BRIARWOOD - A LOVE STORY
BOOK TWO - HIGH SCHOOL
A Novel
by
Lee J Freshwater
PART ONE – HIGH SCHOOL
CHAPTER 1 MAN TRAP SEPT 8,1966
CHAPTER 2 THE TELEVISION
CHAPTER 3 THE NEW TERM
CHAPTER 4 IS HE DOING DOPE? Christmas 1966
CHAPTER 5 FLUNKED OUT MAY 1967
CHAPTER 6 1967 INDIANAPOLIS 500
CHAPTER 7 IT ALL COMES TO A HEAD
CHAPTER 8 IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD
CHAPTER 9 SECOND THOUGHTS
CHAPTER 10 PICK AND MAGIC SEPT17, 1967
CHAPTER 11 COLLEGE CHOICES
CHAPTER 12 ASKING FOR HELP
CHAPTER 13 ACCEPTANCE
CHAPTER 14 GAVIN
CHAPTER 15 FLOURISHING
CHAPTER 16 POINT PLEASENT DEC 15,1967
CHAPTER 17 PANIC IN MUNCIE & MORGANTOWN
CHAPTER 18 AFTERMATH
CHAPTER 19 MUSINGS FROM VIETAM
CHAPTER 20 A SURPRISE & A BRIARWOOD WIN
CHAPTER 21 TOURNEY TIME FOR THE CATS MARCH
1968
CHAPTER 22 DEATH COMES A KNOCKIN'
CHAPTER 23 MAKING ARRANGEMENTS
CHAPTER 24 SAYING GOODBYE
CHAPTER 25 THE FIRST TIME
CHAPTER 26 SORRY ABOUT YOUR BROTHER
CHAPTER 27 THE GIRL FROM NEBRASKA
CHAPTER 28 AND THE SURPRISES KEEP ON COMING
CHAPTER 29 R.F.K.
CHAPTER 30 M.L.K.
CHAPTER 31 NATURE TRIP
CHAPTER 32 MISTER ROBERTS
CHAPTER 33 SO LONG MOTHER MILLER
CHAPTER 34 PROM NIGHT SURPRISE
CHAPTER 35 SUMMER BREAK
CHAPTER 36 I THINK I'M IN LOVE
CHAPTER 37 PIEDMONT FLIGHT 230
CHAPTER 38 AFTERMATH
CHAPTER 39 NEW MATH
CHAPTER 40 CHEATING
CHAPTER 41 CHRISTMAS BREAK 1968
CHAPTER 42 BETRAYED
CHAPTER 43 A NEW TRUSTEE
CHAPTER 44 ACCEPTANCE
CHAPTER 45 DO IT, OR ELSE
CHAPTER 46 END OF SENIOR YEAR
CHAPTER 47 IT'S JUST A DAMN GAME
CHAPTER 48 COACH HARRELL
CHAPTER 49 WILL HE ACCEPT
CHAPTER 50 DECISIONS
CHAPTER 51 SPECIAL DELIVERY
CHAPTER 52 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
CHAPTER 53 JUNO
CHAPTER 54 ACCEPTANCE
CHAPTER 55 THE RING
CHAPTER 56 APOLOGY FROM A FAR AWAY LAND
CHAPTER 57 LETTER FROM VIETNAM
CHAPTER 58 GUY TALK
CHAPTER 59 INDIANAPOLIS 500 MAY 30,1969
CHAPTER 60 A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION
CHAPTER 61 MORE SURPRISES
CHAPTER 62 DR. HOWARD GETS HIS
CHAPTER 63 FINAL DECISIONS
CHAPTER 64 MENDING FENCES
CHAPTER 65 THE OLIVE BRANCH
CHAPTER 66 GRADUATION & GOODBYE JUNE 6,1969
CHAPTER 67 TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
For Hoss and Mid May. Great parents, neighbors, and role
Models
PLEASE NOTE: Briarwood takes place during a trying time. The 1960's. Be PREPARED for strong language and the use of words we NEVER use in today's society.
ALSO NOTE: This Blog is best viewed in "full screen" mode.
CHAPTER 1 MAN TRAP SEPT 8, 1966
It was the new fall term. Tommy had unpacked all of his
belongings and was waiting patiently for Bruce to arrive from
Morgantown.
He thought back to his short conversation with his brother
just before he departed for school.
He glanced down at his cup of coffee and picked up the
mug. He sighed as he brought the brewed liquid up to his
mouth. He knew that he should not have gotten into a fight
with George or called him by the name he had used.
Tommy had relived that moment many times. He
thought that from this point on maybe he should try to
be nicer to George. Maybe he should try harder to have a
relationship with him.
Then he laughed at himself. 'Who was he kidding?' They
would never have a good relationship.
Gary and Bruce were more like brothers than George. He
missed Gary and Bruce when he was not around them, but he
never missed George. He set down his mug.
Bruce was on his mind, when he saw his best friend waving
at him from the doorway of the cafeteria. Tommy got up from
the table and went over to the entrance way.
They hugged for a long time.
“I missed the hell out of you,” Tommy said excitedly.
“Me too,” Bruce replied. “How's Dawn?”
“Great, just great. We had a great time, and she sends her
love. Your folks doing well?”
“Fine, except Susan was disappointed that you didn't
come to our house this year.”
Tommy smiled as he thought back to last August break
when he went to Pittsburgh to take his radio amateur test
then spent some time with Bruce in Morgantown. He loved
Bruce's little sister and enjoyed spending time with her playing
board games.
“Tell her I'll make it up to her on our first free weekend,”
Tommy smiled as he slapped his best friend on the back.
“I will,” Bruce replied. “I'm going to run up to the room and
unpack. Save me a seat for dinner,” he said as he turned and
started towards the door. “I'll be right back.”
Tommy smiled. He was glad to be back in Charleston and
was looking forward to his sophomore year. He would miss
Dawn, but this was his home and his family.
Several nights later Tommy, Bruce, Carlos, and David
Elwood walked into the common room beaming with
excitement. They had heard about a new science fiction show
that was premiering that evening. It was all about space travel
in the twenty third century and would be full of space aliens
and future technologies.
What they had not counted on was Sherri, Daniele, and
some of their friends eagerly awaiting 'My Three Sons'. A long
discussion ensued.
“Come on girls, give us a break. We never watch TV.
Please?” Carlos pleaded. “One hour is all we want.”
“But Robbie is so dreamy,” Debbie said, her eyes fluttering.
Tommy rolled his eyes and looked at Daniele.
They had a silent conversation.
He could see Daniele smile ever so slightly. He knew that
when Danny's lip curled up just a bit, she was trying to
suppress a huge smile.
“OK,” she relented. “This one time.”
Carlos changed the channel to WSAZ Channel Three and
they sat motionless as they watched the premier of 'Star Trek.'
Sherri broke the silence ten minutes into the program.
“So, this star ship has a pointed ear dude from the planet
Vulcan? And they roam the stars looking for new life? And the
first thing they find is some salt eating alien. Come on,” she
laughed. “Give me a break.”
And the trash talk did not get any better. The boys had to
endure an hour of laughs, comments and a few rude
suggestions from the girls. They hated the show and
announced it would be the last time they would watch a silly
show about a gallivanting star ship.
Daniele laughed as she looked at her friends and said.
“Besides. this show won't last till the end of the year, and then
you will never hear about it again.”
Tommy looked down at the floor. They were completely
wrong and he was not going to miss this show. He
remembered seeing an old black and white set at the I.A.
building that was unused and sitting in a corner. They would
watch it there. Then he got one of his patented 'hair brained'
ideas. He would start on his project the very next day.
CHAPTER
2 - THE TELEVISION
Bruce looked up from hid book as Tommy returned from the
I.A. Building he set down the brown bag he had been carrying.
“Hey Tommy, what's in the bag?” he asked.
“Well Bruce, I've been thinking about last night when all the
girls made fun of the show we wanted to watch,” he smiled.
“Yeah, they weren’t very nice about it. Getting all upset
about missing “My Three Sons, jeez.
"Robbie isn't that cute,” he laughed.
Tommy removed several large vacuum tubes from his bag
and set them on his desk.
“Tommy, what are those?”
Tommy smiled again.
“The start of a TV for us to watch Star Trek with,” he said as
he took another tube out of the bag and set it down
ceremoniously.
“Are you serious, Tommy? One piece at a time?”
“Yepper," Tommy chuckled. "We have a twenty-one-inch set
over at the I.A. building that is not being used. I tried it out
and it seems to work. So, I figured, 'what the hell?'”
He smiled again. “Now I am tearing it apart and bringing the
pieces up here.”
Bruce sighed. “Tommy you're crazy. First of all, you can't
tear a TV completely apart then smuggle it up here and put it
back together.”
“Watch me my friend, just watch me.”
“And tell me smart guy, don't these things have huge picture
tubes? How you gonna get that up here?”
“Well, I haven’t got that part figured out yet.”
Bruce just shook his head. “Don't you have to have an
antenna or something.”
“Yeah, but I found an article in one of Mr. Moorlands
magazines on how to build one. I'll stick it up on the roof and
bring the antenna wire down from the roof and in through the
window.”
