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 27 

What Have We Gotten Into?

I was in the kitchen when Burnsey arrived.  I looked at him, “What would you like for breakfast?”

He looked confused, “You mean you eat things other than cereal.  When I’m staying with my Dad, I have to fix my own breakfast and all that is there is either cereal or toast.”

I made a command decision, “How about we have French toast, bacon and some muffins.  You can always have a piece of toast to keep you from starving to death.” 

Burnsey giggled, “If I have a piece of toast, I won’t be hungry.  I’ll starve to death until the food is ready, what can I do to help?”

I handed him a box of blueberry muffin mix, “Here, read the directions, while I get the things for the French toast and the bacon.”

I had the things I needed.  I looked at Burnsey. “What does it say you need?”

“I need two eggs, a third cup of cooking oil and some water.  Where are the things to cook the muffins in?”

I looked at the directions, “The cupcake tins should be on the bottom shelf in that cupboard over there.  I’ll get the other things you need to make the muffins while you get the tins.”

I handed him a package of baking cups, “Here, put one of these in each cup.  They make it a bunch easier to clean up.  I’ll put the ingredients you need in the mixing bowl while you do that.”

I handed him the box of muffin mix, “Here, pour this in with the other ingredients and make sure you don’t tear the Box Top for Education Coupon.”

Burnsey looked funny, “Why would it make a difference?”

Benji was standing there in only his briefs stretching, “Because the boys and girls take them to school, and the school gets money to buy some extra things.  Daddy, what can I do to help?”

I looked at Benji, “Shouldn’t you have some other clothes on.  Remember, Patty and Karen are downstairs.”

“Dad, Patty and Karen told us they were going to Nashville to see the Grand Ole Opry.  They were leaving last night, after Miss Karen got home.  They have tickets for tonight’s show.  They won’t be back until late tomorrow night.”

I hugged Benji, “I forgot.  Here, get the bacon ready, so I can microwave it.”

Benji looked at Burnsey, “How many pieces do you want?   Daddy, should I make the whole pack?   We can always have bacon, lettuce and tomatoes for lunch if there is enough left over.”

“That sounds fine to me.”

Everyone surfaced except Cole.  The rest of us were eating when David and Dan came in.  “Hi guys, we have three parties, today.  They’re all birthday parties, so we’re going to need your help.”

Benji looked up from his breakfast, “Never fear, we have Burnsey with us, he’ll save the day.  What time is the first party and what do you need us to do?”

David grinned, “Just be around to greet the visitors and talk to them.  They like it better if you guys get them started.  Benji, you will probably be hoarse from talking about horses three times today, but the boys and girls pay more attention when one of you talks.”

Cole came into the kitchen just as David and Dan were getting ready to leave, Dan grinned, “Great game last night, Cole.  We could hear the town cheering every time you did something good.”

Benji stood, “There’s no way that you could hear what was going on in Harwood, from here.”

Dan chuckled, “Benji, we had a party at Coach Carpenter’s house, and it is in town.  See you guys after you get decently dressed.”

Burnsey asked, “Who were those two guys?  Why didn’t they say anything about you sitting here in underpants?”

Rocky answered, “Probably because they have seen us without any clothes on, when we go skinny dipping.  We’ve seen all of them, as well.”

Burnsey was sucking air, “You mean that all of you go swimming without any clothes on.”

Mark answered, “As often as we can.”

After we had finished eating, I declared, “You all need to take your dishes and utensils to the kitchen.  Mr. Lewis and I will take care of the clean up while the rest of you cover your ugly bodies.”

Mikey asked, “Daddy, who is Mr. Lewis?”

I grinned, “Son, that’s Burnsey’s last name like your’s is Christiansen.  It probably doesn’t take him as long to write his last name as it does you.”

While Burnsey and I were doing the cleanup, I asked, “Burnsey, you said your Mother was a movie star.  What’s her name?”

“When she’s in a movie her name is Hope Starr.  Her real name is Gwen Bradford.  She changed it back to her old name after she and Dad got divorced.”

“I’ve heard of her, but I haven’t seen any of her movies.  We don’t go to many movies.”

Burnsey giggled, “Her movies are pretty dumb.  I don’t like them.   Her dumb movies and her fans are more important to her than me.”

The conversation was interrupted by Rocky, “Dad, I’ll take over.  Dad Cole wants to talk to you.”

When I walked into the bedroom, Cole was tying his shoes, “Shucks, I thought maybe you wanted to play some games.  Rocky said you wanted to talk to me.”

Cole grinned, “We’ll play the games, later.  When we were coming up the steps to get dressed, Benji and Rocky were plotting how they could make it so Burnsey could stay here.  I wanted to forewarn you, so you wouldn’t be blindsided.  We can’t keep taking in strays, especially now that I may be gone for a week at a time.”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Cole, if we need to hire some more help for Patty, we will do so.  I can’t imagine what Burnsey must be feeling.  I’m beginning to get the feeling that he wants someone to love him.  Let’s see what happens in the next two days.  He may not even like it here.”

Cole chuckled, “Fat chance that THAT is going to happen.”

When Cole and I arrived downstairs, there was no sight or sound of the guys.  We went out on the deck and the guys were at the picnic area helping Dan and David and their two brothers.  Denny came up on the deck, “Good morning, gentlemen.  If you keep finding strays, there will be no reason for me to get up in the mornings.”

Cole laughed, “You'd better get rested for when school starts. You'll be stuck here doing the work all by yourself.”

Denny grinned, “You forget, there won’t be many parties and Dan and David are planning to stay with us.  I’ll make them work their asses off before and after school.  I would like to propose that we offer hayrack rides, in the fall.  It would be really neat if we could find someone who had some musical talent to lead the groups in some songs.”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Denny, surely one of the people we know has some musical talent.  Let me check with Greg and Jordan, since Jordan’s mother has a music background.”

The first group arrived and Denny went to help.  Cole remarked, “Burnsey seems to have fit right in.”

We watched as the boys made sure the partygoers had their food before they each had a hamburger, too, so that took care of their lunch.  Cole and I were eating our lunch on the deck as the group prepared to depart.  Benji came to where we were eating, “Dads, the next group is going to be swimming.  You need to go get swimsuits for Burnsey and Rocky.  The one that Rocky has been wearing is awfully tight.”

Cole saluted, “Yes sir.  We’ll take care of that, right away, sir.  Anything else, sir?”

Benji put his hands on his hips, “Since you asked, why don’t you call Uncle Austin and Uncle Derek and have them bring the Smith boys, so we can go skinning dipping after dinner.  While you’re at it, you might call Uncle Clark and see if the Morgan guys would like to come, too.  See you when you get back with the suits.”

Cole threw up his hands, “Let’s go, Dr. Christiansen.  We’ve been given our marching orders.”

When we arrived back at Summerhill, Cole went to tell the guys that we were back, and I went to make the calls.  I called Austin and Derek's house first.  I was about to hang up since no one was answering the phone, a voice answered, This is the Mitchell and Summers residence, how may I help you.”

“This is Doug Christiansen. To whom am I speaking?”
 

“Oh hi, sir.  This is Jimmy.”

“Jimmy, are your Dads there?”

“There out working in the yard.”

“Tell them that we’re going to have a skinny dipping party after dinner if they would like to come.”

Jimmy giggled, “Don’t worry, sir.  We’ll be there.  What time is the wagon pulling out?”

I started to laugh, “We’ll load up at six fifty five.  See you then.”

I called Clark’s number and Clark answered, “This is Clark Lewis.”

“Clark, it’s your boss.  We’re having a skinny dipping party after dinner.  We’ll be loading the wagon at six fifty five and pulling out at seven.  Bring Larry and the guys.”

Clark sighed, “The boys were just asking when they could go swimming at Summerhill again.  We’ll be there.”

I don’t know how Denny, David and Dan did it, but the last two parties went like clockwork.  The second group was leaving as the third group was arriving. 

Cole and I went to fix dinner.  Fortunately, Patty had made a big casserole of lasagna for us, so fixing dinner was a breeze.  It was just about ready when the boys arrived.  Benji sniffed, “That smells like lasagna to me.  We’ll be ready as soon as we wash our hands.”

Burnsey had all kinds of questions that he was asking as we were eating.  He was asking about the farm.  When he started asking about the schools, I could almost see the cogs of his mind working.

Rocky answered, “I haven’t been to school, here, so I don’t know much about them.”

Burnsey asked, “Where is the school?”

Benji answered, “It’s in Harwood.  We take a bus to get there and back.”

“What kind of uniform do you have to wear?”

Benji looked confused, “We don’t wear uniforms.  Why would we wear uniforms.  If it’s hot we wear shorts and tee shirt.  When it gets cold, we wear jeans and sweat shirts.  Most of the time we wear whatever is clean.  No one tells us what we have to wear.  We need to get these dishes done so we can go swimming.”

