Aaron's Summer of '77 Ch. 09

Chapter Nine - Home for Thanksgiving

In the weeks to follow, the assignments continued to be piled onto to us, and one by one we started to lose people by the curbside. As Adam's birthday and Thanksgiving approached, the first semester English class shrank from twenty-one students down to fifteen. A partial refund of tuition fees was available to those students who changed their mind about the Program within the first month after commencement. Some have decided to cut their losses and drop out, rather than continue to endure the brutal pace and demands of the Program.

I'll be honest. There were several times when I became discouraged and wanted to just hop the bus and go home. But, I remembered that last awful phone call and conversation I had with my sister Ariana before she and Nick moved away. And in some twisted way, she really did me a favor when she told me I wouldn't last through the first semester. I was damned well going to prove her wrong. And so I persevered and tried to keep focus on why I was there and what my end goals were.

The sacred five who I thought would be the ones to make it through the first semester, Alan, Robyn, Diane, Lyne and Greg offered up their own surprises. As we entered the second week of October, Lyne dropped out, then followed by Robyn. I must admit that Robyn was not a surprise to me. Lyne however...well that rocked me somewhat. I was to learn later that her Father had been diagnosed with Cancer and as he was divorced and as Lyne was his only child, she was stepping in to provide health care and support to him. I was truly sorry to see her leave the program. She had real talent. "I hope she returns to the Program sometime in the future," I thought to myself. I knew though, that had it been one of my parents, I would have done the exact same thing without a moment's hesitation.

Greg continued to chat up every female in the class. And it always seemed to me that his projects and presentations seemed to assimilate design concepts that were suspiciously 'borrowed' from those fellow classmates who fell under his spell.

Alan always seemed to manage to complete his assignments and continued to maintain his 'C+' average. He remained just under the radar and avoided the dreaded wooden rod that Camilla continued to brandish like a demented, near-sighted empress. As the weeks rolled on, I have to admit his sarcasm and biting, sometimes cruel wit and observations made me glad he was sitting beside me, even though he made me feel less than him somehow when he compared my parents with his.

As for Diane, I was determined I would be her partner for the group assignments we were told would be coming up in the second and third terms. She was my hero.

My marks seemed to be all over the place that first semester. I tried to focus on what courses I considered to be important and which were prerequisites to pass in order to go on to the next stage. For example, Interior Design One was a precursor to Interior Design Two and such until the final year, when a major thesis project on hotel and restaurant planning would complete the Program. We had some 'fluff' courses which were added to the curriculum in order to meet the requirements of the Program and provide opportunities for creative expression. They touched upon Industrial and Graphic Design, Professional Photography, History of Art and English, of all things. And, while they did little more than create additional stress with more workload and assignments, I have to admit I found some of them to be fun and a welcome respite from drafting and building construction and assembling abstract models reflecting Design theory and principles.

Lynda Naagy-Birdsong's major assignment for my first semester was stumping me though. Even so, I have to admit I found her lectures on History of Design and Architecture, as well as her ones on History of Furniture Design to be interesting and useful. Giving Lynda credit, she knew how to hold a student's attention and was knowledgeable on the subject matter she spoke about in her classes. But the one major project we were given by her to be handed in for 60% of our grade for the first semester was one I just could not get my head around. It was to be either a presentation booklet or series of display boards reflecting Architectural History from our own personal, creative perspective and was to demonstrate our knowledge of certain periods of Architecture. As well, it was to be a visually appealing, professional-looking presentation integrating best practices of Graphic Design in how we laid out whatever subject matter we were planning to cover.

"Hi Mom. I'm glad you called! How are things in Brockville?"

"Hello Aaron. Everything is good here. Blackjack misses you and has been moping around the house for the past month. You are coming home for Thanksgiving on October 10th, I'm assuming?"

"Yes, of course Mom! I'm coming home for the whole weekend. I could use the break. And I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving Dinner with you and Dad. Your apple pie is something I wouldn't miss. Oh, and thanks for asking Adam too. I know he appreciated the invitation."

"Aaron, give Adam a call and ask him to ask his Mother to come as well. She'd probably welcome a break from having to do up her own dinner for Thanksgiving and letting someone else entertain her for a change."

"OK, Mom I will and I ask him to get back to you."

"We miss you, Aaron."

"Hi Adam!"

"Hi cookie. I miss you, baby! I'm glad you called. What's up?"

