Dick

Chapter 1

Dick Savage, full name Richard Fabian Savage, was orphaned at the age of twelve when his parents and sister drowned in a boating accident. Both lots of grandparents lived far away and didn't hold out an adoptive hand to him because all four were aware of his unruly behavior already had resulted in his four appearances in the Juvenile Court.

So much for the saying blood is thicker than water. With his grandparents shedding no tears over his bleak future, skinny fair-headed Richard Fabian Savage was dispatched to the county's Welfare Home for Wayward Boys in the absence of a home for orphans in the county because the authorities had always refused to issue a permit for the establishment of an orphanage. It also was one of the few counties in the country without its own penitentiary or lower level of confinement facility. The county's unofficial name for itself was 'The Family County' and it boasted an exceptionally low crime rate and, although officials kept this fact secret, it's natural increase in birth rate was the lowest in the country because casual sex was severely discouraged.

One had to struggle to find a good reason for living in that county.

Dick could have easily been sent into the quick-sands of the river flats, never to be seen again, by the superintendent of the wayward boys' home for leading a break-out of the thirty-nine boys in Dormitory E, all being rounded up by bloodhounds with handlers armed with shotguns loaded with birdshot. A fortnight in 'The Pit' turned Dick from being a happy-go-lucky kid into a lean guy who now knew what loneliness really meant and he'd have to toughen up to survive.

Keeping his nose clean, Dick bided his time to get even with the 'super' who personally had kicked Dick by the butt to send him headfirst into the pit. One day just after he'd turned eighteen and remained a frequent inhabitant of The Pit Dick noticed the super's wife bent over the laundry basket at the clothes line so charged her, knocked her over and felt her breasts and then, because of his confinement had kept him away from experimentation during adolescence, he found he'd run out of ideas.

Big Mrs Johns slapped him silly and then growled, "Are you a virgin?"

Dick saw no advantage in lying so said yes. Grinning like a successful hunter, Mrs Johns dragged the half senseless Dick over to the privacy of the laundry room and had her fill. Thereafter they met in the laundry every Tuesday until Mrs Johns became pregnant. She confessed to her husband and early next morning the livid superintendent beat Dick unconscious and waited on the county line for the young punk to come around. Once he'd focused, Dick was handed papers to sign under duress, allowing for his voluntary release, available anytime to him after he turned eighteen.

Eyeing Dick malevolently the super said, "Kid, this is the county line. If you ever cross it again, you're dead. Understand?"

Sore but unafraid Dick answered respectfully, "Yes sir. Could you show me exactly where the line is so I'm not responsible for my own death?"

"Sure kid," said the burly and balding super grinned, drawing a line in the dust with his rubber baton.

Dick crossed the line and they both stepped closer and looked down at the symbolic mark.

The superintendent grinned evilly. "Make my day and step over the line punk."

"If I swing one leg over that line I'm a goner?"

"Yep."

Dick was in gray fatigues and heavy work boots, swung a leg powerfully, aimed directly at the bully's groin. The super screamed and bit the dust. Later he'd be on an operating theatre table having a pulverized testicle removed and no doubt thinking he'd murder the punk when he tracked him down.

Celebrating the biggest kick so far in his young life, Dick had turned away from his fallen and groaning persecutor and clutched his nuts protectively for no reason known to him, yelled to the skies, celebrating his freedom. He walked through arid country with no plan in mind, gradually relaxing and then worked out he'd have to hitch a ride for at least a day to get clear of his persecutor.

An hour or two later -- Dick had no sense of time or even where he was -- he reached a highway that bisected the desolate land. He quickly learned that no one stops to pick up a scruffy youth in gray shirt and cheap jeans attempting to thumb them down and looking surly to boot. It was just like being back in The Pit, no one interested in him and nothing to think about. He closed his eyes and closed down his mind as if in meditation although that word would not be in Dick's vocabulary.

The squeal of brakes of a big rig brought Dick into the present. He got off his ass and went up to the drivers' door.

Dick said to the driver, "Need some help?"

"You're a cheeky asshole. It's against company regs for me to take a passenger."

"Okay -- having wasted your time stopping, on your way. Try not to bury me in dust," Dick turning and began walking back to the rock he'd been sitting on.

"Come back here kid," said the driver, who looked to be no more than thirty. "Are you thirsty?"

"Yeah?"

"Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"When did you last eat or drink?"

"Around dawn."

