The Castaway Hotel - 5 - 38. Chapter 38 - A Revolving Door

The following Monday, I received another email from Ricky and it immediately became clear he was still enjoying himself in his new home.

Hi Dad and everyone else,

I had a really neat weekend. My host family took me to a couple of different places and I had a lot of fun. On Saturday, we went to the Australian Wildlife Park, which isn’t very far from here, and it was really neat. Although I’ve visited other zoos and wildlife parks with you before, this one wasn’t like any of those, because they have a lot of different animals than what I’ve seen in any of those other places. I knew about some of these animals before I came here, but there were even more that I didn’t know. They were really neat and got to learn a whole lot about them.

When we went to see the koalas, there was a raised platform that visitors were allowed to walk along while they were there, so that put us even with the tops of the eucalyptus trees. This meant we got to watch the koalas as they ate and saw how they behaved where they really live, in the tops of these trees. It was waaaaay kewl. The koalas look like real-life teddy bears and they’re so neat that it almost makes you want to grab one and take it home with you.

They also have five species of kangaroo, including an albino kangaroo, and they also have wallabies, which are like small kangaroos. Peter, my host-brother, kept singing this dumb song about ‘Tie Me Kangaroo Down,’ but it did get me asking him questions about what some of the things he was singing about were, and then I even got to see some of them. I’ll write some of the lyrics down, so you can see what I’m talking about.

The chorus goes – Tie me kangaroo down, sport, tie me kangaroo down, tie me kangaroo down, sport, tie me kangaroo down

That’s the part he kept singing over and over and it really started to get on my nerves, until he started singing some of the verses. The first one went like this – Watch me wallabies feed, mate, watch me wallabies feed, they're a dangerous breed, mate, so watch me wallabies feed, altogether now! – and then he sings the chorus again. But when he sang this, I asked him what a wallaby was and that caused him to buckle over in laughter.

“Blimey, don’t they teach you chaps from the States about anything?” he asked. He talks kind of funny like that, but it was sort of like listening to Nigel and his boys.

Well, after he said this I got mad and told him they teach us lots of things, and sometime I’d show him stuff I know that he doesn’t, but I wanted to know what that dang thing was he was singing about. That’s when he told me it was like a small kangaroo.

Another verse went like this – 'n' take me koala back, Jack, take me koala back, he lives somewhere out on the track, Mac, so take me koala back, altogether now! – and then that stupid chorus again. Of course, I knew what a koala was, so I didn’t have to ask him about that, but then there was another verse that I didn’t know what it was about, but I didn’t ask him about it this time, because I didn’t want him giving me more crap.

That verse went like this – Play your didgeridoo, Blue, play your didgeridoo, ah, like, keep playin' 'til I shoot thru, Blue, play your didgeridoo, altogether now! – and then that bloody chorus again. Blasted, did I really just write bloody? Now I’m starting to sound like Peter. Hehehe Peter says it’s like swearing.

Anyway, Peter must have seen the look on my face and told me what it was, without making fun of me this time. He told me the didgeridoo is a musical instrument, which is sometimes referred to as a natural wooden trumpet or a drone pipe. The Aborigines, who are like our Native Americans, since they were the first people in Australia, are the ones who first made this and Peter says it’s unique to Australia. I thanked him for being nice and explaining it to me. I think that made him feel bad about making fun of me earlier, but I just figured I’d pull another prank on him later, to get even. lol

The last verse was kind of funny, and I’ll bet you’ll guess why, once I tell you what it said. It went like this – Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred, tan me hide when I'm dead, so we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde, and that's it hangin' on the shed!! Altogether now!

Can you picture them cutting off his skin and then hanging it on the side of a building, like some people do with animal hides. I thought it was funny, so I hope you did too. Anyway, getting back to the Wildlife Park. After that we saw a bunch of dingoes, which are reddish-brown wild dogs, and wombats, which look like really small bears. I don’t know how they came up with the names for all of these animals, but most are really funny sounding.

