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© 2015 by Eric Trager.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
"Dowling! Over here!" Coach Slater barked.
"Sorry about that last play, Coach. I didn't see the other guy coming and I got crunched... I'm OK. You can send me back in."
"That's not what I'd like to know. Tell me what happened before that unsportsmanlike conduct call. What do you think caused the call?"
"The receiver got up and said, `Pretty-boy faggot, you're dead meat,' Coach. That's when the flag was thrown."
"Then on the next play you were double-teamed and sandwiched?"
"That's about the size of it, Coach. I'm OK, really, though..."
"I believe you, but I want you to sit out this series. You're doing a great job, by the way... We'll have you back in on the next series."
"Thanks, Coach."
With that, Coach Slater called a time out. "Dickson! Wyman! Westfahl! Over here!" Coach called to his starting Quarterback, and offensive and defensive Captains.
"Guys, what I am about to say is between the three of us only. I'm given to understand that one of the opposing players taunted Dowling regarding an issue that has no place on the football field, and that's what the unsportsmanlike conduct call was for. Then on the next play Dowling was needlessly double-teamed, and hit hard when the ball was nowhere in the area. That could have caused an injury. As you know, I will not tolerate that sort of play. It's fucking bush league..."
"Whadya mean, Coach?" Trent Westfahl asked.
"Mr. Westfahl, that's not for you to concern yourself with. Here's the deal: my plan was to use this game as a warm-up. To make sure that you guys are as good as I think you are with the basics, and that as a team we're firing on all cylinders. But after what just happened, I want you guys to go out there and when the final score is posted I want it to be seen in no uncertain terms that you men came here to play football. I do not want, and will not tolerate any unsportsmanlike conduct out of my players, gentlemen, and you will make that clear to your squads. That means I want no penalties called on our side, but as far as what the score turns out to be, well, c'est la fucking vie... When the LaFollette guys leave this field tonight they need to know in no uncertain terms that hard work and talent is what succeeds, not dirty play and acting like Goddamn assholes. I don't give a shit. You men have given too much of yourselves to put up with crap like that. Now, go pass that on to your squads. If they ask why just tell `em it is what it is."
As it turned out, at halftime, Craig easily held the hapless Lancers scoreless, entering the locker room ahead 35-0. LaFollette had not even gained a single first-down during the first half, and the Craig defense sacked the LaFollette Quarterback four times. To further rub it in, one of the Craig touchdowns had been a pick-six by Brett whose team mates cheered him in a way he hadn't known before.
The Cougars received at the beginning of the second half, with Sean taking over at Quarterback. At halftime, Sean and Tim agreed that the first play would be one of their specialties that they developed and worked out on their own. For this play, the offensive backfield lined up in the Shotgun T-formation with Sean at Quarterback and Tim at Halfback. They figured that the LaFollette defense would not know at all what to make of it when Craig lined up with both their starting and back-up Quarterbacks in on the same play.
At the snap, the ball was snapped on an angle to Tim who faded back to pass, giving it a pump-fake just for good measure. The LaFollette defensive line and linebackers were in total confusion giving the Craig offensive line more than enough time to take them out. Once Tim saw the ruse worked, he lateralled the ball to Sean, confusing the LaFollette defense even more, and assumed the role of a blocking back. Sean immediately spied Brett, in on offense for the second half at Wide Receiver, about 20 yards downfield and wide open. Sean fired a bullet straight into Brett's hands. Brett almost walked into the end-zone for six more points, and the score standing at 41-0. Tim, as second-half play caller, signaled to Coach Slater than instead of kicking the extra point, they would go for the two-point conversion and he should not send the place kicker in. Tim knew full well that given the already blow-out score the two-point conversion was unnecessary, but he had a pretty good idea of what was said that pissed Coach off.
To Tim this was a `fuck you' play of the sort one gives a dirty opponent who can't win on talent. Tim was having none of it.
Sean signaled no huddle and the Cougars rushed to the line of scrimmage with Sean under center and Tim at Halfback. On the snap, Tim took the handoff from Sean, stayed behind his Lineman and ran it right up the gut into the end zone for two points making the score 43-0. Ever the sportsman, instead of spiking the ball Tim simply handed it to the Official in the end zone and made no display whatsoever.
The game continued in much the same vein through the rest of the third and the fourth quarters with the Cougars dominating the overmatched Lancers almost as if they weren't even on the field. In the third quarter, the Lancers drew two more significant penalties: roughing the passer for a late hit on Sean, and an infraction against Brett's covering defensive back, face masking augmented with unsportsmanlike conduct for grabbing Brett by the face mask and throwing him to the ground after the play was over resulting in the LaFollete player's disqualification in addition to the fifteen yards awarded to Craig. The Lancers also had minor penalties for delay of game, off sides, and illegal formation. Half way through the fourth quarter, the LaFollette Coach had to be warned to stay behind the sidelines. By that time, Craig basically had their practice squad on the field.
When it was all over and the dust settled, LaFollette had been shut out in front of a home crowd by the surreal score of 71-0. The Cougars did not tarry once the final whistle was blown signaling the game's end, shaking the hands of the opposing team only in the most perfunctory fashion.
