Jerry
By:
Will B
(© 2009 by the author)
Ably Assisted by Ed
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's
consent. Comments are appreciated at...
It was the evening before Thanksgiving. Guests had been arriving at the Souchard all day settling into their rooms, meeting and greeting old friends, chatting and chewing on the hors d’oeuvres that Sam and Adrian had fixed. They continued to chat as they had a drink before sitting down to a delicious dinner.
Everyone had retired for the night. All was calm and peaceful. The sea was quiet and a full moon shown over the waters.
It was two o’clock in the morning, California time, and two thousand miles away, out in the Pacific, a school of fish that had been swimming quietly along the bottom of the ocean suddenly darted away into the darkness and disappeared.
Chapter 23
Thanksgiving Eve:
The day before Thanksgiving was a busy day at the Souchard. Sam and Adrian, in addition to preparing their usual food for the day, were preparing to bake seven turkeys, bake six hams, and prepare six roasts of beef The vegetables (mashed potatoes, yams, string beans almandine, and broccoli and cheese), would be prepared the next day. The pies had been prepared in the previous days.
Guests were arriving throughout the day. The ‘usual suspects,’ Chuck, Gerry, Will, and Ed arrived early. Shortly thereafter, Miguel and Terry arrived as did many others. Tony from the U.K. was there for the first time as was David from New Zealand. T. Henry was there with his camera, shooting pix. Tad Comings and his secretary Ron were there, looking forward to trying out some new paddles.
There were so many guests chatting and laughing, it was almost impossible to name them all, but we must not forget a special guest, Rev. Chet, who had asked if he could come in order to talk to Trace and Jerry about a matter close to his heart.
That afternoon, Trace and Jerry and Rev. Chet were sitting on the veranda behind the hotel with tall cool drinks in their hands, watching not only the young studs, but some of the older guys (who maybe should have known better) were bathing in the altogether.
“I wanted to talk to you about the wonderful work you are doing, providing a home, education and jobs for these young men who had been living on the streets. Do you think you will ever have room for more than ten?” Chet asked.
“I think so—I hope so!” Trace replied. This first group seems to be settling in well. Bruce and Chad have already taken them for testing for HIV and other STDs and are insisting that they use condoms.”
At that point Bruce and Chad came out on the veranda with their drinks. Jerry said, “Hey, Bruce and Chad, come join us and meet Reverend Chet.”
Introductions were made and the conversation continued about the academic progress the young guys were making.
“Oh well, you know teenagers,” smiled Chad. “They grumble about homework, but all-in-all they have a serious attitude about getting an education. I think they’re going to be able to pass their high-school equivalency tests with flying colors when the time comes.”
“Chet, do you…?” Trace began. “Uh? Chet? Hello.”
“Huh? Wazzat? Oh, sorry. I was distracted by those hunks over there. I was NOT ogling them, however I was merely marveling at the wondrous works of the Creator.” (Yeah, right!)
“Yeah, right!” said Jerry. “But that’s okay, Reverend. Marvel away.”
Pete came out on the veranda with a piece of paper in his hand. “Boss, The hotel has just gotten an e-mail from Sheik Mohammed Farouk, who apologizes for the short notice. But his son Ezek is coming for a visit and he’s bringing a ‘special friend’, as the Sheik puts it, as well as Ram and Sabu. They’re renting a camper and they can stay in that if the hotel is too full to put them up.”
“When are they expected to arrive?” asked Jerry.
“About three o’clock this afternoon. Yikes! That’s about twenty minutes from now! Do we have room, Pete?” Trace asked.
“I think so if Ezek and his friend don’t mind sharing a bed and Sabu and Ram don’t mind sharing,” Pete said.
“We’ve met Sabu and Ram, and I’m pretty sure they’ll be okay sharing,” Jerry said with a grin. “And if Ezek is bringing a ‘special friend’ as the Sheik puts it, they probably won’t mind either!”
Promptly at 3:00, a large camper pulled up in front of the hotel. Trace and Jerry were out front to greet the new arrivals. Ezek was six-foot-two, and well built. His friend was introduced as Ishmael was six-foot-one. Sabu and Ram were exuberantly glad to meet their old friends, Trace and Jerry. All four were dressed in an (delete “an”) open necked shirts, slacks and sandals.
Ezek bowed and said, “My Father, to whom may Allah grant long life, sends his greetings as do my brothers and sister. We can stay in the camper if necessary since it sleeps four.”
“Nonsense, my friend,” Trace said, returning the bow and following that up with a handshake. “You honor our house by your presence and we have rooms being prepared, if…er ... you and Ishmael and Sabu and Ram don’t mind sharing beds.”
Ezek and Ishmael looked at each other and smiled. Ezek replied, “Oh, I think we can make the sacrifice.”
Sabu and Ram grinned and Ram said, “We share a bed at home, so there is no problem.”
