18 Weeks of Twoey - 79. Week Twelve Tuesday, November 18, 2014: Gary’s Mission

Talk does not cook rice

- Chinese proverb

***

When I woke this morning, it was the first time I started making sense of my world. I think maybe I had been drugged before. I still am, but not so much. I can see obvious stuff about my body. I have a cast on my left leg and one on my left hand. My torso is wrapped tightly with stuff that makes me feel like a mummy. There’s a tube from my dick that I assume goes into some kind of jar or something, if I’m recalling Twoey’s correctly.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember. I do remember Tommy saying he’d guard me, but I can’t remember when he said it. I do remember telling some cop about Burch hitting me with a baseball bat, but I can’t remember exactly what I told him.

I do remember my Dad being here a lot. I think I remember Aunt Sarah too, but I don’t know if it was a dream or if she really was here. It’s like little hazy things. I don’t understand why Burch hit me with a baseball bat or even where he did it. Was it in school? I can’t remember. His sneer is etched into my brain though. I’ll never forget that hateful look as long as I live, no matter how hazy things are.

Later when I reawakened (or did they wake me?) they were taking wires and tubes off me. Then I felt a sting as they pulled the tube from my dick. I got some Jell-O to eat. It was weird holding the cup down with my plastered left hand. Later (or was it right after the Jell-o?) they got me out of the bed. That woke me up because of the pain in my sides. I remember the nurse telling me I had cracked ribs ...or did she say a cracked rib?

Some big dude helped me walk a bit. He showed me how to use a bed pan. Yuck. That I remember clearly. There was some kind of pusher thing old people use. He wanted me to use it to get around. I wasn’t very good at it at all. That I remember. He gave me a bottle to pee in when I told him I needed to pee. I was in and out of the bed a few times, I think.

I definitely remember Tommy coming here tonight. I can’t remember if he was with Dad or not. I was mostly out of it by then. I do remember being very tired and wanting to sleep. Maybe it was all the exercise today or maybe they’re still drugging me. Anyway, I felt more tired than after running 6K.

Gary

We had a surprise this morning. Twoey walked to school with us! The doctor said he could attend, but he can go home or skip some days if he doesn't feel strong enough. He said they were easing him back into life. At least the gang is back up to four!

I walked with him and told him he should appreciate the friends he has in Syracuse. Those guys really showed me what it means to be a friend. He agreed. We even compared notes and, you know, we both feel a little guilty about not getting in David's face before he went into his strange funk. I told him I worried it had something to do with the beating. Twoey was sure it's somehow related and thinks Mr. Burch actually tried to kill David. He thought somehow the pastor and the church was behind it all. I can't make any sense out of that, but I sure wasn’t gonna argue with Twoey, after what he'd been through.

Sam was quiet during the walk. He hardly said anything, sort of deep in thought. I guess it's to be expected. He and David have a close kind of friendship, not best buds like David and I, but a more intellectual connection, if that even makes any sense. But hey, I know these dudes, and that's what I feel.

Later that night, after dinner, my father said someone wanted to talk to me on the house phone.

“Hello?”

“Gary?”

“Uncle John! Wow I haven’t talked to you in forever!”

Uncle John is my father’s brother and also my godfather. He lives in NYC. He visits us once a year when he and David’s grandfather pass through on their way to Canada to fish. I guess they were sorta best friends when they were young. How’s that for coincidence, huh?

Now that I think about it, David’s father and my father were high school friends and went to college together and now they work together. So it’s almost like three generations of best friends!

“How are things with you Gary? Still sampling all the girls in school?”

“No Uncle John, this year I’ve settled down. I think I’ve found the one. Her name is Melissa, but everyone calls her Mel. You’ll meet her next summer for sure when you visit.”

“Aw, my godson is growing up! I’m happy for you. Now on a more serious note, I got a call from Jimmy about his grandson.”

“Oh God, Uncle John, that shocked us all.”

“Tell me all about it. I want every detail you know.”

I explained everything I did know. I even told him about David knowing his mother was having an affair, but cautioned Uncle John I didn’t think anyone else knew. When I was finished I could hear him sigh.

“That’s pretty terrible stuff Gary. Kids are innocents and it goes against all codes to injure them. Now tell me more about the pastor of that church.”

I told him what I knew, basically from all the complaints David had shared with me over the years. I also mentioned Twoey’s worry about the church somehow being responsible.