So, for the next week Tommy would bring a bag of parts
back to 'The Holley'. The chassis was a problem but he
remembered he still had the outside door key Mr. Ingham
gave after the altercation in the alley.
So, he and Carlos took the chassis up the fire escape. It
took another week to put it all back together. All he needed
now was the picture tube and the antenna.
He was getting ready to sneak the antenna up the fire
escape when he heard someone behind him clear his throat.
“Son, what in tar nation are you up to?” Mr. Ingham asked
as he folded his arms across his chest.
Tommy knew he was caught and all the work he had done
would be wasted.
“It's an antenna sir,” Tommy said quietly.
“Not just any antenna is it?”
“No sir, its a TV antenna.”
“So, I can assume that you have a TV hidden upstairs?”
“Well, not yet, but I was working on it,” Tommy could not
help but smile.
Tommy proceeded to tell Mr. Ingham all about the plan.
Mr. Ingham stood there in silence as Tommy explained.
“Well, we have a problem here son.”
“Yeah, I know it's against the rules and all.”
“No that's not the problem. I can't let you carry a huge
picture tube up the fire escape. No sirree. You could get
seriously injured if you banged it against somethin'. It could
'spload'. Nope, can't allow it.”
Tommy hung his head. “I understand, sir. I'll take it all back
to the I.A. building.”
Fred laughed. “No son, don't do that. You've worked hard on
this deal, don't give it up yet.”
“Really sir?”
“Yeah really. I'm kind of a rebel myself, so I get it,” he
thought for a moment. “I see a lot of things around here that I
sort of ignore as long as it ain't hurtin' nuttin,” he said with a
huge grin.
“Bring the tube around back to my workshop. We'll keep it
here until my night at the desk.
You can sneak down and run it up the elevator while I turn
the other way.” He winked at Tommy.
“Really sir, you're the best.”
“And I guess I can help you with the antenna, but you can't
run the wire down to your window. Someone will see it. We
need to run it down the air shaft. There's one right at the rear
of your closet. One small hole is all we need. I can make it look
like an access panel. We might as well run that radio antenna
down the air shaft as well. You're lucky that no one but me
saw it.”
Tommy was grinning from ear to ear.
So, on a Sunday afternoon Tommy and his friend Mr.
Ingham broke a few Briarwood rules and erected a small
television antenna on the roof of “The Holley'. Tommy even
found a motor they could use to turn the antenna in
any direction they needed.
They fed the antenna and motor wires down the air shaft
and into Tommy's closet.
Three days later in the middle of the night, Tommy
retrieved the huge picture tube from Fred's workshop and took
it upstairs.
Two days later they were watching the TV they placed on a
wooden cart, courtesy of Carlos Canter and the Briarwood
wood shop.
CHAPTER
3 THE NEW TERM
Tommy and Bruce jumped right into their fall classes.
Tommy was taking second year Spanish with Mrs. Lopez and
advanced math with Mr. Hartwig. Meanwhile Bruce had
decided to concentrate on English and the debate team.
They had their relaxing time as well. Tommy and some of his
friends spent a lot of time at Laidley Field watching the
Charleston Rockets in their second season. They would not
repeat as CFL champions but would finish the season with a
respectable 10-win season. They would lose to Orlando in the
divisional playoffs 31 to 24. A second half kickoff return and an
84-yard touchdown drive would mean the difference for
Orlando.
They would also spend an hour every Friday night with a
small select group of friends huddled around a twenty-
one inch black and white television hidden up in room 710.
Tommy continued to work out in the gym, and was
considering trying out for basketball. He also decided he
would go home for Thanksgiving. He missed Dawn and would
go home at any cost, even for a couple of days.
October 12, 1966
Dearest Dawn.
I have been thinking about Thanksgiving. I'm sure my
dad expects me to stay here again this year. He never
said a word about me coming home.
So, I decided to come home on my own. I just got back
from the Bus Depot with my ticket.
Maybe if Dad gets really mad, I can stay at your house?
I am not going to wait until Christmas to see you.
I get in at 7 PM the night before Thanksgiving. Could
you please ask your mom or dad to pick me up? If I have
to, I'll walk.
I'll do
anything to see you. I miss you.
Love,
Tommy
He went downstairs and deposited the letter in the outgoing
mail
bin at the front desk.
Tommy stood at the front desk talking to Jim Davis, a senior
who was on desk duty. David Vallalonga tapped him on the
shoulder.
“You ready T.C.?” he asked.
Tommy turned around and smiled. He knew what David was
talking about.
“Yes, I know tomorrow is basketball try outs.”
“And?” David asked. “You know you promised.”
After the boys had returned from break in May, Tommy was
true to his word and talked to Mr. Johnson. They talked for
over an hour about winning, losing, and most of all,
sportsmanship.
Tommy came away knowing that he should at least try out
for the team in the fall.
“I know I promised you, I'll be there,” he said to his friend.
“Who knows,” Tommy laughed.
“Maybe I won't make it.”
“Oh, you'll make it all right, unless you bag the try outs,”
David said seriously.
“I promise Dave, I'll do my best.”
The next afternoon Tommy arrived at the gym. He was
actually, excited about trying out.
He counted twenty boys. Briarwood would not field a junior
varsity, only the varsity team.
They had fifteen spots available. So, the odds were in
Tommy's favor.
Based on what he saw at gym class and after school, Mr.
Johnson had already decided on the first ten and Tommy was
at the top of his list. But he had to go through the motions so
everyone would get a chance and a fair shot. He wished he
had room for all twenty who wanted to play.
Two would drop out after the first day. By the end of day
three, Tommy knew he had made the team. Now it was time
for practice.
Getting ready for the first season of basketball was a work in
progress for everyone as they had no history to work from.
Mr. Johnson ran the boys hard, and he talked to them a lot. He
talked about not only how to play the game, but how to
conduct themselves both on and off the court.
“Men, we have an obligation to honor this school
whenever we play. We will play fair, and be good sports at all
times,” he told the boys many times over the course of
practice. “We are grooming students here, not athletes.”
Tommy worked hard on his studies and hard in the gym.
Within a week of practices Mr. Johnson told him he would not
only start each game but would also be the team captain.
“Tommy, I know this season will be rough. We've never
fielded a team before and honestly, I don't think we can win
often,” he smiled. “That's why I want you to be the leader. If
you don't get down, the rest of the team won't either.”
They had their first game just before the Thanksgiving
break. It did not go well.
Tommy liked the small gym at Charleston Catholic.
He knew the crowd would be small as Briarwood did not
have more than five hundred students.
They didn't even have cheer leaders.
But many of the kids at Charleston Catholic came out to
cheer for the Knights, including some of their cheer leaders
who took it upon themselves to lead most of the cheers.
After a 96-66 loss to Bluefield, Tommy made it a point to
meet their star player at center court and shake his hand.
Most teams would have sulked into the locker room after this
kind of defeat, but the entire team followed Tommy. It made Mr.
Johnson proud.
The next morning Tommy boarded a bus to Muncie for the
Thanksgiving Holiday.
He was surprised to see his mother's car in the parking lot at
the bus station when the bus pulled into Muncie. Dawn was
standing beside Margaret.
Tommy ran to Dawn and kissed her. Then he hugged his
mother.
“So, Dawn told you I was coming home?”
Margaret smiled. “Yes, she did, young man. Why didn't you
tell me?”
Tommy put his arm around Dawn and looked at her tenderly.
“I was afraid you and dad would say no,” he said quietly.
“Nonsense son, this is still your home, although I don't think
your father is so happy about it.
He thought you were staying in Charleston and studying.”
Tommy pulled Dawn closer.
“Nothing was going to keep me away mother, nothing.”
Margaret smiled as they walked to the car.
“It's all right Tommy, I'm glad you home.”
“Me too,” Dawn added excitedly as she hugged him.
George had gotten a ride to Muncie with his roommate who
was going home to Cincinnati.
He was sitting in the kitchen with John when Tommy got
home.
“So, I see you went against my wishes again,” he said to
Tommy as he walked in the door.
“Hi dad,” Tommy said. A hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“I thought you were staying in Charleston,” he growled.
“No dad, I wasn't. Oddly enough, I wanted to come home.”
Tommy glared at his older brother.
“What, dork,” George glared back.
“George, you stop that,” Margaret said with a slightly raised
voice. “How many times do I have to tell you not to talk to
your brother that way. You're in college now. Don't you think it's
time you grew up?”
John put his hand out to signal George to stop. “Son, don't
antagonize your mother.”
Unseen by everyone was the fact that Tommy had already
taken his duffel bag down the hall to his room, and quietly
closed the door.
'Damn. It's so nice to be home,' he said to himself.
As he unpacked, he pulled the morning edition of the
Charleston Gazette from his nap sack.
Looking at the sports page he smiled at the headline.
'Andrews Scores 16 in Briarwood Loss.'
Briarwood Academy opened up their 1966-67 Basketball
season last night at Charleston Catholic, with a 96-66
loss to Bluefield. Although the Knights were manhandled
easily, there was one bright spot for Briarwood. Thomas
Andrews, a 5' 10” sophomore guard from Muncie
Indiana led the way for Briarwood with 16 points.
The
article went on to list all the scoring and comments from
both coaches.
Tommy folded the paper up and put it back in his knapsack.
