A Matter of Perspective - 11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Will Waters Fri, Aug 15, 6:15 PM

To: frankf4321S@gomail.com

Wow. I read thru yer message like 14 times to prepare myself for tomorrow. It was like doing homework. But I'm ready now, bring it on!! I also just got back from going out to eat with mom and dad right here in town, which I didn't necessarily want to do in light of both current events and my appearance, but dad said screw up your courage, throw on a smile, hold your head up high and let's go! I did get some stares too, some from my appearance and a few more from my newly minted local celebrity. It was odd, but it was fine, dad was right, fuck 'em! Dad also said roughly the same things you did about tomorrow's conversation at church. Do all you adults work out of some sort of shared manual or textbook? Are there classes u all take? Does some kind of shared lightbulb come on inside all of your heads at a certain age? Just wondered.

I did ask him again how he ever knew about James and he refused again to tell me, saying it really just doesn't matter. Oh well... BUT, he did also (right out of the shared adult textbook) also say that you (me) don't have to say a thing about James in tomorrow's meeting because it's not relevant. Ok.

Anyway yeah, got some strange looks, had a nice meal, got a great doggie bag for Max because mom never finishes anything, had a huge Sunday for desert, came home, walked Max, called Jennifer and here I am. I'm laying on my bed, Max's enjoying a nice steak bone on my floor slobbering all over (yuck!), and I'm just kinda sitting here listening to john Mayer on my iPod totally at peace with the world. For the first time in a very long long time. Tomorrow's gonna be fine, as well as the tomorrow's that come after that.

Love ya Frank!
Will n Max (woof!) xxoo

*****

frankf4321s Fri, August 15, 6:29 PM

To: willw521k@gomail.com

Will

No, we don't all get our stuff out of the same play book. Your dad sounds very wise and appears to know what's going on. Did you say he was a manager? I'd say it's all an answer to your prayers, your parent's prayersers, and my prayers. I was just thinking that while you may be in Idaho it seems like we're all in the same place working together. Weird huh?

Like St. Paul said, "All things work for good for those who love Him." That's paraphrased of course.

With James, it's possible his parents talked to yours. And like I said, someone may have seen you and made your dad promise not to say anything. If they saw anything and told your dad, your dad knows not much happened. You told me the same thing yourself. We played “naked house” when I was a kid. A bunch of us would get together and get naked and examine each other. This friend of mine and I masturbated together once. He calls this stuff TF&S. Touch, feel, and see. He was a clown when we were kids and still is.

His brother and a neighbor girl were caught in the bathroom playing doctor. I'm not sure how old they were. And when they came out, after being caught, my friend coined the phrase and ragged on them for years. Poor kids.

I was glad you had a chance to take a nap today. Hopefully, you'll have a good night's sleep tonight. Best of luck tomorrow. I'll be praying for you.

You make me wish I had a dog, but I think I'll wait a few years.

Best of luck tomorrow Brave Prince. God bless and pleasant dreams. Give Max a hug for me.

Love ya.

Frank

*****

Frank wrote me a short note this morning wishing me luck and telling me he was praying for me. He told me again, “No matter what, it’s better to be a Brave Prince that a Cowardly Lion.”

Will Waters Sat, Aug 16, 9:40 AM

To: frankf4321S@gomail.com

Well here goes nothing, break a leg, win one for the gipper and all that... I'm leaving for the church with dad in a few minutes to face the music. Haven't been this nervous since right before going on stage with my guitar freshman year to sing Dylan's all along the watchtower in the talent show. That worked out fine, this probably will too I guess.

Haven't got time to talk right now, and I don't know what to say either (?). Just want this done. I'll be honest about everything and make sure to explain the locked door too. But, James and I will remain my personal business and dad backs me all the way on that too.

It's been raining hard all morning since I woke up. So hard in fact that it woke me up, and I sleep through anything. I probably just wasn't sleeping very deeply. Hope it's not an omen. The rain that is. Maybe if things go well I'll sleep a lot deeper tonite. Hope so. Wish me luck!

Love ya! Will

Frank is awesome. He knew I’d want to write him as soon as I got back, so he shot me an email telling me he was out jogging. I can’t imagine a 71 year old guy out jogging, but he was. Hard to believe. It’s these kinds of things that make him special. Most older people I know are sitting on their ass waiting to die. I hope I never get that way. Won’t have to worry about that for a long time. What I do have to worry about is getting through this shitty mess.

*****

Will Waters Sat Aug 16, 10:30 AM

To: frankf4321S@gomail.com

WELL! WOW! OK! Wasn't a boring morning, and it's over (for me anyway) for good. Good. Feel like I just got done with final exams! Dad was SO fucking cool, he's my hero!!!!!

Ok, long and short of it... Three adults (not counting dad) and me in one of the classrooms, door closed of course. All guys (including my pediatrician). I told what happened in my words, including locked door. One guy asked me to elaborate further on me and James since I told them that that's when asshole got upset and hit me. That's when dad put his hand on my arm to stop me and said "gentleman that part of my son's life is private and not open for questions or discussion here because it's not relevant to an adult striking a child".

Well, I object to the child part, but I guess technically it's true and that's what makes this a serious issue. Well, then dad asked the men if they had any more questions for me because this is the last time that I'd be speaking to anyone about this. (My hero!). Then I was asked to wait in the hall by myself for a few minutes, then dad came out, quietly closed the door, and we left. Then we went to the hardware store and then grabbed some takeout greasy cheeseburgers for lunch and then we came home. That's it. Ta da! End of story.

