Cheddar's, Chapter 25
With only one day left before classes began, Adam and Parker were looking for one more thing to do that didn't involve academia in any way. Rob and Darrin were both working, so they were on their own.
"Let's do something fun and physical today," Parker suggested. "I'm kinda antsy."
"We could mess around in bed," Adam grinned. "That would be both physical and fun!"
"I was thinking more along the lines of a bike ride. We can still mess around tonight."
"Okay, we once talked about riding up to CR to CZECH out the museum in the New Bo district," Adam snickered.
"I'm surprised you missed the opportunity to create a pun."
"I DID make a pun, but you can't see the spelling when I'm talking. C-z-e-c-h and c-h-e-c-k sound the same. After all, it IS the Czech and Slovak museum."
"Okay, you win! Let's do that. We can travel light with only water and a credit card. I suppose we should take along shirts and something to put over our Spandex biking shorts. I think I could count the number of your pubic hairs through the spandex."
"Yours are just as tight, and hot! If someone looked closely enough, they could tell you have foreskin. Of course, that doesn't count if you milk it back."
Having started before the heat of the day, the guys didn't sweat much on their ride to Cedar Rapids. They slipped on their nylon basketball shorts and tank tops as they took a break in the little park near the lion bridge on 16th Avenue.
They'd burned enough calories to be ready for a stop at Sykora's Bakery for kolaches. It wasn't their first choice of pastries, but the place was noted for them, so when in Rome..., as the saying goes.
After having a cherry one with a glass of milk, Adam was ready to continue. Parker agreed that the refueling stop had been a good plan. He had chosen a kolache with apricot filling. It reminded him of the Polish kolatchkies he'd eaten in the Chicago area. Indeed, it's mostly a matter of spelling and pronunciation that separates them, though some recipes use cream cheese instead of sour cream.
The Czech and Slovak Museum proved to be educational as well as entertaining. They learned a number of interesting facts about the immigrants who had been important to the economy of the region, including a look inside a tiny cottage which was typical of their accommodations in the New World.
Many of these hard-working individuals had operated the meat-processing facilities and other factories which used to fill that part of the city.
But, what fascinated them the most was the video of how the huge building had been moved to a new location and set atop a new garage facility which put the museum three feet higher than the water-level of the devastating flood of 2008. It was an engineering feat that had taken many months to complete, and had been an international sensation. Unfortunately, it had nearly bankrupted the company that accomplished it. Rainy weather had greatly stretched the length of the move.
They ate lunch at Parlor City Pub. One of the specialties of the house was a breaded, deep-fried pork tenderloin. It wasn't exactly health food, but they figured they'd burn off any excess calories on the ride home. They found the food good, and the atmosphere lively. It seemed to be a favorite stopping spot for bicycle riders. Many of the customers were dressed as they were. Several hadn't taken the modest approach of covering their spandex that the boys had.
After lunch, they checked out several of the shops in the area. Some had mostly antiques and collectables, others specialized in items from the Czech Republic.
The Czech Cottage proved to be a wonderful little store with lots of imports from the old country. The guys found a gold cross with garnets that they felt would be perfect for Grandma Ellie's birthday. They went, halves on it. This time, Adam put it on his charge card, and Parker promised to give him cash for his share. Adam loved the satisfaction of being able to do that.
On the way home, the temperature had risen, and they felt too warm with the extra pair of shorts. They decided to shed the outer ones when they stopped at a bench on the trail. Adam had a better idea. He suggested they step behind a patch of sumac bushes and take their biking pants off too, and put back the basketball shorts which were loose and would allow more air to flow over their balls.
In doing so, they felt each other up, and popped wood. They figured it was too risky to do anything to relieve their condition, so they rode the rest of the way semi-hard.
They had scarcely put their bikes in the garage before they raced up to their bedroom and stripped each other naked. Neither minded the tangy taste of fresh ball-sweat.
After dinner, Jake and Ben came to get their clothes and other items from their room. They had been successful in convincing their parents that buying a mobile home together for their last two years at the university would be a good financial move. In negotiating for the money to make the purchase, they agreed not to move their girlfriends in. Both mothers had opposed it, saying that the arrangement would promote activities that could leave someone pregnant.
