The Private Journals of Isaiah Watts
Volume II

By: Nicholas Hall
(© 2021-2022 by the author)

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

nhall@tickiestories.us

Chapter 7
The War Years

“Conley says its gonna happen sooner or later, so maybe if I go, you won’t have to. I’d worry myself sick if you did!” 

(The Private Journals of Isaiah Watts) 

It didn’t take long for the boys to settle into the rural life on the farm. Isaiah was pleased at how well they adapted and became comfortable on the farm as he watched Cordell and Eddie finish milking the two cows. Between the two of them, working as a team, their chores seemed to be really no chore but something they enjoyed, being around the animals and doing things together and accomplishing something. They’d learned well how to care for the hogs and steers and the cautions needed to be taken while working around them.

Carlito and Andres still had no desire to work with the larger animals on a regular basis, although they’d help if needed. Instead, they seemed more comfortable in caring for the chickens and the half-dozen ducks Isaiah located and brought home. The large, white ducks, five hens and one drake, were at home on the farm and the five hens already were setting eggs. The three geese and one gander Zoe Lovell discovered for sale also found a home at Ravenwood. She was extremely pleased Carlito and Andres were overjoyed to get them.

“I just thought they might like them so I just couldn’t turn down the offer of them,” she commented watching the boys care for their flocks.

Gio’s response concerning the ducks, geese, and chickens was quite different but not really critical of their presence and the boy’s tending them.

“Those damned critters come running whenever they hear the boys calling them to feed,” Gio mused. “The chickens do too.”

Gardening to Carlito, Andres, and Tommy seemed to come naturally as well. The large garden at Ravenwood benefited from their attention. It was relatively weed free and the produce from it was of excellent quality and abundant. When Isaiah commented on how good their skills were and how appreciative everyone was, Carlito responded solemnly,

“Gardens are important where we come from since for some of our people, it’s the only place they can get some food.”

Tommy was absolutely in his glory since Ramos now had more time, since he didn’t have to work outside the home, to teach him the skills and techniques of fine culinary arts. Tommy loved it! He fussed over everyone, was particular how the house looked, and helped the laundry lady and the housekeeper as well. He was truly proud of where he lived and evidenced it in most things he did. Yet, he was still a teen-age boy trying to adapt to a new country and a new life.

Gio and Isaiah tried to make certain all five of them had the opportunity to be with the other Watt’s boys, either in play or swimming or for a meal. It was important they associate them with family as well. It was really important for Cordell and Eddie since they had no one at all now!

Isaiah was concerned the way Cordell and Eddie’s attention would focus on strange cars slowing on the county road or one driving into the yard. They tended to make themselves scarce so they wouldn’t be noticed, or at least that’s what Isaiah thought. He relied on his own experience with “gaje” as his point of reference. In the back of his head, he became convinced they were afraid of something. Perhaps they knew something or saw something which might keep them in danger. He mentioned his concerns to Conley and asked him if he couldn’t contact someone in San Francisco who might snoop around and find out what might be going on, especially with “Mad Dog” still on the loose.

He decided all of the boys needed to have some means of defending themselves should the need arise. Hence, he purchased nice, fine steel knives for the boys. Not the folding pocket-knife type, but the thin stiletto throwing type knife and began instructing the boys on the use of such a weapon, urging them to practice tossing and throwing at a bale of hay inside the barn. They seemed to enjoy it and had at it enthusiastically.

******* 

It was a bright, sunny mid-June morning, after breakfast, when Conley asked Isaiah to meet with him in his office. Isaiah had nothing pressing since his intentions were to do some bookkeeping concerning Ravenwood’s accounts and Gio and his own livestock production project.

Gio, Cordell, and Eddie were going to Decker’s Corner to pick up items needed for the kitchen, some barbwire they’d ordered to repair some fencing, and drop off eggs and butter at Gio’s grandparents and to Isaiah’s Uncle Joseph and his young family and to Isaiah’s Uncle Zach. Gio also had a container of cream and one of milk for Joseph.

Tommy was busy with Ramos preparing some pies and other things for lunch. Evidently there were a couple of new things Tommy wanted to learn and Ramos was going to be busy teaching him. Tommy was lucky to have such a good chef as his mentor and keeper, especially since Ramos didn’t care if Tommy wiggled his ass at Isaiah or Gio and got serviced by them.

The housekeeper and the laundry lady were coming this day as well and, if Tommy finished in the kitchen, he’d help them. Tommy felt it was his place to make certain the boys and Isaiah and Gio’s clothing were in the laundry and put away properly when dry.

