Shelter Kid
By: Jon Stewart
(© 2021 by the author)

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

jstewart@tickiestories.us

Chapter 24

Wednesday rolled around and Josh was feeling pretty good, as he and Pops were heading over to see Doc Brown. When Doc saw them, he was elated, ten years of anguish against coach Short and Madville had been vanquished. “Who were those investigators you sent over to Madville High School?” Doc asked.

“Oh, that was Mr. Martin and Mr. Acker, I did snow shoveling for them. Mr. Acker is a retired police detective. Mr. Martin held the tape recorder and kept him company.”

“Well, that was outstanding work. Now, let’s see those ribs.”

Josh peeled off his button-down shirt and Doc took off the bandage. “It’s looking a lot better Josh. Yes, a lot better. The black and blue is subsiding. How is the pain, does it still hurt?”

“Not near as much, and after the therapy with Bobby’s dad,  it doesn’t hurt at all for a couple hours.”  

“So, give it, a few more days and keep up with the therapy, but I’ll clear you to go back to school on Monday. No Gym, of course, and no rough stuff or running. I’ll give you a note to give to your teachers so you don’t rush between classes. OK??”

“Great, thanks Doc, Say Doc, do you know who started the speech, speech thing at the rally?”

“Gosh, Josh, everyone was yelling it.”

“But who was the first to yell it?

“Umm well, I wanted to hear you talk about the game, so it might have been me along with John Reiley.”

Josh was smiling now, “That’s what Mr. Reiley told me. Kind of selfish of you, don’t you think Doc? So, Doc, me and some friends want to play monster golf this Saturday. I can go right?”

Doc said “You are a smart one, Josh. I guess I owe you one; so ok. But no swinging hard and don’t be bending down to get the ball out of the cup. One of your friends will have to do that.”

Josh smirked, “Doc, it’s my first boy / girl kind of a thing. I don’t want to look stupid.”

“How many are going?”

“Well, six of us.”

“So, I’m guessing 3 boys and 3 girls.”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, just tell your buddies you have to keep score and while you are doing that, they kind of take turns picking up the golf balls. But I’m sure, they would all help you out, if you said I told you not to be bending over and you’ll not look stupid. You really have to get over that idea. I know you think you need to be invincible but you’re not and you don’t have to be. Go and have a good time and let the guys help you out and don’t worry about every little thing. You don’t have to impress, you just need to be yourself. Most girls will like you better for it. ”

“Ok, thanks doc.”

Josh texted Billy about what doc said. “Sure, you won’t look dumb, if you are keeping score and we collect the balls. Jeeze, Josh let’s just go and have fun. Imagine how dumb you’d look if your hurt yourself and had to leave early.”

“Yeah, you’re right Billy; that would be way worse.”

Pops and Josh picked up Billy on Friday night. Josh said, “Billy, I don’t think I wanna do sexy game stuff tonight.”

“Yeah, I was wondering about that. I guess we might find out if we like girls or boys or both.”

Josh - “Hey, I still love you, buddy, you are my best friend in the world. I just don’t feel right, like I’m cheating on Jenny or something.”

Billy - “ I understand, maybe I’ll feel the same way after I meet Rebecca, in person.”

Saturday saw them take 4 showers during the day and try on 10 shirts with different jeans. Both asked Pops, if they needed to shave. “Well, that peach fuzz under your nose is pretty dense he told each one. You can use my electric razor if you want.” Pops figured it’s dang near impossible for them to cut themselves with the electric razor.

Jesse was going through the same thing over at his house. His mom and dad trying their best not to laugh at his going on.

It was decided that Pops would drive the boys. They were to meet the girls at a Panera Bread place about 2 blocks from monster golf. When they went to get Jesse, Karen had them all get out of the van and took a picture of them together. Tall Jesse with his short, spiked hair and athletic build in the center with his arm around Josh on one side with his page boy blond hair (he had washed it 3 times during the day) and Billy on the other side with his dark curly locks. Pops said a handsomer group of young men, he had never scene. Karen and Jack concurred with much enthusiasm.

Off they went for the short ride to Panera Bread. Jesse asked “Did Pops think it was alright to kiss on the first date?“ 

“Well Jesse, I don’t think there are rules like that anywhere. If the girl is attentive to you, and gets real close or hanging on you, grabbing your arm, it’s a good sign. If she is giggly and laughs at anything you say, that’s another good sign that she likes you. I understand Jenny kissed Josh on kind of a dare. So sometimes you might play kissing games. If you make a putt, you get a kiss. But if you miss, you say I need encouragement for the next hole. Stuff like that.”