The newcomers joined the group on the veranda, and Sam sent out glasses of iced tea, not too heavily sugared, with a sprig of mint in each glass.
“Aahh! That is good," said Ezek. “Let me explain why we have arrived in such short notice. These two young men, Sabu and Ram, want to be apprentices to you and Jerry and to Bruce and Chad to learn the hotel business and to learn about counseling displaced young men. They want to work in a hostel for young men who are without homes.”
Ishmael said, “I have a degree in psychology, and I will be the director, but Sabu and Ram want to be my assistants, and we want to observe some of the work that goes into such a project.”
“How long would they be staying?” Jerry asked.
“They have student visas good for six months, and they can be renewed for another six months,” Ishmael said. “They will continue their education when they return to our land, but we wanted ... they wanted ... to have some hands-on-experience.
“Under the terms of their visas, they cannot earn any money, but my father hopes you will allow him to deposit a modest check on your account that would cover the cost of their room and board and any other expenses….” Ezek added.
“That is most gracious of your father, but after all he has done for us, we would be happy to have Sabu and Ram stay,” Trace said.
Trace looked at the two young men, who were so happy that it was almost as if they were puppy dogs with tongues hanging out.
“Yes, well,” said Trace, putting on a very serious face, “will you work hard at any task?”
“Anything,” they replied in unison.
“Will you change the beds?”
“Anything!”
“Will you scrub the floors?”
“Anything?”
“Will you mark test papers?” Bruce asked.
“Anything.”
“Hmm,” said Jerry with a devilish look in his eye, “Would you scrub the toilets?”
“Any… Well, almost anything.”
The whole group broke out in laughter. After a brief discussion of terms, and other details, everyone went into dinner.
At dinner, Trace said to the good Reverend, “I understand you will not want to go to the Playroom for the usual ‘Fun and Games,’ but some of the young men have prepared a musical number that you might enjoy watching. Will and T. Henry are going to go to the entertainment and then leave before the ‘fun and games’ begin. Won’t you join them?”
“Well, I suppose I can go for a few minutes,” said Chet.
“Good. That’s settled,” said Trace.
In the Playroom
After supper the guests went down to the playroom. The word was that there was going to be some special entertainment.
Peck (aka ‘Dick’) and Dirk (aka ‘Slappy’) came out on the stage. Both guys were wearing nylon jockstraps threaded with red cords that left nothing, but absolutely nothing, to the imagination.
Peck was wearing a bear skin tunic that just about covered his package and was fastened on one shoulder... He carried a club in one hand and was the picture of a studly jock.
Dirk was wearing a necklace, earrings, bracelets, and lots of rings. His finger nails had been painted purple. He was a limp-wristed fag to the core.
As they walked to the front of the stage, they were greeted with applause, laughter, and wolf-whistles.
They began to sing (to the tune of the ‘Too-Fat-Polka’):
Here's a silly ditty, You can sing it right away
Now, here is what you say, So sing it while you may
Here's a silly jingle, You can sing it night or noon
Here's the words, that's all you need, 'Cause we just sang the tune:
Peck sang alone:
Oh, I don't want him, you can have him, He’s too swish for me
He’s too swish for me; He’s too swish for me
As he sang, he pointed his thumb toward Dirk, who looked shocked.
I don't want him, you can have him, He’s too swish for me, He’s too swish
He’s too swish; He’s too swish for me
Then as Dirk sang, he pointed his thumb towards Peck
Oh, I don't want him, you can have him, He’s too butch for me
He’s too butch for me; He’s too butch for me
I don't want him, you can have him, He’s too butch for me, He’s too butch
He’s too butch; He’s too butch for me
They both sang together
We get dizzy
We get so hot-oh!
When we’re dancing
With each other-oh!
They stopped and looked at each other. Dirk batted his eyelashes at Peck, and Peck gave Dirk a light punch on the upper arm. They grinned at each other and began to sing again.
No, I do want him you can’t have him
He’s just right for me.
He’s just right, he’s just right
So, I do want him, and you CAN NOT HAVE HIM
‘Cause he’s just right for me,
They linked arms and did a kick step in unison, sashaying around the stage as they went.
The audience stood and cheered and applauded. Chet was laughing so hard he began to cough and Will had to slap him on the beck.
The lights flashed on and off, as a signal for the orgy to begin. The older guys decided to go back to their rooms; some went with a sigh for times past...
Night settled over the Souchard and as lights were extinguished in the rooms, all was calm and peaceful---but out at sea, that underwater disturbance that had frightened the fish had generated a turbulence that moved through the water reaching speeds of hundreds of miles an hour.
Thanksgiving Day:
Trace and Jerry were up at 6:00 a.m. having an early breakfast with Sam, Adrian and Pete. Sam had the news on the television he had in the kitchen. The five men stopped eating when the commentator was interrupted.
