Travels - 6. Worlds Apart

Monday, 21 July 2014

Having cleared the last hurdle for entering Australia; CJ’s passport bore a fresh stamp from the country’s immigration service matching the one from the previous year. The agent was friendly, and after noticing his last trip’s stamp, made a remark about how glad he was CJ had enjoyed his holidays so much he’d come back for a return visit. Once outside the security enclosure, he stopped momentarily to adjust his backpack and shoulder bag while retrieving his phone when he heard his name being shouted.

“CJ!”

The two initials making up his nickname were strung together in a lilt he recognized as typically Aussie. He’d heard it often enough over the Christmas holidays and occasionally from JP―who usually sounded more American than Australian―back in Washington. When he looked up, his smile reflected how he was feeling; he was honestly happy to see the big, blond guy rapidly striding toward him.

“Hey, Owen!”

“Mate, it’s so good to see ya.” The Aussie wrapped his arms around CJ and gave him a hard squeeze. “I’m so glad your dads let you come and that you’re here. We’re going to have a grand time. Come on, I’ll take the big bag for ya. Let’s get out of the airport. This place is crazy.”

“Can we stop outside for a minute? In front of the Airport sign? I wanna take a selfie of the two of us to post on Facebook.”

Owen came to a sudden stop, switching CJ's black leather duffle bag to his other shoulder, and glanced sideways at his companion. “Are you serious? You’ve been in the country for less than an hour and you want to post a selfie on Facebook already? What happened to the guy who didn’t like social media all that much?”

“I still don’t. But a lot’s happened and I’ve been brainwashed,” CJ replied, chuckling. “It’s a long story. But I promised to do it, so…”

“Then let’s take that selfie and walk to the car park. We’ve got a long drive ahead and there’ll be plenty of time to tell me all about this long story of yours.”

“A long drive?” CJ asked, confused. “I thought we were spending the night in Sydney with your brother.” CJ had met Owen’s younger brother the previous year when Spencer traveled the world during his gap year and stayed in Washington for a little over a week. Although their initial encounter had been rocky, after spending a few days together aboard the PP, they ended up being friendly. Because of Spencer’s continued travels, they had missed each other in December when CJ and his dads had accompanied JP and Tom to Australia.

“Change of plans. Spencer’s in class all day and has to study for a test he has coming up. Plus Liz wants to see ya. So we’re headed to the winery. We’ll spend a couple of days in Sydney later on before we leave for the US.”

“Okay, cool. I guess I did tell you to plan whatever you thought I might like to do.” When they stepped outside the building, CJ was taken aback by the cool temperature. He knew it was winter in the Southern Hemisphere and had come prepared with warmer clothes than the previous trip, but it was still a shock when compared to the warm, humid Washington weather he’d left behind. He zipped up his red hoodie, keeping his head uncovered so his face would be visible in the picture.

After taking the selfie, he followed Owen to the car, threw the bags in the back, and walked towards the right side of the vehicle. “Wrong door, mate,” Owen said with a smirk. “Did ya already forget which side we drive on?”

“Leave me alone,” CJ whined. “I’m jet-lagged.”

Once they’d settled in, the Aussie maneuvered them onto the M1 headed north while CJ tapped away on his phone. No sooner had he posted the image, than the chirps announcing comments began. “Damn, that was quick,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You’re popular, mate.” Owen glanced at him for a moment, flashing his pearly whites. “People are obviously waiting to hear from ya.”

“Nah, except for my fathers, maybe. One was from Dad and the other one from your cousin Patrick letting me know he’s a genius.”

“My cousin?”

“Yep, one of Uncle Tom’s sons. You know? One of the two guys you’re gonna be living with?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a bit sleepy myself. Woke up real early so I’d be here with plenty of time. We’ll have to stop so I can get another coffee. I still can’t believe they bought the house next to yours and that Tom’s kids are moving in around the same time I am. Being next-door neighbors with you and your dads was the last thing I would have thought of when I met you guys. Why is he a genius?”

“After what happened in New York―”

“That was nasty, mate. And you still haven’t told me everything. I’m surprised you didn’t kill that man.”

