From Maine To The Pentagon - 1. Discovery And Banishment

Sunday

I need my room soundproofed. Mom and dad are arguing. Again. It’s always one of two things; dad’s drinking, or mom’s spending. I try to tune it out but the house isn’t big enough to get enough distance. Sometimes I just wish I was deaf. I…

“Kurtis Jefferson West! Kitchen. Now!”

Three names, and he wants ME in the middle of an argument? Those can’t be good.

“Be there in a sec.”

“Not one sec. Now!”

Fuck. Not good just turned to worse. I hurried to the kitchen.

“Yeah, dad?”

“What is this?”

Oh shit. My graphic novel.

“It’s a graphic novel I’m writing.”

“It’s gay porn, is what it is. Would you care to explain?”

“It’s not porn.”

“There are naked young men. Barely more than boys. Why did you draw this?”

That’s why it’s called ‘barely legal.’ I know I’m not getting away with ‘just because.’

“Um, it’s what I like to draw.”

“Just to draw, or are you a faggot, like these boys?”

“I prefer the term gay.”

“Do you believe this Loretta, our son just told us he’s a fucking faggot?”

“That’s not…”

“Shut up!”

I just looked at the floor.

“What do you think we should do about this, Kurt-wuss?”

“Da-ad.”

“No. Fuck that. Don’t dad me. Pack your shit. You have thirty minutes to get the fuck out of my house.”

“Mom?”

“Don’t look at her.”

“I’m sorry Kurtis. It is his house.”

“Really?”

“Twenty-nine minutes.”

I shook my head and headed to my room. I can’t believe my own father would kick me out. As I was packing up a backpack and duffel bag, I overheard more of their fight which explained that a tiny bit more.

“Not my son? What the fuck are you talking about?”

I couldn’t hear mom’s answer. But what dad said surprised me. Not his son? What the fuck was that about? Well, gotta keep packing. I’ll text or call mom later. Let’s see, laptop, Switch, game cartridges, power cords for them and my phone.

“Ten minutes!”

What the fuck? It’s been like five. The asshole really wants me out. I hope Chase’s parents will let me hang there for a couple days at least.

Four changes of clothes better be enough. Maybe mom will let me back in to get more while the dickhead is at work.

I looked around my room. For the last time? This sucks. I stuffed a bathing suit into the duffel bag. Maybe I’ll land somewhere with a pool. Or near the beach. Yeah right. Brunswick, Maine, is near the ocean, access to beaches and frigid water. I’ll head south when I turn eighteen.

Little did Kurtis know, he’d be heading south a lot sooner than the nearly four years it would take him to turn eighteen.

I walked through the house, successfully avoiding “dad.” I smiled and waved at mom, and she shied away from my hug with a sad smile. Will I ever see her again? I wasn’t so sure. I grabbed my heavy coat on the way out, looking for my drawings.

“My drawings, mom?”

“He tore them up. I’m sorry. I’ll text you.”

I’m glad I scanned them into my laptop. That’ll be tough without a printer going forward, though.

"What about Dusty?"

Dusty is a Boxer/Jack Russell mix. We got him from the shelter on my thirteenth birthday. They said he was four then; he still acts like a puppy sometimes, so if he’s more than three I’d be surprised.

"I'll watch your dog until we figure out where you'll be. Where will you go today?"

"Chase's, I guess."

She nodded, and I just nodded goodbye to her. I was close to being done with her too. Thanks for standing up for me, mom.

I walked out the front door without looking back, cursing my supposed father under my breath. It was about two degrees out. Thankfully Chase’s house was only a block and a half away. Note to self, try to get kicked out in summer next time. I sent Chase a quick text saying I was coming over.

Around the corner and down Chase’s street I went. Lights were shining brightly in a few windows, most importantly, Chase’s. I rang the bell. Chase answered.

“Hey, du… What’s up with the bags?”

“Bernie kicked me out.”

“He’s Bernie now?”

“Yeah, I guess he really isn’t my dad.”

“Well, get in here before we both freeze our balls off.”

I walked through the door and followed Chase up to his room.

“So what’s the deal? He’s not your dad? He kicked you out, why?”