The mood inside the bus on the trip back home was jubilant, a mood which Coach Slater sought to temper with a dose of reality. Once everyone was on the bus, Coach rose to speak to his team. "Gentlemen, I need your attention please... Alright." Coach then paused, and looked around the bus into the eyes of his team. "I can honestly say that I've never seen a High School team put on a show like you did this evening. It was a tour-de-force. Both on offense and defense. I asked your Captains to explain to you that I didn't think it was necessary to hold back on the score because of unsportsmanlike conduct and dirty play on the part of LaFollette. It was the type of conduct that has no place on a football field. You came to play football, not get involved in breaking the rules and having the game turn into a circus. You played football and conducted yourselves as adults. That's all I'm going to say about it, and you, gentlemen, will say nothing about it. At all. To anyone. If anyone, anyone at all, asks about tonight's score you are to refer them to me. Period. That's my job, not yours.
"Before the game I asked a hundred percent of you as a team and tonight you gave me a hundred percent. You did so without getting down to the level of resorting to unacceptable conduct of your own. In fact, your conduct was that of true sportsmen. For that you should be proud of yourselves, because I'm proud of you. But, I need you to keep in mind that tonight we defeated probably the weakest team in the conference. The rest of the season isn't going to be this easy. Not by a mile, gentlemen, and I want you to concentrate on that thought. I don't want you under any illusions, because I'm not. On any given Friday, there are two, maybe three other teams in the conference that could beat us if we let up, if we have a bad night, if we make mental errors, or if we just don't give it our all. And if we're going to win the conference this year we'll have to beat West. To beat West, we'll have to go undefeated. And that's the plain truth. They are as good as we are, if not better. Just to let you know, West won their opener 42-10 tonight against Sun Prairie who as we know is no slouch.
"So, tonight you gave a hundred percent, but you also basically played a Jayvee-quality team that's undisciplined, and in my eyes not well coached. You can be proud of your effort. But trust me, by now every other team knows what you did and they're all going to be gunning for us twice as hard. They're all gonna wanna beat Craig. We're not gonna let that happen. To me as a Coach you guys are a once in a lifetime team. And I mean that.
"Tonight you were excellent, but you are not yet perfect. And I need you men to understand the difference between excellence and perfection. Excellence chases perfection. Sometimes it catches it, and sometimes it doesn't, but it always chases it. You can rest assured we will be working on that. Enjoy yourselves once we get back home tonight. You've earned it, but on Monday we begin the quest for perfection. And I need each and every one of you to know that you have it in you not just to chase it, but to attain it. I'm asking you to believe in yourselves, gentlemen... I believe in you.
"Alright, with that it's time to award the game ball. Tonight it goes to a guy who never played the game before but showed his shit like a pro. Mr. Dowling, for courage, two touchdowns, and for showing that hard work, discipline and a good attitude pay off, the ball's yours. I'm proud of you, son. Catch! And bring me the ball Monday morning because it goes in the Hall of Fame display case for next week with your name on it."
Coach tossed the ball to Brett, who from a clumsy position in his seat snatched it with one hand, beaming like the sunrise while his team mates patted him on the back and cheered him. The bus continued its way down Interstate 90 with the players talking about post-game activities.
"Hey, Wymo, you know there's a party at Kennedy's tonight. Everyone will be there. You guys should grab JR and meet us there. I know he's got a thing for Kathleen. Her sister, Colleen the bitch, is the one having the party..."
"Why would we wanna go to party thrown by a bitch?" Andy asked, rolling his eyes.
"They got a huge house, Cass, you prolly won't even run into Colleen. Besides, they live maybe three, four blocks from you guys so it's close and all... Colleen only hates me, anyway. She doesn't even know you guys. If you avoid her, you'll be fine." Tim then whipped out his phone and showed a photo of Colleen. "That's her, so if you see her, just go the opposite way. Ah, who knows, she might be nice to you, but she hates my ass, that's all I know..."
"That's what you get for confused about being straight, my dear..." Brett interjected with raised eyebrows.
"Oh, punish me, then, you brute!" Tim replied in a fake southern accent, fanning his face with his hand.
Sean looked on making a puking gesture with his index finger and mouth.
Andy simply said, "Will you guys PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE shut the fuck up! We'll BEEEEEEEEEEE at the fucking party, OK?"
"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night!" Sean smirked in his best Bette Davis impersonation, complete with pretending to hold a cigarette, to which Brett, not to be outdone and not lacking Thespian qualities himself, in an even better Davis voice rejoined, "Butcha ARE, Blanche! Ya ARE in that chair!"
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jv0uUV2YaI&feature=youtu.be]
Tim replied, and in an exaggeratedly butch tone simply said, "I fucking give up with you fucking homos...."
"Well, when we get back we'll change and pick up JR," Sean said. "Then why don't you guys come by our place and we can just all walk over to the party..."
"Sounds like a plan," Brett said. "Tim, you're gonna hafta run me by my place so I can change."
"And tell 'em you're staying by me tonight, too after the party" Tim said, "And I want some of that game ball later, Mister... Right up the kazoo!"
"Yeah, Brett, fuck him `til he barks like a dog..." Andy chimed in.
"I intend to," was Brett's dry-as-toast, deadpan response.
Later on, the boys arrived at the Kennedy home. The party looked to be if not in full swing, at least getting going in a good way. The music could be heard a few houses away, and there was a good crowd of other people milling around the front yard and on the large veranda porch of the massive, old Victorian home.
"Looks like there's a lot of people here..." Sean observed.
"Oh, yeah," Tim replied. "Colleen always has to have the biggest parties. I wouldn't be surprised if half the Junior and Senior classes show up at some point tonight... Just remember what I said, she's a witch. Well, she hates me, anyway..."
