"Yes, that was my thinking. They all were, and by then there were a couple of other boys here that were too, and they would pal around like boys in high school do you know. Especially those that are either outcasts or fear they might be if others knew their secret, whichever that might be."
We nodded.
"Who were the others? Are they still here?" Kip asked and Rose nodded. I could see they were on the same page and Ofelia too. The rest of us kinda laid back for the most part and followed along. LOL.
"Well, let's see now. One was Frankie Giordano, and he has moved away but comes back to visit family and always comes to see me when he does. Then there was Donnie Brent and he still lives here. His father owned the gas station in town and when he died of cancer Donnie took over...and let's see. One more. Oh yes, Billy Wilder. Aptly named too, boy was he. Still is. He comes and goes, don't see him much any more."
Lot to absorb but we did. I couldn't wait to hear what this conversation was gonna be like when we got outside. Then we heard a noise behind us and as I turned I saw him.
BOY did I see him. The only thing I could think of to even think was OH MY GOD.
He was pretty close to as tall as Rico. Thin like Rico too, but that is pretty much where the similarity ended. This dude whoever he was or is...was Blonde beyond description, tanned of a sort that you wondered if he was about to burst into flames and dressed to the nines. I couldn't hear a gasp anywhere, but I knew it was there.
"Oh, please. I'm sorry. You're busy. I'll come by later."
"No, honey, come on in. I want you to meet my friends."
Hahaha. Twenty minutes and we are damn near family.
"You sure?"
This God from the planet OMG said, or gushed or...
"Yes, come."
and he did. This dude didn't really WALK, yah know...he just sorta FLOWED, if you know what I mean.
"THIS is one hell of a PACKAGE, all in a pretty bow," and I almost laughed but thought better of it at the last minute.
"THIS is Danny Bentonworth Shaw," Anna said as she pointed to his highness, and Danny damn near bowed.
I swear to God.
"Hey," we all said and he smiled slightly. Wouldn't want to hurt that pretty face I thought to myself.
"Come sit, Danny," and of course he did...RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I could smell the smoke from Rico, and if I had had any marshmallows on me...
Danny turned to me as he sat down if that is what you can call it (he had a way of moving that was and almost wasn't, yah know) and smiled broadly.
POOF, Rico went up in flames. HAHAHA. Poor boy. Extra portions tonight I can see.
"Hi," he (Danny) said in almost a whisper.
"Back atcha," I retorted and he smiled more broadly.
OH am I gonna get it later.
"Danny, I was just talking about your old friend Rick Longworth, honey."
"Why I am here, Mrs. Van Der Lagt."
"I thought as much. Okay, as I was saying...
The Woods boys were from Colorado, Loveland I believe...north of Denver, and that is where Garrett had moved to from here. When Rick came here from there, the brothers would come quite often and visit. In fact they stayed one entire summer and Rick told me later they almost stayed and graduated here. I liked them, although I never got to know them all that well. They did come to dinner a couple of times but that is about it.
Now, Rick came back here about 6 months ago and came to see me as he always did. I could tell he was really troubled about something but he seemed reluctant to talk and I didn't press. Course he had been back when Garrett died, the funeral was here or rather the 2nd funeral was after the 1st one in Colorado. A number of people came from there and it was a fairly large gathering. He still had a lot of friends here and obviously there as well.
This was about a year ago. I thought then too that something was wrong with Rick, but with everything going on there was really no time to talk and then he left again. I could tell he wanted to talk to me, but I think he kept getting cold feet and then wouldn't.
"You didn't get a hint of what was wrong?"
This came from Rose.
"No Rose dear, I really didn't. Not so I could say or prove anything."
"But you did get a hunch, didn't you," Kip said.
"Well, I've always been a big one for hunches you know, or maybe you don't," and she laughed.
"I sensed as much," I said.
"Young man, you are a sensitive I do believe."
"I don't know about that." A pause.
"Perhaps."
"Oh my boy I can tell one a mile off.
"Anyway, all I can say is that I gathered it was something to do with his father, maybe about his death...but I cannot prove that. Andy told me they have never closed the case at the coroner's request. Garrett died here you know." We all nodded as we had been told that.
"So frustrating when you know someone has something burdening them and they want to share with you but then don't or can't."
Yeh, we knew that feeling all right.
"He was a beautiful guy."
This came from Danny, all of a sudden like, and I turned to him...and saw a lone tear. This would bear checking out, I decided.
I looked at Kip and saw he saw it too. Oh yessy, was 'Oh Danny Boy' in for a time.
All of a sudden and I don't know why but I turned to him and asked where he was staying.
"I don't have a place yet. No family here anymore. There is no motel here either so probably I'll go down to Big Rapids. I just got here."
"You most certainly won't. You will come home with us. Plenty of room."