He was happy that he was on the team, but knew he did not
want to tell his brother or his dad.
They were not a part of his life anymore, just an
inconvenience.
As much as he loved Briarwood and Charleston, sometimes
he felt totally alone. He was home for only one reason, to see
Dawn and the Thurston's. They were his family now.
The next morning was Thanksgiving and Tommy was up
early and out the door for his run. It was warm for late
November and soon he had to shed his light jacket. His
flannel shirt was more than warm enough. He tied his jacket
around his waist and kept on running.
As he turned left on Purdue Ave, he noticed Mrs. Chipman
out in her yard, picking up small sticks that had fallen from the
many maple trees that highlighted her front lawn.
Martha Chipman's husband William was a long time Real
Estate broker who had passed away shortly before the
Andrews had arrived in Muncie. She continued his tradition of
having an immaculate lawn. She spent most of her free time
out in the yard cleaning, pruning, and raking leaves. Her
flower garden was the prettiest on the street.
"Hello Tommy," she called as she waved.
Tommy stopped and leaned on her mailbox.
"Hello Mrs. Chipman, Happy Thanksgiving"
"Same to you son," she smiled. "Are you glad to be home
for a few days?"
Tommy smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am, real glad."
They talked for another five minutes, as Tommy updated
her on school and she told him how excited she was
about going to her nieces for the holiday meal. Martha and her
husband never had children, but she was a mother figure to
every kid in the neighborhood.
Soon it was time to continue his morning exercise.
He ran and ran and ran. He thought he had gotten a little
winded in the fourth quarter of their game on Tuesday, so
maybe it was time for longer workouts.
When he got back to the house, his brother was at the
kitchen table devouring a huge bowl of cereal.
“Hey dork, what were you doing outside,” he smirked.
Tommy looked at his brother. He noticed that George's hair
was a lot longer than it had been in September, and he
looked different. Tommy could not put his finger on what it
was, but something was different.
“I went out for my run if you must know,” Tommy said
without emotion.
George laughed. “Come on dork, you weren't running. You
don't run, only athletes run.”
Tommy smiled at his brother. “There are many many things
you don't know about me,” he said with a hint of sarcasm in
his voice.
“There are many things that I don't care to know about,”
George retorted with a laugh.
Tommy shook his head and retreated to his room.
After his shower he was pleased to see that his mother was
awake and in the kitchen. She was at the kitchen counter.
chopping up celery and onions for the turkey stuffing that she
always made from scratch. George was nowhere to be found.
“Hi mom,” he said as he entered the room.
Margaret smiled and grabbed a mug for her son.
“So how was your run this morning,” she asked as she
poured him a cup of coffee.
“Fine mom, just fine, I enjoyed it. I stopped and talked to
Mrs. Chipman for a minute. She says hi,” he paused.
“Running here is different than running at school. Last
weekend a bunch of us guys ran down to the state capitol,” he
smiled. “You know that gold dome is the prettiest thing
I think I have ever seen.”
Margaret sat down at the table. “You know Tommy, as long
as I lived in West Virginia I never got a chance to visit
Charleston.”
Tommy smiled as he took a sip of his coffee. Setting the
mug down, he looked up at his mother.
“Too bad Dad won't come for parents' day,” he remarked.
“You could see Charleston then.”
“We'll see Tommy, we'll see.” She had talked until she
was blue in the face trying to convince John to make the trip.
He refused every time it was mentioned. She finally gave up.
Tommy knew that his father would never come for parents'
Day, and he knew it was too long of a drive for his mother to
make on her own. Although he had heard that they did go to
West Lafayette this fall for some football games.
All George talked about the evening before was the
Boilermakers' eight and two record and the upcoming trip to
the Rose Bowl. George talked at length about Purdue's
quarterback Bob Greise and his teammate Leroy Keyes.
Tommy sat in silence sat at the kitchen table and read
through the Muncie Star, as Margaret started to prepare the
annual Thanksgiving feast. She insisted that Tommy have his
meal with his family, then he could have desert at Dawn's.
Tommy promised to be home in time for dinner.
Tommy and Dawn walked around the neighborhood hand in
hand as they had several months to catch up on. After their
long walk, Gary wanted to shoot some hoops. Tommy agreed,
but did not want to get too physical. Both of the boys coaches
did not want their players involved with pickup games during
the season. So, the two decided to just work on their free
throws and jump shots.
But first Gary had to pick up Denise, who was coming over
for dinner. Her father would be joining them later. Tommy
looked forward to seeing them again. Ted and Walter had
become good friends after Gary started to date Dee.
Dawn and Denise watched in amazement as the boys shot
baskets. Laughter rang from the court as the two had a great
time. Dawn was so glad that her brother and her boy friend
had become as close as they were. She thought back to those
terrible days at Storer Junior High, and was thankful that
things had worked out the way they did. She missed Tommy
when he was away, but she knew it was the best thing for
both of them. They would have their time together.
They just needed to be patient.
Later that afternoon, Tommy sat at the dining room table as
the family had their Thanksgiving dinner.
As they sat there, Tommy and George did not speak. It was
was if they were both on different planets. He could tell that
John and George were eager to finish the meal and then retire
to the TV room for the annual Detroit Lions game.
Their excitement was short lived as San Francisco thumped
Detroit 41 to 14 and Cleveland lost to Dallas 26-14.
Tommy went back to school and jumped back into his
studies. The time flew by.
Basketball season did not get any better for the Knights as
they continued to lose well into December. Tommy was
enjoying playing, but not the losing.
His twelve-point average was not the best on the team.
That honor belonged to Dave Vallalonga, but Tommy was
considered the quarterback of the team and he enjoyed that
role. As much as he enjoyed playing, he could not wait until
Christmas vacation.
Mrs. Kremer again assisted young Tommy in his Christmas
shopping the weekend before he left for break. He enjoyed
their time together.
He also longed to see Dawn.
CHAPTER 4 IS HE DOING DOPE?
CHRISTMAS 1966
Tommy sat at the kitchen table slowly eating his dinner. He
had been home for just a few days and he had a nagging
feeling that something just wasn't right.
“So Tommy, one of Gary's friends tells me your playing
high school basketball?” George laughed. “Tell me he's full of
beans.”
John looked over at his youngest son, surprise written all
over his face.
“Is that true Tommy?” he asked.
Tommy didn't look up from his plate.
“Yeah” was his only response.
“No way. They must be scraping the bottom of the barrel,”
George laughed. “You keepin' the bench warm, or just passin'
out the towels?”
“Stop that George,” Margaret barked at her oldest.
“Watch out for splinters in your ass,” John said as he
smiled at George.
Margaret glared at her husband.
Tommy looked up at his brother, then towards his father.
“I am a starting guard and team captain on the Briarwood
Knights High School Basketball team,” he glared back at
George.
"So put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
“Tommy,” John said with a raised voice. “You don't need to
be rude.”
Tommy said nothing.
“So hot shot,” George said with a smile. “What's your
record so far?”
Tommy was sorry the subject was brought up.
“Oh and seven,” Tommy replied looking down at his plate.
Even John could not control his laughter.
Tommy looked over at his father. As he watched him laugh,
Tommy vowed never to mention the basketball team again. If
his father was going to laugh at him, then he didn't need to
know about the team.
This was turning into a miserable trip home, except for
seeing Dawn and her family.
Tommy gazed across the table at his brother. He just
shook his head in disgust.
George had let his hair grow out and his clothes were a
mess.
Tommy also thought he could use a lesson or two on
personal hygiene. This was not the brother who had gone
away to college just a few short months ago.
Then it hit Tommy. Like a freight train going through one of
those tunnels in the West Virginia mountains. Why didn't he
realize it earlier?
Tommy thought about all the signs they talked about at
school. Briarwood was big on health classes.
Lack of personal hygiene, glassy eyes, a change in
personality. It all of a sudden fit.
Tommy's brother. Number one son. The son who could do
no wrong, was doing drugs.
He excused himself and went to his room. He would
be seeing Dawn later. But right now, Tommy had to think. He
needed to decide what he should about this. Would his
parents believe him?
What if he was wrong? That's all he needed.
Tommy decided to keep a closer eye on his brother.
A few nights later Tommy abruptly awoke as he heard the
sound of a door opening. He glanced over at his clock. It was
a little past two. Tommy rose from his bed and threw on his
jeans. As he exited his room, he glanced over at George's
room. The bed was empty.
As he entered the kitchen, he noticed that the door to
the garage was slightly ajar. He quietly entered the garage. It
was a cold night with the temperatures hovering around
twenty degrees.
John had built a small screened in patio off of the rear of
the garage. Tommy looked out at the patio. He saw his older
brother standing on the outside stoop. Even in the dark there
was enough moonlight for Tommy to see that George was
smoking a joint.
Since the wind was blowing the smoke away from the
house Tommy had not been able to smell it.
Tommy stood there watching. George had his back to the
house so, he had no idea that his brother was looking out of
the screen door. When he turned around and saw Tommy, he
jumped.
“Hey ass hole, you spyin' on me?” he barked at his brother.
“Better lower your voice, you don't want to wake up mom
and dad,” Tommy said with a smile. “They might smell that on
you,” he smiled sarcastically. “Although the body odor
probably covers it up.”
