Benji in Control
by: E Walk
(© 2009-2010 by the Author)
 

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

Chapter 23 

Three Orphan Boys

We decided to walk to the bridge, since it was easier than getting the cars, and there was no place to park.  When we arrived at the bridge, I looked around, “Jack, how do we get down there?”

Jack pointed, “The only way down or up is that area over there.  It’s pretty tricky, and you really have to be careful so you don’t fall.”

Jack was correct, it was not easy getting down to the area.  The sight and smell that greeted us as we approached the area was anything but enticing.  An older man approached us, “If you’re looking for your Dad, he was stabbed with a broken bottle by old man Wagoner because your Dad wouldn’t share his hooch.  Your Dad showed Waggie what he thought of him and broke his bottle of hooch over Waggie’s head and then cut him with the broken bottle.”

I looked at the old man, “Have the police been notified about what happened?”

“Mister, in the five years I’ve lived under the bridge, here, the police ain’t been down here once that I know about.  I lived here by myself for the first year and the people kept coming, especially when the carnie is in town.”

Jordan commented, “It smells as if you just go to the bathroom wherever you want to.”

The old man sighed, “Well, there ain’t any public facilities to use.  The stream is so polluted anymore that you can’t even take a bath in it.”

I pulled out my cell phone and called 911 and reported that we had just encountered two possible homicides.  I was put through to the Harwood police department and when I reported what was happening, the young voice came back, “Sir, all of our on duty police persons are at the carnival, making sure that the patrons are safe.”

I looked at the phone, “Sir, I don’t think you understood what I just said.  There are two people who are dead or dying, under the bridge that goes over Harwood creek.”
 

“Sir, I’m only following the Chief of Police’s orders.  There have been a large number of reports of pickpockets and stolen purses at the carnival.”

I called the house and Karen answered, “Summerhill,  Karen Carpenter speaking.”

“Karen, it’s Doug.  Can you get me Mayor Langdon’s home phone number?”

After Karen gave me a number I called and thank goodness, Mayor Langdon answered.

“Mayor Langdon, it’s Doug Christiansen.  We are in the area under the bridge that runs over the Harwood creek and there is at least one dead person, possibly two, under the bridge.  I called the police dispatcher and was informed that all of the police officers on duty are at the carnival, trying to catch pick pockets and purse snatchers, by order of the Chief of Police.”

“Doug, I don’t like the sound of this.  I’ll be there as soon as I can, and I’ll have the Chief of Police with me.”

“Ma’am, dress very casually.  It is very tricky getting down here.  Make sure you wear walking shoes.”

It was approximately ten minutes later when we heard sirens approaching the area.  We went to the only approach so we could show the new arrivals how to get down to the area.  When Mayor Langdon climbed out of the Chief of Police’s vehicle she asked, “Doug, how did you even get involved in this?”

“Mayor Langdon, let’s just say we were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I’ll explain in detail after you see for yourselves what’s been happening under the bridge.”

Cole and I helped Mayor Langdon down the path.  As we were getting close, she complained, “This place gives me the creeps.”

Cole added, “Ma’am, it’s going to get a whole lot worse.”

When she saw the mess under the bridge,  Mayor Langdon turned to the Chief of Police, “George, how have you let something like this happen?  Get the rescue squads and why are all your on duty officers at the carnival?”

The Chief was rattled, “Mayor Langdon, I had no idea that all this was going on, down here.  We been concentrating on making the carnival as safe for the patrons as possible.”

Greg frowned, “Chief, we had a problem when we were at the carnival and I had to look hard and long to find a uniformed policeman to help us.”

The Chief shrugged his shoulders, “That’s because my people are undercover trying to entice the thieves to take their wallets and purses.”

Jack frowned, “Sir, that’s so stupid.  You’re only asking the people to pick people’s pockets and snatch purses.  It would be much better if your police officers were walking around with their night sticks hitting their hands because that would make some people think twice before they’d try to do anything.”

The old gentleman who had greeted us added, “The kid is right.  Many times the people picking pockets are your own people, and they probably know that your undercover people are policemen and women.”

There were more sirens and a fire truck and an ambulance arrived.  I looked at Mayor Langdon, “Ma’am, we’re going to leave.  We’ll be at Summerhill if anyone needs to talk to us.  We’ll just be in the way, here.  We’ll be taking Jack with us, since his two younger brothers are already there.”

When we were going to Summerhill, we had all the windows in the car down, because of the smell.  Jack looked sheepish, “I guess I really do smell pretty bad, don’t I?”

Cole turned to him, “As soon as we get to Summerhill, you are going to shed all of your clothes, and we’re going to burn them.”

“But everyone will see me naked and laugh at me.”