"Well, we haven't talked all week and I miss you too. I just got off the phone with Mom. She called me and told me to speak to you about having your Mom come to join us all for Thanksgiving dinner. Would you ask her and maybe give Mom a call to let her know if she can come too? She said it might give her a nice break from having to cook herself."

"Ok babe. Sure thing. But, she might be having her own dinner with Bast' though. And remember, she wants you to come for dinner too, maybe on the Friday when you are down that weekend. I sure hope you like turkey! Hah, hah, hah!"

Well, the food up here is the pits. So any home-cooked meal would be appreciated, Adam. You know I think I've actually lost weight."

"Baby, your only 125 pounds soaking wet now! You can't afford to lose weight. Don't wantcha' getting sick up there, Aaron!"

"I know."

"Ummmm, Aaron...I better warn you about your Mom before you come down that weekend. I went over to help her get her garden ready for winter and she, ummmm, well...she, uh, kinda' looks a bit different since you started school."

"What do you mean, Adam?"

"Well baby, she got her hair done in a big, frizzy 'Afro' and was wearin' a bright red, one piece pantsuit when I was over there! She sorta' looks like she's tryin' to look like that woman outta' that movie 'The Bride of Frankenstein,' and she asked me to teach her how to do 'The Hustle' 'cause she wanted to go out sometime to the disco out at Long Beach!"

"What? Tell me you're kidding! And how 'dare' you compare my Mother to Elsa Lanchester! Hah, hah, hah, hah!"

"Nope, Aaron. I'm bein' dead serious, baby. I asked your Dad about it and he just kinda' shrugged his shoulders and said something about her going through Menopause. And then he laughed and said she'd been going through it for the last twenty-five years of their marriage! It's actually kinda' funny what he said, babe!"

"Oh my God! I can't imagine! Thanks for warning me, Adam!"

"How are the assignments and courses going, baby? I know you've been busy. It's been really hard for me not to pick up the phone to talk with ya'. But I wantcha' to concentrate on your studies there."

Adam, I rather you call me, even if only to talk for a couple of minutes rather than sit around here and wonder why you haven't called. Let's make a deal to call each other every couple of days, OK?

"Well, OK...Aaron. Ummmm, do ya' want me to come up and pick you up on October 9th and bring ya' back to Brockville for the weekend? Mom isn't using the car that night and she thought maybe you and I could come over for dinner, once we got back with her and Bast'. She promised no turkey though, 'cause we'll be havin' that with your Mom and Dad. Would ya' like that, honey?"

"That would be great, yes. How are you there, Adam? "

"Like I said, I miss you, baby. I've gone over to see your parents a few times and had a couple of dinners with them too. I've been helping my Mom a bit and other than that, just work as usual at the store. Not much really happenin' here, Aaron."

"I wish I could say the same, Adam. I've got this one assignment I have to do for 60% of my mark for History of Architecture, and I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do yet! It's beginning to really bother me, to tell you the truth."

"Well baby, let's you and I just forget about work and classes and assignments that weekend and just walk around town here and enjoy the fall weather and each other. Does that sound like a plan to you?"

"Sounds like a perfect plan, since you're a part of it. I love you, Adam."

"I love you too, cookie. And I miss you so much."

Friday, October 9th arrives and Adam pulls up in his Mom's Volvo to pick me up for Thanksgiving weekend. "Heya' baby!" he says as he closes the front door and goes to grab me in a tight embrace. "What the fuck are all these pillow cases stuffed with, babe? Have ya' not done a laundry since I was last up?"

"Ummmm, no...Adam. I just haven't had the time to go and sit in the laundromat and wait for everything to wash and dry. I know Mom won't mind that I do them down there. God! I missed you so much, wookiee!"

"Judging' from how hard my dong's gettin' at the moment, I'm guessin' it musta' missed you too, honey!"

I reach down to grope Adam's big basket and realize he's as hard as a rock and not wearing any underwear, given the wet spot that's starting to seep through the crotch of his jeans.

"I'm going to suck you off right now, Adam. I've missed how you taste and smell and I just have to...like right now!"

"Well, my hairy dong was half hard drivin' all the way up here, baby. So if ya' wanna' taste of my big light sabre, then get down there and do me now before we hop into my Mom's car to head back to Brockville. Am not gonna' have ya' do me in my Mom's car 'cause that would be just too weird, baby!"

