Keep Me As An Apple of Your Eye - 19. December 19

Thursday, December 19

The Light of Joy

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers,

I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body,

and I will establish his kingdom.

2 Samuel 7:12

“I heard from Yonatan and Matan.”

“Wha deed the hav to say?” Todd’s language was garbled as he brushed his teeth.

“They were in Brussels. They arrived in Paris, then traveled to Tel Aviv and are now in Brussels. It must be nice to have money to travel the world.”

“No jealousy. It is unbecoming.”

“I know. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could spend next summer in Europe. We should look into fellowships. I would love to spend some time doing research in Austria. My dad’s family was from there. If you could get some short-term position there, we could use that as a base and travel throughout eastern Europe.”

“I don’t know where I would get a fellowship. I am graduating in May. Who knows what I am going to do next summer? I sure don’t. We need to be focused on next fall - suppose I get accepted at the University of Nebraska.”

Erick stopped drying himself.

“What do you mean the University of Nebraska?” Todd could hear the upset in Erick’s voice.

“You never know.”

“Todd. Look at me. I need to know so that I can try to get a job there. I didn’t know you were applying to Nebraska.” Erick then noticed the twinkle in Todd’s eyes. He was being played.

Two could play the game. “I think we could live in New Kent County – maybe with Gino. That way I could continue to teach here and you could go to school in Richmond.”

“Nairobi?”

“Nope. Norfolk?”

“Not in your life. New Cairo?”

“As opposed to Old Cairo? Newport News?”

“Ewww. I would not live there. How about Naples as in Italy?”

“Hmmm, we could live off your trust fund.”

“Nope. How about Nanking?”

“Not going to live in China. We need to think about colleges in Nirvirginia.”

“Where the hell is Nirvirginia?”

“You started it by using a school starting with a ‘N’. So let’s say N-Virginia.”

“Okay. But I need to finish getting those applications submitted.”

“When are the deadlines?”

“Deadlines are for amateurs. I am sending application packages that will blow folks away. Hopefully, someone will take the bait and if they don’t, I will have to look further afield.”

“Further afield means that we can both commute to our respective colleges. I am serious.”

“We haven’t discussed this before. We will make this work, Erick. Remember, no pain no gain.”

Erick nodded his head. Of course, he and Todd had been together less than two months. Why should he have expected that they would be planning for the next year? They fit together so well he had made assumptions. He put on his underwear and went to the living room. He was slumped in a chair when Todd walked into the room.

“Look at me, Erick.” Erick slowly lifted his head and saw the love in Todd’s eyes. “I don’t plan to leave you but I also can’t just let go of my education and career aspirations. We aren’t even two months into our relationship. You may get tired of me and want someone else. You may not be able to tolerate my crazy behaviors when I get stressed out. You will probably find someone younger and Jewish who will be easier to live with and is of the same faith. You are so perfect to me but I am just this silly undergraduate school boy from Virginia. You are so far above me. I am trying to be realistic.”

Erick stood and looked directly at Todd.

“You are my shining star, an ever-fixed mark in my life. I want you in my life forever. There is nothing in you that is not perfect. You definitely are not silly. I will travel to Nanking or wherever. Please don’t make it Nebraska or North Dakota though. I don’t want to deal with a winter on the upper plains. But I will if I have to.” Erick smiled and Todd returned his gaze with a wide grin. “I swear today that I will follow you to the ends of the earth if you will have me. We are meant to be together. This isn’t some school fling. This is forever for me, Todd.

Todd walked up to Erick and held him in his arms.

“As long as we both shall live. My love for you is forever.” Todd kissed Erick’s eye lids. He found that he, too, was emotional and Erick kissed his closed eyes.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“How the hell did we get on this topic today?”

They stood with their foreheads touching and then they both started nodding.

“Let’s get the fuck out of this apartment. I am thinking we need to go to a place that starts with a ‘N’. This apartment has bad juju today. We need to see the ocean.”

Erick laughed and asked if they were going to see the Norwegian Lady Statue N-Virginia Beach?

