The Castaway Hotel - 8 - 3. Chapter 3 - A New Friend And A Prankster

“Anyway,” Duck continued, “I made it to the highway and tried to hitch a ride. It wasn’t easy, because no one does that much any more. I suspect that after hearing all the news stories about the terrible things that have happened when people help strangers, nearly everyone is afraid to stop and let someone they don’t know into their car or home.

“After trying for a really long time, a trucker finally stopped to pick me up. He looked like a very rough and crude type of guy, kind of like my father, so I was a little scared about accepting a ride from him at first and didn’t get right in. Seeing my reluctance, he rolled down the passenger side window and asked where I was going. At first I didn’t say anything, but he didn’t seem like a bad guy, so I told him I’d go wherever he was heading. I also said the farther away he could take me, the better it would be.

“The trucker looked puzzled and maybe unsure that he wanted to get involved at that point, so he asked me why I wasn’t in school. I lied and told him I was sixteen and had dropped out of school and was now planning to go someplace where I could start over again and maybe even get my G.E.D. He asked me why I couldn’t do that where I was, so I told him my father was pissed because I’d quit and threw me out of the house. He nodded slightly, as he thought he was beginning to understand my situation.

“He told me to hop in and treated me really well from that point on. He bought my meals for me and even let me stay with him until we got to the end of his run. Then, he told me he would be heading back to his home, now that he’d delivered his load and picked up his return cargo, so he wanted to know what I planned to do. When I said I wasn’t sure, he gave me a choice.

“He offered to let me stay with him and told me I could either work on my G.E.D. or get a job. Either that or I could just get out where we were and try to make it on my own – whichever I wanted. After thinking it over, I took him up on his offer and rode back with him. I didn’t really have any other options at that point. I knew there was a risk involved and I might end up being his captive, but he had just made me feel so good while I was with him that I thought I’d give it a try.

“I ended up staying with him for a couple of years, but I know if I hadn’t met up with him, I probably wouldn’t have survived. If I had been out on the street on my own, I could have gotten sick, been injured or even died along the way. Instead, I got my G.E.D., and while I was still living with him, I enrolled in a two-year college and got my associates degree. After that, I transferred to a four-year college in a nearby city. I thanked him for all he had done and then went to live in the dorms. I ended up getting my bachelor’s, but without his help, I’d never have done it.”

“Duck, how old are you?” I asked him, since I didn’t think he looked old enough to have done that much already.

“I’m almost 26,” he grinned. “I know. I look like I’m eighteen or nineteen. Everyone tells me that, but I’m really much older. Honest,” he added, holding up his hand, like he was being sworn in for a trial. We all chuckled at his antics.

“Okay, we believe you,” I told him, after looking at my sons. He smiled back at us.

“Anyway, that guy saved my life and gave me a chance to become something, so I was just trying to pass along the favor, so to speak, by helping your son.” He looked at Vinnie and smiled. “I’m just glad his situation was better than mine and he didn’t need to go on alone.”

“Duck, you are a truly amazing young man and I’m very impressed. I’m also going to tell you my family and I will always be there for you, should you need anything… anything at all.”

At that moment, I took a notepad and pen out of my pocket and jotted down our names, address and several phone numbers, so he’d have them if he ever needed anything or just wanted to contact us. After explaining what each number was for – home, office, my cell phone, Vinnie and Kevin’s cell phones – I took out another piece of paper and had him do the same for me. After we exchanged this information, I let the boys tell him a little about our family until our meals arrived.

The food was very good and I let everyone have wine with their dinner, which came as a surprise to Duck. He didn’t expect me to allow Kevin and Vinnie to have the wine too, even though they were both over eighteen. I told him I allow all of my sons to have wine on special occasions, which he seemed to approve of, and then we continued to explain a little more about the family.

After finishing our meals and having dessert, I ordered Duck and myself an after dinner drink and the other pair had another soda each. While we were relaxing, Kevin and Vinnie went on to tell Duck a little more detailed information about themselves. Once they finished their personal stories, I informed Duck he was welcome to visit any time, for either a short or long term stay. He thanked me for the offer and said he might just do that. He then asked if it would be all right to visit us around the holidays, since those were the times when it was the roughest for him to be alone. He even admitted when the holidays rolled around, he missed not having a family the most.