I chuckled, “Trust me, Jack, no one will laugh at you.  We might cry for you, but we won’t laugh.”

“Dr. Christiansen, that was cruel.”

When we arrived at Summerhill, Cole had Jack disrobe and put his filthy clothes into a sack while I went to get him a tee shirt of mine to put on so he wouldn’t feel so conspicuous. Mrs. Mitchell was visiting with my mother and Autumn's and Austin’s mothers.  I asked, “Where are the Dads?”

My Mother laughed, “They’re skinny dipping with the boys.  When they left here on the wagon, the wagon was full, since Clark and Larry are here with their four boys, Austin and Derek had the two new boys with them.
 

“Moms, could you do me a favor.  We’re going to burn the Smith boys clothes because they smell.  Cole and I have the third boy with us.  Could you go to the Target store and get the Smith boys some clean clothes to put on when they get back from swimming.  Jimmy is ten, Jay is eleven and Jack is twelve.  Buy only a pair of briefs,  a pair of draw string shorts,  a large tee shirt and some flip flops for now, since we have no idea what size clothes they will need.”

Mrs. Mitchell stood, “Come on, girls, you heard what the Commander told us to do.  Let’s go, so we can get back and help Karen and Patty with the meal.”

Greg and Jordan had arrived so we took the two golf carts to the lake.  I thought perhaps the Dads might want to return early. 

What a sight greeted us when we arrived at the lake, The two dads were sitting in folding chairs talking to Uncle Howie and Mr. Nixon. Clark and Larry were sitting on the pier talking to Austin and Derek.”

Jack looked at Cole and me, “Sirs, everyone is naked and no one is making a big fuss about it.”

Cole snickered, “We’re going to be naked shortly as well.  The last person to be naked has to do the dishes tonight.”

Jack jumped out of the golf cart and shed his tee shirt and was in the lake trying to swim to where the young guys were playing.  I thought to myself, ‘I wonder how long it will take Benji to make Jack a swimmer?’

I went to the Dads, “Dads, if you want to take the golf carts back to Summerhill, that’s fine with us.  We’ll give the guys another half hour and we’ll be back.”

My Dad looked at me. “Son, it’s just so nice to be able to sit and watch the grandsons and their friends.  I’m in no hurry, besides your Mother would be nagging me to take my pills which I already took.”

Cole and I were sitting on the pier talking to Derek, Austin, Clark and Larry when Benji and Jack swam up to us.  Benji put his arms on my knees, “Dads, Jack and his brothers want to know what's going to happen to them and where they are going to sleep tonight?”

I shook my head, “Benji, I hadn’t even thought about that.  Let me ask Dan and David if there's an empty stall they can sleep in.  Hey Dan, do we have an empty stall that the three Smith boys can sleep in, tonight.”

Dan’s answer was perfect, “Yep, we have one all ready with fresh straw.  The boys may need to share it with a new foal if it arrives tonight.  If the guys make a mess, they have to clean the stall.”

Jack had a funny look on his face, “Mister, do we gotta sleep with the horses?”

Cole answered, “It would be a whole lot better than where you have been sleeping.  Benji, we haven’t had time to think about where the Smith boys will be spending the night.  We’re kinda short of bedrooms, right now, since both sets of Grandparents are here.”

Jack asked, “Sirs, do we gotta go live under the bridge again?”

I shook my head, “Jack, I can assure you that you will not be living under the bridge again.”

When we arrived back at Summerhill, we were met by Mrs. Mitchell, “Okay you three recruits, this is the best we could find, on short notice.  Get out of those dresses and dress like real men.”

Benji and Peter took the three Smith boys to their bedroom, so they could get dressed.  When the three Smith boys returned, Derek’s Mother, Mrs. Mitchell jumped their case.  “You three boys need  haircuts.  We can’t have you being in our Army, looking like that.  We’ll stop at the drug store and we’ll buy a electric razor and I’ll shave your heads, so you look like real men.”

After we had a great meal and the clean up had been completed, Mrs. Mitchell marched Jimmy, Jay and Jack to her car.  She turned back to Derek and Austin, “You two need to get home as soon as possible, to help me take care of these recruits.”

After Mrs. Mitchell had departed with the three boys, I asked, “Derek, what kind of game is your Mother playing with those three young guys?”

“Doug, I honestly have no idea what my Mother has on her mind.”

Derek and Austin were getting ready to leave when Mayor Langdon and her husband arrived.  Mayor Langdon didn’t look very happy.  “Doug, if you’re going to keep finding these problems, then we’re going to have to fire your ass.  For your information, there were two dead males under the bridge, who had both bled to death.  The Public Works Department has sealed off the area and all the persons who were residing under the bridge have been placed in shelters for the night.  I felt so dirty when I left the area that I had to spend an hour in the shower and I’m still feeling as if things are crawling on my body.”