Erick laughed as they got into the Honda. He needed a little bit of control in his life because even though they had been joking it was a very serious discussion that they needed to have. Todd asked where they were going and Erick would only tell him they were going to the ocean. Erick really didn’t know the area very well but he knew the general direction they were going. He drove southeast. Luckily, the roads were well marked as they headed to Nags Head. When they reached the toll booth on the Chesapeake Expressway, Erick opened his wallet and gulped. He had no cash. Todd grinned and handed the toll collector a $20. Erick reminded himself that if he was going to run-away, he needed to take money.

When they crossed the Wright Memorial Bridge, they could smell the salt air of the ocean. They took the beach road and could see where the waves had washed away some of the dunes. It was Erick’s first time at Nags Head. Todd had been there a few times. They stopped for gas and Erick asked about a place for lunch. It was the middle of December and many places were boarded up for the winter. They stopped at a shack that had a sign in front.

“Do you reckon these are ‘Lord of the Ring’ fans since it is called Gandalf’s?”

“Duh. To be so smart sometimes you are kinda dumb. Come on Mr. Tolkien, let’s get some Ent-draught and Lembas.” Todd was grinning and his sunny disposition was contagious.

They grabbed a booth and realized nobody else was in the restaurant. It was late for lunch but too early for dinner.

Just as their soup and sandwiches arrived, Pate and Timmy walked in. They did a double take looking at Erick and Todd.

“Oh my gosh, what brings you down here? Why didn’t you call? Can we join you?”

They were all drinking mugs of coffee as the restaurant wasn’t well insulated and they were sitting by a window. Erick could feel the breeze as the curtains flapped and he told them it made him think of ‘Old Cape Cod’.

“Do you know that song?” Erick looked at Todd.

They all laughed as Todd started singing. His light tenor voice was perfect. The waitress came up and started harmonizing with him. Everyone was laughing and cheerful when they finished.

“I am Nan from Nantucket so I know all of those old songs including the dirty ones that rhyme with Nantucket.” Erick guffawed. They decided she was one of their favorite waitresses.

“Come by the house. Are you spending the night? You must spend the night. We have all of these bedrooms. We’ll have a seafood feast for dinner.”

“We didn’t bring any clothes.”

“No worry, we will find something for you to wear. We’ll build a fire tonight and sit in the living room and get to know each other better.”

It was an offer they couldn’t refuse. Timmy was going to ride back to the house with them while Pate went to the office to finish some work. Pate said that business was really slow the last two weeks of December and he only had a skeleton staff covering the office so it wouldn’t take very long.

Erick was driving north on the beach road when Timmy asked him to pull into the parking lot of an art gallery. They went in and Timmy went up to the counter and spoke to a woman. She handed him an envelope. He was smiling.

“Let me show you the gallery.” Timmy led them through the rooms showing the works of different artists. “This is some of my art.”

Todd looked at it and then at Timmy and then at the art work again.

“Wow. That is incredible. Your style reminds me of an artist whose work I have seen in Northern Virginia. A woman. I can’t think of her name.”

“Felicia Preston?”

“Yes, that’s her name. How do you know her?”

“Because I have studied under her. She was here this summer for a show. Wait until you see her painting that Pate bought. You will be able to pick it out immediately.”

Erick and Todd became more and more impressed with Timmy each time they saw him. He was a quiet, introverted person who was obviously well educated and talented but came across as a man child. Erick and Todd thought he was a lot like Matan; a creature of a different universe or planet that had been put here for some unexplained purpose.

When they pulled into the drive Pate was getting out of his Jeep.

“Let’s walk on the beach. The ocean is beautiful today.” Pate quickly walked them through the living room, onto the deck and then down the steps to the beach. Erick stood in awe. He removed his shoes because he said that he needed sand between his toes. Todd did the same and then Timmy and Pate followed.

“Okay, we will all have pneumonia tomorrow.” They laughed and started walking.

“It is so different than the northern beaches. This is incredible. The hard-packed sand made walking easy as they stayed at the water’s edge.” Todd threw his arm across Erick’s shoulder and they walked along bouncing hips. Timmy and Pate were matching their walking style. They laughed when small waves washed across their feet. Todd would yelp and jump out of the water. He declared it arctic in temperature. When they returned to the house, Pate grabbed the water hose for them to rinse their feet. Todd again said it was frigid water while Erick said it felt warm. He knew from freezing cold water.