George lowered his voice. “If you know what's good for
you, you better not say anything, dork,” he said softly but
firmly.
“George, are you out of your ever lovin' mind?” Tommy
asked.
“It's none of your damn business,” he said in a stern voice.
“And I'm serious, if you say one word about this, you'll be
sorry forever. I'll kick your ugly ass all the way to hell and
back.”
“What in the world is wrong with you?” Tommy asked. “You
look like hell, you act like hell, and brother of mine,” he
paused. “You smell like hell.” Tommy looked at George. “All
my life you have been number one in this house. The perfect
son who could do nothing wrong. God how I hated you,” he
paused. “Now I just feel sorry for you.”
George just laughed.
Tommy decided to at least make an attempt to get through
to George. “I am serious George. You can't continue like this.
You won't get good grades if you are high all the time,” Tommy
was pleading with his brother.
“I really don't give a damn what you or anyone else thinks.”
George responded.
He pushed his way past Tommy and started into the
house. He turned to Tommy. “I mean it dork, keep your damn
trap shut!” he barked. “You think you are so damn high and
mighty. Big Shot from a boarding school with good grades.
You're still a dork to me, hot shot.”
Tommy stood there in silence. He did not know what to
think about all of this. He knew he should say something to his
father and he knew it would not be easy. His dad would not
believe him, but he also knew he had to try.
Tommy shook his head and went back into the house.
Tommy did not say anything to Dawn or Gary. He hated
talking about his home life. It really was not worth talking
about.
A few days later, while Margaret was at the grocery store,
Tommy got his chance to talk to his father. John was in the
living room reading one of his fishing magazines. Tommy had
no idea where George was as he was spending very little time
at home during his break.
“Dad, can I talk to you for a second?” he asked as he
entered the living room.
John did not welcome the interruption, but he put down his
magazine and stared at Tommy.
Tommy took a deep breath. “Dad, the other night I saw
George out on the patio smoking dope.” There, he had said it.
It was out in the open. He had done what he needed to do.
John glared at Tommy, and his face turned red. Tommy
thought he was going to explode.
“How dare you, spying on your brother,” he shouted.
“Dad I wasn't spying. I was concerned. Ever since I got
home, he has been distant. His hair is a mess, and he hasn't
changed clothes in three days. He has all the symptoms. I am
sorry sir, but George is doing drugs,”
“You don't know what the hell you are talking about,” he
yelled. “What the hell are they teaching you at that damn
school.”
Tommy looked at his dad. He knew this was a waste of
time.
“Well, for one thing,” he smiled. “They taught us how to
recognize drug abuse.”
“OK, Mister know it all. Life is more than just getting
straight A's,” he barked. It was one of the few times that John
even mentioned Tommy's grades. Straight A's sure were
important when George was getting them.
By this time John had stood up and Tommy thought he was
going to hit him. But John thought better of it. He remembered
the warning David Walker issued to Margaret.
“Tommy, your brother is really having a hard time at
college. It is much harder for him than he thought it would be,”
John said.
“But dad,” Tommy pleaded. “He is not making it any easier
by doing drugs. He won't pass his courses the way he is
acting. You have to do something” he pleaded.
“You will not mention this to your mother, you understand
me,” he said sternly. “George is just going through a stage. All
kids do it. I won't have you coming home for short stays
and dictating to me how to run this family. Stay the hell out of
it. You got that?” he yelled.
Tommy knew he was defeated. “OK dad, I get it,” he
sighed.
“But there will come a day when I look you right in the eyes,
and say, 'I told you so.'”
Tommy did not wait for John to respond. He turned away
from his father and left the room.
Three minutes later, he was at Dawn's house.
Tommy returned to his school and his studies. The
basketball season didn't get any better as the Knights finished
with no wins and eighteen loses. But even with the loses,
Tommy still enjoyed himself. Not that he liked losing, he just
enjoyed playing the game. It was a different basketball world
in West Virginia. He liked the out-of-town games, and the
occasional game at the Civic Center. But what he enjoyed
most was the home games they played at Charleston
Catholic. It was perhaps the smallest gym he had ever
seen, holding at most six hundred people. He knew if his
family ever saw that gym they would make fun of it, since
they lived in a basketball crazy state. But he loved that tiny
gym and the smaller crowds. He enjoyed not having the
pressure that every basketball player in Indiana had to
endure. He just enjoyed being a part of the team. But deep
down in his heart, he wished they could win. At least
occasionally.
CHAPTER 5 FLUNKED OUT
MAY 1967
Margaret was waiting at the Bus Depot for Tommy.
As Tommy got off of the bus, the first thing he did was look
for Dawn.
Margaret ran up and hugged her son.
“Mom, where's Dawn,” Tommy said with concern in his
voice. “Is she OK?”
“I told her I wanted to come alone this one time, son. You
can see her later.” Tommy knew something was wrong.
“Mom, I know you almost as well as I know myself. What is
it? What's wrong?” he asked.
Margaret sighed. Sometimes it was hard having a son that
was so smart. She could not pull anything over his eyes.
“Let's get your luggage and talk in the car.” she started to
cry.
“Mom, are you OK? Is it Dad?”
Margaret said nothing as Tommy got his suitcase and
loaded it in the trunk.
Margaret got in the front seat and Tommy went around the
other side. He got in.
Tommy crossed his arms and looked sternly at his mother.
“OK, talk. What is it?” he almost demanded.
“I want you to be especially nice to your brother and your
fatherwhile you are home this trip,” she paused. “I do not want
you to pick any fights with either of them. Do you understand?”
Tommy just wanted to be with Dawn. He really had no urge
to even see his brother or his father.
“OK mom, I'll be good.” he smiled. “But why should I?”
Margaret started to cry harder.
“Your brother flunked out of college, and your father is
having a hard time dealing with it.”
Tommy could not help himself. Number one son, the best
kid in the world, had messed up. All the years he heard how
great his brother was and how he would never be his equal.
Tommy started to laugh.
Tommy thought back to last Christmas when he caught
George smoking dope. His father didn't believe him, and he
knew drugs were the reason George flunked out.
“Tommy stop it. It's not funny,” Margaret said loudly.
Tommy tried to control himself. “Mom, give me a break. I
can't help it. All I have heard all my life is what a screw up I
am, not worthy of being in this family. 'Why can't you be more
like George,' he always said to me. 'I am ashamed you're my
son,' and 'Get out of my sight you little bastard,' he said to
me.”
Tommy looked at his mother.
“Well, here is a news bulletin mom, I don't ever want to be
like George. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever.”
Margaret said nothing as she started the car and started to
drive away.
Tommy got very quiet. He knew he had overstepped the
line and probably hurt his mother's feelings.
“Mom. I promise I won't start anything. I'll stay as far away
from those two as I can. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by
laughing.”
“Son, it's all right. I understand how you feel. I know they
have both been rough on you. I really don't blame you for
laughing about it,” she paused. “But please Tommy, don't
make any trouble,” she was begging.
“OK mom, for you I'll try,” Tommy said softly.
“What happened mom? How do you go from great grades
all through High School, then bomb out after one year?” He
knew the answer but wanted to know how much his mother
knew.
“I guess his classes were just too hard for him. He says
that he tried really hard and studied all the time. He just
couldn't do it.”
Tommy thought she was going to cry again.
Tommy decided not to push the issue. Obviously, his father
never told Margaret about the drugs or George's troubles at
school.
Margaret changed the subject and asked Tommy how his
school was going. He talked all the way home about his
classes and his friends.
It was still early enough that Tommy could run down
to Dawn's house for a couple of hours. He tossed his duffel
on his bed and was out of the house in a flash.
Soon Tommy was in the Thurston kitchen with Dawn and
her mother.
Mildred brought up the subject.
“I'm sorry to hear about George,” she said. "What
happened?”
Tommy sighed. “Thank you, ma'am. Mom didn't tell me, so
I didn't push the issue. The ice is really thin up there. Dad isn't
speaking to either of us. Of course, I'm used to him not
speaking to me, but I'm still staying as far away from that
whole situation as I can.”
Tommy hated to be less than honest with these people. But
he really didn't want to talk about his family. He just wanted to
spend time with this family.
But just like a bad splinter, the truth has to come out
eventually. But for now, Tommy pushed the truth back into the
recesses of his mind. This is how he started to deal with his
family. By not dealing with his family.
CHAPTER 6 1967 INDIANAPOLIS 500
Tommy and Gary had a great time in Indianapolis for the
annual race. Tommy was enthralled with the new STP
Turbine cars that made very little noise as they sped around
the track.
They watched in amazement as Parnelli Jones jumped out
to the early lead. His STP car was through turn two before the
rest of the pack was through turn one.
But eighteen laps into the race, the rain came down in a
torrent. The race was canceled for the day and rescheduled for
ten the next morning. Luckily, Tommy and Gary were
staying with Gary's aunt and uncle and were able to return to
the track the next day.
As the race was resumed Parnelli Jones led most of the
day, then disaster struck. With three laps to go, a transmission
bearing failed and Jones coasted to a stop as A.J. Foyt sped
by. Foyt would go on to win his third Indianapolis 500.
Tommy spent the rest of his break with Dawn in his
room or working out. He tried to avoid his brother. He knew
that the whole situation was volatile and the slightest
provocation may push his family over the edge.