“Thanks, Pops” was the response of all three. Billy asked “Any ideas of what we can talk about.”

“Sure, people usually like to talk about themselves or stuff they know. So, ask questions about their family, school, what they do for fun, after school activities, music. If you like the girl, you have to show you are interested in them.“

“Gotcha, Pops.”

The parents had set a time limit of 11:00 to have the kids picked up. Pops reminded the boys again; asked if they were ok for money, and dropped them off. They waited outside in the spring air for the girls, who arrived a couple minutes later.

Josh let out a gasp as Jenny got out of the car. Her pretty blond hair in a pony tail that just begged to be tugged. Her tight-fitting white sweater, highlighted her firm young breasts. Her perky little button nose lit up her face. He thought, she was drop dead beautiful. His arousal was growing in his pants.

Jesse swooned over Valerie. She was just the right height for his 6’2” frame at 5’8”. Her wavy dark hair was at shoulder length and shimmered in the street lights. Her young and sexy teenage body accentuated her long legs which he had the strangest feeling that he needed those long slender legs wrapped around him. Just like Josh, his teenage boy parts were growing with a mind of their own.

Rebecca, for sure, was the prettiest girl of the three. She had wavy dark hair in a pony tail with bangs just about touching her eyes. Her full lips and sparkling brown eyes begged to be kissed. She had a slender figure with perky young breasts. Although, Billy could recognize her beauty he didn’t seem quite as aroused as Josh or Jesse.

After the hello’s and how are ya’s the boys asked whether they wanted something to eat. All three girls said maybe after the golf. So, they walked the couple blocks. Jenny immediately went to hold Josh’s hand. Josh looked at her and smiled and readily held her. Val started a conversation questioning what it was like in the shelter. Josh and Billy exchanged stories and told of the weirdos in the showers. Billy gave a demonstration of the way they practiced running to get help. The girls and Jesse were just about falling down laughing at how he cupped his privates and ran like a penguin. Billy said “Well, let’s see you guys do it. Imagine you are in the shower and a wacko is trying to grab you and you run out into a bunch of people.” They all tried running and covering their privates; they all looked like penguins doing it. By the time they got to monster golf; all six were fast becoming great friends. Josh asked how they wanted to play everyone for themselves or partners or boys against girls. It was decided that it was couples against couples with the winning couple giving dares or truths to the other two after each hole. They were lucky as they didn’t have anyone right behind them and they could take their time. Josh and Jenny, Billy and Becky lost a hole, and the truth question to Josh was who gave him his first French kiss. Josh did a lot of stammering on that and the others laughed except Billy who knew the answer. “Wwwell, that’s hard you see there wasn’t any opportunity to see girls in the shelter, and kids from school didn’t want anything to do with us homeless kids. Sso, Bbilly and I experimented, but my real best French kiss was Jenny.” Billy was a little red in the face as Josh told. Jesse knowing his first kiss was with Josh was nervous too. The girls just giggled. Becky had an older brother who was gay and out so she wasn’t bothered by it at all. The best dare and the one they all liked; was having each of the couples kiss. Score of the game got to not matter as much as the dares. They all had a good time although,  Jesse and Josh had to keep adjusting their boy parts, Billy not so much. Jenny teased “Hey your boy parts being stupid again?“ All that Josh and Jesse could do was a silly smirk. Billy came to their rescue by saying “Girls should have a button or something that pops up to show you are ready. Kind of like the one on the chickens when you roast them.” They all laughed, at that imagining a button popping out on the girls. Jenny said “Better buttons than spears.”  Val said that should be the name of their group “Buttons & Spears”.

Back at Panera they had coffee and pastries while waiting for their rides. They talked over the events of the night laughing at all the stuff that happened. All too soon, Rebecca’s mom was there to get the girls and Jesse’s dad drove the boys home.

Pops, asked how the evening went. Josh said “It was great fun, he never laughed so much in his life, and Mr. Happy was excited the whole night.”

“Great, Josh.  What did you think, Billy?”

“Well like Josh said it was a blast, the girls were a lot of fun and Jesse is real cool too. I enjoyed myself.”

“What was your date’s name?”

“Rebecca, they called her Becky most of the time; she was nice, real nice. She has an older gay brother.”

Josh said, “We are going to go take showers now, Pops, before bed.”

“Ok, boys, this show will be over in 10 minutes, then I’m gonna take my meds and lock up. Good night.”

With that, the boys each came over and gave Pops a kiss on the cheek and a hug before going up stairs.

To be continued...

Posted: 01/21/2022