The Adventures of Stevie #174
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 14 in this story, after year 4 special school, in the Summer.
The Adventures of Stevie #174 "Race Around a Fight"
Dear Carlos,
Sometimes for exercise, I run. Usually around the big parking lot
which surounds the big pool our old car took a dip in. Sometimes other
people run with me, like Dan. Running is relaxing for me, and I get to
watch interesting things and people at the same time. One time while I
was running with Dan, we saw a crowd of boys watching the start of a
fight. We could hear one of the bullies make it so one of the other
boys had to defend himself. I knew that was going to be a problem. The
boy who had to defend himself knew Jujutsu. I could see it in him. The
reason why that was going to be a problem is hard to explain. Where we
are in America, there are fighting customs for middle class schoolboys,
about what is fair and unfair. Doing anything better than basic boxing
was unfair, and the second worse thing to do is use martial arts. The
really awful worst thing to do was kick a boy in the nuts. That could
get you beat up by a whole gang of upset people. Any thinking person
should know that when you are defending your health and life, you do
anything you can to save yourself. Sticking to custom can get you
really injured, or crippled for life, or dead.
There was this bully, trying to punch this boy who didn't want to
fight, who could have won in a second if he wanted to. Just like I
expected, he couldn't stop his trained reflexes, and kicked the boy in
the nuts. That stopped the fight, because the bully was bent over, and
couldn't punch anymore. Then group psychology and outraged custom made
it worse. The tallest boy in the group who were watching the fight,
rushed the winner from behind and threw him to the asphalt, and started
kicking him. The boy was curled in a tight ball, and had covered up his
head, so only his back got kicked, but that was more than too much for
me. I stopped outside the crowd and made my voice big and commanding,
and loudly said "What's going on here?" The tall boy stopped, and
looked around with the other kids, for who said that. So did Dan and I.
Then I went to help the downed boy up. Nobody stopped me. Then Dan
helped me with him, not that I needed help. We took him up to our
building, and inside to the office waiting room, and sat him down.
I said "Hi. I'm Stephen, and this my brother Dan. Are you seriously
hurt?" He said "I'm Race. Not hurt, really. Just a little bruised. I
couldn't avoid the fight, but I made a mistake with how I handled it,
and paid the price." I said "You were in a no-win situation. It's not
really your fault. You showed some good skills, more than anybody else
noticed, I'm sure." He said "You study a martial art?" I said "Sort of.
I teach several. You have studied Jujutsu, with more striking than
usual." He said "Yes! How did you know?" I said "What color is my
enough to know. Was that you with the big voice?" I said to Dan, "He's
good. I like him." Dan said "Invite him to supper?" I said "We would
have to explain." Dan grinned and said, "That would be interesting." I
said to Race, "Yes, that was me. With more control, comes more control,
which in that case, was the voice." He said "Will you teach me?" I said
"I would like to, but some things need to happen first. We are an odd
family. You, or your parents, might not like that. We are also very
conscious about our security, because that's the kind of work some of
us do. You would have to learn about us, and accept us as who we are,
and agree to keep a lot about us a secret, and we would have to trust
you to do that. So, to start, tell us about your family."
He said he is 15, and his father works for the State Department,
which was all I needed to hear. I said "That's good. Security
clearance." I told him were I worked. He looked like he didn't believe
me. I said "Well, my ID is upstairs. The important thing is, we do
background checks for government security clearances, like the one your
father has to have. If you or your family breaks our security, he will
lose his clearance, and maybe more might happen, including Treason
charges. I wouldn't want that, but it would, practically automatically.
So, I'm willing to trust you because of that. First thing we need to do
is take care of your health. You have taken a pounding. You need a
massage, or you won't be able to move tomorrow. Will you allow me?" He
said "I think you're right. If you can, and would, I would appreciate
it." Dan went upstairs to get some hot towels. I took Race into the
locker room, which had an adjustable massage table in it. I handed him
a towel and said "You can rap this around you, but it will probably get
in the way. My family is nudist. We don't wear clothes at home,
upstairs. We don't care if you wear clothes or not." He said "I've
lived in Japan, and my stepmother is Japanese, so that's not a
problem." I said a few things to him in Japanese, and he was surprised,
and replied in the same language.
He didn't use the towel. I gave him a good massage, like Tommy would
have done. He didn't get a boner, which was good. We didn't need any
extra complications. Dan came back with the towels, and pointed at his
head. I connected for mindtalk and said, +Yes?+ He said +I asked your
father about his father. He checked and said he had good security.+ I
said +Thanks! I should have thought of that. For reward, poke him with
it?+ I disconnected, and he grinned at me where Race couldn't see it.