"OK, J.R., let's go in and we'll look around for Kathleen. You gonna introduce us?" Andy asked.
"Yeah, I want her to meet you guys. I just hope her sister isn't a witch to me, anyway... Well, maybe she'll think I'm here to do the gardening, or something..." John laughed.
"OK, well, let's do this!" Tim said as he walked up the front steps.
The boys walked in to a full house. There were other players from the team they found mostly in the kitchen as they made their way. Along the way, Sean saw Eric Trager. Sean motioned to Andy to follow him over to where Eric was standing.
"Hey, Eric! Hayadoin'?" Sean called out.
"Um, hi, Sean... I'm doin' OK. Heard you guys had a blow-out tonight."
"Yeah, pretty much... Anyhow, this is Andy. He's my boyfriend and I just wanted to introduce you. Andy, Eric's the President of the GSA."
"Nice to meetcha, Eric!" Andy extended his hand.
"Um, likewise..." Eric answered appearing a bit uneasy.
"Do I make you nervous?" Andy asked matter-of-factly, tilting his head.
"No, it's just that I thought you guys were Dickson's friends and all..."
"We are..." Andy replied, then earnestly asking "What's that got to do with anything?"
"Eric and Dix have a history, And..." Sean interjected.
"OK, well, Eric, what's the history?" Andy asked in his usual direct yet honest way.
"I'll tell ya all about it later, Brown Eyes," Sean said. "I just wanted to say hi to Eric is all. I mean, we really don't know that many people yet..."
"OK, tell me later then. So, Eric, if I wanna join GSA can I do it, too, like Sean-o did?"
"Sure. Sean, you still have the app I emailed you?"
"Yup."
"OK, Andy, just print it up and fill it out. Bring that with fifteen bucks on Monday and you're a member."
"Hey, guys! Hey, Eric!" Tim called out. "Hey, you guys might wanna go into the kitchen. J.R.'s in there talking to Kathleen I know you guys wanna meet her..."
"Yeah, I'd like to meet her, too. Whadya say, And?"
"Sounds good. Nice to meet ya, Eric, and I'll see ya Monday, then," Andy said as he and Sean exited.
"So, Dickson, here we are..." Eric said. "Where's your, um, boyfriend then..."
"Oh, he's inside talking to some of the guys. Coach gave him the game ball tonight. He scored two touchdowns ya know. Plus, he's new to team sports so I figured he deserves the limelight..."
"You mean you didn't hog it all for yourself? Am I on the right planet?"
"Eric, it's been a long time since we fell out, and I've had a long day. Are we ever gonna be able to bury the hatchet, or is this gonna go on for the rest of our lives here... Because if it is I should just move on."
"Tim, I know... It's been a long time... It didn't help that I had a crush on you, ya know..."
"Huh?"
"I had a crush on you and then when you beat me out for starting at buckets my whole family fell apart. My dad still treats me like shit..."
"Um, wow. For reals?"
"Yeah. You didn't know?"
"About what...your crush, or your family?"
"Well, I'm over the crush. And what's this boyfriend shit, anyway? You can't be gay..."
"I can't? Is there some law against it that I don't know about?"
"Um, you're not shitting me, are you..."
"No, Eric, I'm not. And just so ya know, it tore me up for a long time. I didn't know what was happening to me, but with Wymo and Cass' help I figured it out. Then Brett just sort of fell on me. He's perfect. For me, anyway."
"Isn't he like a shrimpy little math nerd, or something?"
"Eric, he's at least my size now, if not a hair taller. He's never been the flashiest guy around school, but then neither am I... I love him."
"You're not flashy? What the fuck? You go around like you fucking own the place! Every fucking sports thing you get into you always win. And everyone just kisses the ground you walk on..."
"Eric, look, I only do good at what I do if that's what you mean. I've never been a dick to anyone, at least not on purpose. Yeah, I've had my share of success, so what? You need to know that I worked my ass off for all of it. None of it was handed to me."
"But when you beat me out you just left me there in the dust. We were friends and you never once asked, or cared about what that did to me..."
"You never said you had a problem about it. All I knew was one day we were friends and the next day you were an asshole to me and wouldn't have anything to do with me. And I didn't know why. I mean, every basketball team needs a really good sixth man, and you were it. So I didn't get why there should be a problem. All I knew is that you got rid of me as a friend and that hurt. And it still hurt so much that when Coach said I beat Wymo out for starting Quarterback this year I fucking panicked. I was afraid he'd act the same way you did."
"What?"
"You heard me. I was speaking English and I wasn't stuttering..."
"Why didn't you say anything to me?"
"I tried a few times, but you wouldn't talk to me, and the last time I tried you basically told me to fuck off and that we were never friends anyway. It hurt, but I figured I had to just suck it up. What was I supposed to do, beg?"
Eric looked at Tim quizzically for a few seconds, and then opened his mouth to respond. "No, I don't think people should beg other people to be their friends. I guess there was misunderstanding on both our parts. I shouldn't have blamed you..."
"No, you shouldn't have. And I suppose I could have been a little more aggressive about asking you what was wrong. That was all a long time ago, Trages," Tim said using Eric's old sports nickname.
"Yeah, we were only kids... And what's with that Wyman guy? I mean, does he think his shit doesn't stink, or something? It's almost like he thinks if he says something halfway interesting and then grins at you that you're supposed to be be putty in his hands... And what about his boyfriend? What's their deal..."