Decision time. Chase doesn’t know I’m gay, and I have no idea how he’s going to take it. But there’s no way to explain getting kicked out without mentioning it.

“Evidently not. Anyway, you know I like to draw, right?”

“Yeah. But you never wanted to show me.”

“That’s because I didn’t think you’d appreciate it.”

“It’d be cool no matter what.”

“Even a gay graphic novel?”

“A ga— What?”

“Bernie kicked me out because I’m gay.”

“Yeah, um. I don’t think you can stay here more than a little while.”

“You too?”

“Well, mostly dad, but, yeah, I’m not too keen on having a fag staying here.”

“Chase, we’ve been friends since kindergarten.”

We were thrown together alphabetically by the teacher. West and Wexler. We’ve been stuck like glue since then. Until now.

“But I didn’t know you were a fruit.”

“Really, Chase? I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Try Smitty.”

“Lewis? When was the last time he even let YOU in his house?”

“Okay, fine. But you can’t spend the night.”

What a fucking wonderful friend.

“Thanks for that, I guess.”

“But no fruity stuff around my dad.”

“Like I’ve done anything before.”

“Yeah, well.”

Just then, my phone buzzed. Mom texted me.

“Hang on a sec, it’s mom.”

“Maybe she’ll let you back.”

“Yeah.”

That’d be the day.

‘Kurtis, I’m really sorry. If I didn’t back him up, I’d get beat more than you if you stayed. Anyway, I put $1000 in your CashApp account.’

‘That’ll help. Chase isn’t going to let me stay.’

‘Okay. I’ll make you a reservation at the Rodeway. I’ll pre-pay for a week. Just tell them I’ll be coming later. I’ll send you some info to help you find your dad shortly.’

'Thanks.'

I looked at Chase, “Think I can get a ride to the Rodeway?”

Chase seemed happy he’ll be getting rid of me, “I’ll check with mom, but probably.”

Three minutes later we were in his mom’s car. He sat up front, not in the back with me like usual. Well, if I find my dad, I’ll probably never see Chase again either. Thanks for nothing. I hope dad isn’t in Brunswick. I need a new start. Especially if Chase tells everyone I’m gay when school starts back up after the Christmas break. Not that he’d use that word.

I got to the motel in one piece; well, without further insults from my ex-friend. I got a little bit of a hassle trying to check in alone as a fourteen-year-old, but I guess the clerk didn’t really care much when he saw I was booked for a week. He’ll probably complain to the manager and get a bonus when mom doesn’t get a refund. It’d be just my luck the way today has gone, I’ll get booted before bedtime.

But I survived until bedtime. Got another text from mom before that.

'Kurtis. your dad's name is Anthony Greiss. He left to join the army before I found out I was pregnant with you. He lived on Poplar Street in Pownal, Maine. He'd be thirty-three now. I think his birthday was in May, but I don't remember. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, but that's all I know.'

'It's a start. Thanks.'

'I'll be dropping Dusty off tomorrow. Bernie threatened to kill him if I didn't do something.'

'You're kidding?'

'No. He wasn't happy about me sending you that much money either, but I didn't care what he did.'

'What did he do?'

'Don't worry about me. I'll see you tomorrow after work.'

'OK. I’m in room 108.’

I checked into what was nearby, had dinner at Jersey Mike's, and stopped at the WalMart on the way back to get food for lunch tomorrow, and breakfast in case I'm not up early enough for the complimentary breakfast, whatever that may be. Living on my own wasn't so bad. Yet.

Monday

Hopefully the donuts I bought yesterday will still be okay tomorrow, I was up for breakfast, so I still have them. Mom showed up with Dusty and a bruised left cheek at around 5:30.

“What happened?”

“I didn’t answer Bernie fast enough about the dog yesterday. I’ll be okay.”

She didn’t say it, but I knew there was a silent ‘now that he’s out of the house’ that could have followed. She took me to El Rodeo for dinner after we gave Dusty some water in the motel room.

She dropped me back off at the motel after dinner. I wondered once more if I’d ever see her again. Today, I’d only found one Anthony Greiss claiming some military experience. Tomorrow I’ll dig some more and start sending emails, LinkedIn-mails, Facebook posts, etc.

Next up - "The Search And Contact"