"Are you running away?"

"Yeah, that's a brainy guess."

"What were you doing time for?"

"Being an orphan."

"Jesus." The driver sighed. "If that's the truth you better hop in."

"Nah, don't want to get you into trouble."

"I said hop in. Now if I have to climb down to you..."

"Keep your hat on. Don't run me over when I pass in front of you."

The driver waited and then revved the motor and blew his air horns, watching Rick jump almost up to his level.

Dick climbed in and grinned. "Asshole."

"Grab some food and drink from that bag at your feet kid."

"Thanks."

"Where should I let you off?"

"Somewhere nice to die."

The driver shook his head, his chest shaking in suppressed laughter. "You're coming home with me. It's about a day and a bit to go. You can sleep in the sleeping bay but you're not sleeping with me -- wrong sex."

"Oh yeah, what do you know about sex?"

The driver named Rex McDermott was eager for company so thought that was a good conversation to start with and so kept the kid an almost perfect listener for most of the journey. Rex surprised himself in rambling of the number of leg-opening women he'd been through in his time, had used so many variations, some of which he'd almost forgotten and he noticed the kid's eyes really lit up when Rex sounded off about what women really liked when being poked. Poked of course being Rex's man-to-man word for it.

In the sleeping cab for four hours' shut-eye before they had to stop for the driver's compulsory rest break, Dick felt tempted to ask Rex to turn back and take him where he'd picked him up so Dick could visit Joy the super's wife to try out all these new moves. Dumb idea, he yawned, wondering if Rex would like to be his father.

They halted at an unoccupied truck stop an hour before dark and Rex and the refreshed Dick had a pee, Dick thinking he'd won the distance arch until Rex turned red-faced with effort and pumped out the release from his bladder another two yards.

"It's the difference between a man and a youth," Rex said, cuffing his passenger on the head, almost affectionately, Dick deciding not to hit back.

Rex stood on the top step to the cab and reached behind the seats to pull out a short barrel varmint rifle. "Know how to use one of these?"

"Sort of. The older guys taught us using brooms."

Rex chuckled and said, "If it's small, shoot it. If it's big just run because out here it will be a wild bull or mad cow."

Dick squinted against the low sun. "You don't know me. Aren't you scared I'll come back, shoot you and steal your truck?"

"You're dreaming kid. If you did that I'd have to kill you."

It was a joke but the kid turned Rex's heart when he said, "No, you take the gun back. I don't want you thinking I'm bad, not after you've been so good to me."

Rex, caught a little emotionally by the frankness of the kid, asked, "Can you read?"

"The law said we must attend proper schooling at the institution. The super said it was a waste of time on us losers. Yeah, I can read easy."

"I have a couple of paperbacks but there're porn. Know what that is?"

"Nah."

"It means really hot sex."

"And nothing else to go with that?"

"Well, a bit of scene setting."

"Good, they sound like education books to me."

Rex stretched and yawned and turned the reading light on over the passenger's seat. "You'll have to work out difficult words and passages you don't understand. I'll be asleep."

"That the same as poking a woman isn't it -- work it out as we go?"

"Yeah, right on the button Dick. See yah in a few hours."

"Don't forget to say your prayers."

"Huh?"

"That's want some of the softies used to say to us at lights out in the dormitory."

"Oh yeah, and I bet you tougher guys teased them silly?"

"Yeah, but I backed away when they cried, the little wimps."

"Good night son," Rex said unthinkingly although not minding when he saw the kid's head drop and the reply came thickly, "You're cool Rex."

Next morning on the road Dick asked, "What are we trucking?"

"We?"

"Are you deaf?"

"No, sorry. Drums of oil used in fancy food manufacturing."

"What sort of manufacturing?"

"Why ask me -- I only drive the truck?"

"Yeah, sorry. I should have figured that out. Who are you poking these days?"

"Christ Dick."

"What's wrong? Is she that ugly?"

"Dick, she's my wife."

"Well, what's the problem? What position you've been talking about does she like best?"

"One we haven't discussed, across the kitchen table."

"Why would she prefer the table to a soft and springy bed?"

"Well, it's like this Dick..." and so Dick's education continued.

They stopped for lunch and each had a can of beer. Dick said he liked it, as the only alcohol he'd tried before was stolen whisky from the super's house.

Mid afternoon Rex lifted his cap and scratched under it. He said, "It's almost the end of the road for us. I could leave you on the highway... or else."