“Trust me on this one. I probably would have if our friend Sean hadn’t pulled me off. I’ll fill you in on the details later. Anyway, after that little adventure, I wasn’t sure how the dads would feel about me traveling alone. They blew my fucking mind when they set up my road trip with Harley last month. And then again when they allowed me to come back to Australia.”

“They knew you’d be safe here. They’ve met all my family and knew you wouldn’t be alone with strangers.”

“That’s the problem,” CJ twisted in his seat, turning his body right to face the driver. “The guy I rode the train to New York with wasn’t a stranger. He was a schoolmate and my dads had met him more than once. Anyway, during the road trip last month, they asked me to text them every time I arrived somewhere and shit like that. That wasn’t gonna work being here so Patrick suggested I use Facebook.”

“But you kept saying you didn’t want to post too much. That you didn’t want others knowing everything you did.”

“Correct! And since I have a bunch of people from school as friends who I’m not all that close with, plus a few adults I’ve met over the past year, Patrick suggested a secret group.”

“It ain’t so secret if you’re telling me about it…” Owen’s giggling caused CJ to roll his eyes in disbelief.

“Ha, ha, ha. Funny man. Everybody’s a fucking comodian.”

“A comodian?”

“Yeah, your jokes are for shit. They belong in the commode.” CJ’s chuckles were met with a shake of the head by Owen.

“Cute.”

“You wanna hear the rest of it or are we just gonna trade stupid jokes?”

“Go ahead. I’ll try to behave.”

“So, what we did was create a group and an account for the dads. Up ‘til now, they’ve avoided it. That’s where I get some of my dislike for social media. I’m the admin for the group. The dads, the other guys in my little gang, my cousins in Chicago, my grandparents on my dad’s side, and Sean in New York got added. They’re the only ones who can see what I post in there.”

“Very sleek, I’m impressed. You didn’t add your little brother?”

CJ pursed his lips, looked out his side window, and ran his hand over his new crew cut. “That was a tough one. I left him and the grandparents on my mother’s side out, so she and her husband won’t know too many details.”

“Your idea?”

“Sort of. I talked it over with the dads and they both thought it was smart. Until I’m eighteen she could still create trouble trying to get me back. She’d never win, but it would be a bad situation. So she’ll hear I was in Australia, but not too much about what I do here. After all, I’ll almost for sure be seeing her when we fly to Miami. She’ll either bring Ritchie over to our hotel, or I’ll be going to pick him up somewhere. You might even get to meet her too.”

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. What if she thinks we’re together? Won’t that be an issue?”

“Screw her. She can think whatever she wants. You’re my friend and neighbor. I can’t wait for you to meet my brother, though. He’s a great kid.”

The conversation petered off momentarily and the subsequent silence felt comfortable to CJ. He leaned back, taking the opportunity to stare at Owen as the man concentrated on driving. He surmised his friend had been spending a lot of time outdoors. With darkly tanned skin and hair bleached the color of a noon sun on a clear day, the handsome Aussie looked even better than he remembered. He appeared fit, the epitome of a surfer boy acting cool and relaxed.

“You look great.”

“Pardon? What’d you say?”

“I said you looked good. You must have been enjoying the outdoors a lot. You look and sound like you’re happy. The tan makes your eyes look bluer and I like the way you’ve let the hair grow over the top of the ears. It suits you. All that’s missing’s the surfboard strapped to the top of the car.”

“Thanks,” Owen replied just above a whisper. “I didn’t take a gap year before starting Uni like Spencer did, and completed my course in three years, so I’ve been a bum for the past few months. I’ve spent most of the time since you were here outside. Been zero-tasking, surfing a lot, and also worked in the vineyards a bit. You’re right, I’ve been feeling very content lately.”

“Picking grapes and stomping on them?”

“You’re such a doofus! We don’t crush grapes that way in the twenty-first century. I think that just happens in movies.”

“He, he, he. When I first learned about it, all I could think of was whether those people washed their feet first. So how come you did it? I thought you weren’t interested in wine making.”