“OK Gary, that’s important stuff I think. But there’s lotsa holes. Here’s what I wantcha to do. Check around with all David’s closest friends. I wanna know what he was doing and anybody involved. Now ya see, he might have mentioned a little something different to each friend. So that’s why you gotta assemble all those facts and call me back. See if you can find out who that mother of his was fooling around with too. Get it to me tomorrow if possible. The sooner I know the easier it’ll be.”

I knew better than to ask Uncle John what he meant by the easier it’ll be. But I agreed right away. Finally I was gonna be able to do something for David. Finally I was in action!

After thinking a bit, I determined Sam and Twoey were the most likely suspects. I’ll grill them both tomorrow. This is like a little mystery show, CSI Daleville.

Twoey

Getting back to school was interesting. I handed in a bunch of stuff to each teacher and found out whatever I still needed to do to catch up. Every class is going to have major tests next week before Thanksgiving break, so they all pretty much said those tests would also count as a grade for any tests and quizzes I missed. That means heavy duty studying this weekend ...except for Saturday night. That’s the night of the Thanksgiving Dance.

When I got to the lunch table, there was a seat open between Sam and Matty, so I slipped in. When Erik arrived, he whispered to Matty. Matty moved across and next to Chuck, while Erik sat next to me.

Before: empty - Chuck - Nels - Gary

empty - Matty - Twoey - Sam

After: Matty - Chuck - Nels - Gary

empty - Erik - Twoey - Sam

First Gary and I made sure everyone knew what we knew of David’s condition. We don’t want stupid rumors floating around, at least not from his friends. Next I talked with Sam. He agreed to switch dates for the Thanksgiving Dance so I can take Lanni, who I was going to take to the Homecoming Dance. He'll take Deena who was going to go with David. I’ll tell the girls today. AND of course, David's little plan for Sam and Deena gets an even better boost ...hehe.

Pretty much the rest of the period I talked with Erik, who seemed happy to have me back. He kept giving me sneaky glances and bumps and even mentioned tomorrow was Wednesday. I whispered, “I can't wait.”

Then I remembered what Mom said.

What am I going to do?

Matty and Chuck are an item, I can tell. All through lunch, they only had eyes for each other. They make a cute couple. I figured Chuck was gay. Now it's pretty obvious.

Before fifth period began, I found Lanni and told her Sam was OK with the date switch. She smiled, told me she’d tell Deena and gave me a sweet kiss. It almost seemed she was happy to go to the dance with me, almost comforted. Could a girl be relieved going to a dance with a boy she knows is gay? It sure seemed she was. Whatever it is, I think I’ve made a friend in Lanni.

All day long, everyone wanted to check out my scar. It was exciting at first, but got to be a BIG BORE by seventh period. I couldn’t participate in gym, so sat in the bleachers to watched the other guys play volleyball. Before the class started, some cute blond came in and talked with Matty for a minute or so. All the guys were staring at her. She even gave Matty a kiss on the cheek. Haha, poor Matty turned crimson!

Every once in a while, between games, Erik would come over and talk to me. One time he asked if I would watch his wrestling practice. So, after PhysEd, I followed him and Matty upstairs to enjoy all the eye candy. But mostly I watched Erik. God, he’s so handsome. He even walked me most of the way home, which is sorta out of his way.

After dinner, I received a text from Tommy. He was at the hospital and brought me up to date on David’s condition. He definitely gets a regular hospital room tomorrow. That means he’s healing and out of trouble. I had a surge of joy. I tried to offer Tommy a sincere thanks. We need to get this hostility behind us. I didn’t notice any of it in the last few calls, so that’s good, right?

Anyway, I’ll have to start bugging Mom to bring me to visit, probably starting Thursday.

Alex

I got to school early to visit this Matty Goerss in his homeroom. I looked around at the kids wandering in and didn’t see anyone I knew. I decided to pick a random girl who was walking in.

“Excuse me, can you point out Matty Goerss? I need to talk to him.”

She giggled. “It won’t do you any good, but he’s back there talking to the dreamboat.” Then she giggled again as she walked in and found some other girls to giggle with.

Naturally, I had to choose the class imbecile to ask!

So I headed back. She didn’t tell me which boy was Matty. I assumed from her “dreamboat” comment she was referring to the guy standing and talking to a boy seated at a desk. They were both pretty nice looking. The standing boy was more in the handsome category. The seated boy was devastatingly cute! He wasn’t too big, but I could tell he was really muscular.

