Date: Wed, 18 Dec 2002 00:52:55 -0500
From: TgrPaw@gmail.com
Subject: Can-You-Spare-A-Quarter 9

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Can You Spare a Quarter?
========================

Dedicated to "D":

   We didn't meet this way, it probably wouldn't have been anything like
   this if we had met this way, but if we had, I hope it might have been
   something like this.   {{{{ hugs }}}}

Disclaimer:

   Names of people, places, companies, and so forth are completely
   fictional.  While this story draws inspiration from real events which
   involved real people, it is nonetheless a complete work of fiction.

Copyright:

   2002; All rights reserved.

Comments:

   Email can be sent to TgrPaw@gmail.com

   Flames, hate mail, and similar things will be ignored.

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9. The Fear Within

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Jamie and Jason headed back along the same path that had brought them
from Graham's house to Jason's.  With the sun going down, the forest
was cloaked in shadows and seemed very different than it had earlier in
the day.

"Don't you get scared when it gets dark at night, walking in the
forest?" asked Jamie.

"No, there's nothing to be scared of," replied Jason.

"But what about wild animals?" asked Jamie.

"You mean like we saw today?" said Jason with a smile.

"No, I mean like really wild animals," replied Jason.

"You mean, 'Lions, Tiger, and Bears - Oh My!'," said Jason with a grin.
"There's nothing on the island like that.  The worst you might ever run
into might be a dog that's gone wild.  There aren't any bears or anything
really wild like that on the island."

"Oh.  But like, don't you ever get lost or something?" continued Jamie.

"No, I know my way around really good.  And nature tells you where
you are and how to find your way around," said Jason while pointing up
towards the stars that were just starting to peek through the treetops
and the rapidly darkening sky.

"I hardly ever see stars in the city." said Jamie.

"That's because there are too many street lights, and of course the
dirty air.  You'll like it here, the sky has so many stars, it almost
looks like it's on fire when it's night," said Jason.  "Have you ever
seen the Northern Lights?"

"What's that?" replied Jamie.

"Oh, it's amazing when you see it," answered Jason.  "There's these
ribbons of colour in the sky.  They can be blue, green, yellow, red,
gold ... what it is, is the sun hitting the magnetism of the earth,
but that makes it sound boring.  My Indian friend says it's 'the fire
from heaven that soothes the mortal soul'."

"It sounds really neat, but I don't think I'll be around long enough to
see that," said Jamie a bit quietly.

"Jamie, you don't ever have to tell me anything, but ... you really
freaked when my Dad came in the bedroom.  How come?" asked Jason
carefully.

Jamie stopped walking and said quietly, "Mine used to ... 'do stuff'
to me and ... when I wouldn't let him he beat me ... and well ... he's
kind of big like your Dad is and looks like him sorta and I just ... I'm
sorry, I didn't mean your Dad is like bad or anything."

Jason put his arm around Jamie and said, "It's OK.  I just wanted to know.
My Dad won't ever do anything like that to you.  He looks big and rough
on the outside, but he's a really nice guy on the inside.  I guess you've
not seen many nice guys though, have you."

Jamie said quietly, "You don't living the way I have to."

"Well now you know two - my Dad and Mr. H," said Jason.  "They're both
really great, just in different ways."

"I guess, it's just hard to trust anyone," said Jamie not completely
convinced.

"I'm your friend now, and you'll always be able trust me," replied Jason
with a big smile.

                               *** *** *** ***

"I really want to thank you for calling," said Graham.  "I mean you know
me, I just couldn't walk past him sitting there like that.  A guy's
got to be able to look himself in the mirror in the morning and not
be ashamed of the face looking back at him.  No, I don't know what I'm
going to do exactly.  I mean, I'm trying to retire for crying out loud,
what would I do with a kid?  Let alone one that's been through what he
probably has.  Yeah.  Oh I know you both would, and I really appreciate
the offer.  Anyway, I'd better go.  They'll probably be here any minute
now and I don't want Jamie to hear me talking about him when they
get here.  Yeah, he might get the wrong impression.  No don't worry,
when I figure out what to do, I'll let you know.  Thanks a lot Frank,
I really appreciate the info.  Say 'Hi' to Kathy for me.  Bye."

Graham hung up the phone and tried to digest what Jason' father had just
told him.  Putting together the scars he'd seen on Jamie's back and what
had happened when Frank had popped in to say 'Hi' to Jamie, Graham was
positive now he knew who was responsible for them.  One way or another,
Graham made up his mind, those scars were going to be redeemed in full
some day.