"Let me tell ya about Wymo. It might say on the team roster that I'm the starting Quarterback, but he damn near beat me out, and I think if we were both Seniors instead of him being a Junior he would have. I think Coach made the safe choice only just so none of the other guys on the team would think some guy just skated in here and took over. He gave me a run for my money like ya read about. But when the shit hit the fan and I needed a guy to help me out, it was him and Cass that were there for me."
"He doesn't care you beat him out?"
"No, I really don't think so. He said he came here to be a team player, and so far that's what he's been. He's got his own story about how he ended up here, and maybe if you ask him real nice he'll tell it to you."
"OK, well, maybe I will then... Look, Tim, I'm glad we had a chance to talk a little bit. You think we can ever be friends again?"
"Maybe... I guess I'd be willing to find out. You don't still have a crush on me, do ya?" Tim asked, winking.
"Nah, I'm pretty much over that. Besides, I guess you're taken anyway. Story of my life..."
"Yeah, well, I got lucky. Maybe you will, too..."
"So, um, Tim, I dunno but where should we take this? I mean, now that we seem to understand each other..."
"OK, Trages. I'm willing to see if we can't be friends again. Life's too short, ya know? I mean, I don't wanna run into you at like our twentieth reunion and we're still holding a grudge from when we were thirteen years old. That would be fucked up. Anyway, I'm pretty sure Brett's working tomorrow so if he is why don't we go grab lunch someplace."
"OK, sure..."
"I'll call ya in the morning, then and we'll go from there. I'm glad we got a chance to talk, Eric. It's been too long..."
"Yeah. Yeah it has..."
Tim turned, and walked into the house to see what Brett and the other guys were up to. As he was passing through the kitchen, he saw J.R. talking to Kathleen Kennedy. "Hey, you two! Get a room!" Tim called out.
"Oh, hey, Dix..." J.R. said. "You, um, you know Kathleen?"
"Oh yeah, we've met before. How ya doin' there, Kath?"
"Fine, Tim. Has my sister sunk her claws into you yet, tonight?"
"Well, not yet. I imagine she will before the night's up."
"Oh, yeah... Just to let you know, I think she's kinda lit. She's drinking vodka tonight."
"OK, that's good to know. So instead of being Veruca Salt she's gonna be Kim Jong Un. Thanks for the heads up!" Tim grinned and rolled his eyes.
"No problem, Tim, and it's good to see ya!"
"Yeah, you, too, Kath. Take it easy on J.R. there now, will ya?"
"Get out of here, Tim" Kathleen laughed.
Tim and J.R. bumped fists and Tim kept on his way, finding most of the football guys in the living room. Brett was still the center of attention as Tim entered the room, but the attention turned to Tim when he walked in.
"So, whadya think, Dix?" Trent Westfahl asked. "I mean, how do you think everything looked tonight?"
"I dunno. I was too busy watching my boyfriend over there..." Tim replied, nodding in Brett's direction. "Seriously, guys? I agree with Coach. We beat the snot out of LaFollette, but they suck and we still got some ways to go. I think we need to practice smart this week and see what happens when we play Middleton this Friday. I think we should aim to beat them by three touchdowns. I think if we can do that then we'll know we've made good progress. Let's ask Cass what he thinks. He's the one that's got the game stats..."
"OK, well, I'm not the expert but the game stats were a hundred percent. No penalties, no fumbles, no interceptions and we scored on every possession. The thing is can we do that against every team we play... That's probably impossible, but it's a great place to be starting out from."
"Wymo?" Tim asked.
"I don't really have anything to add... I agree with Andy. I think we should have this conversation after every game, though. The offense was spot on and so was the defense tonight, so we gotta look ahead to next week. It's all about the..." Just at that moment, a shrieking voice could be heard coming from the direction of the kitchen.
"Oh, Jeez!" Tim said. "It's Typhoid Colleen in the kitchen! Wymo, why don't you go have a look. Last I saw, J.R. was in the kitchen with Kathleen..."
"Want me to come, Sean-o?" Andy asked.
"Yeah, let's see what's up... Let's just go and see if we can see anything first before barging onto the room."
When they got within eyeshot of the kitchen doorway, Sean and Andy could hear a girl they thought must be Colleen. "Look, I asked you twice already what the fuck you think you're doing in here with my sister!"
"Colleen, first of all I can talk to whoever I want and second, you're shitfaced. Now, go on and hang out with your own friends."
"Kath, I'm not gonna let this little Wetback, or whatever the fuck he is, just think he can worm his way in here. He can go out and cut the grass for all I care! What the fuck is your name, anyway, kid? The Fucking Frito Bandito?"
"My name's John Wyman. And I already know who you are."
"Oh, yeah, and the next thing I suppose you're gonna tell me is that Sean Wyman is your brother!"
"He is. Should I go get him and we can both cut the grass? He owns a landscaping company, you know..."
"You fucking little douche bag! You better not think..."
"Colleen, you're really pushing it beyond the beyond here," Kathleen cut her sister off. "Now I asked you once to go hang with your own friends and I'm not gonna ask you twice. You're embarrassing me in front of company."
"Company? We never invite these kinds of people!"
"I invited him," Kathleen said icily. "And he's staying. That is if he wants to after meeting you..."
Sean turned to Andy and whispered, "Follow me and just play it cool."
"Gotcha!" Andy answered.
Sean and Andy then walked into the kitchen, surprising the occupants, especially Colleen whose face was still purple. "Hey, J.R., you gonna introduce us to the ladies?"