Carlito and Andres announced they were going to weed the sweet corn and the melon patch.

“The weeds are taking the place over,” Carlito added in disgust. Isaiah figured he’d heard that from his mother or Grandmother Dorothea. If they did all they said they were going to do, Isaiah figured they’d be plumb tuckered out by supper time.

Isaiah hoped Conley would have some word regarding his inquiry into what might be causing Eddie and Cordell such anxiety it was evident, to him at least.

In Conley’s office, Conley outlined why he summoned Isaiah.

“I know you’d be in here sometime today to do our bookkeeping, but I’d like to show you how I keep my other accounts, those not ordinarily available to others, especially outsiders and those who might not see what I do as strictly legal! Those are the accounts I don’t send to my regular accountant. You already do my bookkeeping for my legit investments and the farm revenues, plus any rents or other income. Now, you need to see how the real money is made and concealed!”

Conley had known Isaiah and Gio long enough to really trust them, but Isaiah was a natural with finances and kept his mouth shut! Nothing, Conley felt, could cause him to reveal what he had no desire to reveal. He could say the same for Gio. Both had experience on the other side of the law and delt with death before.

“In a short while, Isaiah, my contact, my man of business I prefer to say, will be here with a package and leave with some instructions on things I need done. I’d like you to sit in on the meeting.”

“I need supplies for the addition and enlarging of the kitchen area to accommodate the larger kitchen range, the freezer, and big refrigerator. All of these supplies are difficult to obtain and, with the war, scarce for the ordinary person. I intend to bypass those regulations and do it in such a manner it all appears legit. That’s what my man of business will do for me. I provide the money, he procures what we need, and makes certain the paperwork is appropriate. As an example, the invoice may show one hundred feet of copper electrical wire and show the actual cost, but we will actually receive what we need, say two hundred feet. The extra will be paid for in cash, plus a little incentive for everyone to profit by and nobody knows the wiser. Except us. An audit of our records will show we only received the one hundred feet of wire and paid for it.”

Isaiah knew what the black market was and suspected for some time Conley used it and was involved in it in some profitable way. It’d work for him because he wasn’t above complete and total blackmail, knowing what sexual preferences a certain person might like or have indulged in, plus unknown, to authorities, criminal activity.

Their conversation was interrupted by the soft murmuring and chuckling of geese and ducks outside the window. Conley stood, looked out the window and with a laugh, snorted,

“By god, I’ve not seen this since I left the Philippines years ago!”

Isaiah stepped to the window and peered out to see what captured Conley’s attention.

The large white ducks, ducklings scampering behind each one, and the large geese with their larger goslings all waddling behind the ducks, were being carefully herded toward the sweet corn patch and the melon patch, by Carlito and Andres. Each boy carried a long, thin, perhaps six to seven feet in length, willow shaft, using it to gently tap or touch a critter to force it in the direction he wanted it to go. The ducks and geese didn’t seem to object and were obedient to the commands. The birds responded well to the soft words spoken by Carlito and Andres as they herded them into the sweet corn patch.

“What’re they doing?” Isaiah asked, perplexed by what he saw happening.

“Going to weed the gardens,” Conley responded in a matter-of-fact manner. “Using ducks and geese to eat the weeds, especially the young, tender new growth, is not unusual in Asian environs. The birds clean up the sprouts and seeds, but leave the bigger veggies alone”

“How the hell do they tell the difference?”

“Well, nature will guide them mostly and what they don’t understand, the boys will tap them with the stick to keep them away from plants they shouldn’t be messing with. Doesn’t take the birds long to learn. One of the reasons the boys spend so much time with the birds is to make the older ones learn to trust and the younger ones to sort of imprint on them. It works great and saves the boys a lot of work.”

“Amazing!”

Their discussion was interrupted by Conley’s man of business, determined by Isaiah to either be a lawyer or an accountant with a law background, and another man, a bodyguard, was shown into the office by Tommy. For gratitude, the “man of business” called John, gave Tommy’s crotch a gentle squeeze and cupping, pleasing Tommy to no end!

The only introduction made was Conley referencing John by his name, but not mentioning Isaiah’s name, only stating, “he’s with me,” pointing at Isaiah, “and can be trusted completely!”

John looked at Isaiah quizzically, frowned, and commented, “Is he the head basher and throat-slitter?”