She looked around, “Where is the young man whom you took with you, this afternoon?  I believe that you said he had two younger brothers.”

I pointed to Derek, “Dr. Mitchell’s Mother just took the three guys and was threatening to shave their hair to make them real men.  She was talking about making them recruits.”

Mayor Langdon laughed, “Louisa wouldn’t do that, would she, Derek?  So I take it that the three boys will be spending the night at your house in town.”

Derek shrugged his shoulders, “I guess that’s what my Mother has in mind.  It’s a good thing there is a queen sized bed in the guest bedroom where the guys will be spending the night.”

Mayor Langdon got a serious look. “The boys’ father’s name was Jeb Smith and he was one of the two men who died from the loss of blood.  The police are trying to trace his past.  They may need to talk to the boys.  Derek, I think you should tell the boys as soon as possible that their father is dead.”

I nodded, “I’m sure that Jack already suspects as much.”

As Mayor Langdon was leaving, she frowned. “Thanks, for what you found and reported today, but don’t do it too often.  My nerves and my skin can’t stand the added pressure.”

We finally got everyone settled in bed so that Cole and I could take care of some personal business, which we did.

After a nice leisurely breakfast, which the Mothers cooked, since Patty and Karen were taking the day off, Cole, Benji. Peter and I made our way to the assisted living facility to pick up Grandmother McBride and Grandmother Cunningham.  Since we had so many in our party, we had to have two pews.  The two sets of grandparents were sitting with Mark, Matt, and Mickey interspersed between them.

Peter and Benji were seated between Cole and me.  The service was just about to start when we were joined by a party of six more people.  Jimmy came and pushed in between Benji and Peter and Jack was sitting beside me and Jay was sitting next to Mrs. Mitchell.

Benji looked at the three boys, “What happened to you?”

Jimmy giggled, “When we left Summerfield last night, we stopped at this store and bought us some new clothes.  General Mitchell wasn’t kidding.  She bought a barber’s razor and whacked off our hair.”

Benji frowned, “Why did she want to do that?”

Jimmy put up his hands, “She said it was the only way to make sure we didn’t have cooties.  She even shaved us in the garage so we wouldn’t mess up the house and get cooties in it.”

Jack grinned, “She even bought some awful smelling shampoo to make sure the cooties stayed away.  Last night was the first night in a long time that my head didn’t itch.”

The service started, so there wasn’t any more talk.  I noticed that when the collection plate was passed the three Smith boys pulled a bill out of their shirt pocket.  I knew that Benji and Peter had money.

After the service, we made the introductions to those people who hadn’t met everyone.  My parents wanted to take everyone to the club for lunch, but Mrs. Mitchell declined, “We need to go to the store and get some real food if we’re going to have three growing boys living at the house.  We can’t raise an army on what Derek and Austin have on hand at the house.”

Editor's Notes:  I apologize for something that I said in a previous editor's comment.

When I first heard about that Arizona Law, I was outraged. From what was reported, the law was written so that it was mandatory for any law enforcement person to stop anyone whom they thought might possibly be an illegal immigrant, and arrest them.

I have since been informed, by several people, that the law is now set up to only apply to someone who has already been stopped for some legitimate reason.

I must admit that I have not yet read the fifteen page law, and therefore, I shouldn't have mouthed off about something I didn't know about.  I do intend to read this law, and then, possibly, I will comment on what I find out. I'm afraid I jumped to a conclusion, and used information that was not accurate.

In my defense, I did hear it on the news. (I know that was not that smart.)  I also understand that the law as originally written would have done at least some, if not all, of what I objected to.

I also must say that even with the law that I now understand is less onerous, it is still possible that gays, and almost any other minority person that a cop didn't particularly like, could, in fact be stopped by police, and detained, on suspicion. 

I have had policemen stop a car I was riding in, because we had out of state plates, and there were several of us in the car. The driver was made to leave the car and was patted down and roughed up.  They didn't handcuff him, but one cop stood by him while the other guy ran his license plates. It was downright scary.  

That was in one of the western states; I honestly don't remember which one it was, but that law could easily be used as a further excuse to do exactly what has been done in the past, and I bet that the number of such stops will increase. 

Okay, so I'm paranoid. Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you.  

To be continued...

So, on with the Editor's Notes:   

Well, I must admit that I didn't actually think about the Mitchells taking the boys in. That is really cool. They are certainly going to get good care, and lots of love, there.  

I am guessing that there won't be a lot of trouble concerning the Mitchells adopting the boys.  

I can hardly wait for the next chapter, to see what happens next. 

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 05/28/10