"Oh, um, yeah... Colleen, Kathleen, these are my brothers Sean and Andy. Sean and Andy, this is Colleen and Kathleen Kennedy."
"Pleased to meet you!" Sean said.
"Likewise," Andy added.
"Nice to meet ya finally, guys!" Kathleen said.
"So you're really... I mean..." Colleen was sputtering, but still purple in the face. "Yup, Colleen, this little dude here is my bro. Great kid, isn't he?" Sean smirked. "Now how about we go out on the porch and I'll fix you a drink." Sean looked back at Andy and mouthed, "Be back in five."
Once gone, Kathleen looked at Andy, "How'd he do that? She was totally flipping out like two minutes ago!"
"That's Sean-o for ya. Smooth as silk."
"Well, I just hope my sister doesn't try to get her hooks into him..."
"Sean's gay. I don't think there's much of a chance of that..."
"He's gay?"
"Yup, and so am I. He's my boyfriend. Is that OK with you?"
"Oh, I don't care... It'll be funny if Colleen tries to get in his pants, though..."
"Well, he said he'd be back in five, so I'm just gonna go back in the other room and leave you guys alone. Nice to meet you!"
"Thanks, bro," J.R. said. "I mean, really, thanks. I thought she was gonna rip my face off..."
"Oh, I'da ripped hers off later if she did that!" Kathleen laughed. "Nice to meet you, too, Andy!" Andy slipped J.R. a surreptitious thumbs-up and a smile as he returned to the other football jocks.
On the back deck, Sean took a fresh glass and 'mixed' Colleen a vodka tonic that consisted of vodka and waiving the tonic over the glass. "Here, drink this..."
"Thanksssssssss" Colleen slurred as she staggered, off-balance. She took a big gulp with some of it spilling down her top, and sat down. "You're pretty fuckin' cutechaknowthat?" she slurred on, decrepitly.
`Well, I appreciate that."
"Wanna go up to my roooooooom?"
"If I was straight I might, but I'm gay, so I think that's kinda out, Colleen," Sean smiled.
"You're a faaaaaaag? I'll fuck ya straitchaknooooow..."
"Well, I'm already taken, so..."
Colleen slammed the rest of her drink which amazed Sean because the drink he made was entirely straight vodka in the hopes she would drink some of it and pass out for the night. She got up, staggered over to Sean and began rubbing his cock through his jeans.
"Colleen, I gotta ask you to stop."
"Noooooooooo...I want whachoo got!"
"One more time, please stop"
Colleen made a hideous, contorted face just inches in front of Sean, bolted up, grabbed the deck railing and projectile vomited all over the flower bed below. Five, or six times her stomach emptied with the force and volume a volcano, in an unworldly purple color with brightly-colored chunks of food visible in it. Sean sat watching in case she fell over. Wiping the vomit off her mouth with her forearm and the back of her hand, she went back to Sean, nauseating him with her stench. "I'm sorrrrrrrrrry! I'm so gross! Now you'll never fuck me! I'm so grooooosssssss!"
Colleen wailed, starting in on a five-minute crying jag, her hair now over her face catching the remaining vomit and food chunks not already on her arm.
While appalled, Sean guided Colleen over to a chaise lounge and laid her down on it. Within 30 seconds she passed out cold. He went inside to let Kathleen know. Still in the kitchen with J.R., Sean cleared his throat to get their attention. "Colleen's passed out on a lounge out on the deck. She puked all over the flower bed. I don't know if you wanna do anything, but that's where she is. Should I get one of the guys and carry her up to her room?"
"Would you? Get Tim, he knows where it is, and I'll follow you up with a puke bucket. Trust me, this isn't the first time she's done this... I mean, not that I care that much if she wants to be a lush, but I just don't wanna listen to mom and dad yell at her and then listen to their BS because they think I'll do what she does."
Sean ran back to the living room. "Hey, Dix! We gotta carry Collen upstairs. She passed out and Kathleen asked if we would do it."
"Jesus Christ, that evil bitch strikes again... OK, sure..."
"And, we'll be right back. Maybe you wanna get J.R. and ask him if he's about ready to go?"
"Yeah, I guess so. I've about had enough for one night anyway..."
"Fuck! Wymo, look! She pissed her pants! Hey, Kath, whadya want us to do?
"I got an idea..." J.R. piped up. "You guys carry her up, Kathleen you bring the puke bucket and then once she's up there I'll help Kathleen get her cleaned up."
"You would help me do that?" Kathleen asked, looking relieved.
"Yeah, I mean it's not like it's your fault. Besides, she's passed out. She'll be heavy to move around. I mean, I, um, I assume we have to at least get her in some clean underwear..."
"You don't mind?"
"Nah. I'm good. Let's just get it over with."
Sean and Tim managed to slog the oblivious Colleen to her bed and lay her down. Just as they were about to leave, she stirred seeing Kathleen standing at her bedside. "Kath, he fucked me! I knew I could get him to fuck me!"
"Nobody fucked you, Colleen..."
"Yeah, he did. My cunt's all wet! He fucked meeeeeeeee!"
"You pissed your pants. That's why you're wet."
"Nooooooooo! I can still feel his dick! He made me juuuuuuuice! Look at my cuuuuunt!"
"Dix!" Sean whispered. "I'm getting the fuck out of here before I'm the one who pukes... Just get J.R. back downstairs when he's done. And tell Kathleen thanks for the party." With that, Sean bolted from the room heading back to Andy.