But time ran out on Tommy the day before he had to return
to school. He wanted to spend as much time with Dawn as
possible so he decided he could pack that evening.
Tommy had finished his morning run, and was pouring his
coffee when George came into the kitchen.
“Hey dork, get outta the way,” he said as he pushed Tommy
aside and reached for a coffee mug.
Tommy pushed back. “Don't you talk to me that way you
jerk,” Tommy said.
“You little bastard. You think you're so high and mighty. Mr.
Big Shot boarding school. You're still a dork to me,” George
yelled back.
“Well at least I'm still in school.” Tommy said sarcastically.
“Yeah, right. Big man on campus. Living with a nigger,”
Tommy thought about giving George a right cross but
quickly decided it wasn't worth the effort. He would control his
temper.
John came running into the kitchen.
“What in the hell is going on here?” he yelled.
George glared at Tommy, then at his father. He pushed
Tommy aside. “Get out of my sight, dork.”
Tommy looked at his father then pointed to George.
“With pleasure, George” he yelled. “And if I never see you
again, it'll be too God damn soon for me you bastard!”
George stormed out of the kitchen, as John grabbed Tommy
by the arm.
“What the hell's wrong with you?” he said letting go of the
arm.
“Dad, he started it. He always starts it, and you know it,”
Tommy said softly. “But you wouldn't listen. You never listen. I
told you he was on drugs and was in trouble, but as usual you
didn't hear me. You never hear me. I told you there would
come a day when I would look you right in the eyes, and say I
told you so.” He stared at his father.
“Well, I told you so.”
Tommy started to walk away.
John grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. John's
face red with rage.
“You little bastard!” he yelled, letting go then cocking his
arm. But then he hesitated, as he knew he had gone too far.
“Go ahead dad,” Tommy said with a smile.
John sighed, then without a word he turned around and left
the room.
Tommy spent the whole day and most of the evening with
Dawn and the Thurston's.
Everyone was in bed when he got home.
Tommy got his duffel bag ready for the trip back to
Charleston. He laid on his bed for several hours unable to fall
asleep, He could not wait to go 'home'.
Tommy was ready early the next morning and anxious to get
to the bus station. As usual, John and George did not get
up to see him off. His mother had been shopping the morning
before so Tommy decided not to mention the altercation with
his brother and father.
CHAPTER 7 IT ALL COMES TO A HEAD
Tommy returned to school and jumped right back into his life. He realized that he was living a double life. One life that he loved was in Charleston. He loved his friends his teachers, and his new hometown. He also realized that the city of Muncie was not at fault. His family was the problem.
Briarwood they would be away from the bullies and be themselves, without the fear that surrounds every kid who may be smart or different. Mr. Ethridge was right, they were the ccream of the crop'. His brother George would never be his friend. Even though he felt bad about his leaving school and afraid of his drug use, he knew there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing he could do was to live his life and stop thinking about the other things. Except for Dawn, he would always think of her.
Tommy would miss Bruce for most of the summer. His roommate had been offered an eight-week internship at the office of West Virginia Senator Jennings Randolph. Bruce's father encouraged his participation even if the Senator was a Democrat. It was a great opportunity because Bruce was leaning towards studying law after High School, and this internship would be part of Bruce's independent study. He also knew that the Senator was a huge proponent of lowering the voting age from twenty-one years of age to eighteen. David supported that effort.
He felt that if you were old enough to go die in a far-off Asian country, you were old enough to vote for the people who were sending you there. The Senator was also a huge supporter of Briarwood and was a friend of Mr. Ethridge. But then again, everyone was friends with Mr. Ethridge.
Tommy again did advanced math and science for the summer along with woodworking. Since he was a toddler he had watched his father in the basement workshop as John turned out everything from candle stick holders on the lathe to a beautiful spinning wheel complete with authentic bearings made out of chicken bones. He had to admit, his dad was the smartest man he had ever met.
Tommy would also do some part time work at WCHS, learning the ropes and helping out Mr. Moorland wherever he could. It would be a busy summer for Tommy.
August.
Luckily for Tommy, Carlos was around to help him take all the finished pieces up to their room and install them. He lined both walls with shelves and a nice top with drawers underneath.
July 15, 1967
Before I say what I need to say, I want you to know I love you more than anything in the world. This may be none of my business, but here I go. Remember, I love you!!
I don't know how much of this you already know, since I have no idea how often you and your mother talk. And you don't talk about your family much with me. I understand and respect that.
Tommy, George is in trouble. I am hearing all kinds of things around the neighborhood, and it is not good. They say he has been using drugs!!!!
People have seen him out in the neighborhood at all hours of the night. Some of them think he might be responsible for some of the break ins we've been having.
Tommy, I know that you and George do not get along. BUT is there anything you can do to help him?
Gary told me to stay out of it. He already tried talking to your brother. They almost got into a fight!!!
Gary told me that George is in way over his head. He is headed for disaster!!
I can't talk to mom and dad about this. I wish you were here. Maybe we could fix it !!!!!
I love you !!!!
Dawn
xxooxxxoooo
Dearest Dawn,
I found out when I was home last Christmas, that George had started using drugs.
But here is the problem. When I tried to tell Dad about it, he FRIEKED OUT!!
I didn't say anything to you about it. You know how much I hate talking about my family troubles. At the time, I really didn't think it was a big thing. But I knew all the signs were there, that's why I tried to tell dad. I really did try.
We talk about these things a lot in school. I know the signs. That's why I was watching him closely while I was at home.
I knew in May that drugs were the reason he flunked out of college. But when mom picked me up at the bus station and told me about George flunking out, I realized that she knew nothing about the drug use. Dad never told her.
We cannot fix this. Dad won't let us. Besides, you cannot fix stupid. That's one thing I have learned here. I have also learned that you cannot be responsible for other people's actions. It's on him. If he wants to fry his brain and not get a good education, that's his decision. I can't stop him. I tried, but he and my dad wouldn't listen to me.
He may be my brother, but 'frankly Scarlet, I don't give a damn'.
Not that Gary would do anything like this, but I would move mountains to help him out. He is more than a brother to me than George. So is Bruce. They are also much smarter than George and neither one of them would get involved in anything THIS STUPID.
Thank you for caring. I love you more and more each day.
All my love
Tommy
XXXXXXXOOOO
Tommy went about his business, but a few days later he decided he should call home. Maybe he should talk to his mother.
She sounded happy to hear from Tommy, but Tommy sensed immediately that something was wrong.
“Mom, what is it?” he asked. “I know something is wrong.”
“I know mom, I got a letter from Dawn. That's why I called. She is very worried about him,” he paused. “How bad is it?”
She started to cry harder. “He was arrested for drug possession. He may go to jail.” Now she was completely unglued.
“I hope so Tommy. I know he needs help. Maybe this will convince your father,” she started to cry again.
Margaret cut the conversation short when John and George pulled into the driveway. John had taken George to see the family attorney, Mr. Bullington.
She never told them about the phone call.
“Tommy, I'm glad to hear from you,” Margaret exclaimed when she answered the phone.
“No, son. It's not,” she started to cry.
“We just got back from George's court hearing. The judge gave your brother a choice. Twelve months in jail or he could join the Military. He has a week to decide,” she sobbed.
“Mom, it'll be OK, really it will,” Tommy sighed.
“Well mom,” Tommy replied. “That may look better to the court if he joins up, and perhaps it'll do him some good.”
“Yes, but if I know George, he'll con his way through it,” Tommy laughed. “He'll be running the damn place inside of a month.”
“I have never seen your father this angry, not even when you got into trouble,” Margaret continued to sob.
“Mom, can I make a suggestion?”
“Give dad a break on this. It's been a rough couple of years for him. First me, then George getting into trouble.”
Margaret finally laughed. Tommy didn't know the half of it.
“The day?” Tommy asked.
Tommy smiled.
August 17, 1967
Dearest Dawn,
Well, you may have heard by now that George enlisted in the Army.
Gary was right, George was deeper into drugs than even I thought. By the time I got your letter and called home a few days later, the damage had been done.
All I got from mom was that George was arrested for possession, and the judge gave him a choice. A year in jail or the service. He joined up the next day. That's all she would tell me.
She did not want to go into great detail, so I did not push the issue.
Dad has to be totally crushed. His number one son turned into a convicted felon. Although his record will be cleared when he gets out of the Army. Dad must hate that the son that he despises more than anything is happy, thriving, and in total love with that gorgeous girl that lives down the street. Ha ha
I miss you more and more each day, my love. It won't be long.
We still have LOTS of string left....
Love you always,
Tommy.
Tommy was at his new desk studying when Bruce returned from Washington.
He did not notice the new desks and bookcases until the two boys were hugging.
“Thomas Curtis Andrews,” he exclaimed. “What did you do here?”
Tommy laughed. “Independent study dude, just for us.”
“Wow! That's all I can say. These are cool.”
“I hope I got everything back in a good place for you. The room was a disaster for over a week while Carlos and I put it all together.”
Bruce looked like he was about to cry.
Bruce released Tommy and walked over to the desk. He stroked the shiny top. “This must have taken forever.”
“Not really,” Tommy smiled. “I just made two of everything.”
Bruce picked up his suitcase and placed it on the bed and began to unpack.