“I don’t know, it felt right. You have to remember I grew up surrounded by wine culture. I may not want to spend my life doing it, but it’s in my blood. I love the land and the fact we can grow those little things which we then turn into amazing wines.”

“There I agree with you. Liston wines are fantastic. I went to a reception for Bastille Day at the French Embassy a week ago―”

“Wow, you must be important to get those invites.”

“Asshole! Your cousin’s the important one. JP’s the one who got the invitation and he took Bradley, Patrick, and me. You should have seen Brad. It was his first time at one of those things and he acted like he'd died and gone to heaven. Free food, free wine, and a couple of French girls flirting with him.”

“I bet they gave you lots of attention too,” Owen said, giving CJ another glance and a smile, before returning his attention to the road.

“Not that much. I think they were more interested in Brad. They kept making comments about his red hair and cute freckles. Plus, when one of them asked if I had a girlfriend, I said no, that I was gay.”

“Really? Just like that?”

“Sure. Don’t sound so surprised. What’s the big deal?”

“Don’t you worry? With all those crazy people running around, everyone with a gun? Or that someone won’t want to be your friend if they know you’re gay?”

“Oh crap, here we go. We need to talk about this image you have of Americans and guns. But not today! As for people not wanting to be my friend if they knew I was gay? Fuck ‘em! I am gay. That’s me. Not a closet case looking for acceptance that won’t be true anyway. Those so-called friends wouldn’t be real ‘cause they wouldn’t be dealing with the real me.”

“A bit harsh, mate.” Owen's tone was mild, in sharp contrast to his friend’s. CJ had spoken passionately, he knew he sounded like a preacher or a politician speaking from a pulpit or podium.

“Maybe.” CJ once again turned his eyes outwards, looking at the landscape zooming past the window. “I was thrown out of my house for being gay. Because a couple of narrow-minded adults couldn’t deal with me. With me as I was born. A bunch of gay men took me in and have been building me back up since that breakdown. I’ve yet to see any of them hide or disguise their sexual orientation. And I’ve learned I have nothing to be ashamed of. I am what I am and fuck anyone who can’t deal with it.”

His agitation receding, CJ leaned over and untied his shoelaces, removed his sneakers, and raised his stockinged feet, resting them on the dashboard. In the cramped space of the small car, his knees almost touched his chest. He shook his head and his lips curved slightly. “Sorry I got so wound up, but being out is important to me. If every GLBT person in the world was open about their sexuality, maybe we’d force others to realize we’re everywhere and we’re everybody. Yeah, there’ll always be nut-jobs, inspired by religion, their social upbringing, or a gazillion other reasons, but the majority of people really don’t give a shit.”

“And those nut-jobs don’t scare you?”

“I can’t live my life in fear, Owen. Being aware of my surroundings―people and places―has become second nature. But I swore I wasn’t going to allow fucktards like the cops who arrested me or the fuckers who tried to rape me slow me down. It helps I live in one of the most liberal cities in the country…” CJ allowed the words to fade momentarily. “Okay, how did we end up in this conversation anyway?”

“Kinda detoured, didn’t we?” Owen chuckled. “You were telling me about coming out to some girls at the French Embassy.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right. Well, the reception was great. Lots of good French wine. But I kept thinking I’d rather be drinking a nicely chilled Liston Verdelho instead. Or a strong Shiraz for that matter.”

“That’s brilliant! You have to tell Jack that story.” Owen referred to his grandfather, the patriarch of the Liston family and the titular head of Liston Winery. “I know he put away a few bottles in the cooler when he heard you were coming back for a visit.”

They’d left the Sydney urban sprawl behind during their conversation and a glance out the car’s windows now afforded a view of forested hills with an occasional town or small city being seen from the road. “We’re about halfway there,” Owen said after a while, as they crossed the Hawkesbury River. “I’m going to need petrol and a piss. Plus that coffee I mentioned. How about we stop before we reach Gosford?”

“Sure, wherever you want. I mean, I’m not entirely sure where we are so it doesn’t make a big difference to me.”