"And, that chick's fucking crazy, man... She's telling her sister I fucking fucked her for Christ's sake. She pissed her pants and now she thinks because her pussy's all wet that she got fucked and that I'm the one that did it. That's like super twisted..."
"I wouldn't worry about it. I mean, she's so wasted she's not gonna remember jack shit in the morning anyway."
"Oh, I'm not worried about it, but she's got toys in the attic, that's for sure..."
"Well, you can fuck me when we get home, how's that..."
"Deal. I want your hole tonight, loverboy!" Sean then leaned in and kissed Andy not caring that other guests were still at the party.
"Hey, guys!" Brett said. "Sorry I didn't get to talk to you much tonight. Where's Tim?"
"He's upstairs helping Kathleen and J.R. get Kathleen's drunken sister in bed. He'll be down in a few. Anyway, Dowls, congrats on the game ball. I gotta tell ya when I was in at Quarterback you did a great job at receiver. Really, it was great working with you tonight, man. I think you could be first string. You're good."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you are. The good ones make it look effortless, and that's how ya made it look."
"You did, Dowls," Andy added. "I almost hate to use the word, but you looked graceful out there."
"OK, well, I did this for Tim. Cunns told me I should and I just didn't want to suck at it. So I'm glad I don't look like an idiot out there is all..."
"Oh, please..." Andy said. "So how are things going between you and Dix anyway?"
"I totally love him. I mean, he gets tongue-tied and everything all the time, but underneath all that he's smart – I never knew how high his GPA really was - and he's got a big heart. He's like a puppy dog... I never thought I'd ever find someone like him... Hey, swear a secret?"
"Uh-oh," Sean grinned. "Better be a good one..."
"Yeah, it is. Tim asked me to marry him."
"He WHAT?" Andy said.
"Yup, we're getting married in the Spring. Sometime a little before graduation, I think. We'll both be eighteen in October, so that's fine..."
"Who else knows?" Sean asked.
"Only Tim's mom. That's it. I'm not gonna tell my mom and dad until after my birthday. What about you guys? You ever think about that?"
"Yup," Andy answered. "We already know we're getting married, but it'll be a while, I think. I mean, we're only Juniors and all..."
"Danny and Jim are getting married, too. We're gonna do a double ceremony. We figured it would save time and money... Tim wants to get married at St. John Vianney's but I dunno how he thinks he's gonna pull off getting married in a Catholic church..."
"Did he say he WANTED to do it, or that he'd `make it happen'?" Sean asked with air-quotes.
"He said he'd make it happen."
"Then count on it. You will be married in that church, I'm telling you right now," Sean said. "If there's one thing I've learned about Dix in the short time I've known him it's that he can make shit happen."
"We'll have to plan it more, but I'd like you guys to stand up with us. Andy, I'd like you to be my Best Man. If it wasn't for you that day at the Mall, there wouldn't be any Tim and Brett."
"Really?" Andy stammered.
"Yeah, I'd really like you to."
"Done. I'd do that for you in a heartbeat, man..."
"OK, guys!" Tim said, showing up with J.R. at his side. "I think Colleen the Cunt's done for the night. You ready, sweetie?" he asked Brett.
"Yeah, I guess so. I'm gonna fuck you."
"Oh, so Dix is a big bottom Queen now..." Andy teased.
"Shut the fuck up, Cass. It's not like you don't like your fudge packed every now and then!"
"I'm always clean, though. I use Massengill Oil and Vinegar. If there's any left over, Sean-o uses it for salad dressing..."
"EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" Brett gagged. "I'm sorry, but that's fucking disgusting!"
"It was supposed to be!" Andy said triumphantly, and for the first time in a long time standing on his tip-toes. "What do you use, Gyna-Lubra-Mint? So you can be minty fresh?"
"What's with the tip-toes, Cass?" Tim asked.
"Whadya mean?"
"You just stood on your tip-toes..."
"I did?"
"Yeah."
"Fuck! I'm gonna make an early Doctor's appointment and see if I can't get rid of the rest of this shit, then. It didn't feel weird, or hurt, or anything. I mean, I just did it without thinking..."
"Send the Doctor an email tomorrow. Make the first word in the subject URGENT with all caps." Sean said. "Then follow it up with a call first thing Monday morning. That's how ya gotta operate. I know that from the hospital in Kenosha."
"Yeah, they told me all about you..." Andy said, kissing Sean on the cheek with a smile and a wink.
"Hey, I was just doing my job..."
"I know. And you did it well. Just like you always do."
"That reminds me," Tim said. "You working tomorrow?" Tim asked Brett.
"Yeah, ten-to-six."
"OK, well, I ran into Eric Trager tonight. He wants to bury the hatchet. I said maybe I'd meet him for lunch tomorrow. That OK?"
"Timothy! You don't have to ask me if you can go to lunch with someone! I kinda hope you guys DO bury the hatchet. You used to be friends. It's fine..."
"Well, OK. I'll go then. I just didn't wanna go to lunch with him and then have someone tell you after, or me tell you after and, well, um, you know, that wouldn't be..."
"Shut it, Tim," Brett said. "You don't have to earn my trust; you already have it."
By this time, J.R. had finished up with the Kennedy sisters and the boys were standing around on the sidewalk in front of the Kenendy home.
"So, you guys are getting married?" Andy blurted out.
"Cass?" Tim looked shocked.
"Yeah, Brett told us right before you came down. Fuckin-A, man! That's fucking AWESOME!
"It's totally awesome, Dix. You two really bring out the best in each other. Which one of you queens is gonna be the fuckin' bride? I think Brett...no offense, but you're too hairy to wear a dress, Dix..." Sean teased.