“Yeah.”
“Me too,” Tommy said smiling. “I was glad to have this project to pass the time. It's been a crazy summer.”
Tommy then filled Bruce in on his brother's summer.
Tommy spent as much time as possible with Dawn, and her family.
CHAPTER 8 IT'S A SMALL SMALL WORLD
SEPT. 1967
Everyone was starting to arrive for the new fall term, and
'The Holley' was a beehive of activity. Tommy had finished
his unpacking and he and Bruce had gone downstairs to the
cafeteria for dinner. They were both anxious to get started on
heir Junior year.
Tommy got his tray and sat down next to Bruce. Scanning
the room he noticed a few newcomers and mentioned to
Bruce that they would have to go over and welcome them as
soon as they were finished with their meal.
Suddenly a new girl caught his eye. Sitting over in the
corner all by herself, she was looking down at her dinner and
had a very scared look on her face. Tommy stared and
stared at her.
Something about this girl intrigued him. A familiar feeling
washed over him.
Daniele put her tray on the table and sat down next to him.
“Tommy, if you keep staring at the new girl, I'm gonna tell
Dawn,” she laughed.
Tommy came out of his cloud. “She looks really familiar.
Who is she?”
“Well, I don't know much about her. A few of us tried to
strike up a conversation with her, but she seemed to want to
be by herself. I heard that she came from somewhere near
Pittsburgh. Her name is Susan Cooperhaven, something or
other.”
Tommy eyes opened wider, and he dropped his fork. “Are
you sure?” he asked Danny.
“That's what I heard.” Danny replied. “Let's go say hello.”
She started to stand up.
Tommy grabbed her hand. “No, not yet” he said quickly.
Danny could tell by looking into Tommy's eyes that
something was going on.
“Tommy, are you alright?” she asked. “You look like you've
just seen a ghost.”
Bruce elbowed his roommate. “Dude, what is it?”
Tommy looked at Bruce then at Danny. “I know her,” Tommy
sighed.
His mind went back to. Pennsylvania. To a place and time
long long ago. A place that he had not thought of much over
the past several years, especially since arriving at Briarwood.
“You can't move away Tommy, you just can't.” Susie cried
as she hugged him.
“I have no choice. Dad's being transferred to Indiana. I have
to go.”
“What about us?” she cried. Every seventh-grade girl in the
world was in love with someone.
“I'm sorry Susie I really am.” Tommy replied. “But I promise
I will write to you and visit every summer.”
Bruce's voice brought him back to the present.
“So, how do you know her?” he asked.
Tommy shook away the memory and let out another sigh.
“Her name is Susan Copenhaver. I really thought I would
never see her again.”
Danny quickly figured it out. It was a girl thing, They always
understood. When it came to affairs of the heart, they all had
some sort of super radar.
“Ex girlfriend, huh Tommy?” she asked with a smile.
Bruce could tell by his roommate's expression that Danny
had hit the nail squarely on the head.
“Way to go 'Travelin Man',” Bruce laughed. “Just like Ricky
Nelson, a girl in every port.”
Tommy looked at his friend and laughed. He knew Bruce
was kidding. He would never forgive Tommy if he ever
cheated on Dawn.
“You have got to stop listening to my records,” Tommy said
laughing.
“Seriously Tommy, is she really an ex-girlfriend?” Bruce
asked.
Tommy smiled again. “She's from my hometown back in
Pennsylvania. She was my steady girl in sixth and seventh
grade until we moved. We did everything together. If she was
in the school play, I had to be in the school play. If I went to a
ball game, she went with me. We were pretty much
inseparable. I was devastated when we had to move away.”
Bruce did some quick math. “So, you haven't seen her in
like four years?” he asked.
“Yeah, it'll be four years this December. We told each other
that we would write every week and visit every summer” he
paused. “But we didn't.”
“So, you had to get over her, how sad. Was it hard?” Bruce
asked.
Tommy smiled. “Yeah, for about a week. Then I met Dawn.
Haven't thought about Susie since.”
Bruce broke out in laughter.
“Tommy,” Danny said. “If I may be so brave as give you a
feminine viewpoint on all of this,” she said with a grin. “You
need to go over and say hello, before she recognizes you.
Have your little reunion, and in the second sentence tell her
about Dawn.”
“You do remember Dawn, right? The love of your life,”
Bruce added.
Tommy looked at his two friends, smiled and stood up. “Why
do I put up with you two?” he laughed, shaking his head.
“Cause you love us as much as we love you,” Daniele said
with a smile as she gave Tommy a little push on his back to
send him on his way. “Go on now,” Danny said in a motherly
fashion.
It was a long slow walk across the room for Tommy. It
seemed like forever before he was standing at Susie's
table.
“Susie?” he said quietly.
She looked up. “Yeah,” she said with little emotion.
“Susie Copenhaver from Hickory?” he asked with a smile.
“Yeah,” she said again with the same tone looking back
down at her plate.
“Mrs. Miglans sixth grade class?”
“Who wants to know?” she looked up again.
Before Tommy could answer, a tidal wave of recognition
came over her face.
“You said you would write. You lied to me.”
Tommy smiled. “You didn't write to me either.”
“I have a new boyfriend now,” she said flatly and without
emotion.
“So do I,” Tommy said. He was more nervous than he
wanted to admit. The expression that came to her face was
priceless. Tommy quickly corrected himself.
“I mean girlfriend.” he laughed.
Susie started to laugh, and the ice dam was broken. She
stood up, smiled, and hugged Tommy.
“I am glad to see you, really I am.”
“Me too,” Tommy said with a chuckle. “Small world, isn't it?
Why don't you come over and join me and my friends. You
are going to love it here.” He had no idea how wrong he would
be.
Susie, Tommy, Bruce and Danny talked for two hours that
night.
Susie brought Tommy up to date on all their former class
mates.
“Did you hear about Big John?” she asked Tommy.
“Big John Crumbacher?” Tommy asked. John was a star on
the 1961 Hickory basketball team that went to the state finals
in Harrisburg. They lost to Nanticoke, but John was awarded a
football scholarship to the University of Tennessee.
“He's dead, Tommy,” Susan said with her head down.
Tommy was shocked. All the kids in the neighborhood
looked up to 'Big John'. His younger brother Jack did a lot of
odd jobs for Tommy's father.
“What? Why? How?” Tommy exclaimed.
“It was spring break, and he went down to Brooksville,
Florida with two teammates,” she started to cry. “They were
on their way back to school and were involved in a head on
collision with a truck near Knoxville. John and Tom Fisher
were killed instantly. Gerald Woods survived but was hurt real
bad.”
“Damn,” Tommy replied looking down at the table. He was
surprised that his parents had not said anything to him. They
knew that John was Tommy's 'hero.' They had to of known
about it, but perhaps they didn't keep up to date with their old
friends from the old neighborhood.
Tommy quickly changed the subject and brought Susie up to
date on his life since he went to Indiana and how he had
ended up in West Virginia.
Unfortunately, Susie's story was sadder than Tommy's. Her
mother had lost a long fight with cancer, and her father had
recently remarried. It happened way too soon to suit little
Susie. She did not get along with her new stepmother so she
was sent to Briarwood.
Tommy knew by her attitude that she did not want to be
anywhere near West Virginia and the city of Charleston.
She was scared and lonely. Tommy realized very quickly that
this girl was not the same person he knew in Elementary
School. But then again, he was not the same boy either. Both
had moved on with their lives and had gone in completely
different directions.
Susie did not adjust well to her new school. All the girls tried
to help her but they could not crack the shell of self-pity she
had built around herself.
She ignored her roommate and never made any friends.
Susie went to class and kept to herself. She was a decent
student and got by on A's and B's and a few C's. All of her
teachers thought she could do better.
When the day came that Mr. Hartwig asked Tommy to tutor
her in math, Tommy told his math teacher the long story of
Susie and Tommy. Mr. Hartwig thought it best to get another
student to tutor this girl.
At the end of her Junior year, Susie learned that her father
was divorcing her stepmother and wanted her to come home.
She jumped at the chance and never looked back. She could
not get out of West Virginia fast enough. And she never saw
nor spoke to Tommy again.
CHAPTER 9 SECOND THOUGHTS
Dawn had been very quiet all weekend. Mildred noticed that
she was spending more time in her room than usual. She
sensed that something was wrong. She waited and waited for
Dawn to say something.
Finally as Dawn was helping her with the Sunday dishes,
Mildred decided she could not wait any longer.
“Dawn, honey? What's wrong? You have been sulking all
weekend,” she finally asked.
Dawn placed the glass she had just finished drying into the
cabinet. She sighed.
“There's this boy at school,” Dawn said quietly.
Mildred took off her apron. She pointed to the table.
“OK, young lady sit down and tell me all about it.”
Dawn sighed again as she sat down.
“Mom, I don't know what to do,” she started to cry.
Mildred realized this was something serious. She took her
daughter's hand in hers.
“Tell me sweetheart. What is it?”
“This boy Pat. He plays saxophone in the band,” she
paused and looked down at the table.
“OK. So this boy Pat,” Mildred said looking at Dawn. “Is he
bothering you?”
“No mom, no. He is really nice,” she looked down at the
table again. “And that is theproblem.”