Well, it's still raining and that's fine. It's quiet around here and that's fine too. Nice change. Gonna write in my journal, play guitar and chill. Don't know bout going to church tomorrow yet, we haven't talked about it. Whatever...

Love ya!
Will and Max! Woof! Xxoo

*****         

frankf4321s Sat, August 16, 10:46 AM

To: willw521k@gomail.com

I told you your dad was wise. Of course I think you already knew that. I'm not sure why these guys want to know so much about you and James. It’s not important or pertinent. But at least you're done and through with it. I was out jogging and I had a picture of you and your dad having lunch together. That was nice. I ran two miles nonstop this morning. I was running around the track yelling “I ran 2 miles. I ran 2 miles.” It was exhilarating. I haven’t run that far since I was in my 40’s. And I think you had a lot to do with it because I feel so good about what has happened in your life. Hopefully they’ll send Todd away. Enjoy your day. Give Max another hug. God does work in mysterious ways. Love you Brave Prince. Aren't you happy now that you weren't the Cowardly Lion? God bless

*****

Will Waters Sat, Aug 16, 11:02 AM

To: frankf4321S@gomail.com

YES! I AM THE BRAVE PRINCE!! And I'm reveling in this moment! When you come up here next year we're going running together on some of the coolest trails, so keep running! I've decided (well...I haven't asked or discussed this with u yet) that I want to introduce u somehow to my parents and try to somehow get u here for graduation next year! I know somehow we could figure this out together! Please say yes! Or at least please say you'll think about it! We got some time to figure it out together, and u already come up with a great plan to get my life right, so I'm sure somewhere somehow u gotta have another one up your sleeve somewhere! Think about it PLEEZE!!!! OK, stopped raining but supposed to keep raining later so I'm gonna take Max for a quick jog, got energy to burn!

Love ya!

I’m not sure why I suggested we’d go running. He’s 71 and will be 72 if he comes here. I’m a small skinny kid and I run like the wind or at least like the Brave Prince with his loyal knight, Max, right on his heels. Thank God for Frank and Max.

*****

frankf4321s Sat, Aug 16, 11:18 AM

To: willw521k@gomail.com

You're right we need to figure out a plan. I would love to come to your graduation. But I am not sure how we're going to work this out with your parents, but we have plenty of time to figure it out. I'm sure that having Pastor Todd do what he did has made them look at everything a bit differently. Pastor Todd is the one who is the sinful man.

So count on my coming. Give me the date as soon as you know it. If it requires an invitation, which probably in a small school like yours doesn't, I'll need one. I taught in a big school for a long time and the graduating class was 350 or more and you had to have an invitation because we had it at the civic auditorium and it could only handle so many people.

Worst case scenario is I'd be there and stay a couple days and we could meet and talk. But it would be much better if I could come to your house and meet your parents. You sure can't introduce me as an old relative. Or as an old teacher. I guess we could just tell them the truth about me telling you to put everything in Reverse. You can still maintain the position that you made a mistake and that I helped you make it through by encouraging you to talk to your parents and trying to change your life.

I am thinking out loud so of course and I'm not sure if this makes any sense. I'm also dictating this to my android which doesn't always work very well. I am hoping by June that I might actually be able to jog with you. I am a pretty big guy and I'm still a little slow . But I'm working on it. I can see you and me and Max running through the woods. What fun.

By the way, I always say to my children God bless you and I love you every time I talk to them or write them because I want that to be the last thing I say to them if I should die. This is also the same reason I end our conversations with something similar. I'm not expecting to die, but the last thing I said to my mother before she died was I love you, Mom. And I'm glad that's the last thing I said to her because she and I didn't always agree. So God bless you, Will. I love you and I'll be at your graduation. God willing that is.

*****

Will Waters Sat, Aug 16, 11:35 AM

To: frankf4321S@gomail.com

I LOVE U TOO! LOTS! And we will together figure this out! I want, no I NEED u you meet my parents! You're too big a part now of EVERYTHING to be in the background! You'll think of something I know u will! And no u won't need an invitation, the whole damn high-school had less than 300 kids, and graduation is held on the football field. Invitations? Ha! Nothing is that formal or official up here. Remember this is sticksville USA bro. Literally. Very few people will even have a tie on, if they even own one. Ha! I know we can think of something! Maybe like I met u on some support chat site or something, I DON'T KNOW! We've got time though. And I know you'll figure something out! But I need to not hide in the shadows bro, please. The graduation ceremony will probably be the second Friday nite in June, around 6 if I remember correctly. You just gotta be there. PLEASE! we'll figure it out.

It's getting half way sunny out and I still haven't left with Max. I wanted to wait for your reply. And I'll never sign off without telling u I love u, cause I do!

So... LOVE YA! Will n Max! Woof! Ha! Xo

*****

frankf4321s Sat, Aug 16, 11:50 AM

To: willw521k@gomail.com

I'm coming no matter what. You could tell them we met online on a writing blog, you wrote me a few emails about writing, and then said you wanted to write about your coming out experience. And because I was a former teacher, principal, and coach I was able to give you some advice. Let’s just keep it simple. They may want to know the name of the site, so you might just find a writing site online.