He was wearing a red tee with Try Me - You’ll See lettered on it. It was so tight, I could see.

Wow, if he and the standing kid were part of David’s friends, he sure has a pretty posse!

When I got to his desk, I leaned over so I could whisper.

“Are you Matty?”

OMG when his hazel eyes hit me, he jolted back, his unruly dark hair brushing against the standing kid’s leg. It almost seemed he was scared of me and tied to back away. I must have really startled him, poor guy.

“Who are you?”

OMG he was so cute!

“I’m Alex. Can you come out in the hall for a few minutes, I need to talk to you.”

He looked up at the standing guy. It seemed he was almost asking for help. That’s when the handsome boy said, “We’ll finish a little later Matty.”

He was acting still a little shy when he looked up.

“K, Martin.”

Then he stood as I grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room passing the girls who now were giggling uncontrollably. Imbeciles!

“Matty, you don’t know me but my name is Alex. David was transferred to my social class a few weeks ago. I don’t know any of his friends and I need to know about his condition! No one is telling me anything. Can you fill me in?”

“Oh, OK. Well, I heard he was attacked by Mr. Burch and a couple kids from this school, who I don’t know. I guess it happened in a building owned by his church or something, from what his friend Sam says. He was hurt pretty bad, almost killed I guess. That’s all I know so far. I’ll see his whole gang at lunch, so maybe there’ll be something new.”

“Thank you Matty. Um ...can I see you after school for a minute in case there was an update?”

“Can you come to the boy’s gym at the beginning of 7th? If not, I have wrestling practice right after so I’ll be in the upstairs gym.”

“OK, thanks Matty ...you’re a gem!”

I planted a kiss on his cheek but the poor kid flinched and looked frightened, like I was stabbing him or something. I guess he’s shy. But he’s awfully cute!

Tommy

When I got home from school I was surprised to find my father. When I asked him why he was home he told me he’s taking some time off work. I guess he was at the hospital today with Aunt Sarah. But there was something awfully different about both of them. They had sour looks on their faces like they received some really bad news. This got me worried right away.

Over dinner I kept asking questions about David. I thought maybe something went wrong and they weren’t telling me. I even got a prickly feeling. But they claimed he was fine.

Call me doubting Tommy, but I insisted he take me with him tonight to visit my brother. I had to see for myself.

Before we left, Grampa called. After talking to him for a little, my father nodded to Aunt Sarah. She asked me to show her David’s room. Now that was strange. She’s been here for days and could easily visit his room without me, but I took her up. She asked me to gather a few things he might want in his hospital room.

Sounds legit, right?

Not to doubting Tommy it doesn’t!

This was an excuse to get me away from the Grampa-Dad conversation downstairs. They must think I’m an idiot. All they had to do was ask me. I’d have gone to my room if there was some secret stuff they were gonna talk about. I guess old people always think us kids are morons.

Anyway, when that bullshit was over and we came back downstairs, I heard my father say, “OK Tony, thanks.” That means he finished with Grampa and was talking to Mr. Galli, Gary’s father. I guess that makes sense because they work together. Since he’s taking time off he was probably going over work stuff with him.

At the hospital I could see David looked a hell of a lot better than he did Sunday, the last time they let me in here. So I guess my worry was for nothing. He still seemed a little out of it but he recognized me and we talked a bit.

It was a surprised when he thanked me for guarding him, giving me a wink. That was the moment I knew my real brother was back! That other kid had a dead look in his eyes. It also meant he heard what I said it to him way back on Sunday when I thought he was unconscious. He still looks a little bruised and has the casts and all, but a lot of the connectors to his body were missing now. He did seem a little groggy still.

I wasn’t sure what he knew or was supposed to know, but if he’s in a regular room tomorrow I guess he’s good to hear it all. I think I’ll let Dad explain about our mother though. I really don’t want to go there with him. I did ask him where his phone was. He shrugged, so I started looking around. I found a very small and narrow closet with some clothes, his backpack and his phone. The clothes were all torn and cut.

He agreed to let me to take his phone home to charge. I’ll return it tomorrow with his charger to the regular room. Dad or Aunt Sarah will drive me over after school. He drifted off a few times, but we were able to talk a lot. At least I know he’s safe.

I saw it with my own eyes.