I told him he was more than welcome to join us for all of the holidays, and not just for some of them. I then went out of my way to let him know he could stay with us for as long as he wished, even if it was for a week or more, if that suited his schedule. I also reminded him it would be a two to three hours drive each way, so he should leave early in the day and then spend as much time as he felt comfortable with, before returning.

Somewhat confused by my offer, he asked how we could allow him to stay so long with all the boys we had living in the house. I merely replied there was always room for one more and then went on to explain how the boys paired up when we had company, such as when my biological children came to stay for a while. He just smiled and said that sounded neat and he looked forward to seeing us, maybe at Easter, if that would be acceptable. When I told him we’d have it no other way, his smile widened and he thanked us all again.

After leaving the restaurant, we went back to Duck’s place for a little while and talked some more about many different topics. Finally, we realized it was getting late and we were all tired, so we said good night and went to check into a motel. Duck had offered to let us stay there, but we told him there was no way he had enough room for all of us, so we got a room, with two double beds. Kevin and Vinnie took one and I was alone in the other. I think the boys waited until I fell asleep before they did anything, but I could detect the smell of sex in the air the next morning, when I awoke. I hoped they’d had fun.

After cleaning up and dressing, we checked out and then called Duck, to ask him if he’d like to join us for breakfast. He was a little hesitant at first, and I surmised he didn’t want to take advantage of our generosity or wear out his welcome, so I told him we’d be disappointed if he said no. After another slight hesitation, he agreed, so I drove back to pick him up.

Duck was out front, waiting for us, as I pulled in. He had an ear-to-ear grin on his face. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again so soon,” he announced, as he climbed into the front seat. “This sure beats eating alone at my place.”

I nodded and then asked him to direct us to an establishment that served a decent breakfast. That’s when he told me he knew just the place.

It was a small local diner that was very busy, which was a good sign. We had to wait a while for a table, since the Sunday church crowd was already out and about, but we didn’t mind. When a table opened, it happened to be in a back corner, which gave us some privacy. Once we were seated and had placed our orders, I decided to ask Duck a few more questions.

“Duck, do you attend church on a regular basis?” I wondered.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I went with my mom every Sunday when I lived at home, but I kind of gave up going, once I was on my own.”

“I make sure my family attends every week,” I explained and this is one of the few Sundays we haven’t done that in quite a while.” Duck looked at me, and then at Vinnie and Kevin, before he responded.

“I wouldn’t mind going with you when I visit,” he told me, “but I don’t really want to go to a strange place like that by myself. My girlfriend doesn’t go either, but if I went with your family, I’m sure I could handle it.”

“Then we look forward to you joining us,” I replied, with a smile, just before the waitress showed up with our meals.

While we ate, I also mentioned to Duck about our St. Patrick’s Day plans. “How would you feel about joining us and being a leprechaun for a day?”

Duck looked a little surprised and didn’t respond right away. It was a good thing too, because our waitress showed up to refill our drinks and ask if we needed anything. Once she left, Duck finally answered.

“I’m sure you’ve already made your plans and they don’t include me,” he stated, with a touch of sadness in his tone.

“We can always squeeze in one more,” I replied, “if you don’t mind sharing a bed with one or two of my sons. It will only be the younger boys, which means the high school seniors on down, so if that doesn’t bother you, we’d love to have you join us.” Duck seemed even more startled by this comment.

“Oh, I’m not sure Kevin and Vinnie would be willing to have me in the room with them, as it might cramp their style, and I don’t know your other sons yet. I’m not sure they’d like the idea of sharing a room with a stranger, so maybe I should wait until after we’ve gotten to know each other first,” he answered.

“I’m sure the others would welcome the opportunity to have you come along, once they saw you,” I responded. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind, but Kevin and the other college boys won’t be with us. They’ll still be at school, but the rest of us would love to have you come along.”

“You might even get molested,” Vinnie teased, “but not by me. I only do things with Kevin, but the others probably will jump your bones, if you’re agreeable.” Duck looked at him, with his mouth agape.