The emus we saw looked like small ostriches, and the goannas are lizards, well, actually they’re sand monitors. The park also has eye-level underground viewing areas, so you can see the wombats and goannas underground, where they spend much of their time.

They did have other animals that were really neat too. They had fairy penguins, which are the smallest of all of the penguins and only get to be about ten inches tall. They have blue feathers on their back and white feathers on their fronts, which is a lot different from the black and white penguins I was expecting to see.

They also had some Tasmanian Devils, which surprised me, cuz I thought they were only cartoon characters. The real ones are about the size of a cat or a badger, and they’re black with a white chest. These are not animals to mess around with though, cuz they can be really mean. They have lots of sharp teeth and they attack each other like all the time, so most of them have patches on them where the fur is missing from being attacked. These also have scars from where they’ve been bitten by other devils, which made me glad my brothers are not quite that bad. hehehe

There was also this big saltwater crocodile, and some smaller ones too, but they said the big one was the largest one in captivity. It looked really ferocious, especially in the underwater viewing area. I probably wouldn’t even make him full if he ate me, but I sure am glad I didn’t have to worry about that. lol

Well, that was Saturday, and we spent the whole day there. Then Sunday we went back to the same general area, to go to Wonderland. That’s kind of like Disney World. They say it’s the largest amusement park south of the equator. They have all sorts of rides and shows, and they even have a thing called Blinky Bill, which is a person in a giant koala costume, kind of like meeting Mickey Mouse. Some of the rides were neat, even though some of it was geared to the little kids, just like Disney World, but it was still a great time. I think if I can get Kylie to go out with me, I’ll try to bring her here.

Peter and I have been really close and we’ve had lots of fun. It’s like winter down here, so I couldn’t get him to go skinny-dipping yet, but I will. Oh, I forgot to tell you about school. I’m taking all business courses down here, because I’ve decided I want to major in marketing in college. Dad, you’ve always said I could sell sand to a thirsty man or a bikini to an Eskimo, so I thought I’d go with my strengths. lol

Well, I enjoyed all your emails, and Peter read them too. I had to explain some things to him, but he’s cool with everything. I even thought maybe he could come visit us sometime, so he could get to know all of you. I’m sure everyone would like him, especially you Dad. He’s a little like me, that’s why.

Oh, and things I might want or need here, could you send some jockey shorts for Peter. The kind they sell here aren’t as soft and he loves mine. He wears size 14/16. And maybe you could send something special for my host parents. They’ve been really great to me, making sure I get to see and do things while I’m here. I’ll talk to you about that on the phone when I call, Dad, cuz I’m not sure what would be a good gift for them. I know you’ll have plenty of ideas, though. As far as my birthday goes, just call me that day and wish me a happy birthday in person. Remember, it will be the 6th there, or early on the morning of the 7th, but I’ll look forward to your call on that day.

Wow, can you believe how long this email got! I almost wrote a book. Dang, I’ve never written this much before – even for a school assignment. I’d better sign off then, before someone thinks I can actually write.

I love you all,
Ricky

A short time after we all read the email from Ricky, Nick came up to me and made an announcement. “Pop, I think I want to sign up to be an exchange student next year, like Ricky did.”

“Oh, really?” His statement caught me completely off guard. “I didn’t know you were interested in anything like that.”

“Yeah, I think it would be neat,” he explained. “I’d really like to get to live in another country. I mean, you know I can survive on my own. I think I proved that before, so do you think I can?”

“Well, before we decide that, you’ll have to call your parents and get their permission first,” I advised him. “If it’s okay with them, then we’ll get the ball rolling on that when you go back to school. Would that be okay with you?”

“Yeah, that would be great. Should I call my mom and dad now?” he asked, more anxious than I had seen him about anything other than sex before.