“Calga is one of the suburbs of Central Coast,” Owen said as they passed an exit ramp with the name on a sign. “It’s hemmed in between two national parks. Brisbane Water to the southeast and Popran to the northwest. The road curves to the right just ahead and I know there’s a Caltex Mart at an exit after the bend. We’ll stop there.”

“That works. Can I drive some after that?”

“I don’t think so, mate. Driving age in New South Wales’ seventeen. And even if we could talk our way around that because you have an American license, we’d still need special plates on the car. And I don’t have those.”

“Fuck! First, it was Washington with its stupid graduated license, and now the same shit here. Why can’t they be like Florida where I can get a license at sixteen and that’s it? Or like Wisconsin? My friend Harley got his early too using his grandparents’ address.”

“Really? That young?”

“Yeah, he’s been driving like forever. Funny thing is, he doesn’t even own a car.”

“Hey, not everyone gets a new car for their birthday as you did.”

“Defiant wasn’t new,” CJ said defensively. He was not ashamed of his family’s wealth, but he did not like it being a subject of conversation. Especially with Owen, who’d been offended when he’d tried to pay for everything during the last trip. “It was used when my dads bought it for me. I think they got me a car because they both come from places where one’s needed to go anywhere. Dad being from Florida and Papa from California. But living in a place like D.C, which has great public transportation, you don’t need one most of the time.”

The stop to fill up the car’s fuel tank and empty their bladders was a quick one. Back on the M1, CJ started noticing signs for Newcastle, where JP’s parents lived and they’d spent a chunk of time during Christmas vacation. “Are we going to Newcastle at all? I’d like to see JP’s parents.”

“We can if you want to. I don’t have anything special planned for tomorrow. We could do it after lunch and maybe meet my friend Clarke for a pint. When you returned to the U.S. in January, he told me he and his girlfriend liked you. But we don’t have to if all you wanna do is see Aunt Kate and Uncle Joe. They’ll be joining us for dinner tonight.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, mate, they wanna see you too. And you may want to be ready for an interrogation.”

“What about?”

“Oh about their son becoming a father. And with two teenagers of all things.” Owen’s amusement at his cousin’s predicament was clear. “Kinda funny the oldest one’s not even half his age!”

“Hey! I’m in the same boat with Papa. He’s turning thirty-one this year and I’m already sixteen.”

“Yeah, but your real dad is―”

“They’re both my real dads, dude. Papa Brett may be by adoption, but I think he’s even more protective of me than my biological father. Dad seems to trust my judgment a lot, but Papa Brett sometimes goes a little overboard with his concerns.”

“That can’t be so bad. Didn’t you say he was the one who asked that guy to check up on you when you were in New York? That turned out pretty well.”

“He was, and it did. I don’t mind it too much, the dads balance each other out pretty well.”

“They play good cop, bad cop with you? I know my parents still do now and then.”

CJ’s laughter was contagious; once he started Owen was quick to join in. “You nailed that one. But I think it’s natural with them, not planned. And I love them both the same.”

“Going back to my aunt and uncle, they’ve seen pictures of JP’s new house but I’m sure they’ll have questions about it too. I mean, you live right next to them after all.” Owen slowed down and took the exit for B82 towards Freemans Waterhole. “A little over half an hour and we’ll be there. Hope you’re ready for good Aussie grub and wine.”

“Not sure about doing a lot of drinking, but lunch sounds good. Qantas gave us a great breakfast, but that was hours ago.” CJ found himself enjoying the drive in the Barina Spark Owen had picked him up in. A Holden product, The Aussie had told him it originated in South Korea and was the same car marketed under the Chevrolet plate in the US. Although many considered the micro car a city vehicle, CJ thought it did well on the open road. But it wouldn’t be winning any races due to its small engine. “Hey! I remember that place,” CJ said, pointing at the sign announcing Cessnock.

“We’re almost home, mate. After we get you settled in and have some food maybe you’d like a snooze? Once Liz gets home from school she’ll be talking your ear off and then you’ll have to deal with the rest of the family.”