Ben's father had made some quip that Ben had almost been named "Chevy" because living together wasn't the only way to become expectant parents. Ben's mother had given him a dirty look, making Ben suspect that he might have been conceived in the back seat of a car, just before his parents had eloped.
Rob offered to haul some of their things in his pickup, but the guys managed to cram it into their two cars.
After they'd departed, the other housemates discussed them a little.
"They may not move their girlfriends in, but I'll bet there are plenty of overnights on the weekends," Parker smirked. "I know they had girls over at the old house. They probably wouldn't have felt comfortable doing that here, and I'm not sure I would be either. We tend to be casual about our state of dress, and I like it that way."
"You won't hear any disagreement from us," Rob chuckled. "Man, it's nice to know no one would be upset if we ran to the bathroom in what we sleep in."
"But, we don't wear anything to bed," Darrin commented, innocently.
"My point, exactly!"
The following day, Parker got a text message from Manuel that some of the deconstructing work was beginning immediately. His nephew, John, would be supervising three college guys in the afternoon. Parker forwarded the message to Adam, and the two of them agreed to check on the progress after their last class.
"If you two want to keep your jobs, you'd better start showing up on time!" John greeted the pair as they came up the stairs.
"What?" Parker asked.
"Manuel made it clear that we would begin right after lunch. You're nearly four hours late! The young men who own this house are going to be very unhappy."
"Oh," Parker smiled. "I see the mix-up. We ARE the owners, or will be when we get all the paperwork straightened out. My grandparents hold title to it currently."
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry," John exclaimed. "Please forgive me!"
"There's nothing to forgive. We're the right age and we're carrying our school stuff. It's a logical error. On top of that, you have every right to be upset about workers who don't carry through."
"Thank you for your understanding," John said. "My uncle would be very angry with me if I lost him this project. He's quite excited about the name we could make for our company by restoring this place."
The one student, who had shown up, stopped working to see what the to-do was about. Having on a dust mask, goggles, and earbuds, he had missed most of the exchange.
Parker quickly made the introductions when the kid took out his earbuds.
"Hi, I'm Parker Grim, and this is Adam Baxter. May I ask your name?"
"I'm Toby Gustin; nice to meet you."
"Weren't you in that big art appreciation lecture class early this morning?" Adam asked.
"Yeah, I was. How did you recognize me with a dorag, goggles, and everything, trying to keep the dirt outta my eyes and hair?"
"I didn't, actually. I heard your name called, and thought that `Gustin' was unusual."
"It is. Anyone in the U.S. with that surname is probably at least distantly related."
"So, are you a freshman too?"
"Kinda, I graduated in January and took half a year in junior college to get a head start. The university looks like it'll be a lot harder, and I'm hoping that working part-time won't mess up my grades this term, but I'm really in a bind, and this job may save my butt!"
"Really? What's going on, if I may ask."
"The university messed up my housing and I'm living in a cheap motel off the Coralville strip. The school hasn't refunded my room rent yet, but they don't have a place for me either, so I'm trying to earn some bucks to pay my extra bills."
"John, may I waste a few more minutes of Toby's time?" Adam asked.
"Hey, it's on your dime ultimately."
"Okay, I'll be quick. Toby, I think we might have an answer to your needs. What time are you off tonight?"
"We're stopping at 5:00."
"Cool, I'll pick you up at that time so you can have supper with us. Then, I'll show you where you might be living instead of that motel."
"Um, I hate to put you out."
"We won't take `no' for an answer! See you then."
There wasn't a lot of progress to see, other than that a damaged wall on second floor had now been reduced to a pile of rubble, so Parker and Adam continued home.
Adam arrived at 4:55 in his little red Fit to take Toby home.
"Man, I'm pretty dirty; I don't want to mess up your car seat."
"Okay, I've got an old beach towel in back. You can sit on that."
"Did I hear John shouting at you this afternoon?"
"Yup, it was a mix-up. He thought we were the other college guys his uncle had hired to work with you."
"Oh, I assumed that too. Who are you then?"
"We're the ones who commissioned the restoration."
"Oh." Toby said, uncertain of what that entailed.
"I think you're gonna like eating with us. Parker fixes good meals," Adam tried to change the subject.