“I’m not sure they’ll be home yet, considering the time difference,” I informed him. “Why don’t you just wait until later tonight, or you could wait until you go back for your summer vacation there. Remember, you are leaving this weekend to spend a few weeks with your folks. Did you forget that you and Brandon are flying out together? He’ll fly with you to Oklahoma and then he’ll catch another plane to get to Texas. I hope you remember that your parents took their vacations specifically during these weeks, just so they could spend time with you.”

“Yeah, I remembered I was gong, but I don’t really want to wait until then to ask,” he answered. “I want to know now.” Just like Nick. The boy has to learn patience and how to delay gratification, but I don’t think this is going to be it.

“Well, we still won’t be able to do anything until the fall, so there is really no need to hurry this,” I countered, hoping that might cool his jets a bit, although I doubted it would.

“Hey, I’m going to miss Nigel and the boys coming here too, aren’t I?” he suddenly realized and began looking dejected. “Dang, I totally forgot about that.”

“You’re only going to miss part of their stay,” I consoled. “We’ll wait until you’re back before we do the fun stuff. While you’re gone, we’ll probably only take them to see Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and New York City, so you won’t miss much, since you’ve already seen those places.”

“Okay, but I wouldn’t mind going again,” he replied, but looking better because he wasn’t going to miss out on going someplace he’d never been.

“I know, but you’ll have fun with your parents too,” I offered. “They are really looking forward to spending time with you, because they haven’t seen you since Christmas.”

“I know and I’m glad they want to do that now. They’re so different from how they used to be,” he offered. “Okay. I’ll wait until I go there to ask, but only if you promise we’ll get this started as soon as we can.”

“I promise and that won’t be a problem,” I agreed. “Have you narrowed down the countries you might want to go to?”

“Well, Australia sounds nice, but I’m pretty open. I’m also pretty good at Spanish. I had to use that a lot when I ran away and you know I’m taking it at school. I’ve even kept in practice with Carlos. I email him quite a bit and we IM each other too, so my writing in Spanish has gotten better, and then I talk to him in Spanish whenever I get the chance.”

“I didn’t know you stayed that close to Carlos,” I replied, somewhat surprised, “but it sounds as if that will help open up a lot more options for you than Ricky had. I guess you’re certain you want to do this then?”

“Oh, yeah. Every time I see an email from Ricky, I know I want to go,” he told me, and I could tell from his expression he really meant it. “He sounds like he’s having a real blast over there.”

“Yes, I think you’re right about that,” I agreed. “Well, it sounds like a plan, so we’ll talk about it more when you get back.”

“Thanks, Pop. I knew you’d help me do this,” he added, before turning to walk away.

“Don’t thank me yet, at least not until your parents agree to let you go,” I warned him. “I don’t want you to get too excited about this until they say it’s okay.”

“Okay, I’ll try not to,” he told me, but I could tell by his demeanor that he’ll find it very difficult to keep his emotions under control, if either his parents or the committee turn him down.

As you probably noticed, this was something I hadn’t expected, so I made sure not to commit to do this for him until he got his parents’ consent and input. I don’t think it will be a problem, because I believe they’ll also see this as an excellent opportunity for him to continue to grow and develop.

I also think I should sit down with him when he gets back from seeing them, so we can talk about what he wants to do with his life after high school. I think it’s important he does this before he gets too far into this process, but since he is starting to actually think ahead now and planning at least part of his future, this would be a good time to take advantage of his sudden bout of foresight. That, in itself, is a minor accomplishment for Nick, since he’s always been more focused on what pleasure he could receive here and now, rather than what lies ahead of him. Except for his interest in music and the guitar, I’ve never seen him become this committed to something that didn’t have to do with another male’s body parts.

I spent the rest of the week helping Brandon and Nick get ready for their trip. Oh, they could pack their own clothes and get all of that stuff ready, but I called to confirm their flight reservations, planned when we’d leave – so we’d get there in plenty of time, and made sure they had everything else they needed to tide them over until they reached their parents’ homes. I don’t like to leave things to chance or until the last minute, so I made sure everything was taken care of long before it was time to leave.