“If he is so nice, why is it a problem?” Mildred said smiling.
“Because he keeps asking me out,” Dawn cried.
Mildred looked at Dawn. “And, what did you tell him?”
Dawn cried some more. “I told him 'no' many times, but he
keeps asking. So finally, I told him 'maybe', and that I would let
him know Monday.
Mildred knew that she needed to be very careful with what
she said.
“Do you want to go out with him?” she asked.
“I don't know mom. Sort of, but not really,”
Mildred gave her a disapproving look. Dawn knew that look.
“Mom, I love Tommy, I really do. But you don't know how
hard it is being apart. I hate sitting home alone every Friday
night when all my friends are out there having fun, going
places, and doing things. I am missing it all.” Tears came
down her face.
“I'm tired of hanging out with the girls. They all have
boyfriends now. And mine is three hundred miles away. I want
a life,” she exclaimed.
Mildred reached over and hugged her daughter.
“Dawn, honey. I know its hard, but this will work out. I know
you will make the right choices.”
“Mom, tell me what to do,” Dawn cried.
“I can't do that. You have to make the adult decisions here.
But I will tell you one thing.”
Dawn looked up at her mother.
“Whatever you decide, you should be honest and up front
with this young man Pat,” she said Seriously. “And Tommy,”
then she added. “No games. There are feelings involved.”
Dawn looked down at the table again. “Yes mom, I will.”
“This boy Pat may be a fine young man. And you know how
I feel about Tommy,” Mildred said. “But this is your life and
your decision. Just remember, what you decide now you may
not be able to undo later.”
“I know mom, I know.” she cried harder.
“Dawn, if you want to go do things you should. Have some
fun. But you can't go out with a boy just so you can go have
Some fun. What if he wants a real girlfriend? If you can be that
girlfriend then you better have a long talk with Tommy.” She
looked Dawn right in the eyes.
“And if you can't, you should not go out with him. It would be
unfair to him and to you. You have to decide if you love
Tommy enough to wait and make a few sacrifices. Or if you
want to sacrifice your relationship with Tommy, so you can go
out and have fun.”
“I know mom, I know,” Dawn replied. “I just don't know what
to do.”
Mildred smiled at her daughter. “Yes you do sweetheart, just
listen to your heart.” Mildred kissed her daughter on the
forehead.
Dawn rose from her chair and quietly went to her room
closing the door behind her. She laid cross her bed and cried.
Mildred was in the TV room doing some ironing when Dawn
got home from school the following Monday.
Dawn laid her books on the counter and hollered into the TV
room.
“I'm home,” she said.
“Hi Dawn, how was school?” she asked.
“Fine mom.” She seemed to be in a much better mood.
Mildred walked into the kitchen.
“You got a letter from Tommy, I put it on your bed.”
Dawn eyes opened wide with excitement.
“Great,” she exclaimed as she ran into her room.
Mildred started to prepare dinner as she waited for Dawn to
read Tommy's letter. She was aching to know what had
happened that day at school.
Finally Dawn came into the kitchen. She was clutching the
letter in her right hand, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Dawn,” Mildred exclaimed. “What wrong? Is it Tommy? Is
he alright?”
Dawn nodded as she walked over to her and handed her
the letter. Dawn rarely shared his letters, however she always
filled them in on what Tommy had said.
Mildred looked at the letter.
Dearest Dawn,
I love taking breaks from studying. It gives me a
chance to think about you. I take a lot of breaks.
Some days the three-hundred-mile distance between us
seems like thousands. Other days, (like today) I feel that I
could reach out and touch you. And when I close my eyes
I can see your beautiful face and those shiny green eyes.
I see that sparkle that I love so much. It's like you are right
here beside me.
I miss you sweetheart.
What I am trying to say is that I love you. Always have,
always will. Not just a little. My love for you is bigger than
the Grand Canyon, bigger than the earth itself.
I am holding onto the string. I will never let it go. I know it
leads to you. And I know that
one day soon, we will be together. Forever.
I will love you into eternity.
all my love
Tommy
Mildred finished reading the letter. Dawn had sat down at
the table. Mildred smiled and handed the letter back to Dawn.
“That was lovely,” she said as tears formed in her eyes.
Dawn smiled back. She pressed the letter against her chest.
“Yes it is.”
“So does this help you decide what to do?” Mildred asked.
Dawn smiled widely.
“Decision was already made. I told Pat in band today that I
would not go out with him. I told him that he was nice and all
but he deserved a real girlfriend. I said that I was hopelessly,
madly and totally hung up on a guy in West 'By God' Virginia.
He was really nice about it. He was disappointed, but nice. He
thanked me for being honest with him. I think I may try to fix
him up with my friend Debbie.”
Mildred smiled. “I knew you would make the adult decision.
Sweetheart, this doesn't mean you have to sit at home all the
time. You can go out in groups; you can have a life.”
“Mom, once I got to thinking about it, I asked myself, 'what
are you thinking?' I have the greatest guy in the world. You
were right, I was thinking only about myself. I'm not normally
that selfish.”
“I never said that dear.” Mildred remarked.
“No, not in those words, but I knew what you were thinking.”
Mildred laughed. This girl was growing into a lovely,
intelligent caring young woman. She was so proud of her.
“I don't know what got into me,” Dawn continued. “I love
Tommy more than anything. I love him more and more each
and every day. I think I had a 'stupid' attack.” She tried to
laugh, but to her it wasn’t funny.
“Sweetheart, everyone has second thoughts. And that's all
they are, just thoughts. You worked it out in your head and
are the better person for it. And your relationship with Tommy
has gotten stronger as well.”
Dawn got up from the table. She walked over to the counter
and picked up her books.
“Besides all this free time gives me more time to study.”
Mildred laughed. “See, there is always a silver lining dear.”
“Yes, and if I want to go into nursing, I need to study a lot,”
she smiled.
Ever since she had her surgery, all Dawn talked about was
going into nursing. Mildred was hoping she would take it to
the next level and maybe go to medical school. Times were
changing. There were many more opportunities for young
women than when she was growing up. She also knew that
whatever her daughter did and wherever she went, Tommy
would be by her side.
As she turned to go to her room, Dawn knew in her heart
that she would never have second thoughts again.
CHAPTER 10 PICK AND MAGIC Sunday
Sept. 17, 1967
Mr. Ethridge arranged for the boys to attend a College
Choice Seminar being held at the University of Pittsburgh.
Each high school within a three-hundred-mile radius was
invited to choose two of their top students to attend. Mrs.
Reitz assisted by helping them fill out scholarship applications
to the various colleges they might have an interest in
attending.
It was a short drive to Pittsburgh from the Walker home and
Tommy and Bruce were excited about talking to many of the
Universities that would be represented.
Tommy was also excited about the tickets David had
acquired for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears football
game on Sunday. One of David's co workers did legal work for
a member of the Bear staff and arranged for the tickets. He
had also arranged something special for the boys.
It was a warm and beautiful September Sunday afternoon
as David led the boys to their seats. Tommy knew that Bruce
really didn't want to be there but came along at his father's
insistence. He promised Bruce a surprise after the game, but
Tommy was totally focused on watching the game.
Tommy enjoyed watching the Charleston Rockets at Laidley
Field, but this was totally different. The huge crowd of fifty
three thousand fans reminded him of the massive crowds at
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the annual Memorial
Day race.
Pittsburgh got off to the early lead with a forty three yard
field goal by Mike Clark, but the Bears came roaring back
when Gayle Sayers returned the ensuing kick off 103 yards
for a score.
Tommy was on his feet.
“Did you see that Bruce, man what a run!” he exclaimed.
Tommy could not remember having more fun than on this day.
Even Bruce got excited as David looked over and smiled.
The Bears were ahead after the first quarter 13-10 but it
was all Pittsburgh after that. The Steelers would come out the
winners 41 to 13.
After the game David led the boys down some stairs, until
they came to a tunnel. Tommy noticed a man waving at David.
“David, glad you guys could come. Enjoy the game boys?”
he asked looking at Tommy and Bruce. They both nodded their
heads.
“Boys, this is Robert Jones. He's the head of publicity for the
'Bears',” David smiled. “Bob, this is my son Bruce and his best
friend and roommate Tommy Andrews.”
“Glad to meet you both,” he said as he shook their hands.
“Your dad says you're here for the college seminar over at
Pitt?”
“Yes sir,” Bruce smiled. “We need to start thinking about
college.”
Bob smiled. “Good for you. So you boys are roommates?”
Tommy smiled. “And best friends,” he laughed jabbing Bruce
gently in the ribs.
“Tell you what,” Bob said. “Follow me and I'll introduce you
to a couple of Bear roommates.
They're both anxious to meet you.”
He turned and opened the door behind him. He motioned
the boys to enter.
Tommy realized immediately that they were entering the
Bears locker room. Huge men, some dressed only in towels
milled around. Most of them talking in low tones.
Mr. Jones introduced the boys to a few players as they
made their way across the locker room.
Tommy was in seventh heaven. He was surprised at how tall
Jack Concannon was, and disappointed that he had forgotten
his camera.
Bob stopped in front of two men. Tommy recognized them
immediately.
“Boys, meet Gayle Sayers and Brian Piccolo,” he said with
a smile. “Bruce Walker and Tommy Andrews.”