“A nap might be a good idea. I slept some on the plane but still…” CJ realized he had not bothered to discuss sleeping arrangements and wondered if Owen was expecting them to share a bed as they had in December. He was unsure how he felt about the prospect. This was Owen, not Eli, and he did not want to just jump in bed for a quick fuck with the Aussie. They had already done that. He had promised himself sex would not drive their interactions this time. He wanted to get to know the guy better; he wanted to become real friends, not only fuck buddies.

“We’re here, mate,” Owen said as he turned down the driveway snaking through the vineyards. “I hope you don’t mind sharing a bathroom with me. We’re putting you up in Spencer’s room.”

“Won’t he object?” CJ asked, looking at the Liston Winery sign by the entrance which echoed the one on the building’s façade he remembered so well.

“Nah, and even if he did, too bad. He’s not running the place yet and won’t be for a long time. I can’t see my parents retiring anytime soon.”

“Hey! Is that your grandfather waving at us?”

“Definitely Jack. I texted him when we stopped for petrol letting him know where we were at. Betcha he has a table set aside for us and a bottle of wine with three glasses on it.”

“He, he, he, I like this type of reception.” CJ unbuckled his seatbelt as Owen brought the car to a stop. “There’s something to be said for being friends with the owners of a winery. You think he’d be willing to take a picture of the two of us here? With the big sign behind us? I’ll post it and that will let everyone know we arrived.”

Before the words were entirely out of his mouth, Owen was motioning for the older, white-haired man to join them. “I’ll get your bags out of the boot. You go say hello.”

“Hey, Jack!” CJ called out, taking a few steps to meet the man ambling towards them.

“Welcome back, CJ. How was your trip?”

“Pretty good, uneventful flight, and an easy drive from Sydney. But of course, Owen did the driving so all I did was sit back and enjoy it. Thank you so much for letting me come back and stay with you.”

“Bah! It’s the least we could do. We all enjoyed meeting you and spending time with your parents. The three of you are welcome here any time you want.”

Owen’s prediction had been correct. Jack allowed them to drop CJ’s bags in his room and clean up, but urged them to hurry back and meet him in the restaurant; he had a chilled bottle of wine waiting for them. When lunch was over, the bottle had been consumed and all three retired for a little sleep. Jack claimed the afternoon snooze was what kept him alive and energized at his age. CJ had been traveling for over twenty-four hours and Owen had risen earlier than normal so he could be in Sydney in time to meet him.

Later that night, as the family gathered for their evening meal, CJ found himself relaxed and thoroughly enjoying the raucous group of adults who peppered him with questions about his life since the last visit, and about JP and Tom’s new home. Liz had been charming and effusive in her welcome but retired early claiming a headache. Later in the evening, after drinking more wine than he ever had, CJ joined Owen for a stroll through the vineyards as they’d done in December. The long day and the wine eventually caught up with them and they began yawning. Soon after, both were asleep in their own beds.

 

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

“G’day, CJ” Liz said as she kissed her grandfather on the cheek and took a seat next to him at the kitchen table.

“Morning, Liz. You feeling better?” CJ had woken fairly early and after throwing on some clothes, had joined Jack in the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

“Much better,” the girl replied, accepting the teapot her grandfather offered and pouring herself some. “Is my lazy brother still asleep?”

“Lazy, eh?” CJ asked, chuckling. “Haven’t seen him yet this morning so I’d guess so.”

“Your brother’s not lazy, young woman,” Jack said. “He’s just not a morning person. It takes Owen a bit longer to get his day started,” he added, looking at CJ. “But he should be down soon and then we can all eat breakfast together. With Spencer away at uni, and Owen leaving for America soon, I’m going to miss having my grandchildren around.”

“You’ll still have me.” Liz affectionately leaned her head against her grandfather’s shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere for a while.”

“Where aren’t you going?” Owen was rubbing his eyes as he walked towards the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup. “G’day.”

“Hi, sleepy,” Liz said to her brother.

“Morning, Owen,” CJ added. “Your grandfather was bemoaning the loss of his grandsons going away to school. Liz let him know she wasn’t going anywhere for a while.”

