What Do I Do Now, Mom?
by: E Walk
(© 2009-2011 by the Author)
 

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

Chapter 48 

The Accident

We went out on the porch to see if we could see what was happening.  The sirens sounded as if they were in the driveway Bobby said, “It must have been a bad accident.”

Wally asked, “Why are the sirens still going, if it was an accident?”

The conversation was interrupted by a loud kaboom.  The loud sound was followed by a cloud of smoke floating into the air.  The five youngest boys started to run toward the smoke.  I called out, “Guys, get back here, now.  There must have been an accident and the police do not need you to be in the way.  Randy, why don’t you and Tim go see what’s happening and see if there is anything that we can do to help.  The rest of us will stay out of the way.”

There were some very unhappy boys, but I really didn’t care.  They didn’t need to see an accident and be in the way.  We were watching the smoke which seemed to be subsiding when Tim came running toward the house, “Mr. Snowden, your presence is needed at the scene of the accident.  Your wife has been seriously injured.  Give me your car keys and I’ll get someone to bring your car to the hospital for you.”

Rob handed his keys to Tim and they took off running.  We could hear the sound of an ambulance siren approaching.  We stood and listened until the ambulance was headed toward the Belleview Medical Center.  Tim came and got Witt and they headed to the hospital so they could take Rob Snowden’s car to him.”

Dr. Lake departed shortly after the two guys left for the hospital, “I’ll be bringing my class back, tomorrow, about two o’clock.  They won’t need to be fed tomorrow, but I suggest you have lots of food on hand on Saturday.  I’ll see what I can do about finding someone to side the house for free advertising.  I’m really excited about what’s happening.  What better way for the students to find out if their ideas will work?”

After Dr. Lake had departed, Mrs. Chamberlain took Sarah and Jake aside.  They had a long conversation, but I had no idea what it was about.  I figured that if it concerned me she would have included me.

Randy and I were sitting in the living room when my parents arrived.  I looked at them, “Isn’t it a little late for a social call?”

Mom frowned, “Henry, what’s going on?  We saw Tim and Witt at the hospital, and all they said was that there was an accident at your place.  Who was hurt?”

“Mother dearest, none of us were hurt.  Mrs. Snowden was injured and that’s all that I know.  She and I had a run in, today, and Mrs. Chamberlain took the Latham girls away from the Snowdens.  Sarah and Jake are going to be the new foster parents.”

Dad asked, “How did the meeting go at the base?”

“It went much smoother than I expected.  The children will be receiving funds from the government until they reach the age of twenty one.  The children have privileges to use the base facilities, including the medical facilities.”

Mother asked, “Henry, are you sure that you can handle all of these people living here with you, after living alone for almost two years?”

“Mother, let’s put it like this; I’m certainly never going to get bored.  Dr. Lake from the University is going to be bringing his class out here, on Saturday, to start working on remodeling Witt’s house.  The kids are planning to have an open house when the house is done, so people can see the handiwork that has been done.  The boys decided that we would roast another pig and provide eats for the people who attend.”

Mother frowned, “Henry, don’t forget that you are going to be going back to school, shortly.  You need to start thinking about school instead of feeding everyone in the world.”

Witt and Tim arrived with the details of the accident.  It seems that Mrs. Snowden was traveling about 80 miles per hour when she hit the stone entry to the farm.  She was thrown from the car before it exploded.  She was so drunk that they haven’t been able to determine the extent of her injuries.  The full extent of the injuries probably wouldn’t be known until the morning.

Dr. Lake and his people arrived just after lunch on Tuesday.  I stayed out of their way and let Witt work with them since it was his house.  Randy told me later that it was an eye-opening experience.  Most of the class had no idea how older houses were built.  Dr. Lake had asked one of his retired friends who knew the construction business to come and provide technical advice.

Sarah decided that the four girls were going to fix the dinner for everyone and had banned all members of the male sex from the kitchen.  At dinner that night, Sarah had some suggestions for Witt’s house, especially in the kitchen.  She really appreciated that we had put in double ovens plus a microwave when we remodeled the kitchen.

After dinner, there was no fuss as the children had no problem with helping with the cleanup.  Wade decided that since there were twelve young people, they should divide into four teams to do the dishes since everyone trying to work at the same time wasn’t working because everyone was getting in everyone else’s way.”