“This is the National Weather Service. There are reports of an undersea earthquake some 1800 miles from the California coast. A tsunami watch has been issued for the entire west coast of the United States from Washington to Baja California. Bathers are warned not to go in the water.”
At this moment anyone out at sea in a boat would have noticed that there was a steady series of waves three feet high.
“I think we’d better alert everyone that they are welcome to use the beach but they should not go in the water,” Trace said.
“Pete and I can take turns up on the roof of the hotel, looking for signs of a wave,” Jerry said.
“I don’t know, Jerry. The swell isn’t very big until the tsunami reaches shore. The earliest sign may be when the waters begin to recede very quickly,” Sam said.
“We’ll rig up a bullhorn so we can warn everyone in time,” Trace said.
At 7:00 Sam and Adrian were busy preparing breakfast for the guests. Scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, toast, muffins, butter, margarine, and three kinds of jelly were set out buffet style.
The waves were now three and a half feet high.
Trace and Jerry announced that there would be no swimming because of the strong possibility of a tsunami. Those who wished to do so might sun bathe on the beach, but the sunbathers were warned to listen for an announcement on the bullhorn, at which point they were to leave the beach and come up on the veranda and to enter the hotel.
Many of the guests wanted to enjoy the sun. Among them were Tad Comings and his faithful secretary companion, Ron.
At 10:00 the waves were four feet high, and as the waves neared the shore and the sea-bed sloped upward the swell grew higher.
At 1:30 Jerry saw a wall of water approaching the coast. It appeared to be ten feet high. “Everybody out of the water, NOW!” he screamed into the bullhorn. At the same time, those on the beach, heard a sucking sound, and saw the water retreating out towards the approaching wave.
Forgetting towels, sandals, dark glasses, everything, the men started to run up the slope toward the veranda and the safety of the hotel. Tad and Ron were among those trying to escape that moving, towering, silent wall of water.
Suddenly Ron twisted his ankle and fell. “Go on. Leave me, Tad, get into the hotel,” he said.
“Like Hell I will,” Tad replied, and he turned and picked up Ron and carried him up the slope. The wave was about to break and flood the cove, the beach, and possibly the veranda. It looked high enough and powerful enough to wash the entire hotel into the sea.
Tad continued upwards and now some of the others went back and helped him carry Ron.
The wave broke, sending thousands of tons of water towards the hotel and its inhabitants. On the water came, swirling, flowing, never stopping, carrying away beach chairs, sandals, everything.
* * * * *
That afternoon, the guests and staff were gathered in the dining room for dinner. Yes, they were all there, Chuck, Gerry, Terry, Tony, David, Miguel, Jamie, Chet, Ezek, Ishmael, Sabu, Ram, all the ‘seven dwarves,’ Bruce, Chad, all the guys from the Residence, Will… and yes, over there were Tad and Ron. They had made it. They were drenched, soaked, but safe.
“Tad, if you don’t mind, I don’t want to paddle you. I just want to hold you.”
Tad looked at Ron and said, “Ron, forget the damn paddles. Forget the spankings. Just know that I love you. I’ve loved you for years and I will always loved you. I don’t want you for my secretary nor do I want you as a whipping boy. I want you to be my partner for life.”
Ron replied, with a hint of moisture in his eyes, “I thought you’d never ask, but yes, yes, ye…”
His words were cut off as Tad kissed him firmly on the lips and took him in his arms. Those who were nearby and heard this exchange and saw the kiss began to clap. As word of the commitment spread throughout the room, there was more and more clapping.
When the clapping died down, Rev. Chet stood up and said, “May I ask everyone to be silent for a moment while we give thanks to the Creator for all his blessings. I would ask anyone who would do so to say what he is thankful for.”
From around the room came the responses. “Love.” “Freedom.” “This great country.” “Faith.” “Fellowship.” “Laughter.” “Friendship.” “Being together.”
Trace said, “I’m thankful that we’re all safe, and that the only damage to the Souchard is all the sea weed deposited on the veranda by that wave, but we’ll clean that up tomorrow.”
When all had had a chance to respond, Rev. Chet said “Amen!”
And dinner was served!
* * * * *
About 1:00 in the morning a car slowed to stop at the entrance road to the hotel, and a small figure was pushed out of the car, which then sped away. The figure began to crawl slowly down the road towards the Residence.
To be continued...
E’s comments: Well our author has done it this time. I’m totally confused. Who is the figure crawling toward the Residence. It’s too early for Baby New Year to be arriving. I wonder if it is even a human being. You don’t suppose aliens have landed, or heaven forbid, that a girl is going to be invading the Residence. I guess I’ll just have to lose some sleep until I find out what only The Shadow knows.
Author’s Response: It might even be a stray dog. Only the Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts of …. Oh, never mind.
Posted: 11/27/09