Pinochle

Pinochle By E Walk (Copyrighted by the author) Edited by Will B.

Chapter 23 -- So This Is Our Advisor?

This is Ben.

When we left Mr. Dolan's office, I was more than just a little bit amazed at how Grant had handled the situation. He was starting to act more and more like me and Brian. I wonder what Dad and Mom thought. Oh well, they will get over it.

As we were driving back to the hotel, Grant finally spoke, "Benji, I hope I wasn't too obnoxious."

I wanted to laugh, "Grant, you didn't leave much to the imagination, and would you please stop calling me Benji?"

Grant was almost giggling, "I might, if you stop calling me `Knock.' I think it is great that we have special names for each other, when no one else is around. I'd kiss you right now, but I know would yell at me and tell me that this is not the time or the right place."

I reached over and patted Grant on the thigh, "You are so going to pay for that comment when we get home tonight. Now, let's get moving before we are late for our appointment with Grandpa Donny."

When we arrived at Dr. Witherspoon's office, the secretary told us to have a seat, and she would tell Dr. Witherspoon that we had arrived. She disappeared into the office behind her and returned with a frown, "The doctor will see you now, but he is not very happy about having his morning siesta interrupted. He usually sleeps from 9:30 until 10:30 each day and don't try to see him after 2:15 in the afternoon or you will be spending the night waiting."

Grant and I walked through the open door and a gentleman was sitting looking out the window talking on the phone. His back was to us, and Grant and I just stood there listening to him speak, "Yes ma'am. I will. ... Ma'am, my partner is not very happy about me having to baby-sit two silly freshman from the sticks. ... Ma'am, I do need to go. The hicks are standing here waiting for me."

I looked at Grant and he looked at me. I sent a message, "I don't think this is going to be very much fun. What have we gotten ourselves into?"

The gentleman finally hung up the phone and turned around to face us. He was probably in his late 50's or early 60's. He had salt and pepper hair that had obviously been styled. But what caught my attention were his eyes. They were brown, but so light that they almost appeared to be tan. He had his eyes squinted; then he started speaking gruffly, "Well, don't just stand there. Identify yourselves, and tell me why I should be your advisor." He pointed at me, "You go first and make it brief. I don't have all day."

I thought I detected Dr. Witherspoon almost smiling, and before I realized what I done, I snapped to, like I was in the military and saluted, "Benjamin Benson reporting as directed, sir."

Before Dr. Witherspoon could respond, Grant did as I had done.

Grant and I were standing at attention and Dr. Witherspoon started to laughed, "At ease you two freshman. Get butts over to that sofa, and sit down so you can't touch each other."

Grant and I did as we were told. Dr. Witherspoon stood, and it was very apparent that he took care of his body, because he sure didn't show any signs of being overweight. He picked up two folders from his desk and walked toward us. He plopped down between us, "Okay you smart asses, let's get this over with."

He opened the two folders, "I don't know how you two hicks did this but you have almost identical scores on all of the tests. I even have a copy of Grant's SAT scores, which I received thirty minutes ago. I took the liberty of filling out your schedules for the fall semester. You will be taking courses that are required for all of the students who are graduated from our esteemed University. I understand that you are leaving at noon, so we need to make this brief. If you will sign the forms, you will each be taking 15 credits this first term."

I started to say something, but Dr. Witherspoon interrupted, "Don't make you're your grandfather angry. I heard what Grant called Hank."

Grant and I both responded, "Yes Grandpa Donny."

We finished our business quickly, and as we were leaving, both Grant and I hugged him and kissed Dr. Witherspoon.

He was caught completely by surprise, "Heck, I may have to schedule counseling sessions with you two daily. Now get out of here, I need to meet with my other two counselees, Ingrid and Maria."

Grant and I broke up; I was finally able to speak, "So Grandma Kate arranged for you to be the advisor for our two friends also.?"

"I don't know how it evolved. I thought I was done being an advisor, and now I have four hot-headed freshmen to take care of. I don't know who said what to Hank today; but you sure impressed him, and Boss Kate thinks the world of you. You will have to tell us your story when you get back in town. I can't imagine how Grant might ever have been a piece of wood."

We hugged him a second time and left the office. Maria and Inga were sitting outside, waiting. Grant looked at them, "Be careful! Dr. Witherspoon is a sheep in wolf's clothing! We'll talk to you when school starts. Oh, by the way, Ben's Dad has already decided that you will be living in one of the room's in Grandma Dolan's house, that Ben just bought. You have Ben's e-mail address, so keep in touch."

