.  I‘m a New York City police officer.”

Mr. Del Rio was standing over the man faster that you could say cheese.  “First, young man, I resent you calling my son a Spic.  Second, we are not from this super city, thank heavens; we are here to see where the melting pot began.  Roddy, get the officer’s badge number so we can file an entrapment charge against him.  Perhaps, that will teach him a lesson in human relations.”

The people who were on the deck with us clapped.  A gentlemen yelled, “That’s the only way some of the big city pricks can get there jollies.  Job well done, young man.”

When we arrived where our hosts were waiting, Chris asked, “Can we get something to eat before we meet Mr. Corbin and Mr. Larkin?”

Our escort laughed, “You sound like my sons, I swear you young people all have tape worms.  There’s a Nathan’s hotdog stand next to where we will be docking.  Even I can eat one of the dogs, because they are Kosher.”

Chris was confused, “Sir, I have no idea what Kosher means.  Why can’t you eat just anything.”

The gentleman laughed, “It means that food is prepared in a special way, so that it is acceptable for people of the Jewish faith to eat.”

Chris looked at me, “Dad, does that we can only eat certain things when your Grandparents come?”

I started to laugh, “No, my Grandparents are liberal Jewish people.  They eat anything.”

Chris let out a sigh of relief, “Good, because I think I would get tired of Kosher food.”

We went to meet Mr. Corbin and Mr. Larkin at the new Yankee Stadium.  They were waiting for us when we arrived.  We walked to a special window and were in the stadium almost before we had arrived. Mr. Corbin led us to our seats, and we were seated in the box seats, right behind the Kansas City Royals' dugout.”

Bart asked, “Mr. Corbin, how did we get seats like these when you live in New York?”

Mr. Larkin laughed, “Easy, my dear Mr. Bart, my Dad is part owner of the Royals.  Both Mr. Corbin and I grew up in the Kansas City area, Independence, to be exact.  In fact we attended the Monmouth Academy, as I understand that some of you do, or will, when school resumes in the fall.”

When the game was over, both Chris and Roddy had an autographed baseball.

We went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner, and Mr. Del Rio did indeed know the owner. We had a fantastic meal at no cost to anyone except the owner.  The owners even ate with us.  By the time we arrived at the hotel, both Chris and Tio were asleep.  I carried Chris, and Roddy carried Tio to our suite.

I don’t think any of us took a shower; we all crashed for the night, after I set the alarm so we could be at the studio in time for the Morning Show.

To be continued...

Editor's Notes:  Well, I wonder if anyone else noticed who the two brothers who are singing in “Oliver” are. 

Roddy did a really good job on that, so called, Policeman. I don't understand how behavior like that can not only be tolerated, but actually encouraged by police officials.  I have no problem with Police Officers arresting people who are doing things that are not legal, but to actually perform some of the same behavior that they are supposed to stop others from doing, just to tempt someone into doing that behavior, to me, is simply unethical and totally wrong.

Hey, I got a rant going, didn't I?

Well, On that note, I will be sending this off, and I will be waiting, not very patiently, for the next chapter. 

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher     

Posted: 10/23/09