Pate brought in firewood and soon there was a nice fire in the living room fireplace. Timmy fixed drinks and canapes. They immediately recognized the art work over the fireplace and Todd was doing a close range inspection of the techniques used. Just as it started to get dark, Timmy plugged in the lights for the Christmas Tree. It was huge and fully decorated. Todd was ecstatic and grabbed Erick. Todd recognized the music playing and started to sing along. Everyone was in a wonderful mood.

Erick helped Timmy get out crockery and silverware for the table. Pate had made himself busy in the kitchen. Todd wandered into the den and exclaimed about the library of books. Everything in the house seemed to be curated. It looked ready to be photographed for a magazine spread. Todd figured that Timmy’s artist eye had decided where everything was placed. He didn’t know that Pate and Timmy together had decorated the house. Todd realized that he and Erick lived in a beautiful apartment but this was a step above. This was “fine” living.

By the time they sat down to eat, they each were ready to dig into the food. Pate had broiled an assortment of seafood, had baked potatoes, salad and Cole slaw. Erick was slowing down when Todd reached over with his fork and snagged the last scallop. They smiled at each other and then Erick leaned over and kissed Todd on the cheek. They both said it at the same time:

“I will love you always.”

It was a tender moment for them.

Pate brought out a pear clafoutis with fresh whipped cream. The French Press coffee pot was quickly emptied and Pate started another pot.

“How do you eat like this and stay so thin and healthy?”

“We exercise daily. We have recently joined the YMCA so we can use the pool. The ocean is too cold in the winter. We also walk five miles on the beach each day no matter the weather. When we have a nor’easter it can be tough going. Sometimes I am afraid that Timmy is going to blow away. He is persistent though and never gives up. In fact, sometimes he is the one to motivate me. All he has to say is what I am not going to get if I don’t walk. Man, I would walk ten miles for that.” He smiled broadly at Timmy.

“We just started swimming at the school gymnasium. When the swim team is not using the pool, we can swim. I have Erick turning into a merman. He is quite good to have never been formally trained. We enjoy swimming but also just playing the water. Erick almost died the first day I gave him a speedo to wear but he has gotten used to it. In fact, he looks damn good in it. We also swim with one of Erick’s students. The guy is a football player and is huge but he is great in the water. Sometimes it feels like an ocean liner going by because he displaces so much water. It is something to see all of that man in his little speedo.”

They all laughed and relaxed while sipping a B&B.

Timmy told them it was Advent meditation time. Todd was all smiles.

They went into the living room and Timmy told them that after sharing the meditation at their home in Williamsburg, he went out the next day and bought a wreath and candles.

Timmy asked Todd to do the reading. When Todd finished Pate said it didn’t apply to them because they weren’t going to have any offspring.

“Well, Erick and I are going to have lots of children so it is nice that God will raise them up after we are gone.”

“We are?”

“Yes, lover of mine. I want a house full of kids.”

Erick face was hardly wide enough to contain his grin.

Todd then talked about his love of children and that he always knew that he would have kids. He also knew that he would have to adopt them because he said he wasn’t sticking his thing into some woman. He then said that since Erick was apparently barren given the number of times they had tried and failed to make a baby that they should start the adoption process soon. Erick moved down the sofa and sat between Todd’s outstretched legs. He took Todd’s arms and pulled them around his torso. He leaned back into his lover.

“This is why I love this man so much. We are the same. We are meant to be together.”

Timmy looked at Pate and said that he must be barren also given the number of times that Pate’s big thing had been knocking at his door and he hadn’t produced a child yet. He suggested that they should also look at adopting. Pate had a look of complete surprise on his face like the idea had never crossed his mind.

“I came from such a FUBAR family I didn’t think I should raise children.”

“You are the kindest, most giving, and moral man I know. You would be a great dad.”

The conversation ended as the fellows sat looking at the brightly lit tree and the dying embers in the fireplace. The hour was getting late.

“Should we try one more time to make babies before we try to adopt?”

Timmy smiled and said they should try for the rest of their lives.

Todd and Erick were shown to the guest room. They, too, tried to make babies all night not caring if it was successful because their love making was like a healing balm. They fell asleep in each other’s arms; all of the drama from early in the day had been washed away.

Suggested Music:

“There is a Balm in Gilead”

Performers: Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI1UufOrIgg