“Many of the others are gay or bi too,” Vinnie explained, “and you’re very cute, so they might want to try something with you.”

“You’re joking, right?” Duck shot back.

“He’s not,” Kevin agreed, “and that’s why I was so worried when I first saw you. You are so handsome that I was afraid Vinnie had done something with you when he stayed at your place, but I know better now.”

“I might have, if I wasn’t so damn depressed about you,” Vinnie teased back. “In fact, I should have done something with Duck, even if it was just to get even with you for what you did.” Kevin looked horrified by the thought, but then realized Vinnie was just getting in his digs while he had the chance.

“Well, I’m sure some of the others might do it, if Duck is agreeable,” Kevin stated. “Dad doesn’t mind if we do things, as long as both guys agree and no one is forced or gets hurt.”

“Well, depending on what your brothers are like, I probably wouldn’t have to be forced,” Duck said, with a huge smile. “After that first guy, I’ve been too scared to try anything like that again, but if I found someone who was willing, and we hit it off, then I might just go for it.”

“Like I said, only the younger boys will be with us and I don’t know how you’d feel about doing anything with someone that much younger than yourself,” I stated, “but if they’re willing, it’s not a problem with me. However, everyone will be home for Easter.”

“I won’t decide yet,” Duck replied, “but you might be right. I’ve always gotten along well with younger guys, but I’m not sure about messing around with one. One of the older boys might work though.”

“Then you’ll have to agree to join us,” I insisted. “We’ll drive by and pick you up on our way to Chicago and you’ll have a great time.”

“Okay, I’m willing, if you’re sure,” he answered.

“I am, so I’ll be in contact with the details,” I added.

We finished up and the waitress came by to ask if we wanted anything else. When I responded, “Only the check,” she hurried off to calculate it, so she could bring it to me.

After settling up, we took Duck back to his place and bade him farewell. I told him I needed to get home as quickly as I could, because I had a lot to do, including taking Kevin back to college before I returned to work tomorrow. Duck said he understood and thanked us for all we had done, but I told we had enjoyed our time with him too. We each hugged him good-bye, even Kevin, and then we set off on our return trip.

Kevin and Vinnie rode in back and were all over each other the entire way home. It was mostly just kissing, hugging and a little petting, but never went much further than that. Even though it was quite restrained, it definitely showed they had put the past behind them and moved on.

During the trip, all I could think about was Duck and what that poor boy had been through. I hoped he still had a way to contact the trucker who helped him, because I was going to suggest he write the guy a letter or call him or something, just to let him know how much his kindness had meant. Duck should also let him know how well he had done since that time, if he hadn’t done so already. Knowing a little about Duck though, I reasoned he most likely has kept in contact or found another way to thank the guy. However, I would check anyway, just to make sure, and suggest it, if he hadn’t.

I would also see to it that Duck was included for every holiday and became a part of our family. In fact, I couldn’t wait for Easter, when I would get the chance to introduce him to our extended family. I’m sure he’ll get along well with the entire group. I’m also certain he’ll be a big hit with the boys when he joins us for St. Patrick’s Day, but I will warn them, in advance, that Duck is bi, but seems to prefer girls. In fact, maybe he and Mark will hit it off, seeing they are closer in age, and maybe they’ll even go on double-dates together.

We finally arrived home shortly after midday, but we soon discovered things weren’t quiet or completely under control. The day had started off okay for the rest of the family and Jake had taken everyone to church. However, once the service had ended, they surprised Jake and talked him out of going somewhere for brunch. It turned out that some of the boys were suffering greatly during the church service and didn’t think they could also to sit through our normal Sunday outing, so Jake took pity on them and brought them back home.

They just happened to be pulling into our driveway about the same time we were and Jake immediately filled me in about what had happened while we were gone. It seems that sometime before they left for church, our mad, anonymous prankster had struck again. It was obvious someone other than Ricky was managing these stunts, because he was still away at college, but none of us had any idea who was bucking for Ricky’s title as our most infamous prankster. Anyway, this time that person had set up Andrew, Graham and Little Ricky. The amazing part was that no one was aware that anything was amiss until everyone was in church and sitting in our normal pew.