After the dishes were done, Witt came to me, “Dad, could you trim my hair?  I’m beginning to look a little shaggy.  I think you should show Miss Sarah how to trim the girls' hair as well.”

“Go get the barber shop fixed up, and we’ll see who wants a cut or a trim.” 

When Tim saw what was happening, he lined up so he would be after Witt.  Sarah used the utensils to stylize the girls' hair so they didn’t look like they were home cut.  When Sarah finished with Wanda, she actually looked like a teenager.

Wylie, Willy, Wally, Bobby and Billy decided that they wanted buzz cuts especially if they were going to working with the barn and painting it.  Witt had told the boys that they were going to fix up the barn and the out buildings.

On Wednesday, Witt came to me, “Dad, I would like to go talk to the county agent, or someone who knows what kind of beef cattle would thrive best on the farm.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me.  How many head of cattle are you planning to start with?”

“I only want to start with the money I received for the milk cattle, that limits me, because the milk cows didn’t sell for that much.  Wylie will probably be grown before we have enough cattle to make a sizeable herd; of course, it will depend on how many cattle the land can support.”

I started to laugh, “Witt, when I was your age, I was trying to figure out which college I wanted to go to.  I wasn’t worried about beef cattle.”

Witt grinned, “I never thought I would have an option other than going to the Metro Community College.  When school starts, I’ll need to talk to the guidance counselors about some other options.”

I put my arm around Witt, “Son, we can start writing to colleges that you might be interested in attending.  I don’t think that you want to be a farmer all your life, but do you know what you would like to do as your primary occupation?”

“Why can’t I do like you’re doing, do a job full time, and work the farm as a sideline?”

“Witt, I would never have been in this position, if my former partner and I hadn’t been together.  Teaching is a full time job, regardless of what people say, especially when school is in session.  In my situation, I never figured I’d have any children, and now look at me.  There is no way I could make a go of it if you boys didn’t step in and help.  Witt, I have to ask you, do you really think you’re gay?”

“Mr. Adler, I honestly don’t know, anymore.  I think that I was confused because our family was so large and it seemed as if we were always struggling to find enough to eat.  I was bound and determined to never allow myself to be in a situation where I couldn’t feed and dress my family as average Americans.  I understand now that my father was mentally ill and couldn’t cope with society as it was.  I also know that Ritchie Brown and I could never be a couple, because our interests are too different.  In answer to your question, I don’t know if I’m gay, I don’t honestly know.”

“If there was one person I might learn to love, it would be Tim Wallace and he’s so straight that he can hardly bend over in the morning to get his shoes and socks on.  The man is built like a brick shit house and his parents were good to him in the physical endowment department.”

I was grinning, “Mr. Adler, are you making fun of me?”

“Witt, I never thought that Ron was gay, either, and I wanted to get in his pants.   It turns out he was gayer than the Joker.”

“But what about Mr. Taylor?  Did you fall in love with him, instantly?”

“Witt, to be honest with you, I fell in love with Billy and Bobby and Randy came along as added baggage.  There is a long story behind our meeting that you don’t even know.”

Witt frowned, “Dad, I know that something bad happened to Dad Randy before you took him in.  When we were still in the trailer, he talked and walked in his sleep and I get the feeling that he was hurt badly by someone.”

I was surprised by Wilt’s comment, “Yes, he was drugged and violated.  When I brought him home, he wound up in the hospital and it was during the time when I was taking care of him that something happened, and he changed from a straight boy into a gay one.  Seriously, I had been coping with being by myself for so long that it took no time at all for me to fall in love with Randy.”

Witt put up his hands, “Does that mean you jumped into bed with him as soon as you could?”

“Witt, I waited for Randy to make the first move, since he had been violated.  There was no way I could tell how he would respond to me given what happened to him.  I was saved by the fact that I desperately needed a plumber.  We fit together, and it didn’t hurt that Billy and Bobby were able to accept me as a second Dad.”

That night, in bed, I asked Randy, “Randy, do you regret that you decided to stay with me?”