As we were walking back to hotel, Grant looked at me, "Benji, kick me in the butt and tell me to back off. It's as if I am finally realizing what it is like to not be a piece of wood. Thank you, my wicked man, for making me real."

As we were arriving at the hotel entrance, Mrs. Dolan's car pulled up and my parents got out. Mrs. Dolan waved and yelled, "I'll see you later."

There were two New York State Patrol officers standing there, "Mr. and Mrs. Benson, we will be escorting you and the two gentlemen to the airport."

Mother asked, "Why do we need an escort? Do you know something we don't?

The officer was very honest, "Ma'am, our office received a call from the Governor's office, and we are just following his orders."

Dad started to look concerned. "Go get your bags, we need to get started to the airport. The crew has filed for a twelve o'clock noon departure."

This was so new to Grant and me that we just did what we were told to do. We did, however, take time to go to the bathroom. We met my parents in the lobby, and after the bell captain loaded the car, we were on the way to the airport. We were being led by a state patrol car and tailed by another one. When we arrived at the terminal, two of the patrolmen jumped out and started to watch the assembled people.

The terminal building wasn't that big, and it was like our bags disappeared, and the rental cars had already been turned in. We entered the terminal to find a crowd waiting for us.

Grant and I weren't surprised to see Mrs. Dolan, but Inga and Maria were also there. They were supposed to be meeting with Dr. Witherspoon. It seems that they were having lunch with Grandma Kate, Grandpa Hank and Grandpa Donny and were going to be meeting with Dr. Witherspoon about there schedules after lunch. We had just said goodbye to everyone when Sammy came bursting through the doors, "I was afraid I would miss you."

Sammy took Grant and me aside, "Thanks for talking to Adam and Allan. I can make it with their support and yours. May I please have your e-mail address? Guys you probably saved my life!"

That statement shook both Grant and me. Grant responded, "Sammy, please, please, if you ever feel that low again, please call Ben or even his silly brother Brian. Either one of them will get you little butt out of the doldrums so fast that you will think that you are an asteroid whirling through space."

Grant did something that surprised even me. He pulled Sammy close and held him and kissed him on the lips, "Sammy, you are special and don't you ever forget it."

Everyone who was watching started to get tears in their eyes. Fortunately, the flight attendant came to get us, so the drama of the moment was put aside. Sammy had to have the last say, and he came and threw his arms around me, "Ben, thank you for treating as an equal and not ridiculing me. I will always remember what you and Grant shared with me even though your Dad embarrassed me. I'll get you next time Mr. Benson."

When boarded the aircraft, Dad and Mother were sitting in the first two adjacent seats, and Mr. Garrison and Mr. Gordon were sitting in the two seats behind them, so Grant and I took the third role of adjacent seats.

The steward came back and announced, "The Captain has requested that some of you move to the other side of the aircraft to even the weight load at least for take off. Once we are in the air, the table will drop, and you will be sitting beside each other, anyway."

Grant and I got up; Grant asked which seats we should sit in. The steward indicated that the first two seats would probably be best. I was sitting across from my parents and Grant was sitting across from his Dad and Mr. Gordon.

We started to taxi and Mr. Gordon started to get very tense; and was holding tightly onto the arms of his seat. Grant noticed, "Dad Harley, do we need to undress you here in front of Mrs. Benson. You surely wouldn't want to embarrass her!"

By the time this dialogue finished, we were airborne, and Mr. Gordon had begun to relax. The steward came back and announced, "I'm going to put the table down. I will bring you your coffee and juice and you can visit while I fix your lunches."

We all knew what to do except Mr. Gordon, Grant reached over to activate their seats so they would turn, and we thought Mr. Gordon was going to freak out on us. Mr. Garrison put his arms around Mr. Gordon. "Harley, it is okay. You need to get used to traveling first class."

I almost lost my breakfast when Grant started, "Yeah, Dad Harley, if you are going to be my other Dad, you need to expect the unexpected. Otherwise we ain't inviting you and Dad to any dinners where we will be eating with our paying guests on the Epicurean delicacies that the chef you hire fixes for us. We will probably be so overweight that they won't even permit us to ride the transit buses to the campus."

The steward brought our juice and coffee, of course, for Mr. Gordon and Mr. Garrison. Dad started, "Okay guys, how did your meeting go with your advisor, Dr. Witherspoon?"