"Well that kind of spoils my plans to play with your stick shift on the way back!" I say. "We'll have to negotiate that on the way home, Chewbacca!"

"Well, cookie...to quote you...all things are negotiable."

"You've been reading more Chapters, given how you're goin' down on me there, babe!"

My tongue is teasing the tip of his big, hairy cock and sucking up every bit of pre-cum that is leaking out of it. I can smell his man scent and my hand is massaging his pleasure trail. He has to lean back against the wall to steady himself and all I can hear are his moans of pleasure, as I take his entire cock in my mouth and then lick and suck on his low-hangers with my finger playing with his anus."

"Fuck. Baby! I'm gonna' cum like anytime now. Keep stroking my balls, babe! I gotta' get rid of some of my balljuice, honey and I'm gonna' explode deep inside your mouth like right now!"

Ahhhhh! Fuckin' fuck, babe! What a fuckin' perfect way to start a Thanksgiving weekend with ya'. God, I missed ya' so much, Aaron!"

"I missed you too, Adam...so much!"

"I promised Mom we'd be back no later than 7:00pm for dinner with her and Bast'. She's gonna' have dinner on the table for us for 7:30, so we better pack up all your stuff here and get back on the road, like right now!"

"OK, Adam. But, before we go, I got you a birthday present for next Wednesday, October 19th! I remembered!"

"Ahhh...baby! Ya' didn't need to go and do that!"

"I know..." I say.

Then Adam gives me a stunned look of surprise and we both laugh!

"You didn't think I was going to forget, Adam, did you? I didn't have time to wrap it, so the bag will have to do."

Adam opens up the bag and pulls out an Algonquin College sweatshirt...navy blue with the College Crest and lettering and after a few long seconds, looks at me and says, "Cookie, this was really thoughtful of you, baby. Thank you so much."

"It should fit you and I hope you like it."

"I'll wear it to bed to remind me of you every night," he says, softly.

He is oddly quiet while checking the size label on the sweatshirt and I know he is thinking something. "Is it OK, Adam? Is it the right size? Do you like the colour? Would you have wanted something else?"

"Well cookie,...Algonquin is where 'you're' goin' to school up here, babe. And to be honest, I'd rather I was wearin' 'you' to bed every night. But, it's a really sweet present and I'll wear it when you're not around and when I miss you...which is like, almost all the time now these days!"

He reaches out and pulls me into him and my hand somehow makes it's way into his shirt, rubbing his chest hair until he sighs and says, "No more of that, cookie for now or we'll never get outta' here and down to Brockville in time for dinner! Thanks again for the present, Aaron. I do love you, you know."

"You better, Adam! That sweatshirt cost me thirty bucks! Hah, hah, hah!"

"I'm worth it, babe! Heh, heh!"

Pulling up in front of Delphine Blanchard's house on Broadway Crescent, I have to admit I'm a bit nervous meeting her for the first time. I look at the raised ranch bungalow style house with the double car garage on the basement level and a big picture window beside the front door. It's very different from my Mom and Dad's house. I'm guessing it was built in the 'sixties. It's right on the curve of the crescent at the top of a little hill and the front garden and hedges look carefully maintained.

"Mom and my Dad bought the house when it was first built and this is where I grew up, Aaron," says Adam, as he hops out of the car and comes around to my side. "Now, you just be yourself and don't think you need to impress anyone to get them to like ya'. We're gonna' have a nice dinner and after that I'll take you on over to your parents' place, OK, cookie?"

"Hi boys! Glad you made it back before dinner. You made good time on the road. Adam, you've met Bast' already. Aaron, this is a good friend of mine, Sebastien Forestier from the Hospital. He works for your Father as an Orderly there."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Forestier."

"Call me Bast', Aaron. Everyone else does. We want to hear all about how your first few weeks of school have been for you. Del', that bottle of wine I brought over. Let's open it now before dinner."

Walking into the living room, the first thing I see is a huge sectional sofa in avocado green and burnt orange brocade, big floral fabric with a plastic slipcover over it and a coppertone brown shag carpet on the floor. On the wall is a beautiful quilted piece, hanging from a maple rod I'm guessing Adam's Mother must have made. "That hanging quilt is really beautiful, Mrs. Blanchard,"

"It's Del, sweetie, Call me Del'. And thank you. Now, how have the first few weeks at Algonquin been for you, Aaron? I'll bet they've been exciting!"