Suddenly, Cindy barked and headed towards the door, and Graham went over
to see what it was.  As he did, off in the distance he could see the
two boys heading towards the house, and after Graham opened the door,
Cindy ran over to greet them both.  Graham smiled as he saw Jamie hug
the dog.  Clearly they were becoming good friends and that pleased Graham.
Cindy and Jamie both had a lot of rough spots in their past, Graham
thought to himself.

"Hi Mr. H," called out Jason.

"Hi there Jason, Jamie," Graham replied.  "Did you guys have a good
time today?"

"You wouldn't believe what I did today," said Jamie excitedly.  "There's
this squirrel that Jason's got who sits on him, and we fed him, and then
there was this deer Jason knows, and he petted him, and Jason's got this
really awesome video game machine, and his mom makes these super cookies.
It was like the best day of my life."

Graham smiled and winked at Jason, and said, "Well, it sounds like you
both had a super time then.  Do you want to stay with us for dinner
tonight, Jason?"

"No, I'd better get back.  I've got homework to do still," said Jason.

Jason turned to go, and Jamie stopped him and said, "Thanks for letting
me visit your house, Jay.  I really loved it a lot."

"I'm really glad you did," replied Jason.  "How about I come over tomorrow
and maybe we can do something?"

"I, I don't know if I can," said Jamie looking hopefully at Graham.

"Of course you can," said Graham.  "Why don't you come over about ten
o'clock Jason, we should be done with breakfast by then.  Unless Jamie
sleeps in of course."

Jamie giggled and said, "I won't sleep in."

Jason smiled and said, "OK, so I'll see you around ten then," and he
headed off after giving Cindy one last hug.

Graham, Jamie, and Cindy turned and headed back into the house.
Jamie carefully removed his shoes and took them and his coat and put
them into the room next to the kitchen.

Coming back into the kitchen area, Jamie handed the large parcel he was
carrying to Graham and said, "Mrs. Freeland, Jay's mom, said I should
bring this to you."

"Oh, thanks a lot," said Graham, who upon feeling the package knew what
was in it.  "While I'm putting this away, why don't you check out what's
bubbling in those pots on the stove and what's in the oven."

Heading quickly upstairs, Graham tore open the package and inside
found, t-shirts, socks, underwear, a couple of pairs of blue jeans,
and some pajamas.  The 'instant son kit' Graham chuckled to himself
as he quietly slipped the contents into the dresser in Jamie's room.
Looking at Jamie's old shirt and pants, so carefully laid out alone in
the single drawer, was so sad Graham thought to himself.  At least now
Jamie would have a couple of changes of clothes to wear.  He'll get a
nice surprise when it's time to go to bed, Graham thought with a smile.

Coming into the kitchen after crumpling up and throwing the package
wrapping into a wastebasket, Graham said, "So, do you think you're going
to like what's for dinner?"

"The stuff on the stove looks really nice, but what's that big thing
wrapped up in the oven?" asked Jamie.

"Oh, that.  Well, that's the main course.  Have you ever tried 'Baked
Army Boots a la Cream Sauce'?" asked Graham with a grin, while inwardly
visualizing Jamie filling in for Charlie Chaplin in 'The Goldrush'.

"Army boots?" answered Jamie with a scowl.

"You mean you don't like that?" said Graham with a shocked look.  "Hmmm,
well maybe we'll be lucky and they'll have transformed themselves into
something else while they were in the oven."

Graham started putting things onto plates and into bowls.  As he did,
Graham passed them to Jamie who then put them on the dining room table.
After everything else was ready, Graham then opened the oven and took
out the mysterious main course which was completely wrapped in tin foil.
Jamie looked at it with ill-concealed concern.  He was pretty sure
Graham wouldn't be serving army boots, but the shape of it didn't seem
to resemble anything that Jamie was familiar with.  The foil was sealed
so tight Jamie couldn't detect any odours that might have helped to give
him a clue about what it was.

Placing the foil-wrapped object on a large serving platter and then
transferring it to the dining room table, Graham said with an atrocious
and overly exaggerated accent, "Und now fur ze main event."

Jamie giggled but watched carefully as Graham proceeded to remove the
tin foil.  Steam ushered forth in great quantities and whatever it was,
Jamie's mouth was now watering.  Jamie's nose was working overtime,
but he still wasn't sure what it was.  Gradually more and more of the
foil came away, and finally the mystery was solved.