When he didn't continue Dick asked, "Or else what?"

"My wife and two kids live towards the mountains on a small abandoned ranch I'm working to bring back into a working cattle breeding unit. Josie doesn't want to live in the city any more."

"Why?"

"She was raped just after I first met her?"

"I know what rape means. She could get raped out here all alone."

"She figures she'd see them coming so would lock herself inside like she does at nights and if they broke in she'd shoot them through the heart."

"She sounds tough. Kids you say?"

"Yeah, Kade she's six and Tyson four."

"Does Kade go to school?"

"No but yes. Josie teaches both of them. She ran a small junior grade school until we came out here a year ago. She wanted to feel safe and to raise the kids in the country like she was raised."

Dick swallowed and said, "Can I ask you something?"

"For almost one and a bit days you have been asking plenty without saying that."

"You want me to come and live with you. Are you gay?"

Rex burst out laughing. "Christ Dick, that's the joke of the century. Why did you ask that?"

"I didn't want to fight you but I would if I had to. I learned to be the best fighter in the dormitory and the gay guys backed off."

"Oh Christ."

"It's okay. I got fingered a few times before guys learned it wasn't worth it because I'd smash them stupid when they were asleep."

Rex looked over his sunglasses at the kid, as if really impressed. "I love women too much to be gay. Just ask Josie. Er..."

"That's something I shouldn't ask Josie, isn't it?"

"You're on the button pal."

They turned off the main highway and drove much slower over a dirt road. The driver asked, "What do you think?"

"Rough road, rough country but as my grandpa used to say when I spent vacations on the farm, hard country makes lean and sleek cattle providing there's plenty of good water."

"We have water. I paid big to get wells drilled and we found it, water flow from the mountains, the drilling boss reckoned. Grandpa you said. Why didn't he have you when you were orphaned? Want to tell me about it kid, I mean Dick?"

"Not really."

"Okay, let me tell you about Josie. Now this is not about sex so you might not be interested." Rex talked on about Josie, finally glancing at the kid and noticing he was hanging on to every word. He'd run out of words by the time they swung wide to go through the gate to the ranch.

"So if you find a gal who pumps you up and the pumped up feeling doesn't deflate, you go after her for keeps, right?"

Rex showed all his teeth, pushing his sunglasses over his brow. "You learn quick kid. I couldn't have put that better myself. See that lanyard above us? Pull it down to blow the horns and keep the horns blowing still you see my family spill out of the ranch house. Do it."

Dick stared at the closed doorway in great expectation. His mouth shaped into a smile and his green eyes widened as the door flew open and a cute blonde kid shot out on to the porch and jumped over the narrow flower garden, stumbled and accelerated towards the truck, arms waving. A small boy followed but stopped, unwilling to make the jump. As he turned to go to the steps a woman in a top and shorts, bare feet and also with brown curly hair, ran on to the porch, scooped him up and soared over the flower garden and hit the parched ground at a full run.

"She's beautiful."

"Yeah, that's my Josie."

"No, I mean Kade. I reckon she looks like a young princess."

"Yeah me too. Look I didn't tell you this, I'm thirty and Josie is six years old than me."

"So, what's the problem? She made her choice, didn't she?"

"You have me a little confused Dick, one minute you seem to know fuck-all and then you say something like that. Christ, I'm not sure I could have put it like that."

Dick ignored that, instead saying, "You don't use language like that in front of your family do you Rex?"

"I-I...you're right, I need to keep the lid on it."

Chapter 2

Dick, almost twitching, told Rex to stop the truck.

"Why?" he said, in no hurry to react. The track was flat and they were in a high crawler gear."

"Stop the truck Rex. Kade is highly excited, just a wee kid. She could do something dumb running at us like this. See -- there's her mom calling. She knows."

The truck stopped. "Thanks pal, I need to think like you. How do you know this?"

"When we lose your family you sort of grow up quickly Rex. Through my reading I know it takes time to make and rear children."

"Right."

Rex opened his door and leaned down to pick up the vibrant bundle, all blonde and smiles. "Daddy, daddy. You're back. Mommy got your call and told us you'd be back today. Oh daddy, daddy, I have missed you so much. I love you daddy."

Beaming, Rex glanced at Dick and his smile vanished when seeing Dick hunched in the corner against his seat and door, face looking tragic. In an instant he knew what that was about. "Honey, this is Dick. Sit on his knee and say hello. He's our new friend."

