DJ Pt. 23

Brooks rose from his desk and walked toward the boys, his hand extended.

"I'm Sergeant Brooks, which one of you are who?" he asked.

"I'm DJ, and this is Jamie." Brooks smiled.

"I'll take you back to the holding area, Jamal's parents are here, but I know your time is limited, so you guys get priority."

When Brooks took the boys back and Jamal saw them, he smiled, the first time Brooks had seen him smile. He hadn't even smiled when Brooks took his parents in, about 15 minutes earlier. Brooks introduced the senior Robinson's to DJ and Jamie, explaining that they are the plaintiffs in the case, and Jamal had begged to talk to them, so he'd asked them to come in.

Brooks told Jamal's parents that DJ and Jamie need to go to work soon, and asked them to give up their chairs in front of Jamal's cell, and wait on the bench about five feet in back of the chairs, until the boys left.

Mrs. Robinson, scowling at the boys, "So you're the ones that put our Jamal in this ridiculous predicament!" DJ and Jamie ignored her and sat in the chairs in front of Jamal's cell.

"OK Jamal," DJ said, "you wanted to talk with us, we're here, what do you have to say?"

"That note," Jamal explained, "I never could have harmed either one of you, it was just supposed to scare you! I didn't think you would react like this, and I never thought it would go this far."

"Well, you succeeded in scaring us, Jamal," Jamie remarked, "you had us scared shitless, but why?"

"Because black and white don't belong together, black and black do, and white and white go together, I figured if I scared you good enough, you guys would break up."

The senior Robinson's faces are showing signs of shock.

"Jamal, why did you want to cause us to break up?" DJ inquired.

"DJ, I told you, the day of the Christmas Party, when we were out by the Dumpster, that we were brothers, and we needed to stick together. I wanted to give you my love, and get yours in return. I knew I would never have the chance, as long as you and Jamie were so tight. You still don't get it DJ, I love you!"

"Wait!" Mr. Robinson exclaimed, standing up, "Jamal, are you saying that you want DJ, like a man wants a woman?"

Jamal, hanging his head, "I—I—I guess so."

Mrs. Robinson, tearing up, "Jamal, you were raised on the Bible, how could you stray so far away? You know what the Bible says, about that kind of behavior."

"Yeah, but that was mostly in Leviticus, that's really old beliefs. Jesus never condemned people for being different." Jamal replied.

"Being different, and being homosexual are not the same thing, what you guys are into are the works of Satan!" Mr. Robinson said, "Jamal, if you don't change your ways, you're going straight to hell!"

"Mr. Robinson," DJ spoke, "under the circumstances, I'd be lying if I said I like Jamal, but my heart tells me I have to defend him. Jamal doesn't need correction, what he needs is acceptance, and love, especially from his family!"

"Jamal," his father asked, "when did you start having these improper feelings toward boys?"

"Honestly, Dad, I don't remember a time when I didn't like boys. Back in school, I used to get into sports, and half the fun of sports, for me, was to get to shower with a bunch of naked boys. I used to fantasize how it might feel to kiss them, to cuddle with them, and to touch their privates, and wonder if they would touch mine."

"Didn't you and Mama ever wonder why I, at age 21, had never had a girlfriend?

"We just thought you hadn't met the right girl yet."

"And I probably never will, but I'm hoping I meet the right boy one of these days. I did meet him, but his love is taken!" Jamal is looking at DJ with want in his eyes.

"Jamie, DJ," Jamal asked, "I know I've done you wrong, very wrong, and please believe me, I'm very sorry. Is there anything I can do, to get you to drop those charges and forgive me?"

"Possibly," DJ stated," can you promise to never make another threat, to anyone?"

"That's easy, I learned my lesson on that one, what else?"

"Find your own boyfriend, and don't try to steal someone else's."

"Pretty easy, so far, I'll never try that again!"

"Jamie spoke, "Never stalk MY boyfriend, ever again!"

"I can do better, I'll never stalk anybody's boyfriend."

"DJ, are you satisfied with Jamal's promises?" DJ nodded, "Then let's see what we have to do, to get Jamal out of here."

Jamie went to the front and talked to Sergeant Brooks. He told Jamie that if both he and DJ sign off on the charges, Jamal can be released immediately, and can go home. Jamie smiled. They walked back to the holding area, and got DJ. DJ and Jamie signed the release form, dropping the charges against Jamal.

"Sergeant Brooks," Jamie asked, "Can we watch you let Jamal out of the cage?" Brooks nodded.

He told DJ and Jamie to follow him, went to a wall unit and picked up a set of keys, then led the boys back to the holding area. He walked to Jamal's cell, inserted the key into the lock, and swung the door open, so Jamal could exit the cell. Jamal gingerly set a foot outside the cell, not sure this was happening, then the other foot.

Jamal then rushed DJ, wrapped his arms around him and literally picked DJ about 6" off the floor, and hugged him tightly. He then gave Jamie the same treatment.

Jamal, smiling, "Freedom never felt this good before! I sure hope I never see the inside of a jail cell again! I can't thank you guys enough, I think I've just found my two newest best friends!"

"What are you going to do now?" Jamie asked.

Jamal, looking at his parents, "EAT, I hope! I haven't eaten in two days." Jamal's father nodded, smiling.

"DJ," Jamal inquired, "I know I fucked up pretty bad, do you think we can become friends, you, Jamie and me?"

DJ, smiling, "Good chance, Jamal, good chance, platonically, of course." Jamal smiled.

"Mr. and Mrs. Robinson," Jamie said, "Jamal is really a good boy, that made a bad mistake. Please give him room to be himself, and not worry so much about religious doctrine. If God didn't want him to be gay, he wouldn't have made him that way!"

The Robinson's took their son, got into their car and drove off. DJ and Jamie got into the Tracker and headed to the shopping center to start their Sunday shifts.

(to be continued)

Coming up in Part 24

UH-OH Houston—we have a problem!

As a rule, there are situations happening, things going on and I have a handle on what the next part will contain. Until I start writing Part 24, I don't know what is going to be happening. There's no fuse lit at this minute -- but I promise this is not the end.

Doug, aka o2byoung