“Henry, you should know better than that.  If I didn’t want to live with you as we do, my shoes are made for waking.  Of course, if I walked, my two sons would hunt me down and bring me back.  For the first time since my wife’s death, things are looking up.  The boys and I have only you to thank.  How could I not love you?  But could you please stop collecting children, because I can’t remember too many more names.  It’s a good thing the six Latham boys are all completely different or I’d be in trouble.  I still haven’t mastered the names of the Latham girls.”

Randy had said the right words and I injected him with a dosage of Adler elixir.

We were awakened by a knock on the door.  I propped myself up on my elbows, “Who’s that?  We don’t usually have visitors in the morning.  It must be important.”

I wrapped myself in a towel and went to answer the door figuring it wouldn’t be a female starring me in the face.  When I opened the door, Tim was standing there.  I looked at him. “You were the last person I was expecting to see.  What can we do for you?”

Tim came in and I shut the door.  Randy remarked, “Tim, you seem agitated.”

Tim shook his head, no, “Not agitated, but frustrated.  Witt is playing hell with my emotions.  I want to take and hold him and make everything okay for him.  He seems so self assured, but I get the feeling that he’s overwhelmed by what’s happening.  To tell you the truth, I want to take him and hug and kiss him and help him.  If I tried to do anything out of the ordinary, he would probably wound me so I wouldn’t enjoy sex for the rest of my life.  What’s it like to love another man.  I can’t imagine two men loving each other, and yet, in your case, it seems so right.”

I took a deep breath, “Tim, I’m not sure what you’re searching for.  If you’re saying you’re attracted to Witt, tell him so.  There is an obstacle in your way right off the bat.  You’re twenty-one and Witt is sixteen.  You’re about to finish college, and he still has two years of high school to go.  Witt is very popular and capable.  I’m not sure that he even knows what he actually feels about a lot of things.”

Randy surprised me, “Tim, you need to remember that your and Witt’s roles are reversed.  Jake and Sarah have been taking care of you.  On the other hand, Witt had been trying to provide for his brothers and sisters since his mother died.  The only way to find out what Witt thinks about sex is to talk to him.  When I first met him, I thought he and Ritchie Brown might have had something going, but I think they’re just good friends.”

I looked at Tim very seriously, “Tim, don’t try to force yourself on Witt or he’ll turn you off faster than you can shake a dust cloth.  I had a discussion with him recently and he’s not sure if he’s gay or not.  He’s had a lot on his plate, since his father died, and even before that.”

Tim turned to leave, “Thanks for talking to me, but I don’t know much more than I did before.”

Randy spoke up, “Tim, if you have feelings for Witt, let him know that you do.  Otherwise you are stewing over what to do.  If he might have feelings for you, he may be reluctant to say anything because of your age.  I can’t imagine Witt being aggressive in a situation such as this, because of the difference in his age.  If he’s not interested, you will have lost nothing, except to have your ego hurt.”

The conversation was interrupted by Billy, Bobby, Wade and Walt coming out of their rooms to go do the morning chores.  Bobby asked, “Tim, you don't usually get up this early.  Do you have an early football practice?”

“Nope, I just woke up early and thought I’d bother your Dads.  The coach is a masochist and holds practice from one until four when it is so hot that the shoelaces even melt on our sports shoes.”            

To be continued...                

Editor's Notes:  It is so strange to notice how people are afraid to let other people know how they feel.  It is true with both heterosexual and homosexual people.  It seems that most people are afraid of being rejected.  Over the years, I have had many friends come to me asking advice as to how to let someone know that they were interested in them.  My advice is almost always the same.  TELL THEM how you feel.   If they are not interested in you, the same way that you are to them, they will let you know, and you will be no worse off. If, on the other hand, they are feeling the same way  about you, and are afraid to tell you how they feel, then your telling them how you feel might give them the confidence to let you know their feelings.

Remember that for a lot of people, subtle just doesn't work.  You can give all the hints in the world, but some of us really need to be told things in plain English.  Just be honest. 

I wonder how badly Mrs. Snowden was hurt.  I am glad that there was no one in the car with her, at the time.

Since Witt is sixteen, and is taking the responsibilities of an adult, perhaps he can become emancipated and be treated as an adult, and that could facilitate a relationship with Tim.  We will just have to wait and see what will happen.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 01/21/11