"So how about stuffed baked salmon instead of 'Army Boots'?" asked Graham
with a final flourish as he removed the last of the foil wrapping.

"Oh, wow." said Jamie as he now saw the large fish clearly laid out
before him on the platter.  "I don't know.  I mean, I never.  I mean,
I don't know.  It smells super!"

"Well pass your plate over and let's find out if you like it," said
Graham, as he used a big serving fork to slide a large portion of the
fish off from the bones and then onto Jamie's plate.  Graham then added,
"And I bet you'd like some of the stuffing too, wouldn't you?"  Looking at
Jamie's rapidly nodding head, Graham realized that had to be just about
the silliest question he'd asked anyone lately.

A few minutes later, Graham asked, "So how do you like my special recipe
for 'Army Boots'?"

In between mouthfuls, Jamie replied, "This is fantastic!  I never had
anything like this!  You're a super cook.  You always eat like this?"

"Well, maybe not quite this fancy.  Today's a special day and I wanted
to do something nice for you," said Graham.

"Oh man, you're the nicest guy I ever met," said Jamie with a huge smile.

Graham blushed slightly and busied himself with offering Jamie some more
of the salmon, in addition to the scalloped potatoes, and vegetables.
Graham had heard about the appetites that boys possessed, but hearing
about it and seeing it firsthand, were clearly two different things.
At this rate, mused Graham with a smile, he might have to get a bigger
freezer.

                               *** *** *** ***

Later when the dinner was done, the dishes put into the dishwasher,
Cindy fed, and things generally cleaned up, Graham and Jamie moved into
the living room.  Graham had built up a nice fire in the stone fireplace
and they were now enjoying the crackling flames and the fire's warmth.

While he had been putting the fire together, Graham had noticed that
Cindy, who normally liked to lay close to the fire, was instead laying
at Jamie's feet as he sat on the sofa.  Each time he would move, she
looked up at him carefully, and then settled back down again.  From time
to time Jamie ran his sock-clad foot over Cindy's side and Graham smiled
at the bond that was forming.  There was something about boys and dogs,
Graham thought to himself, but even more so in the case of these two.
Graham sensed that two kindred spirits were beginning to realize things
about each other.

"Is it true that Jay knows an Indian medicine man?" asked Jamie.

Graham replied, "Oh yes, Jason's told me lots of stories about his friend,
and his father's told me some too.  Jason is becoming quite attuned to
nature, and he's taught me a few things about how to relax and hear the
sounds of the outdoors."

With a sigh, Jamie said, "I wish I could live on an island like this.
Far away from the city, away from him ... away from everything."

Graham felt the pain in Jamie's statement and wanted to say something,
but he knew he couldn't, at least not yet.  A plan was half-forming in
his mind, but he needed to talk to a friend of his, and until he did,
he didn't want to get Jamie's hopes up.  At this point, false hope would
simply be cruel, and Graham did not want Jamie to feel betrayed if things
wouldn't work.  In any case, Graham wanted to let Jamie have some quiet
time before he stirred things up.  Now was not the time to give Jamie
anything new to worry about.

Noticing Jamie yawning, Graham asked, "Would you like to go on up to bed?
I don't mind if you're tired.  I usually have a cup of tea before I do."

Jamie looked at Graham suspiciously, but seeing nothing in his eyes
replied, "Is it OK?"

"Sure," Graham replied.  "Today has been a really exciting one for both
of us, and you probably could do with a good rest.  Besides, don't forget
Jason is coming back over tomorrow and you'll be able to do more things
with him."

"That's going to be really great," said Jamie getting up off the sofa.
"He's really neat."

"So why don't you run upstairs then, and change for bed," suggested
Graham.

"I don't really have anything to put on," said Jamie a bit sadly.
"But I can just take these off and sleep in my underwear."

"OK, that sounds good," said Graham with a slight grin.  "Just make sure
you put your clothes away in the dresser before climbing into bed.

"Don't worry, I will," said Jamie as he got up to head upstairs, Cindy
following along right at his side.

A few minutes later Jamie came racing downstairs and gave a rather
embarrassed Graham an almost rib-crushing hug.  Graham felt embarrassed,
but pleased nonetheless that Jamie had found the extra clothes in the
dresser.