I detected a bit of a relieved look and perhaps a bit more, and then "Thanks," and Anna continued.
"I last saw Rick about three months ago or so. I didn't know he was still here and have no idea where he was staying. I saw him in what we locals laughingly call downtown, and he seemed nervous and fidgety. I asked if he was alright, and he stammered a bit but said yes...and that he was late for an appointment and with that he was gone.
I never saw him alive again."
CHAPTER XVIII: AND THEN HE WASN'T ANYMORE
BOY did I see him. The only thing I could think of to even think was OH MY GOD.
He was pretty close to as tall as Rico. Thin like Rico too, but that is pretty much where the similarity ended. This dude whoever he was or is...was Blonde beyond description, tanned of a sort that you wondered if he was about to burst into flames and dressed to the nines. I couldn't hear a gasp anywhere, but I knew it was there.
"Oh, please. I'm sorry. You're busy. I'll come by later."
"No, honey, come on in. I want you to meet my friends."
Hahaha. Twenty minutes and we are damn near family.
"You sure?"
This God from the planet OMG said, or gushed or...
"Yes, come."
and he did. This dude didn't really WALK, yah know...he just sorta FLOWED, if you know what I mean.
"THIS is one hell of a PACKAGE, all in a pretty bow," and I almost laughed but thought better of it at the last minute.
"THIS is Danny Bentonworth Shaw," Anna said as she pointed to his highness, and Danny damn near bowed.
I swear to God.
"Hey," we all said and he smiled slightly. Wouldn't want to hurt that pretty face I thought to myself.
"Come sit, Danny," and of course he did...RIGHT NEXT TO ME. I could smell the smoke from Rico, and if I had had any marshmallows on me...
Danny turned to me as he sat down if that is what you can call it (he had a way of moving that was and almost wasn't, yah know) and smiled broadly.
POOF, Rico went up in flames. HAHAHA. Poor boy. Extra portions tonight I can see.
"Hi," he (Danny) said in almost a whisper.
"Back atcha," I retorted and he smiled more broadly.
OH am I gonna get it later.
"Danny, I was just talking about your old friend Rick Longworth, honey."
"Why I am here, Mrs. Van Der Lagt."
"I thought as much. Okay, as I was saying...
The Woods boys were from Colorado, Loveland I believe...north of Denver, and that is where Garrett had moved to from here. When Rick came here from there, the brothers would come quite often and visit. In fact they stayed one entire summer and Rick told me later they almost stayed and graduated here. I liked them, although I never got to know them all that well. They did come to dinner a couple of times but that is about it.
Now, Rick came back here about 6 months ago and came to see me as he always did. I could tell he was really troubled about something but he seemed reluctant to talk and I didn't press. Course he had been back when Garrett died, the funeral was here or rather the 2nd funeral was after the 1st one in Colorado. A number of people came from there and it was a fairly large gathering. He still had a lot of friends here and obviously there as well.
This was about a year ago. I thought then too that something was wrong with Rick, but with everything going on there was really no time to talk and then he left again. I could tell he wanted to talk to me, but I think he kept getting cold feet and then wouldn't.
"You didn't get a hint of what was wrong?"
This came from Rose.
"No Rose dear, I really didn't. Not so I could say or prove anything."
"But you did get a hunch, didn't you," Kip said.
"Well, I've always been a big one for hunches you know, or maybe you don't," and she laughed.
"I sensed as much," I said.
"Young man, you are a sensitive I do believe."
"I don't know about that." A pause.
"Perhaps."
"Oh my boy I can tell one a mile off.
"Anyway, all I can say is that I gathered it was something to do with his father, maybe about his death...but I cannot prove that. Andy told me they have never closed the case at the coroner's request. Garrett died here you know." We all nodded as we had been told that.
"So frustrating when you know someone has something burdening them and they want to share with you but then don't or can't."
Yeh, we knew that feeling all right.
"He was a beautiful guy."
This came from Danny, all of a sudden like, and I turned to him...and saw a lone tear. This would bear checking out, I decided.
I looked at Kip and saw he saw it too. Oh yessy, was 'Oh Danny Boy' in for a time.
All of a sudden and I don't know why but I turned to him and asked where he was staying.
"I don't have a place yet. No family here anymore. There is no motel here either so probably I'll go down to Big Rapids. I just got here."
"You most certainly won't. You will come home with us. Plenty of room."
I detected a bit of a relieved look and perhaps a bit more, and then "Thanks," and Anna continued.
"I last saw Rick about three months ago or so. I didn't know he was still here and have no idea where he was staying. I saw him in what we locals laughingly call downtown, and he seemed nervous and fidgety. I asked if he was alright, and he stammered a bit but said yes...and that he was late for an appointment and with that he was gone.
I never saw him alive again."
CHAPTER XVIII: AND THEN HE WASN'T ANYMORE
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