Dan said to Race, "Horace, would you like to have supper with us?" Race
said "How did you know?" Dan said "Stephen said where he works,
remember? I told his father about you, and he checked on your family.
Believe him now?" Race smiled and said "I suppose I have to, now." I
put the warm towels on him and he sighed and relaxed. I said "You need
to know more about us, before we let you decide if you want to visit or
train with me. I'm a genius, what they call a child prodigy. I have a
whole lot of college degrees, and I teach at a special school for
geniuses who want to go into security. We have a lot of friends and
coworkers who regular society thinks is strange, such as a Catholic
Cardinal, The Chief of Police and police officers, a Buddhist Abbot and
monks, Senators, homosexuals, professors, G-Men, military people, and
powerful psychics. I'm sure there are others I forgot to mention. If
you object to any of those, we say goodbye and send you home."
He said "You know all those people?" I said "Those are just some of
my very good friends and family. I, and we, know a lot more." He said
"Wow!" Dan and I laughed. I said "We hear that a lot." He said "My
father is a diplomat. I'm used to mixing with all kinds of people. I'm
in, if you will have me." I said "Alright for now, but this is
different. It's not formal parties. This is family. Want to have supper
with us?" He said "Yes, but I have to get permission." He got dressed
and used the phone. I heard, and he didn't tell his mother much, but
got permission. I said that, and he said, "You heard? How?" I said "I
have extra sensitive hearing. It runs in my family, and with me, it
sprinted. There is something you should know. We do a lot of strange
things around here. If you keep asking about everything, we will never
get anything done. Take it slow, and you will discover things better
that way. Come on up. We are going to get undressed. If you want to,
you can do that too." He did, and we all helped with the cooking. He
noticed Marsha and Brandy, and did a good job of not staring. He did
the same when Stuart came to have supper with is, and kissed everybody
hello, including the boys. He even let himself be kissed, without a
fuss. I let him know I approved, and he liked that.
It got more interesting in the boys' bedroom. Race and I sat on the
chairs we had new room for, but Dan and Stuart sat on their bed,
holding hands and talking. I saw him deliberately not noticing. I said
"Just so you know, there is no screwing allowed for anybody under 18
here, but sexual play among the same gender is okay, if people agree.
So, how long have you been studying fighting arts?" We talked about
that for a while, and he forgot about what he wasn't looking at. When
he was ready to go, we got dressed and went downstairs. Then I asked,
"Are you going to tell your father about the fight?" He said "I have
to, yes." I said "You don't have a martial arts teacher here. You need
one, because you don't know enough to know how to avoid what happened
today. Tell him I can help you with that, if he's not sure about giving
permission for you to visit with us. I can demonstrate if he wants, or
give references. For starters punch me as hard as you can in my
stomach." He said "I could hurt you." I said "I'm the teacher. If you
hurt me, it's my fault and responsibility." We stood, and he hit me.
His fist bounced. He said "Wow!" I grinned, and said, "Careful, or you
will sound like a broken record." I told him to stand still and hold
out his hand high in the air. I kicked it, just to touch and pulled
back, all so fast he could hardly see it. I said "Don't say it!" We
laughed. We sat and I said, "Before you go, do you have any problems
with what you saw today? Any questions?" He said "Dan and Stuart?" I
said "Normally I wouldn't take their choice to tell or not to tell,
away from them, but they didn't hide it from you, so, yes, they are gay
and boyfriends. I got them together, too. And no, I'm not gay. I have
another foster brother is gay, too." He said "Dan's back?" I said "I
was afraid of that. I always am, with new people. He doesn't realize
how bad it looks, because he's never seen it. My problem is, I saw it
while it was still dripping blood!"
I started crying. I said from between my hands on my face, "He was
whipped almost to death, for being not manly enough, and was about to
be killed. I can't bear to think how he suffered that and more." I felt
his arms around me, and he whispered in my ear, "I'm very sorry. I
didn't know." I said "It's not your fault. If you want to know more,
ask him. He'll tell you, because he wants people to know about his hero
who rescued him and gave him a home." He said "That would be you,
wouldn't it." I said "Yes, but I had help. I'm sorry for acting like a
baby. Dan says I care too much." Race said "I wouldn't feel safe with
you if you didn't care so much." Then he kissed me. I looked at him in
surprise. He said "Isn't that the custom?" I said "Yes it is, for my
family and close friends. Does this mean you want to be part of that,
odd as we are?" He said "Yes, I do, because of that. Who wants to be
bored?" I said "People who cut down trees." He laughed, and I had to
laugh with him. He said with a grin, "Well, I'd better lumber on out of
here. Konbanwa." I said "Arrivederci" as he was going out the door. He
understood it, but looked surprised. I grinned. I thought, getting to
know him is going to be fun.
Your friend,
Stephen
--
Grant
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