"Thanks for the extra clothes," Jamie said with a big smile while showing
off the pajamas he was now wearing.

"I thought you might need some extra things to wear," said Graham.
"I guess I should've gotten you more stuff when we were in town, but I
wasn't thinking ahead too much."

"These are great," said Jamie with enthusiasm.  "How did you buy them?
I never saw you go out anywhere."

"Well they aren't brand new.  I talked to Jason's mother on the phone
and we cooked it up between us," replied Graham.

"They're Jay's?" asked Jamie with concern.  "But won't he get mad when
he finds out I've got his stuff?"

"Yes they're his, but don't you worry.  He knows all about it and doesn't
mind at all," said Graham.  "Jason and his family want to help you just
like I do."

"Wow, you guys are so nice to me," said Jamie a bit sadly.

"What's with the sad face?" inquired Graham.

"Well when Jay's dad showed up, I got pretty scared, and ..." Jamie
trailed off.

"Oh, don't worry about that," said Graham with gentleness.  "I know
he understands.  The first time I saw him I was a bit intimidated too,
he's a really big guy.  But he's also very kind and a good friend.
You'll get used to him."

"I guess, it's just that he looks an awful lot like ..." said Jamie.

"Everything will be fine, you'll see," said Graham.  "You go on back
up and finish getting ready for bed, and I'll say goodnight in a couple
of minutes."

Graham eventually heard the toilet flush, and after waiting a couple of
minutes more, he peeked into Jamie's bedroom.  Jamie had climbed into the
bed and only his head was now visible above the covers.  Cindy was laying
on a mat next to the bed and looked up as Graham stood at the doorway.

"So, are you guys all settled in now?" asked Graham with a smile.

"Yup, all done," replied Jamie.

"I see Cindy has decided to sleep here tonight," chuckled Graham.

"Is that OK?" asked Jamie with concern.

"Not a problem at all.  I think it's great you two like each other,"
said Graham.

"I'm starting to like her a lot," said Jamie slightly embarrassed.

"I'm glad you are.  She'll take good care of you," replied Graham.
"Goodnight to both of you then.  Sleep tight, and pleasant dreams."

"Goodnight Graham, and thanks for such a great day," said Jamie.

"You're very welcome, Jamie.  I'm really glad you liked it," replied
Graham as he left the room and turned off the light.

After saying goodnight to Jamie, Graham came back downstairs and made
himself a cup of herb tea.  Graham often liked to enjoy a cup of
tea before he went to bed, and with all the excitement of the day,
the Chamomile was really going to help him sleep soundly tonight.
Adding some honey after removing the tea bag, Graham gently stirred it
with a spoon and then walked into the living room to relax on the sofa
for a few minutes.

Cindy had stayed remained in the bedroom with Jamie, and it felt a
bit strange to Graham to be sitting on his own in the evening, but
he didn't mind.  He recognized that a bond was growing between Jamie
and Cindy.  There was definitely more going on there than the usual
boy/dog relationship, maybe they could help each other Graham thought.
Graham contemplated the events of the last two days, and watched the
fading embers in the fireplace as he sipped at his tea.

Cindy suddenly came racing down the stairs and was very agitated.
She whined and pawed at Graham indicating that something was deeply
wrong.  Graham got up to follow her, and Cindy ran back up the stairs.
Graham started to become worried, before even getting to the top of the
stairs, he knew something was wrong with Jamie.

Graham stood at the entrance to Jamie's bedroom and from the light in
the hallway he could see that the covers had been thrown aside and that
Jamie was tossing about in the bed.  In the full grip of a nightmare,
jumbled words came from Jamie's mouth despite his being completely
asleep still.  Graham entered the room, approached the side of the bed,
and reached out to comfort Jamie.

"No, I don't want to," Jamie cried out still locked in the nightmare
and his eyes tightly shut.  "I won't do it, you can't make me!"

Graham bent down and touched Jamie gently on the arm while saying quietly,
"Jamie, Jamie, it's OK, you're safe here."

"NO!  Please!  You can't!  Please!  I won't let you!  Get away from me!"
yelled Jamie as he fought against the unseen menace.

"Jamie, Jamie, no one is going to hurt you," said Graham speaking a bit
louder and taking hold of Jamie's shoulder and shaking it gently.

"No!!  I HATE YOU!!" screamed Jamie as his fist shot out and connected
against the side of Graham's head, sending him flying.

[to be continued]