"Right now, I'll love anything I don't have to pay for! But, I'm so dirty from the job that I hate to even be in your house."
"We'll eat out in the screened porch tonight, but you're welcome to take a shower as soon as we get there. Before you worry about messing up our bathroom, we have one in the basement that we use when we've gotten really dirty."
"Great! I have the clothes I wore to classes in this bag. I'd feel much better not being sweaty and grubby when we eat."
Adam introduced Toby to Rob and Darrin who were the only others home for dinner. Phil and Austin had purchased meal tickets for the university dining facilities because they hadn't chosen to be in the cooking co-op with their housemates.
After the introductions, he showed Toby to the basement bathroom, found him a clean towel, and told him to feel free to use the gel and shampoo that were in the shower.
Toby came up to the kitchen a few minutes later, looking like a new man. Not having a comb, he had used his fingers to arrange his short blond hair as best he could. The result made him look adorable, and younger than he was.
Parker had grilled brats to eat with German potato salad he'd purchased the day before at the grocery store deli. He had whole-wheat buns for the brats, and had opened a can of pork and beans. It wasn't gourmet, but appeared to hit the spot, as evidenced by the way the guys were digging in.
"Do you guys eat like this all the time?" Toby asked.
"Nah, we do serious cooking when we have time," Parker said. "We like to experiment with recipes we find on the `net."
"This IS serious cooking for me!" Toby exclaimed. "I haven't eaten this well since my parents dropped me off a few days ago."
"It was a good supper, Parker," Rob agreed. "We'll do the cleanup while you guys show Toby the room he can have if he decides to stay with us. Don't forget to be completely transparent about our relationships."
Toby looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything. He wondered what that was all about. He didn't know any of these guys, having only met them today. He wasn't sure what he'd gotten himself into.
"Here's the unoccupied room," Adam said, opening the door to the smallest bedroom. "It was mine before my parents sent me packing."
"It's great!" Toby enthused. "Um, I don't understand why you're here if they kicked you out."
"The story's a lengthy one with more twists and turns than a Russian tragedy, but let me explain, briefly, if I may. I inherited the house after my parents died in a car accident which happened after they threw me out for being gay. The full-disclosure bit Rob was alluding to is that Parker (he put an arm around his lover's waist) and I are boyfriends, and Darrin and Rob are too. He's concerned that you might be uncomfortable in a place where four of the six other occupants are gay."
"That doesn't bother me," Toby insisted. "I'm concerned that I won't be able to afford to live here."
"Oh, I don't charge any rent," Adam said. "The home-owners' rules for this area of town forbid renting out rooms on a long-term basis. Four of us are the remaining refugees from the fire in the house where you're working. We added Rob and Darrin because Rob's my half-brother and Darrin and I are best friends. There's more to the soap opera, but you'll learn that over time."
"Um, do the others buy things for you to get around the `rent' problem?"
"Nope, lodging is free."
"Um, do the buys, uh, do favors, like providing massages with happy endings or something?"
"No, I don't receive sexual favors in lieu of rent."
"Wow! You mean you just let the others share your place with no strings?"
"Yup. Parker took me in to live with him in that garret apartment in the other house when I had no place to turn, so this is a way to pay it forward."
"Okay! I'm in, but I want to do something to earn my keep. I can give massages because I took a crash-course, hoping to earn a little money while I was in college, but I didn't put in enough practice hours to get certified."
"If you pitch in with housework and contribute to meals, assuming you decide to eat with us, that will be sufficient; though I wouldn't mind learning a few massage techniques."
"Great! I'll start bringing stuff over tomorrow on the bus."
"You don't have a car? How do you get here from Coralville?"
"No, I can't afford to keep one, so I walk a few blocks to catch the Cambus."
"Damn! You can't haul your stuff that way; it'll take forever. Let's get in my car and move you right now, if you have time. Parker has homework already, but I don't."
"I don't have any either, and it's cool of you to offer! I can't wait to get out of that flophouse."
With a second check of the bathroom to make sure nothing was accidently left there; Toby and Adam went to the lobby to turn in the room key.
"You're checking out tonight?" The clerk frowned.
"Yes, I've found a permanent place to live."
"Well, you're paid up through the end of the week, and I can't give you a refund."