While I was at it, I also finalized arrangements for getting Nigel and his boys to our place and for the trips we’d be taking with them. The boys and I were excited about seeing them again and I wanted to make this memorable. It was going to be a large group to take anywhere, and we wouldn’t be able to do most things without having reservations or tickets in advance, so I carefully set about making sure all my bases were covered.

Jake and I drove Nick and Brandon to Pittsburgh Friday evening. They weren’t leaving until the following morning, but we felt it would be easier to drive there the night before and take a room at a nearby motel. That way, they’d be ready for their flight, which was scheduled to depart before 10:00 Saturday morning. Mark was also flying in that same day, but he wouldn’t be arriving until slightly after 2:00, so Jake and I would have time to kill in between.

The trip to Pittsburgh went smoothly and we were able to spend a relaxing evening together. Before we went to bed, we spent some time in the motel pool, exercising and cooling off. It had been a hot June day, so I knew we’d all feel better after taking a dip, plus it would help us all sleep better too.

The next morning, while everyone cycled through the shower, I turned on the television and tuned in to the local news. That’s when I discovered it was good thing we arrived the night before. There had been a major accident on I70/76, which we would have taken, about 6:00 that morning. Another driver had cut off a fuel tanker and the tanker flipped over, when the driver tried to avoid having an accident. Unfortunately, this allowed some of the fuel to leak, and then it’s suspected a carelessly discarded cigarette ignited it. The ensuing explosion forced the closure of the westbound lanes and had traffic on the interstate and surrounding highways backed up for miles. If we’d waited and tried to come that morning, we probably wouldn’t have made it in time.

After we got the two boys on their flight, Jake and I took a little drive, since we didn’t want to hang around the airport for four hours. We ended up at a mall, where we grabbed a bite to eat and then took in a movie, before heading back to pick-up Mark. When we got back, we discovered Mark’s flight had been delayed, so we still ended up spending nearly an hour waiting around the terminal, but it was worth it, once we saw his face light up when he spotted us.

“Hi, Pop and Jake,” he gushed. “I sure am sorry I made you guys wait for me.”

“Why? Were you the one who held up the plane and kept it from landing?” I teased.

“No, but you know what I mean,” he answered, blushing slightly.

“Oh, we know, but we never mind waiting for those we love and care about,” I answered him, honestly. He grinned and then we went to get his luggage.

Mark was thrilled about being back and said he was looking forward to working with his mentor at the bank again, but he was also excited about seeing the girl he had the fling with last summer. He and the girl had kept in contact after he left and had grown even closer than they were when he was here before. Even though he was living at the house with us last summer, we didn’t see that much of him, as he was at work a great deal of the time, and when he wasn’t there, he was often with this girl. However, he told me this summer he’d be spending at least a little more time doing things with us, even though he was going to pursue his relationship with her.

When we reached the house, many of the boys raced out to greet him and they were sincerely happy to see Mark again. Once he got unpacked and settled in, he asked if I’d mind if he took Danny to the mall with him, since he noticed Danny was a little down from missing Brandon. I told him that would be fine and the two of them disappeared and didn’t come back until just before bedtime. I think Mark was a godsend for Danny at this point.

Mark also quickly took me up on the offer I had made him over the phone, about making himself comfortable and doing the types of things he wanted to. The first thing Sunday morning, I saw him and some of the older boys heading out to the pool, to swim in the buff. I thought Danny and a few of the others might pass out from the excitement of seeing Mark naked for the first time, and some of them were even sporting erections, before they got in the water.

Mark was older and a bit hairier than most of my boys, but no one seemed to mind that fact. He was still a very handsome guy, with a great body and some nice assets, even if he was totally straight. The gay and bi boys couldn’t seem to take their eyes off of him, but it didn’t seem to bother Mark at all. In fact, I think he made sure to give them all a good show and let them look as much as they wanted, but no one dared to do more. They understood there was a line that Mark probably wouldn’t allow to be crossed. In the end, though, everyone seemed to have a great time.