Adam Blake - 140. Chapter 140

“Evelyn, are the boys going to be home?”

“I think Jer is coming, but Abe is staying for a rehearsal. He may be home on Sunday.”

“What kind of rehearsal?”

“His college is putting on a musical, and he has a part in it.”

“When is his performance? We must go and see it.”

“I’ll let you know. Maybe Jer knows.”

Abe did very well on his GED. He wanted to go to college for a degree in architecture. I think helping Hans on building the chalets sort of turned him on to that field. Jer had one more year to go before he took his GED’s. I’m not sure what his field of interest will be, but if he wants to go to college or a trade school, I’ll see that he gets his chance.

Supper was light, thank goodness, after our dinner at MOMA’S, we really could have skipped supper, but that would have hurt Mom’s feelings. So I noticed the older boys took a little and ate slowly, as I did.

We were awakened in the morning by bus horns. The buses were here with the boys. They no sooner got off the bus and into the chalets when Billy, Susanna, Scott, and Buster arrived. The noise level just peaked as everyone gathered in front of the cabin. The boys, after dropping their bags at the chalets, ran for the boats. They were going fishing. It was funny to watch them. They were out on the lake when they realized they had no bait.

“We forgot to get the worms.”

The boys fished all morning. They caught enough fish to last a week. Mom and Evelyn just took it casually. They were cleaned and wrapped, and put into the freezer. I was sure Billy was going to take some home.

Billy decided to go for a run, and we took it slow. “Uncle, Susanna, and I have set the date. I’d like you to be my best man.”

“Shouldn’t that be your father? I think he’d be hurt if you didn’t ask him. I’ll be one of your groomsmen, how’s that.”

“He said you would say that. I hope I have a friendship like you and Dad have.”

“I think you have the start of one, a little unusual, but what about Johnny. You two seem to share an interest. Your dad and my friendship are unusual in that we essentially grew up together as brothers. If he wasn’t at my house, I was at his. I think in today’s world, that doesn’t happen very often. Of course, our running helped. It gave us a common denominator. But I wouldn’t worry, I have a feeling you’ll have a lot of friends, and you’ll always have Uncle Adam.”

Billy is a great kid, and I hope Little Adam grows up to be like him.

As we neared the lake, Little Adam and Buster headed right toward me. There is no question he’s going to be another Scotty as he hit me, knocking both of us into the lake. At first, he was confused, then he climbed on me and laughed. There we were. I was lying on my back in the lake with Buster sitting on my stomach, laughing.

It happened so fast it took Billy a few minutes before he realized what happened. He saw me laughing, so he relaxed and started to laugh as well. The boys in the boat yelled. We were scaring the fish away. That wasn’t true, and they knew it.

Mom came out to see what happened. Marie said we were just little boys. I did have to get a liniment rubdown since I hadn’t cooled enough after the run. My calves were hurting. After Billy told everyone what had happened, they all understood we weren’t horsing around. Scotty had to give Buster a high five.

Marie applied the linemen and hot towels to my legs until the muscles relaxed. “After the tackling Buster gave you, I’m beginning to see why you think he’ll be a football player. His dad was a big boy, but I hope he doesn’t become a bully like his dad.”

“With Scotty and Billy, that won’t happen. Did Billy tell you he and Susanna set the date?”

“No, but Susanna told me. She is quite excited. Did you know we are their role models?”

“No, but why us?”

“You should know, your Billy’s idol. I’m sure he loves his dad, but you are special. He thinks if it weren’t for you, he’d have never graduated high school, never won a gold medal in the Olympics, and would never have gone to college.”

“That isn’t true. He did those things on his own. Having faith in someone isn’t the same as being a life coach. Billy will come to realize that it was Bill who helped him to accomplish those goals. Bill loves those boys, even enough to reach out when he was in trouble. That’s a father.”

“I think you protesteth too much.”

“So you have been listening to the literature prof at the college, or have you been reading Shakespeare?”

She didn’t have a chance to answer when the bombshell struck again. “Uncle Adam, come and play ball with me.”

I looked at Marie, “Get the first aid kit ready.”

Buster had rounded up a few boys, and with Scotty as a coach on one side, I was to be the coach on the other side. With Buster blasting his way through the boys, their side won easily. I was concerned that none of the boys would get hurt. Mom stopped the game with the dinner bell being rung. I had an old bell I found in the shop in town and hooked it on the porch.

Boats came in, and the fish were cleaned and placed in cold water. They would take care of them after dinner. Our chefs had prepared fish and chips in the ovens. Caleb’s skills have grown over the years, and he has become a first-rate chef. Now when he goes to France, and lately Italy, he teaches them how to make his special dishes.