The Adventures of Stevie #75
These stories were told to me by friends and other people. Some of them
are true. Some of them are only partly true. Some of them should have
been true. LOL
My first post about Stevie ("Call me Stephen!") was when he was 12 and
in summer camp and was told by another camper. This was from a time
before computers would fit on a desk and when people communicated with
friends in other countries by actual letters sent through the postal
service. When children did this those friends were called "penpals".
Carlos is Stevie's penpal in Argentina and knows English. This is a
fictional contrivance to enable Stevie to tell us his stories because
he isn't here in person. I think.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Stevie's school is for gifted children who don't fit in regular schools.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stevie is 12 in this story, after year 2 of summer camp.
The Adventures of Stevie #75 "Face To?"
Dear Carlos,
We visited Dan in the hospital. Chad, Rod, Jan, me, and father. I
wish we could say he was looking better, but his face was all covered
up. Most of it. One eye was available, and his mouth, with a puffed up
split lip, which worked as well as could be expected. He tried to smile
when we came in the room, but we could tell it hurt him. We didn't tell
him not to, because it wouldn't do any good. It would make him smile
again. He held out his arms, which worked fine, to invite us to hug
him. We did. I was the first. I kissed his hand, because I didn't want
to hurt his face. The other kids followed my example. He motioned
father to come to him. This I had to see. He took father's hand and
brought it up to his battered mouth and kissed it for a long time, and
dripped tears from his good eye. Father was embarrassed, and I think I
saw a little wetness in his eyes when Dan let him go.
Dan could talk, but with extra care. He thanked us for his life. I
asked him what happened after camp. We made some comments and did some
things, while he was talking, but you can guess what they were, by what
he said. Here is his story. We recorded it.
"Uncle Elijah drove me back to the town in his old truck. All along
the way he quizzed me about the camp. I did my best to convince him was
like he wanted it to be. I think I did. We arrived in the town and
pulled up at his house. I got out and carried my suitcase across the
town to my house. I know you are going to ask why didn't he drive me to
my house? Kids have to learn to be self sufficient, and not depend on
conveniences. That's the rule. I think they apply it too harshly as a
power thing. It makes them feel more important."
"I took my suitcase inside. Mother hugged me and father shook my
hand. There is no kissing there. Not outside of married bedrooms. They
asked me about the camp, too, and if I learned any more from the Bible.
I had brought it with me, but never opened it in camp. I couldn't show
them I knew any more than what I knew when I left. I tried to tell them
we did a lot of other things, which they already knew about, and
prayers took up a lot of time. I'm not sure they believed me then, but
I could see they were disappointed. We ate dinner, but it was the usual
tasteless junk. The camp food was much better. I didn't want to leave
my town because of the food, but it sure didn't make me want to stay.
We read from the Bible and prayed after evening chores. Then we went to
bed. The bed at camp was better, and I missed my good friends. I did my
best not to let them see me cry. In the morning after chores and
breakfast, Uncle Elijah took me to see the Reverend Jeremiah, who is
the Mayor, the Judge, and the Chief of Police. And the most
self-righteous sadistic stupid bastard I ever heard of. Oh, sorry. I
don't like him. He questioned me for hours about the camp and what I
learned. He didn't believe a word I said. I think he didn't want to,
because I found out he was against my going there. I was with the
Reverend and Uncle all day. I missed lunch. They sent me home for
dinner, but I had to do the chores I missed when I was being
questioned. I missed supper, and went to bed with only a little piece
of stale bread."
"Don't cry! It's all over, and I was used to it, anyway. I got up
real early to try to sneak some more food, but mother was already up,
so I had to do morning chores before I could eat. Then Uncle came and
took me to the Reverend again for more questioning. He slapped me a few
times when he didn't get the answers he wanted. I couldn't give them to
him, because I didn't know what he was looking for. His servants
brought him and Uncle lunch, but there was nothing for me. All three of
his servants came back to clean up. They are pretty teenage girls, the
prettiest in the town. He chose them from their families after his wife
died. It's supposed to be a great honor, but the girls don't look like
they agree with that. It's common knowledge they serve him in his bed,
and I don't mean meals, but nobody talks about it. They questioned me
some more, and this time the Reverend made Uncle hit me in my face and
body. Hard punches. Then they had to stop doing it to my face, because
his ring was leaving marks they didn't want people to see. Instead,
Uncle hit me on my legs and stomach, and IN BETWEEN my legs. It was a
good thing I hadn't eaten. Please don't cry. It doesn't hurt anymore.
Stephen, I think the hospital isn't going to like what you did to the
bed railing. I didn't know it could bend so easily. Oh, it doesn't.
Wow!"