"Fuck off, Wymo! Anyway I was gonna ask ya because, um, you, well...I mean..." Tim stuttered.
"What he's trying to say, Sean, is that he'd like you to dress us for the wedding and to dress the wedding party, too. He knows you know how to dress, and neither one of us do," Brett clarified.
"THAT'S what he was trying to say? Shit, I thought I was listening to Mush-Mouth from the Cosby Kids..." Sean needled.
"Hey-ba you-ba," Andy added for effect.
"You guys can fuck off..." Tim said, embarrassed.
"Yeah, well, I'll do that for you guys, sure, but Dix, man, you better not fucking flub your vows. Christ, you better go watch that movie The King's Speech, or something..." Sean said, laughing, and poking Tim in the ribs.
"You guys are making me sick..." John piped up, laughing. "And don't ask me to be the fucking ring-bearer just because you're all nine inches taller than me, either."
"Oh, I'll show ya make me fucking sick, alright!" Sean said, grabbing the much-smaller John with one arm and tickling him with the other.
"Stop! Fucking STOOOOOOPPPPPP!" John wheezed between laughs, suddenly throwing up all over the sidewalk.
"See, I toldja I'd show ya make me sick, ya little turd..." Sean smirked, triumphantly.
"You just wait `til I tell Dad!" John said, still laughing.
"Tell him what, you hurled on the sidewalk after being properly disciplined for being a douche?" Andy laughed.
"Something like that..." John said, running over to Sean and hugging him tight. "I always wanted a big brother. I'm glad it's you, Sean."
"Someone get him off me! He smells like fucking puke!" Sean said.
"Fuck that!" Andy said. "J.R., get your pukey fucking ass off of him... Hey, you spent the whole night with Kathleen. Didja give her any o' your burrito, bro?"
"Well, um, like..." John responded.
"Oh, nice...another Dix," Sean teased.
"Hey, be nice to the kid!" Brett said. "Well...?" Brett looked at John while making a circular motion with his hand.
"You guys are a bunch of dicks!" John hissed, then whispering, "OK, I'll tell ya... She gave me a fucking hand job and I fingered her pussy. She let me play with her tits, too and she went nuts when I flicked her clit for a while, got really wet and everything. She said I made her get off. And she doesn't have a sour pussy, either, in case you stupid-ass fucking GAY GUYS are wondering about it... Fucking SATISFIED NOW? And if you guys say anything, I'll kick your asses! I like her! And you better not embarrass her!"
"J.R., little dude," Tim began, "we're not gonna tell anyone. She likes you, too, if ya really wanna know and she's a sweet girl. Just stay away from her toxic waste dump sister is all... Next time she gives you a hand job have her finger your asshole. Trust me..."
"Finger my asshole? Um, OK... Anyway, yeah, I don't think Colleen liked me much..."
"Don't worry about it. I've known them both for years, and Kathleen doesn't talk to guys much. If she spent almost the whole night with you, she likes you. So just go from there..." Tim said.
"And for Christ's sake, if you need condoms get them from your brothers! They don't use `em anyway!" Brett said.
"Oh, and it's not like you don't like your butt full of Dix's cum over there..." Andy added.
"Well, he did fuck me on our first date. On the golf course."
"WHAT?" Sean said. "No, sir, you didn't..."
"Well, um...yeah...I kinda did... But that was only after I sucked him off! Besides, he let me... God!" Tim said, red-faced.
"Jesus, Dix, your face is the same color as your hair!" Sean laughed, poking Tim in the ribs.
"OK, can we like cut this gay show-and-tell shit already?" John asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, we gotta go back to your place, Wymo, and get my car," Tim said.
The boys made their way the four blocks to the Alamo. Upon arrival they knew Peggy Dickson's Cadillac CTS-V would be there as Tim borrowed it earlier, but they were surprised to see George Dickson's Escalade in the driveway as well as Herb Dowling's Buick LaCrosse.
"Wow, must be party time here!" Tim said.
"No one slips anything by you, do they Dix..." Sean teased. "We might as well go in and have a nightcap with them, I guess."
Once past the keypad, the boys walked in, hearing music coming from the bar. Walking in, George was the first to speak, "Well, here they are! The gang's all here. Great game, guys! Totally unreal..."
"Thanks, George," Sean said. "We're gonna grab a nightcap with you guys if it's OK."
"Well, why don'tcha just come in do that now, don'tcha know!" Peggy said.
"Oh, yeah, and guess what..." Andy added. "Coach gave Brett the game ball."
Herb Dowling's head snapped up. He looked at his son, motioning for him to follow him out into the hallway. He motioned Tim to follow as well. Once in the hall, Herb looked at the two boys, saying, "Brett, I'm proud of you, son. We were at the game tonight and I couldn't believe that was you. And Tim, you looked great at Quarterback, too. I was wrong, guys. That's not easy for me to say, but I was. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say, that I'm proud of my son, and that my son knows how to pick a winner."
"Thanks, dad. That means a lot to me," Brett said as he gave his dad a hug. "By the way, I'm gonna stay over by Tim's tonight. I'll be home in the morning before I go to work."
"That's fine, son. I just wanted you to know how proud your mother and I are of you. That's all..."
Returning to the bar, the boys and their parents enjoyed a few rounds of beers in the comfortable, Old World surroundings. The group spent the next hour talking about the game, the rest of the season and where they all thought it might end up. When it was time to go, Sean suggested that Tim and Brett spend the night at the Alamo.