"Nothing? But, it's only Tuesday. I understand you can't give my back the money for today, but you should be able to rent the room tomorrow night for sure. The no-vacancy sign is on every night."
"What if he gave the key to me and I stay here overnight with my girlfriend," Adam asked. "Someone could get the benefit of what he's paid for."
"Whatever," the clerk shrugged. "it's not my problem."
"Hey, Toby, I have a better idea. Let's keep the key until Saturday. You know that old guy, Joe, who sleeps in the park? I'll bet he'd like to have a nice air conditioned room for a few days during this hot spell."
"I won't allow you to bring a street person in here!"
"You said, `whatever,'" Adam grinned.
"Okay, I'll give you back $50, but that's the best I can do."
"Deal!" Toby said, before Adam had a chance to press for a bigger refund.
"Parker, you have an awesome boyfriend!" Toby called as Adam and he carried in the first load. "He tricked the motel guy into refunding me a bunch of money!"
"It's only $50, but it's something," Adam downplayed his intervention.
"About 10 months ago, that would have seemed like a fortune to you," Parker reminded him.
"I didn't mean to be so offhand about it. Parker's right, I was on food stamps until my parents' untimely death. I'm not trying to sound like a spoiled brat who doesn't think that amount of money is important."
"I finished my assignment," Parker changed the subject. "Are you guys interested in popcorn after Toby gets his room squared away?"
"Awesome!" Toby grinned.
Adam and he scurried off to bring in the rest of his things. Mostly, it was clothes and personal items, plus a small microwave and bedding that Toby's mother had purchased for his dorm room. He could store those in the closet.
"Hey you horn-dogs, would you like to snack on something besides each other?" Parker called as he rapped on Rob and Darrin's door.
"We'll be out as soon as we can find where we threw our undies," Rob snickered.
Darrin and Rob came into the kitchen a few minutes later, wearing nothing but holey boxers. Toby blushed as he looked them over. Adam noticed, and thought he'd make a smart-ass remark to put everyone at lease.
"Oops, we didn't do a full disclosure after all. In an all-male household; what they're wearing is considered FORMAL ATTIRE."
"I'm not offended; I'm just not used to it, having grown up with two sisters and no brothers. I'll enjoy the casualness," Toby was quick to say.
Phil and Austin came in the back door at that moment. Parker invited them to sit down for popcorn while Adam introduced their new housemate.
"We're not part of the food group," Austin demurred.
"This isn't dinner, so park your little butts while I make another kettleful," Parker smiled.
It was too good an offer to pass up!
Author's notes: I heard from the following readers this week: Wayne, Walt Sz, Skip M, Joe W, Mac R, Tony C, Walt S, Bill T, Charles G, Joe W, J. Michael S, Bill K, GCD, Mendy D, Frank K, John L, Bill DeW, Randy McM, Douglas and Peter, Trish R, and Zero M. Yes, Zero, you made it under the wire. I read your note just before sending this off at 5:30 this a.m.
Here is a link to videos of the moving of the museum three years after the big flood:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=moving+czech+museum%2c+Cedar+Rapids&&view=detail&mid=703A83F7FBC866A5F8C9703A83F7FBC866A5F8C9&rvsmid=F4369A06B6A2AC155DF0F4369A06B6A2AC155DF0&fsscr=0&FORM=VDQVAP
Below is a Polish recipe for what they guys ate in the bakery.
Grandma's Kolacky Cookies
Ingredients
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3 cups sifted flour
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1 1?2 cups butter
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1?2 cup sour cream
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1 (8 ounce) can solo brand filling
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sifted confectioners' sugar
Directions
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Cut butter into flour with two forks to resemble small peas, as you would pie crust. Stir in sour cream with serving spoon and mix well.
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Form into 2 balls and store, covered, in refrigerator to chill. Taking out one ball at a time, dust each with flour and roll on floured surface to approximately 1/8 thickness. (Note: If dough starts tearing, it may need more flour or to be chilled a bit more.).
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Cut with larger round cookie cutter or coffee cup, Fill center with approximately 1-2 teaspoons Solo, Bring up each side and pinch to close.
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Bake at 350 dg. for 12-15 minutes, until bottom of cookie is just beginning to brown. Cool on wire racks then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!