"Well Mrs. Blanchard, errr...um, Del', they've just gone by so fast. I haven't really had the time to sit back and really think about them. I have a feeling Christmas is going to come and I'll still be trying to finish my assignments!"

"How are the other students in your Program making out?"

"Well, it's funny you should ask that. We've had like six or seven drop out already. At the rate things are going, I can see a few more drop out before the end of this first semester. There's a lot of class time and assignments to get through. I think some of them had no idea what they were getting themselves into before they enrolled in the Program. It's good though, because it gives the rest of us more time with the Profs and the Instructors. It's been pretty good so far, all things considered."

"Have you had much chance to get out to experience life outside of the College, Aaron?"

"Not yet, Del', no. I'm finding just trying to keep up with my classes and workload to be pretty demanding. And, I really haven't had much time to do much else, to tell you the truth."

"I can vouch for that, Mom, given the five stuffed-full pillowcases of laundry he brought home with him!" says Adam, while laughing in the background. "I'll need to remember to get that stuff outta' the trunk when I take ya' home to Bethune Street."

"Oh yes! Thanks for letting Adam pick me up with your car, ma'am. That really helped me out a lot."

"You're more than welcome, Aaron. Now, I'm curious...what has been the biggest surprise to you, now that you're settled in your new apartment in a new city?"

"I guess not having someone around telling me what to do all the time. I have all this freedom now to come and go whenever I like. Does that make any sense to you?"

"It's called growing up and becoming an adult, Aaron. I'm sure you'll do very well, once you get a chance to catch a breath and experience life outside of the Campus...and Brockville too for that matter," Delphine says, while casting a thoughtful glance over at Adam.

"Have you managed to make any friends with any of your classmates yet?" she asks.

"Not really friends, no. But, Diane Payne in my class has been pretty nice to me and Alan Abelson who sits beside me. His parents live just east of Maitland...and, well, he is probably the one person I've had a chance to sort of get to know in the first few weeks. He's pretty cool, But, I don't know if he's going to stick with the Program after first year. He's taking a leave of absence from his job to see if he wants to go though the full Program. It's pretty competitive, so I don't want to get too friendly with anyone just now until I know if they're going to stick with the Program or not."

"Well, here's to you, Aaron. Let's celebrate your first few weeks in College and hope you continue to grow with your studies! Cheers!" says Bast', as Del' heads into the harvest gold kitchen to serve up dinner.

Later that evening, before Adam takes me home, he heads down to where we parked before just west of Centeen Park. "I wanna' talk to you about a few things before I take ya' on home, Aaron. OK with you?"

"OK. Adam."

"It's times like this I miss my old car, Aaron. I'd like to cuddle and be close to you right now. But, I've been giving some thought to when I was last up in Ottawa with you right before school when we went to the Coral Reef Club, and I think we need to talk."

"About what? Did I do something wrong, Adam? You sound very serious."

"Awww, no cookie...nothing too much to worry about. But, I've been thinkin' about the age difference between you and me, especially with my birthday coming up next week. And I'm thinking that if what we have here is going to last, then I'm gonna' hafta' give you some space to grow a bit on your own and experience the same things I did at your age, baby. I don't want you years from now to feel like you missed out on anything 'cause you spent all this time with someone who is almost eight years older than you. Do you understand what I'm sayin' to you here?"

"No, not really, Adam. Are you saying you don't want to see me anymore?"

"Oh hell no! No fuckin' way, baby! That's the last thing I want, cookie! But, you are still so young and I don't want to be your 'daddy' or someone who controls you. You have a great Dad already and you are a smart young man. Both you and me need to have freedom to grow and do whatever it is we want in life. That doesn't mean we hafta' be apart though. I think what I'm tryin' to say to you is that for this relationship to last, we hafta' come at it from the perspective of mutual respect and as equals. That's gonna' be real tough, given the age difference between us. I want ya' to know though, Aaron that I see you as an equal partner here. You're doing well now with your education. And, that's makin' me think about where I am with my life and what I want to do. I haven't figured that one out just yet. But, I know I'm gonna' hafta' make some decisions for me soon and I want to make sure you're a part of that. But, not at the expense of you havin' to sacrifice anything for my sake. There has to be trust and support between us. And by that I mean not just me watchin' over you to stop you from making some of the mistakes I've made in my own life. I don't think that's gonna' happen anyway. You're a lot more mature than I was at your age. And I think you're smart too. I love you, Aaron. You know that already, baby."