"We've all had a few, guys and it might be better just to stay here and go home in the morning. We've got two guestrooms you can pick from and everything. I'll even make breakfast in the morning!"
"I gotta be at work at 10:00, Wymo," Brett said.
"So what? Me and And will get up at 8:00 and have breakfast ready at 8:30. After that you can go home and change. That should work..."
"What's this `me and And' shit?" Andy teased. "You know I can't freaking cook..."
"Fine, then. I'll do it myself. Omelets are quick and we can have English Muffins and coffee. That's a breakfast." Sean snickered and gave Andy the finger.
"I don't care. It's up to you guys." George Dickson said.
"It's fine by us, isn't it Herb..." Marilyn Dowling added.
"Oh...um...yeah, sure. Whatever," Herb added.
"You guys are always welcome here," Joe finished. "We'd be happy to have you."
"Well, it's settled now, don'tcha know," Peggy said. "Will you be wantin' me to pick ya up in the morning, Timmy, or what?"
"I'll bring them home," Sean said. "I can drop Brett off first so he's on time for work and then I'll bring Tim home. No problem."
"Well, there ya go then! It's settled!" Peggy said. "You about ready to hit the road there, George? Maybe I'll give ya some of that game ball when we get home!"
"Mom! TMI!" Tim laughed.
"Oh, go on now, Timmy... I'm not dead yet!" Peggy teased.
Even Herb Dowling had to laugh at Peggy's wisecracks.
The Dicksons and Dowlings made ready to leave, thanking Joe for his hospitality and congratulating the boys on their win in Madison. Joe indicated he was turning in for the night. Sean, Andy and John took the other two upstairs.
"OK, you guys, I'd pick this room!" John said. "It's got a bigger bed than the other one, and its own bathroom, too. I think there's lube in the vanity, too," he added with a laugh.
"Little fucker..." Tim said. "Well, I'm ready to hit the sheets. Let's go, Brett. Niters, guys!"
The boys went to their respective rooms, and once there all decided that they had indeed expended their energy for one day. Within about ten minutes there were five teenage boys asleep in three different bedrooms on the upper floor of the Alamo.
Their sleep was shattered at 2:17 a.m. by the alarm system. The general alert had been programmed to be the `Red Alert' sound effect from the original Star Trek series.
[http://soundbible.com/81-Red-Alert.html]
After the alert, the system announced "Perimeter Alert, Rear Sector. Perimeter Alert, Rear Sector. Security lockdown is in effect. Repeat, security lockdown is in effect." Sean was the first one out of bed among the boys. He wasn't startled because he was used to a security system. He told Andy to stay in bed and that he would check on J.R. and their guests.
In the hallway, Joe and Sean passed each other, Joe saying he was going down to his study. Joe's right hand held his Glock.
In addition to notifying the Janesville Police Department, the system had already drawn the opaque blinds over all the windows in the house and switched on the cobalt blue interior baseboard lighting while cutting any other interior lights that were on. Anyone who might be outside the Alamo looking in at that moment would now not be able to see a thing going on inside the house. In the meantime, the rear floodlights snapped on and the surveillance cameras went into heat-seeking night mode in order to zero in on any intruder who might be lurking. A computer-controlled miniature drone equipped with night vision hovered over the rear perimeter of the lot training its camera around the entire area and sending back real-time video to the control center in Joe's study and to an off-site hard drive.
J.R. seemed suitably unruffled letting Sean know that he wasn't afraid. Sean then went to check on Brett and Tim. Brett was up and came running out of the guest room asking what he should do. Tim, in typical Tim fashion, slept through the whole thing until Brett roused him. Sean told Tim and Brett to follow J.R. down to Joe's study and then went back to get Andy.
One in the study, the boys sat down in the chairs and loveseat. Joe already had the 65-inch monitor on and they all sat glued to the screen which was split into six sections, one for each camera sending a feed. At that moment the bell rang indicating a visitor at the front gate. Joe switched on the front gate camera and the screen showed two Police Officers. Joe spoke into his iPhone using the app connecting to the front gate speaker, "This is Joe Wyman. Please state your names and your business."
"This is Officer O'Brien and Officer Greene, Janesville Police. We received a call to this address for a possible B&E."
"Please show your badges to the camera," Joe stated. Once the officers had complied with Joe's request he buzzed them in the gate, instructed them to shut the gate behind them and went to answer the front door. "Good evening, Officers, I'm Joe Wyman. You should know that I'm armed. I'm carrying a Glock 9 as a sidearm and as you can see it's holstered. Please come in. If you shut the door behind you it will lock automatically."
"Is anyone else in the house, sir?" Officer Greene asked.
"My three sons and their two guests are here. They're all in my study. We'll go there now. Please follow me right this way."
Arriving in the study, Joe introduced the Officers to the boys. "OK, Officers, I'd like you to take a look at the security system screen over there on the TV. The alarm went off at 2:17, so I'll rewind the video to about 2:13 a.m. and we can watch from there. We had a Perimeter Alert at the rear which means the system determined that while no one had entered onto the property there was suspicious activity near the rear boundary for a sustained period of time. At this hour of the night it seems to me it would be suspicious on its face for anyone to be in that area down in the ravine."
"Holy shit!" Officer O'Brien exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like this system. This is top shelf."
At the 2:15 mark on the video a shape appearing to be human could be seen in the ravine moving along the rear fence of the Alamo property.
END CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE