Tip & Ty
by: E Walk

(Copyright 2007 by the Author)
 

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

 

Chapter 14

Well Why Didn’t You Say So?

Tip reporting.

Mark pulled into the school loading zone at 3:07.  Bobby, Becky and Billy climbed into the van and Bobby made sure that Billy was buckled in.

When they got back to the condo, Mark had the children sit at the table after they used the bathroom facilities and washed their hands.  He gave each of them a sliced apple with caramel sauce.

Mark had fixed lasagna for dinner, with a tossed salad while Barbie was taking a nap.  He had no idea what to expect when the older three children got home.  Bobby and Becky had spelling homework to do.  He had them working at the table.  At four o’clock, he took the children to the nearby park where they could play with their friends.

Mark was watching the children when three mothers came and started to talk to him.  One of the woman asked, “Why are you watching the children so closely?”

Mark took a deep breath, “Ma’am, if it is any of your business, I am being paid to take care of four of the children who are playing here.”

They were interrupted by Billy, “Nano, Bobby needs your help.  He is bleeding.”

Mark sprinted to Bobby.  He pulled a Kleenex and a tube of antiseptic cream out of his pocket, cleaned Bobby’s cut and applied a band aid to the cut.  Bobby jumped up and started to play soccer again.  Mark walked over to the bystanders.

One of the ladies asked, “Why did that young boy call you Nano?”

Mark laughed, “The children decided I couldn’t be a Nanny because I wasn’t a woman and didn’t look mean.  They decided I should be a Nano.  By the way, my name is Mark.  Perhaps, I will see you around sometime.”

Mark put his little finger and his pointer finger in his mouth and did a shrill whistle.  All of the children turned and looked at him and he held up his hand and his four young charges gathered around him.  “We need to go so we can finish dinner for your Daddy and Uncle Tip.”

Mark turned to the ladies, “Perhaps we can visit more another day.”

When they walked into the house, the phone was blinking.  Bobby dialed up the message on the machine and put it on the speaker.  “Nano, this is Ty.  I’ll be home at five o’clock.  We need to run an errand.  Have the children ready.  Tip won’t be home until about six, so we can’t eat until after that.”

Mark sent the children to the bathroom and put the oven on timed bake.  The children had reassembled when Ty came in and announced, “Let's roll, Nano.  We have an appointment in twenty minutes.  I’ll drive the van.”

Mark made sure that everyone was strapped in and they departed for wherever.

Ty pulled into a Toyota dealership.  Mark helped everyone out.  Mark held Billy’s and Barbie’s hand while the older two children walked with their father.  They were met by a salesperson.  Ty announced, “We have an appointment with Mr. Landover”.

The salesperson punched a button and Mr. Landover appeared, “Good to see you Ty.  Let me show you around to see if there is anything you might like.  We just received a new shipment today and I haven’t had an opportunity to look at all of the new arrivals.”

The seven of us walked through the showroom and Becky stopped, “Daddy, I like that car over there.”

Bobby shook his head, “I will probably be driving the car when I get to be sixteen, and I don’t want to be riding around in a flashy red car.”

Bobby was leading the way and was opening the doors to the vehicles as they looked at the car’s interiors.  They came to a car and Bobby stopped, “Hey everyone, look at this car.  It is tan with a pinkish caste.  It looks really comfortable.  Mr. Landover, are these leather seats?”

Mr. Landover went to check the car, “Young man, you certainly have a discerning eye.  This is the top of the line when it comes to a Toyota Avalon and it is fully equipped.  Mr. Jefferson, would you like to take it for a spin?”

Bobby answered, “Thank you sir, we would like that very much.”

Ty shook his head, “Bobby, I think Mr. Landover was speaking to me.  Larry, yes I guess we would like to take it for a short test run.”

Mark laughed, “Mr. J., I’ll stay here with Barbie.  Why don’t the rest of you check it out?”

Mr. Landover drove the car out pf the showroom and went to the passenger side.  Ty made sure the three children were buckled in while Barbie and Mark went to the enclosed children’s room to wait.

Ty drove the car for approximately twenty minutes and when they wound up back at the dealership, he looked at Mr. Landover, “Okay Larry, I’ll be paying cash for the vehicle.  What’s the best deal you can get me and I don’t want to spend any time haggling?”

Larry went to talk to the sales manager.  The two of them returned and the sales manager spoke, “Mr. Jefferson, we can let you have the car for $30,500.00 since you will be paying cash.  If you would consider doing some advertising spots for us, we would lower it another $1000.00.”

Ty shook his head, “Sir, I am opening a law office and I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

The sales manager nodded his head in agreement.  “Mr. Jefferson, the offer is on the table and I understand.  This car is equipped with all of the latest features.”

Ty looked at the two, “If you can service the car, I will pick it up about five tomorrow night.  In the meantime, I’ll write you a check for $1,000.00 and will have the rest for you when I pick the car up.”

The gentlemen shook hands and Ty had Mark drive back to the condo.

I had gotten home before the others and had checked the oven.  The lasagna seemed be cooking just fine.  I was sitting in the living room with the paper when the children came bounding in.

Bobby plopped down beside me, “Uncle Tip, you should see the car that Daddy is going to buy.  It is so cool.  It’s loaded and has leather seats.  You and he are probably going to be sleeping in it because the seats are so comfortable.”

Ty put a hand over Booby’s mouth, “Okay Mister Motor Mouth, perhaps you children should go help Mark make sure that dinner is ready while I speak with Uncle Tip.” 

The children departed and went to bug Mark, but Mark was ready.  He put them all to work.

Hey, it’s me Mark.

It’s only dinnertime.  I didn’t realize that being a Nano could be this exhausting.  I don’t think Nanos usually go car shopping.

Dinner was ready, so I sent Billy to get his Daddy and Uncle Tip.  When everyone was seated, I asked, “Do you say a blessing before you eat?”

Bobby answered, “Everyone please join hands.” The children said the typical God is Great blessing which they had memorized.  I thought to myself, we need to change that.  The prayer means nothing to anyone!

After the blessing, I put a small bowl of soup in front of everyone with a couple saltines.  Billy looked at me, “Is this all we get to eat?”

I shook my head no, “Nope, that’s just to make you hungry for the rest of the meal.”

When everyone finished their soup, Doctor W. helped me clear the table.

I had Doctor Washington take the tossed salad and bread to the table while I sliced the lasagna.  Mr. J. was making sure that the children had salad and bread.  When I put the lasagna on the table, I served the children age appropriate sizes of the casserole.  I let Doctor W. and Mr. J help themselves before I got my serving.

The children were telling their Dad and Uncle about their day as they ate.

When everyone finished eating, I stood and said, “If you ate, you can bring your own dishes to the kitchen.  Mr. Bobby Lee, would you make sure the table looks like it was never used?”

Bobby stood and saluted, “Aye, Aye Captain.”

I almost dropped what I was carrying.  I did not expect a response like that.

We were just about the finished with the clean up detail when Mr. Jefferson came into the kitchen, “Okay, my children, we need to get you ready for bed.  Uncle Tip needs to talk to Nano.”

The first thing I thought was, ‘I’m in trouble already.’  I searched my mind trying to think of what I had done wrong.

I went into the living room and Doctor W. smiled, “Mark, let’s go into the dining room.  I’ll get us each a pad so we can make some notes.  Ty will be joining us shortly.  What time is Zack planning to call?”

I guess my mouth dropped open and Doctor Washington started to laugh, “Mark, just relax, I know Zack well enough to know that when he finds someone he really likes, he becomes very possessive.  That is one of his most endearing qualities because he has never trusted very many people.  I hate to say this, but you have him – hook, line and sinker.”

Mr. J. entered the room, “Mark, the children insist that you have to tuck them in.”

I went upstairs and stopped in the girls’ room first.  I kissed them both on the forehead.  Barbie put her arms around my neck and hugged and whispered, “I love you, Nano.”

That shook me some, but I replied, “I love you ladies too, like you were my sisters.”

Becky sat up, “So does that mean you will always be bossing us around like Bobby does?”

I shook my head no, “Nope. I am going to act like a friend.”

I departed for the boys’ room.  I hugged them both and went to turn out the light. I heard a quiet voice, “Nano Mark, would you please hold me like you did this morning?”

That rattled my mind.  Bobby was asking me to hold him.  I went and sat down on his bed held him as tight as I could.  We were soon joined by Billy who said, “I want to be hugged too.”

I pulled both of the guys into my arms and just held them.  Finally, Billy asked, “Nano Mark, would you kiss me goodnight and tuck me into bed?”

I picked Billy up and carried him to his bed and kissed him on his cheek.  He wasn’t satisfied.  He pulled my face to his and kissed me on the lips.

I started toward the door and Bobby was propped on his arms, “Okay Nano, where is my kiss?”

I figured it was best not to waste anymore time since it was getting late, so I just kissed Bobby on the lips and left the room.  I stood against the wall in the hallway wondering what was happening.

I decided that I had better rejoin Doctor W. and Mr. J.  Before I even had a chance to sit down, Doctor W. started, “The first thing is that we want is for you to call us Ty and Tip when there is no one around.  That means that is what we want you to call us in front of the children and Zack.  You can be the judge of what to call us when other people are around.  If you keep calling us Doctor W. and Mr. J., we are going to be so old that we will need canes to get around.”

Mr. J took over, “Item number two -- We are going to establish a household fund so you have plenty of money for food and the children’s expenses.  I’ll take you to the bank to establish this fund tomorrow, after we get the children to school.  We will get you a debit card so you can access the account easily for unexpected expenses.”

Doctor W. was taking notes.  He looked up, “Item, three – Mark, I have been paying a cleaning company to come and clean the condo two times each week.  I have been paying them $100.00 a week.  If you are interested, I would rather pay you than them.  I’m sure that you would do a better job than they do.  We’ll give you some time to think about this.”

“Doctor Washington, that’s a no brainer.  I’d be happy to do the cleaning as long as everyone takes care of their personal things.  You wouldn’t even need to pay me.  That would give me something to do while Barbie is resting each day.  I can use it as a tool to teach the children how to be responsible for their own things, as well as you two gentlemen I might add.”

Mr. Jefferson took over, “Mark, we would like you and Zack to take care of the children while Tip and I take a trip to Denver this weekend.  Perhaps you could spend the following weekend in Lawrence with Zack.”

I couldn’t help myself.  I started to laugh, “Tip and Ty, why didn’t you just say, ‘Mark, Tip and I want to get to know each other better and we might like to do things that the children shouldn’t see or hear.’ I’d be glad to take care of the children.  I’m sure that Zack will have no problem with it either.”

The phone interrupted any further conversation.  I looked at my watch, “That’s Zack.  He said he would call at nine o’clock.”

I went into the kitchen and answered, “This is the Washington residence.  This is Mark speaking.”

“What do you mean Washington residence?  What about me, Uncle Ty and his children?  Are we nobodies?” Zack was laughing.

I thought for a second, “Watch it mister, you just indicated that I didn’t exist.  So tell me about your day.”

Zack didn’t waste any time, “Well, it certainly wasn’t nearly as exciting as Saturday and Sunday.  It was a rather routine day in the life of any college student.  What about you?”

I started to laugh, “I guess it was a routine day in the life of a Nano.  I went to school with the children and was designated as the primary person to be called in case of a problem.  Barbie and I spent big bucks buying food.  This afternoon, I was accused of being a pervert.  Your Uncle Ty took us to buy a brand new luxury Avalon.  I have just been made a janitor and found out that you and I were going to be babysitting all weekend while your Dad and Uncle go to Denver to make you a new brother.  Other than that it was a normal uneventful day.”

“Oh, by the way, I’ll be spending next weekend in Lawrence with you.  Your Dad says he doesn’t want the children to see you crying when Little Markie has his way with you.”

Zack was chuckling, “Me and my friend will be contemplating a way to get even.  I need to sign off; I have an early class in the morning.  Sweet dreams my prince.”

“You too, Mr. J.”  I smiled as I hung up.

I returned to the dining room where Doctor Washington and Mr. Jefferson were waiting.  Doctor W. spoke for the two of them, “Mark, if you feel like we are asking you to do too much, please let us know.  You may need to kick us in the butt sometimes.  We certainly don’t expect you to do everything by yourself.  I’m afraid that we might be taking advantage of you.”

I looked at them, “Tip and Ty, I’ll let you know when and if I am on overload.  I will guarantee you that the children will be my first priority.  If something doesn’t get done because of them, so be it.  Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go take a shower and take care of personal needs.”

This is Tip.

Ty looked at me, “We sure were very fortunate when Mark showed up at the door last Friday.  I can see why Zack is enamored by him.  I can hardly wait to meet this Beau person that he and Zack talked about.  I’ll make the flight reservations for the trip to Denver in the morning.  Come on let’s go to bed and see what kind of mischief we can get into.”

To be continued... 
 

Feedback always welcome:     

Editor's Notes:

Mischief indeed, I see that all the children have already bonded nicely with their Nano, and he has bonded with them as well. Mark and Zack are getting closer all the time. All in all, I would have to say that this story is quite nicely living up to the standards set by Uncle Ed in his other stories.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 10/19/07