Dick's face softened, he straightened and held out his arms almost shakily, as if he were being handed dynamite.

"Hello Dick. I'm Kade and this is my daddy and this is my daddy's truck."

"Hi Kade."

The soft hair of the pretty woman appeared as she climbed the two steps. "Hi darling, take Tyson and I'll climb up. We have a young guest I see."

"Hi sweetheart, you look sexy. Hi bruiser, how's daddy's boy."

"One of the hen's has chickens."

"Oh my, chickens. More than two?"

"Nine."

"Oh my. Now I want you to sit here beside Dick. Dick is a good guy. Now mommy can sit on my knee. Oh mommy, a big wet kiss please."

"Well, nothing more than that. We have a guest."

After they kissed, Rex said, "Josie, meet Dick. He's staying the night, possibly a lot longer. We have to talk about it and see how it goes. I picked him up a day a back and it's quick a story. I promise you he's a good guy."

"Kiss him mommy. Dick is my friend."

"I'm sure a young man doesn't want to be kissed by an old woman..."

"Rex has told me you not only look beautiful but beauty radiates from you. I see what he was saying."

"Oh my, perhaps Rex might remember to direct such sweet talk to me sometime?"

"He says nice things, kiss him mommy."

"Okay -- I only kiss lips Dick, sorry but that's me. Here it comes."

It was short, brief and lovely. "You smell great."

Josie dropped her gaze and bit her lip.

Kade laughed. "That's because she had a bath and put on scent silly. She does that when daddy's coming home after been away long like three days or more."

"Come on," Dick said opening his door and jumping to the ground, holding out Kade to cushion the impact as it transferred to her, Kade laughing, yelled "Wheeeeee!" He placed her on the ground and held up his hands rather than grab Tyson.

"He won't jump, he's a scaredy cat," called Rex.

Josie said, "Hush Rex."

"Tyson's no scaredy cat, Tyson is a big boy and knows I'll catch him. Oh dear, no jump from Tyson. I'll have to ask Kade to show me the chickens."

Tyson, displaying his fear, jumped and was caught and told he was a good boy, very brave. His parents uttered words of praise.

Rex called, "How did you know to woo him like that Dick?"

"The facility we were in was partly a front, as around half of us were orphans. I was rated a trusted helper although a troublemaker and used to assist to care for and entertain the smaller kids."

"Orphanage -- what is this about Rex?"

"I really don't know dear. Dick has told me he'll tell me some time. Don't rush him."

"We're going to inspect the chickens to give you two time for a quiet hello. You kiss great Mrs er..."

"Josie is fine. Look after our children like this and you might land another kiss."

Josie and Rex watched Dick pick up Tyson and holding Kade's hand asked her to show him how well she could skip.

"There's no way I can be afraid of a guy who shows such care for my children Rex."

"Glad to hear that."

"You want him to live with us, don't you?"

"Well...um let's put that on the backburner."

"No, let's discuss it with him after supper. I have a feeling I'll have no objection. In the meantime, tell me everything you know about him. If he's not told you much then tell me what you've observed and thought about him. With me it's your impressions that really count."

"He's eighteen, exactly half your age."

"So what, if I really get to like him I could even think of trying him out."

"Josie!"

"Honey I do declare some time during the past week my mind decided to no longer think of me as a raped woman. I'm pleased about that, very pleased, but am a little hacked off that it's taken so long to get to this point."

"I'm so happy you have crossed that river," Rex said kissing her. "I knew it was coming because the nightmares are long gone and it's a long time since we've talked about it."

Josie kissed him and thanked him for being there for her and being so incredibly patient. "Now, what does this young man know about sex? You guys would have yapped on about that for sure."

"He knows more than when I picked him up on the roadside. Am I right in what I'm thinking?"

"Unless you tell me I won't know. I'm thinking when you are away long distance you sometimes are with another woman, you've been honest enough to tell me that. I was thinking that once I become comfortable having him around, and he remains sweet, I might teach him about sex. I mean one-on-one lessons late at night. It was just a thought and my mind generates thoughts like confetti, as well you know. We have great thinking time out here with few distractions."

"I was going to say he has big holes in his knowledge and could benefit if you brushed up his formal education. But real sex lessons -- Josie if you feel comfortable then you go right ahead. It makes me feel nervous thinking about past trauma."