Conley nodded and John sat down in the chair in front of the desk. Settled, he opened his leather briefcase and extracted two brown folders, one thicker than the other, and lay them on the desk. He then pulled a really thick brown paper envelope from and inside the briefcase and slid it across to Conley, stating simply,

“Here’s this month. A little more than last. But the tally sheet is inside.”

Conley handed the envelope to Isaiah with instructions to put it in the safe later and turned his attention to the two folders.

“In the slimmer one,” John advised, “there’s a listing of several items I’d advise you to divest yourself of, quickly! There’s a great deal of heat building up over them and I think you want to really keep your distance.”

Conley quickly perused the information and instructed John to dispose of the noted “items” as soon and as quickly discreetly as possible, taking “a substantial loss if necessary.”

“Let someone else hold the bag on these. Wouldn’t mind, however, if you could recoup my original investment however, as soon as possible, taking “a substantial loss if necessary.”

“The other folder,” John continued after acknowledging Conley’s instructions, “contains your quarterly investment report and balance statement. These will all stand tax and federal law enforcement scrutiny since they are legitimate investments. I’d suggest, if you have cash that needed to be cleaned up, this’d be the time for you to ‘send it to the washing machine’ and put clean clothes on the line, so to speak.”

“Find some property to sell,” Conley instruction, “maybe someplace where it’d be hard to trace and track down, let me know what we need to invest in and I’ll have the cash ready.”

“Should be no problem. The usual way?”

It didn’t take Isaiah any longer than a second to understand Conley was “cooking the books” to make illegal transactions look legal.

Conley nodded, reached into his desk and handed John a business letter envelope.

“Inside is the list of building materials and supplies the contractor says I’ll need to build the addition onto the house for the new kitchen and storage area. There should be sufficient cash enclosed also to expedite and make certain I can have it as soon as possible. The final invoices should reflect the going market rates and any ration tickets or special permits needed. I think you can handle this expeditiously and frugally especially since anything left over will go in your pocket. I’ve included sufficient cash money for materials and supplies and for gifts, if you know what I mean.”

John smiled as he accepted envelope, knowing full well he’d profit from this venture. Conley paid well, but expected quality in return. John had delt with Conley for many years and knew exactly how, what, why, where, and when Conley wanted and expected things. He did wonder, however, if a toss in the sack with the cute Asian boy he’d groped coming in could someday be worked into one of their transactions. Conley was noted, in past years, for sharing “the wealth,” so to speak.

“Anything else?” John asked.

“One more item,” Conley said, sliding an envelope across the desk. “Find out all you can concerning what’s in here. If you do find out something, don’t wait a month to let me know. Call immediately. You’ll note I have concerns for some lives and I won’t take a chance. You’ll notice there’s enough in there to convince people to talk. Money talks, okay?”

John scooped up the envelope, gave a curt nod, stood, picked up his brief case, bid Conley goodbye, and he and his bodyguard left.

Isaiah heard a giggle from Tommy not long after.

“Isaiah,” Conley requested, “please count out the money in that envelope, look over these two folders and put them in the safe. After you’ve thought about them, we’ll talk, okay?”

Isaiah set about doing the farm accounting books before settling in to study the manila folders John left, but included others he found in the large floor safe as well. He’d just finished when he heard Eddie and Cordell bounding down the hall to the office. Almost breathless and excited, both bubbling over to speak first, Eddie squeaked, before Cordell could even open his mouth,

“Uncle Isaiah, guess what?”

Isaiah smiled, comforted with the way Eddie, Cordell, Tommy, Carlito, and Andres addressed Gio and him as “uncle.” According to Ramos, it is a sign of respect and endearment.

“Your dick grew a foot and a half while you were gone and Cordell is upset!”

“No, you silly,” giggled Eddie whose remarks were quickly followed by Cordell interjecting, “I’d still be bigger,” and, with his hands on his hips, wiggled his hips and crotch suggestively.

“Grandpa Watts,” Eddie spouted, referring to Isaiah’s father, “has a small donkey, a burro he called it, and a cart and harness for it and for us if you say it’s okay?”

Carlito and Andres darted into the room with Andres asking, “If what’s okay?”

“A burro and a cart Grandpa Watts has for us,” Cordell announced.

“For real?” responded Carlito, clapping his hands excitedly, causing Andres to squeal his delight.

“It’s a girl burro and her name is Betsy but comes to Betts,” seriously said Cordell now addressing Isaiah. “Grandpa Watts says he’ll have Peanut breed her when she’s in season.”

He rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows, twisting his mouth, adding, “Grandma D,” referring to Isaiah’s grandmother Watts, “was standing here so when she left, he told us it meant when she was ready to be fucked!”

Isaiah pretended to think it over, stroking his chin in contemplation, keeping the four boys in a quiet anticipation, before answering,

“Well, if you boys promise to take good care of her, don’t overwork her, and behave yourselves like you have been, I guess it’d be okay!”

The four erupted in squeals of delight! Eddie and Cordell leaped forward and gave Isaiah big hugs.

“You’re just the bestest,” Cordell sighed leaning against Isaiah, about the time he felt a hand cup his crotch and wiggle around in search of his jeans concealed cock, before fondling it.

“And the biggest,” Eddie sighed, giving another squeeze to the now inflating penis.

******* 

A couple of days later, David, driving his pickup truck, waited at Ravenwood for Gideon and Jared, with Betts hitched to the donkey cart, reined her to a stop in the farmyard at Ravenwood. It was an exciting day for Cordell, Eddie, Carlito, and Andres. Cordell and Eddie let it be known, nicely it should be noted, having Betts was their responsibility but everyone else could share with them.

Isaiah, smiling to his father as they watched the boys interact with each other and the new addition to their livestock, commented, “Cordell and Eddie just set the pecking order, didn’t they?”

David nodded, but acknowledged, “I did make the offer directly to Cordell and Eddie so no wonder they take ownership.”

David and Isaiah, assisted by Jared and Gideon, spent time instructing the boys on how to harness, hitch, and drive the very docile burro, who seemed to love all the attention she was getting. They showed the boys how to feed, water, and groom her, as well as how to tell when she tired and the precautions and preparations they must take to keep her healthy.

“She’s your transportation, your means of hauling, and recreation, so you best take care of her in order to keep her healthy and functioning. It takes some time, but I’m sure you boys will do just fine,” David advised them confidently.

Eddie and Cordell so wanted to do things right, they peppered their Grandpa Watts with questions, being assured their Uncle Isaiah could help them just fine.

It was to be a momentous day in Isaiah’s life as well. It was the day the news reported the Japanese invaded two of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, killing several Americans, and taking numerous military and civilian prisoners. It was depressing and frightening, knowing an enemy struck and invaded the homeland. It was also the day Isaiah had the most frightening, yet sadly understandable news.

Gio visited with his grandparents during the afternoon and upon returning to Ravenwood, was unnaturally quiet. Isaiah guessed something weighed heavily on Gio’s mind, knowing eventually Gio would reveal it to him.

The boys were all in bed, plumb tuckered from a very busy and exciting day. Gio and Isaiah stripped and climbed into their own bed for the night. Instead of a kiss to say goodnight, Gio pulled Isaiah over onto his own naked body, reached down, and began stroking Isaiah to a full erection.

“Isaiah,” Gio pleaded, “please make love to me. I need you; I want you; you are, and always will be, a part of me.”

Their love-making was slow, passionate, and complete in their simultaneous climaxes and expression of the depths of their trust and love for each other. Resting, Isaiah’s head on Gio’s chest, Gio’s arms around him, holding Isaiah close, Gio’s said softly,

“Grandpa Russo received a letter today. A letter written three months ago and smuggled from Italy to England and then to him. I don’t know how it got here, but I do know it affected Grandpa mightily and me deeply. The Nazi’s have torn the country and Grandpa’s family apart and he grieves for their vengeance!”

“The Japanese attacked us again and who knows where or when next. Conley says the Germans are sinking ships off of the coast of New York, Maine, Nova Scotia, and other places. Isaiah, we can’t let those bullies win or the Russo’s, my cousins, go unavenged!”

Isaiah shivered, distressed by the news he just knew Gio was going to deliver, hoping against hope it wouldn’t be as he anticipated! He knew Gio had been talking to Conley after supper, but didn’t know what about.

“I know you will worry but you know I love you beyond all else and I know your love will keep me safe. I need to do what I can to keep you safe. Isaiah, my love, I have to enlist!”

Isaiah’s stomach fell, his breath caught a hitch, but said nothing to discourage Gio. Instead, he turned his head, raised it just a bit and kissed Gio with all of the passion, desire, and commitment he could muster, signaling to Gio he must do what he felt he must do and letting him know he was supported by his love no matter where he was or what he was doing!

The next morning, Gio drove to the Tri-Cities and enlisted. Two weeks later, he was off to someplace in Georgia for basic training or boot-camp.

To be continued...

Posted: 05/13/2022