“Yeah, but she’ll be leaving soon enough. Look on the bright side, Jack, we’ll all be back at some point. Unless I get shot in America, of course.”

“What the heck are you talking about, boy?” Jack appeared confused. “Why would anyone want to shoot you?”

“Ignore him, Jack. Your grandson’s fixated on this flaky idea we Americans are all trigger-happy gunslingers. And he thinks we all carry firearms everywhere.”

“Don’t you?” Owen asked. “We watch the news and there seems to be a mass shooting every week over there.”

“You really want to have this conversation? Now?” CJ sounded frustrated.

“I’d be keen on hearing your side, CJ.” Jack seemed interested in the subject and shifted his gaze between his grandson and their visitor. “I’m certain you have a different perspective on gun ownership from what we do here in Oz.”

“Owen mentioned them yesterday during our drive. I told him we would talk about it at some later point so I guess this is as good a time as any.” CJ nodded when Liz motioned towards his cup and asked if he’d like a refill. “First, not everyone has a gun back home. Only about a third of homes in the United States do.”

“Only?” Owen exclaimed. “I think it’s a sign of a gun culture sickness. What the hell do you all need those stupid things for?”

“Now you sound like this idiot from Europe who always posts comments on stories involving gun violence on Huffington Post. I swear he, or she, has nothing better to do than pick on the US. I’ve grown up with a step-father and now a father who kept guns at home. Not that they had a choice since both were in the military. I’ve never fired one yet and I’ve never been shot at. And you might as well get used to being around them once you move. Uncle Tom has a couple of them at his house.”

“But he’s a police officer, that’s understandable. And the same for your situation with your stepfather and Brett being military. But why does the average person have them?”

“Because the right to bear arms is enshrined in our constitution.”

“Ha! That’s only because some judges decided that’s what it meant. I read the clause and the decision and I disagree with the way they interpreted it.”

“You’re not alone on that, bud. Some Americans feel the same way. But their decision in the case is the law of the land. The Supreme Court’s supposed to interpret the Constitution and they did so. I don’t see that changing in my lifetime. And I’m not sure I’d want it to.”

“Can’t you just change the law?” Liz asked.

“Laws are relatively easy to change in my country, Liz. Congress passes a new one, the President signs it and that’s it. But this is the Constitution we’re talking about here. It can be amended but the process isn't simple. Any changes have to be approved by a certain number of states and there’s no way they’d go along. Gun ownership’s almost sacred in certain parts of the South and the West. I don’t see it happening any time soon, either. Maybe when our population becomes even more urban, but not for now.”

“The Supreme Court could modify their opinion,” Owen offered. “They’re not infallible, you know?”

“Of course they aren’t. They’ve made mistakes in the past and they’ll make them again. The worst one in my opinion was the Dred Scott case in which they decided slaves and their children weren’t citizens and couldn’t sue in Federal Court. It was one of many factors leading to the Civil War. Years of fighting and thousands of dead people before the Emancipation Proclamation led to a change. You’re going to learn American courts have a strong tradition of upholding precedence. Even when some Justices disagree with what’s happened in the past.”

“You seem well informed on these matters, CJ,” Jack said. “Are you planning on studying law also?”

“I don’t think so, Jack. I read a lot about politics because I’m fascinated by the process. And gun control’s a political hot potato in my country. Some of my reading came after a conversation between my dads and Uncles JP and Tom. With Tom’s sons moving in with them, he asked my dads how they dealt with me living with them and keeping firearms in the house. Washington has some of the strictest ownership laws in the country.”

“What did your dads say?”

“First time I went for a visit, before I moved in permanently, they showed me where the guns were kept and told me to stay away from them.”

“That might work with you because you’re smart.” Owen didn’t seem to want to give up the argument. CJ realized this was going to be a point of contention between them for a long time to come. “But not everyone is. There’s no reason to have guns around when they’ll end up killing innocent people. Look at us, we have strict controls and very few shootings. It would work the same for you.”

“Oh crap, I can’t believe I’m going to use this line, but: Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

“Not funny, CJ,” Owen chided his friend.