It was then that the three targets began to wiggle uncomfortably in their seats and Jake asked them what was wrong. They said they felt a burning sensation around their privates and butt and had tried to rub or scratch it, but it just got worse. After the service, they were in pain, so Jake opted to bring them directly home. Now that they were back, we soon discovered what had been wrong.

While those three individuals had been showering, someone had smeared a layer of odorless Ben-Gay on the crotches of their underwear. It took some time for enough of it to transfer to their skin and make them uncomfortable, and that didn’t happened until they were in Church. Whenever the boys rubbed or scratched the area, more of the substance was moved to their skin, thus making the heat generated from it more intense.

Once the boys got home, they ran to change, but that’s when they encountered the follow-up pranks. The first to discover the second foul deed was Andrew. After getting home from church, he stripped and changed his clothes, but as he slipped on his jogging shoes, he found they had been filled with shaving cream. However, he wasn’t the only one to learn he’d been had again.

Still being fairly new to all of this, Little Ricky didn’t realize it could get worse and was soon in even more discomfort than he was before. What happened was this. Little Ricky went to the bathroom and tried to wash off the effected area with a wet washcloth, but didn’t realize that moisture would intensify the heating effect of what had been used. Now, he was hopping around, in even greater discomfort, and swearing about the person who had set him up.

I heard Little Ricky screaming about his predicament and the person who had pulled this off, so I went to assist him. After realizing what was wrong, I handed him a dry towel and told him to just try and rub the substance off instead. That did help, but the damage had already been done. After going back to his room, Little Ricky quickly discovered that wasn’t the only way he’d been had. He now discovered all of his clothes were also missing and he had nothing to put on. Someone had taken everything he owned from his dresser drawers and closet and hidden them somewhere. I don’t know who is responsible for this, but it’s obvious that person had really planned ahead.

I asked Graham to go to his room and get something he could loan Little Ricky to wear, until we located his belongings. That was when Graham discovered that someone had tied the legs of all his jeans and the arms of his sweatshirts and flannel shirts into double knots. After Graham retrieved some clean underwear for both of them, the duo sat down and began to untie a few of the knots, so they could get dressed again. I had to admit this joke had been well thought out and executed, but the most amazing thing was that none of us had any idea who the mastermind behind all these stunts was.

Jake and I sat down to discuss the possibilities, but we couldn’t come up with anyone who would fit the profile. We were at a total loss as to whom we might even suspect, especially since each of them had been a victim at one time or another.

Getting back to the situation at hand, we got things calmed down and fixed everyone something to eat. This seemed to help, because boys with full stomachs are less cranky than hungry ones, so the tension began to lessen. Even though everyone wanted to know who was doing all of this and were making their own plans to pay him back, in kind, it was now being done in a lighter and less physically threatening tone.

Once our meal concluded, I had a chance to sit down and relax for a short time. As I did, something came to mind. Even though I had enough birthdays to acknowledge with my boys, I wasn’t oblivious to other special days. Today was March 7th and that meant a birthday was being celebrated and I was going to miss out being part of it. Today, my grandson Jordan was turning 11.

I thought about calling, to wish him a happy birthday, but I wasn’t sure how the phone call would be received. His father was among the most adamant about my lifestyle and was equally as firm in his stance about not wanting me to have anything to do with his child any longer. Therefore, I feared such contact would end up ruining Jordan’s special day and creating more problems than it was worth. Instead, I made a resolution. I was going to make an appointment with my attorney and do something I had been contemplating for quite some time. I would call him this week to set it up.

Once that issue had been resolved, at least as well as circumstances allowed, I summoned Kevin. I told him to get his things together, so I could take him to catch the bus back to school. Hearing this, Frankie offered to drive him there for me, since I had already driven so far. He figured I could use the help and some additional rest, so I accepted and thanked him for his offer.

Kevin and Vinnie disappeared for a short time, to say their good-byes and grab the rest of Kevin’s belongings. When they returned, both boys looked a little sad, but at least things were back to normal and they were once again confident in their love for each other.