I looked at Grant and he sent me his thought waves and I began, "It was the strangest meeting I have ever been involved in. He acted liked we were aliens from another planet at first, and then he made us feel like we were his wayward grandsons. To top everything off, he is also going to be Maria's and Inga's advisor. I can hardly wait to get back to Ithaca and see what happens."

Grant diverted the attention away from us, "So what happened at the building on The Commons this morning?"

When the four adults finished explaining what had happened, Grant and I were almost sliding out of our seats. I looked at everyone, "Is that why we had a state patrol escort to the airport. Uncle Harley and Uncle Gregg, did you have escorts too?"

Mr. Garrison answered, "We had one state patrol riding behind us on the way to the airport. I guess Mr. Petrillo can't be too angry with us."

Dad interrupted, "Gregg, you need new glasses. Actually, you and Harley had three state patrol cars with you."

The steward served us our lunch. We started to eat and I wanted to switch our attention away from Ithaca for a while, "Dad and Mother, I don't understand how T.J. could be Uncle Tommy's son, when Uncle Tommy has never been married."

"Ben, this could take forever to explain."

"Dad, we have over two hours! Surely, it can't be that complicated."

Dad started, "Tommy had just finished his internship, and it was his first day at Doctor Dad's clinic. He was called to the hospital to help with an emergency. He was just leaving the hospital, when a young woman came up to him and said, "Please take care of him!"

"The woman disappeared, and poor Tommy had no idea what was happening. When he got to his car, he soon found out. When he opened the door and crawled in, he saw a bundle lying on the front seat in a box. He looked at the package and saw that it was a new born infant. He picked the little person up and saw a paper attached to the baby's blanket. He opened it, "Please take care of Thomas Jeffrey Wilson. His birth certificate is the bottom of the box."

"Tommy looked at the birth certificate. It did indeed name him as the father, but the mother's name had been blotted out. Tommy put the certificate in the box and left for Doctor Dad's house. He was having a very difficult time controlling his emotions. His mind was going miles a minute. He called Aunt Anita and ask for her help. They made a makeshift nursery, but Tommy always took T. J. to bed with him. When T. J. was old enough to sleep in a regular bed, he refused to sleep by himself, and he always climbed into his Dad's bed."

"Everyone thought that when he started school he would start sleeping alone, but T. J. was determine that he had to sleep with his Daddy, so he could make sure that his Dad was there. It wasn't until he had a serious illness when he was eight that they stopped sleeping together. T. J. was so ill that he had to miss nearly an entire year of school. Mrs. Tice, who had been one of my tutors, had retired, and she stayed with T. J. during the days so Tommy wouldn't have to stop working. Anyway, it turns out that Mrs. Tice was really T.J.'s maternal great grandmother."

"It seems that after Jeff's funeral was in news, T.J.'s mother, his stepfather and his three half brothers visited with Doctor Dad, Tommy and T.J,. and she told them why she had done what she did. She said that she had had a crush on Tommy for a long time and allowed herself to become pregnant when she was dating someone who wouldn't or couldn't take care of her and Mrs. Tice suggested that Tommy, Jeff and Doctor Dad would provide well for the new son."

I couldn't handle it and started to laugh. Everyone was looking at me like I was strange. "I just realized that Uncle Tommy and T. J. are not relatives so there isn't anything incestuous in their affair."

Any further dialogue was stopped because the steward announced, "Lady and gentlemen, we will be landing in five minutes. I need to store the table and ask that you return seats to their original position and make sure they are locked."

Mr. Garrison was pointing out some of the features they could see out the window to Mr. Gordon.

When we reached the terminal Dad sent me to get the van. I pulled up in front of the general aviation terminal, and Grant and Dad loaded the baggage. Grant was in the other front seat and the four adults were in the back. I drove to Mr. Garrison's house and he Mr. Gordon exited. Grant and I took their luggage into Mr. Garrison's house.

I was a little surprised when Grant decided to get back in the van with us, but I figured he must have something on his mind. He turned to my parents, "Ben and I are going to check on the Shoppe after we get the baggage stowed. I'll have him home by midnight, before he turns into a pumpkin."

This is Beau.

What is this about? Grant has something on his mind.

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Editor's Comments: Well, well, well! Ed makes editing his stories--and fun! Come on older brother, let's get the next chapter done.