“I know it’s a silly slogan but it seemed appropriate.” CJ took a breath and looked at the three Australians sitting with him. “Look, guys, I’m not gun-crazy. I support certain limits and controls. But gun ownership’s a fact of life in the U.S. Later this summer or during the fall, Uncle Tom plans on taking his kids and me to a gun range and teaching us how to properly use a firearm. We did talk about including you.”

“No, thanks. I have no interest. I’ve shot a rifle before while hunting but the idea of having a gun in my hand, whose only purpose is to kill other humans, holds no appeal.”

“And that’s fine. But a large number of my fellow countrymen disagree with you. The US is a very large and very young nation. We seem to get stuck on so-called tradition often, even if it’s not always a good thing. One of those traditions is the right to own guns. Maybe it goes back to our frontier days when they were used to protect people and animals from predators. Maybe it’s because we’ve fought so many wars we have an abundance of military veterans who’ve been trained to fire a gun. Whatever the reason, we’re allowed to own guns and I don’t see that changing.”

“Do you own one, CJ?” Liz asked.

“Nope, I’m not old enough. But I’m not averse to it, which is one reason I want to learn how to handle one properly.”

“I’ll share my personal views on the matter with you,” Jack offered. “I believe in and support the approach Australia follows, but I’m not certain it would work as well in the United States. One thing you have to remember, Owen, is that while the US and Australia are similar in size, they have fifteen times our population. With over 300 million people, compared to our less than twenty-five, reaching consensus would be more difficult. We might be cousins, but there are some significant cultural differences between us.”

“Why can’t they be regulated then? Why is there so much opposition to common sense controls?” Owen sounded frustrated.

“Because Americans distrust government like few others in the civilized world do.” CJ’s calm demeanor was markedly different from Owen’s agitation. Guns appeared to be a hot issue for the Australian. “That person I mentioned who’s always mouthing off? Their approach is more government, more laws, and more regulations. We have accepted government intruding in our lives in certain areas, but change’s been difficult and slow. And I’m not sure we’re so wrong in that respect. One of my heroes is Thomas Jefferson and he was a big advocate for the rights of states to govern themselves. Our Federalism won out and in some ways continues to do so. But many of us feel that as often as possible, decisions should be made as close as possible to the people. And local and state governments should hold the power as long as they follow the Constitution.”

“Fine,” Owen said, sounding exasperated. “You guys can keep your guns. I’ll never allow one in my home once I’m on my own.”

“Never say never, buddy,” CJ said, chuckling. “It may come back to bite you in the behind.”

 

Liz stayed home from school that day because she had a doctor’s appointment in Newcastle. She explained to CJ they were planning on running tests trying to determine why she had been suffering from headaches and feeling lethargic so frequently. Having no specific plans for the day, he suggested he and Owen take her to the city and back. She had accepted the offer for a ride into Newcastle but would return to the winery with her mother. Pam was joining her at the clinic after an early meeting in town.

“Hey,” Owen said after they’d dropped off his sister. “We don’t meet up at the pub with my friends until late afternoon. We have a bunch of time to waste but it might be too cold to go in the water.”

“You bet your ass it’s too cold to get in the water. At least for me. Remember I grew up in South Florida and we like our ocean temperature to be bath warm. Can’t have my dick shrinking and my nuts hiding inside my body.”

“Such a wanker,” Owen replied, rolling his eyes. “Last time you were here you mentioned wanting to see koalas. We could go to Blackbutt Reserve...”

“What’s that? Like a zoo?”

“Yeah. It’s full of Australian animals and plants. I think you’d enjoy it.”

The picture CJ shared on his Facebook page, standing with a koala and a pretty animal attendant from the Reserve garnered more likes and comments than any of the other ones he had posted. He and Owen laughed at Brad’s remarks concerning the girl next to him, hoping CJ wasn’t turning straight since he didn’t want competition.

“That man has a one-track mind. You better get used to it,” CJ said. “Sex is all he thinks about. Instead of the cute animal, he focuses on the woman.”

“Thinking about sex’s not all bad, mate. Just goes to prove men all think alike, even if we’re born worlds apart.”