"All that work made them tired, so they left to eat dinner. I was
still tied to the chair. Oh, did I forget to tell you that? Well, it's
all that kept me off the floor. They came back after they ate. Then
they questioned me some more. I wasn't really feeling much then. I made
myself jump to react to what they were doing, but I wasn't really
caring by then. I just wanted them to hurry up and kill me, but they
weren't that kind. Stephen, this bed is expensive, and I think the wall
Rod just punched through is going to need some extensive repairs. I
hope you guys get a really big allowance. Take it easy!"
"I think at the beginning, Uncle didn't want to hurt me, but had to
because he wanted to get back in the good graces of The Reverend,
because it was Uncle's idea to send me to camp. But after a while, I
think he started to enjoy it, which showed in his face, which made him
hit me too hard in my face and leave the marks they didn't want anybody
to see. I think that's what caused them to change how they punished me.
They chained me to the wall of the question room. Oh, didn't I tell you
about that room in the Reverend's house? There are iron rings set into
the wall where they can fix chains to, so they can keep people they
question upright for whipping. Yes, that's what they did. You already
know that from the way my back looked. I couldn't see Uncle's face
while he was whipping me, but I could hear him laughing. It sounded
like he was crazy. Then they stopped. I think because it wouldn't do
any good to keep whipping somebody who fainted. The next thing I knew
was Stephen waking me up in the lockup room in the storehouse. I don't
know how long I was there. It could have been days. I think they took
me there so people wouldn't know what they did to me, while they tried
to figure out what to do next. I know what they would decide. The
Reverend would send Uncle to kill me and bury me in the forest."
You can see by what Dan said, how we reacted. I told him about the
rescue. When I got to the part about the man who came out with the
rifle and the big ring on his hand, he said "That was Uncle! He really
was going to kill me. What did you do? How did you keep him from seeing
us escape?" I told him. Everything. It was the first time the other
kids heard about the dog munching part. They all said "Oh!" Dan said
"Interesting. I wonder if he thought it was the Lord using the dogs to
avenge what he did to me, when he woke up. That would hurt him worse
than the dog bites. He might even take it out on the Reverend. Well,
that's their problem now. I have a new life and new very good friends."
Father said "Speaking about that, I have some news for you. If you
agree, your new name will be Danforth Singleton. Your parents died in a
car crash when you were a baby, but you inherited, as their sole heir,
a large trust fund, which supported you through various foster homes,
as you have no other relatives. You have just been in a car crash, from
which you are now recovering. How is it so far?" Dan said "It sounds
great! I even get to keep my nickname, which Stephen christened me
with." Father said "I do have to tell you the original Singletons ALL
died in that crash, including their baby. That's how we can use his
identity. They did have a trust fund set up for their child, which has
been deliberately held in limbo for use in a situation like this. There
are a number of identities we are keeping open, like your new one, for
just this eventuality. It was fortunate that you match the age, race,
and sex of the child, so we can use his legitimate birth certificate.
We can create all the other documents. What do you think, so far?"
Dan said "I'm sorry they died. Maybe, if they knew, they would like
that their death wasn't totally useless, that it helped someone live a
good life. I will do my best to live up to that." Father said "Good.
Now to where you will live. We have options, but Stephen has made a
request." He motioned to me, and I said to Dan "I live in a foster home
with Jeremy, who will be starting college, and two girls, and the best
foster parents anybody could ever have. I would like you to live there,
but you might not want to. I will understand if you don't, specially
when I tell you it's a nudist family. We don't wear clothes if we don't
have to, in the house. It's not a rule, so people can be dressed if
they want to. You don't have to decide now, but they know about you,
and would like to give you a home with them. A good home. A loving
home, where you can be who you really are." Dan couldn't speak for a
minute. Then he said, "Stephen, I can't think of a home I would rather
have more, BROTHER."
I couldn't help it. I cried up a storm. So did the other kids,
including Dan. I don't think father had terribly dry eyes, either. Dan
isn't out of the hospital yet. It will be another 3 weeks before he can
come to his new home. Jeremy is living with Tommy, and going to
college. They visit me sometimes. I am VERY happy for them. I'm not
lonely. I have my foster family, and father, and some great memories of
my friends to keep me company, and I see some of them in school. It's
been 2 weeks since school started. Things have changed. We students are
a tighter group now. I still have my private room there, where Rod and
Chad can relax, and not relax with each other and me. Jan uses it too
now, with her boyfriend. I'm planning to do some things, and make some
changes at the school, but gradually, so it isn't noticed too much, but
first I'm going to have a real talk with Dr. Knot. I need to know some
things he might not want to tell me, but he will. You can be sure of
that.
Your friend,
Stephen
--
Grant
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