Dan, David and Denny’s two boys arrived with the tractor and wagon as the boys were finishing the dishes.  Dan grinned, “We were informed that transportation was required, to go to the lake for a skinny dipping party, so we invited ourselves.”

Three cars were approaching Summerhill from Harwood.  The first car was Austin and Derek, with the three Smith guys.  The next one was Clark and Larry with Larry’s four sons.  The third car was Jordon and Greg.  Greg complained, “We were bored, so we came to see what was happening here at Summerhill.”

Benji climbed on the wagon and shouted, “All persons who are going skinny dipping should now board the skinny dipping express.  We’ll make the introductions when we get to the watering hole.”

It soon became apparent that perhaps Burnsey was feeling a little out of place because everyone else seemed to know each other.  When we arrived at the lake, I jumped down, “Everyone, I would like to introduce our visitor, Raymond Burnside Lewis the Second.  While he’s here at Summerhill, he prefers to be known as Burnsey.”

Clark jumped down, “Hi, Burnsey, I’m Clark Burnside Lewis.”

Burnsey looked at me, “Dr. C., he’s making fun of me.”

“Son, I don’t think so.  I know that his first name is Clark and his last name is Lewis.  I knew his middle initial was B., but I didn’t know what the B. stood for.”

Benji commented, “Uncle Clark and Burnsey look as if they could be a father and his son.  Let’s go swimming and we’ll take care of the introductions as we swim.”

There was no argument and all the young guys were in the water.  I looked at the other adults, “We’d better get with it, or we’ll be attacked by some wet boys.”

I watched to see what kind of swimmer Burnsey was and saw that he was a match for Benji, so that was good.

Cole and I went to where Clark and Larry were talking to Austin and Derek, I stood next to Clark, “The fact that you and Burnsey have the same middle name, and the same last name has to be more than coincidence.  What’s the significance of Burnside?”

“Doug, I’ve been thinking about that.  My Dad’s middle name is Burnside, as well.  If Burnsey, as you call him, is the Second then that means his father’s middle name is Burnside.  I intend to ask my Dad about this when I get home tonight or tomorrow.  It’s sort of freaky.”

I looked at Derek and Austin, “How are things going with the Smith boys?”

Derek answered, “Doug, we haven’t had to tell them to do anything.  Jack came to talk to us this morning and the boys are afraid that they won’t be able to live with us.  They’re afraid that someone will try to take them away.”

Our conversation was interrupted by Benji, “Dads, we should be heading back.  The sun is starting to go down and the little guys are getting tired.”

When we were riding back to Summerhill, Greg pulled a harmonica out of his pocket and started to play.  The young guys were really getting into him playing.  They started to sing the songs that they recognized.  Cole leaned over to me; Greg is very good with that thing.  I know, I tried to play one when I was younger.”

When everyone was getting ready to leave, I asked Jordon, “Gofer boy, do you play an instrument, as well?”

Jordon grinned, “Let’s put it like this, I mess around with the fiddle and I can play the banjo.”

I shook my head approvingly, “We’ll have to discuss this in detail, later.”

When Cole and I were lying in bed, in just our briefs, there was a knock on the door.  I called out, “Come in.”

Benji, Rocky and Burnsey came in.  Benji started, “Dads, the guys have some questions.”

I sat up, “What are those questions?”

Rocky started, “I’m going to be staying here, aren’t I.”

“Rocky, Grandma Bertie has given me the power of attorney to act in your behalf.  We won’t try to adopt you until such time you and she decide that’s what should happen.”

Burnsey looked a little apprehensive, “Sirs, would you have a problem if I stayed with you as long as I can.  I don’t want to go back to Atlanta.”

Cole sat up, “Burnsey, you’ll need to discuss that with your Dad.  We can’t make it happen.  If he were to say it was okay, we would have no problems with it.”

Benji hugged both Cole and me, “Thanks for listening, Dads.”

After the three boys had departed, Cole hugged me, “What kind of mess have we gotten ourselves into now?”

I pushed him down on the bed, “I don’t know, but you need to pay.  It’s all your fault.”

“Punish me, Daddy.”

To be continued...

Editor's Notes: Bre'r Rabbit, eat your heart out. Don't throw me into that Briar patch. 

I have the feeling that Burnsey is going to be coming to live at Summerhill.

I can hardly wait for the next chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 07/09/10