Brian got up and shook Tommy's hand. “The famous
roommates we've heard so much bout,” he grinned. “Got any
advice for me on putting up with this clown?” he pointed to the
black player.
“Please Brian, don't start,” Gayle said with a laugh.
“Mr. Sayers, that was the coolest run I have ever seen in
my life,” Tommy said looking over at Gayle.
“Glad you enjoyed it Tommy, and please call me Gayle. But
we still got our butts kicked.”
“There's always next week Magic,” Brian chimed in.
“Especially if I play more,” he laughed.
“So how long have you two been roommates?” Brian asked
Bruce.
“Almost a year and a half,” Bruce replied.
“Best year and a half in my life, that's for sure,” Tommy
added with a smile.
“Bruce, do you know how important all this is, and what
heroes you guys are?” Gayle said.
“Sir, I have to be honest. The black and white thing doesn't
exist with us. It's a nonissue. We are friends first, classmates
second. Black and white are at the bottom of the list.” Bruce
said grinning. “But we joke about it all the time,”
Brian broke out in laughter. “Yeah, us too. All the time.”
“Can I ask a question?” Tommy looked down at the floor.
“Of course,” Gayle replied.
“We've had a couple of instances in Charleston of people
not wanting us to not only room together but be friends. And
some family issues on my side. Has that ever happened to
you?”
“Well, Tommy,” Gayle smiled. “I wish I could say no, but it is
getting better,” he slapped Brian on the back. “And who would
not love this big guy?” he said with a laugh.
Brian laughed. “I had a reporter ask me what it was like
having Gayle on one side of my locker and Dick Gordon on
the other. I told him I felt like an Oreo cookie,” and he started
to laugh.
“He has such a warped sense of humor,” Gayle grinned.
“Yeah, and it's starting to rub off on you.”
Gayle looked down at his arm. “Brian, it doesn't rub off, I've
told you that a hundred times.”
Everyone laughed.
“Can you believe it boys?” Brian was grinning. “You
witnessed the first joke ever told by Gayle Sayers.”
They visited for another fifteen minutes. They talked about
the game and the future of race relations. Everyone was
optimistic.
Just before they left, Coach Halas brought them two of the
game balls. It would be his last year as Head Coach of the
Bears.
“For your new friends,” he said with a smile, then walked
away.
Gayle reached into his locker for a magic marker.
As Brian handed Tommy his ball, Tommy almost burst into
tears. This truly was his best day ever.
'To my hero Tommy Andrews. Keep on being who you
are.” Your friend - Brian Piccolo'
'Tommy, your future is bright. Reach for those stars.
Thank you for sharing some time with us' - Gayle Sayers
Brian looked at Tommy with a grin. “Hang onto those
footballs, some day they might be worth a dollar or two,” he
said with a chuckle.
CHAPTER 11 COLLEGE CHOICES
The campus at the University of Pittsburgh impressed
Tommy. The only other college campus he had seen was Ball
State. And since he had only seen a small part of the
University of West Virginia, so he had little to compare it with.
David dropped them off at the huge gym where the college
choice seminar was being held. Looking at the program, the
boys determined that all the colleges Tommy wanted to talk to
were on one side, while the Ivy League schools that Bruce
was interested in were on the other side of the gym.
It didn't take Tommy long to find the representative from
Purdue. He really did not want to go to Purdue in case his
brother decided to go back when he got out of the Army, but it
was a greatschool and he did not want to dismiss them right
away.
They were very nice and looked over the paperwork that
Tommy had brought. He left with a folder full of information
about West Lafayette and the Boilermaker campus.
Next stop was M.I.T. They raved about his transcripts and
talked at length about their programs. Tommy put them at the
top of the list. On his way to meet Bruce for lunch at a snack
stand they had set up, he spotted a huge picture. It sat on an
easel and had a huge caption that said “The University Of
Florida” It showed buildings nestled among large Palm trees.
Students were walking to class dressed in shorts and tee
shirts. He stood staring at the picture when a man tapped him
on the shoulder. He was wearing an orange shirt with a little
tiny Alligator sewn above the breast pocket.
“That picture was taken last January,” he smiled. “When all
these other schools were buried in snow,” he motioned around
the room.
Tommy smiled. “That does sound nice.”
“I'm Pat Williams, Admissions Director at U.F.”
As they shook hands Tommy said. “Thomas C. Andrews sir,
I go to Briarwood Academy in Charleston.”
“Ahh, one of the best High Schools in the county. Are you a
senior?”
“No sir, “ Tommy replied. “I'm a junior, but they want us to
start applying for colleges as soon as possible.
“And your grade point average up to now.?” he asked.
Tommy looked at the man and smiled. “Four point O, sir.”
Mr. Williams smiled as he pointed to a chair. “Son, lets sit
for a moment and talk.”
“I'm afraid I did not fill out any of the preliminary forms, like I
did for some other schools. I hadn't even thought of Florida
until I saw that picture. I do have my info sheet,” he said
handing him the single page.
“We get a lot of our students in that manner,” he said,
taking the student information sheet. “I will give you all the
forms. You fill them out and send them to me personally, OK?”
“Yes sir, I will do that.”
“He handed Tommy a huge book. “Here is a catalog for
you. It has all the information about the University, it's campus
and the city of Gainesville. I see on your info sheet that you've
been working at a radio and TV station in Charleston?”
“Yes sir, on some weekends I help out when I get time. I
help out in the Engineering Department and in the news room.
Sometimes I get to fill in on the air. That's fun.”
“Well, there are plenty of radio stations in Gainesville and
the University does have its educational TV and radio station.
Lots of opportunities there. I will give your info to our Chief
Engineer, Ed Slymak. I'll ask him to drop you a note.”
“Thank you sir.”
Tommy spent the next twenty minutes learning about the
University of Florida and the surrounding area. Listening
intently, Tommy was fascinated by the prospects of warm
weather and all the activities. He was especially interested in
being close to the Space Center.
He caught up to Bruce thirty minutes later.
“Man, I liked the Purdue people, but Florida is right up
there. They seem to really want me and almost promised a full
scholarship.”
“Wow, that's great Tommy,” Bruce replied. “I spent all
morning with Harvard and Yale talking about pre-law.”
Tommy looked down at the floor.
“What's wrong with Harvard and Yale?” he asked.
Tommy looked up and shook his head.
“Nothing Bruce, I just realized that someday we are going to
go off in different directions. I hadn't really thought about that
before.”
Bruce put his arm on Tommy's shoulder.
“Yes, someday we may go off to different colleges, but
nothing,” he paused and smiled. “I repeat, nothing will ever
break us apart.”
“Yeah, you're right Bruce. But that doesn't mean it'll be
easy." Bruce nodded.
"So, who else are you going to talk to?”
“Well, I did promise dad we would both talk to WVU.”
Tommy had also thought about WVU and smiled at Bruce.
“Well then, let go talk to them. Maybe they can convince us
both to go there.”
“Man, you don't give up, do you,” Bruce laughed. “You know
I want to go to an Ivy League school.”
“Yeah, but I got a year and a half to change your mind.”
They went up to the WVU booth and introduced themselves.
“Walker, Walker,” the lady said. “We have a Mary Ann
Walker in our English department.”
Bruce smiled, “Yes ma'am. She's my mother.”
“Well, well. It's nice to meet you both. I am Shannon Reece
and I am here to convince you both to become 'Mountaineers'”
As they sat down, both boys handed her their transcripts.
“Holy cow, you won't have any trouble getting in to WVU.
What areas of study interests you?”
Tommy spoke first.
“Electrical Engineering ma'am,”
“Well then WVU is the place for you. We have one of the
best Electrical Engineering schools in the country.”
She looked over at Bruce. ”And what about you Mr.
Walker?”
“Pre law, ma'am.”
“Not English?” she raised one eyebrow.
Bruce laughed. “No ma'am, my dad's an attorney.”
They talked for another twenty minutes and Tommy was
very impressed. Then he realized that he had forgotten a most
important detail.
“Ma'am, I almost forgot to ask you about the nursing
program.”
“You want to become a nurse too?”
“No, no, it's for my girlfriend back home. We want to go to
the same college.”
Shannon laughed. “Oh, I see,” she turned around to a table
with numerous brochures and grabbed information on the
science department and nursing school.”
“Are her grades as good as yours?” she asked.
“Yes ma'am, our point O,” he said with pride. ”And she
skipped the eighth grade.”
She turned around and got more forms.
“Here son, here is a scholarship form for her. Both of you
will make an excellent addition to Morgantown.”
“Thank you so much Mrs. Reece, You have been most kind
and we will definitely consider WVU.”
The boys were excited when David picked them up that
evening. On the way back he treated them to a nice dinner.
“So, any decisions boys?”
“Maybe,” Bruce replied. “But it's too early for final decisions.
Tommy and I talked it over and we both plan to apply to at
least four of our top choices and see who accepts us. Then
we will choose.”
David smiled. He had taught them well.
CHAPTER
12 ASKING FOR HELP
David dropped the boys off at 'The Holley' late Monday
night.
Armed with a ton of college paperwork on all the schools
they had talked to; the two friends could not wait to get up to
their room and relax. It had been a long and exciting weekend.
There was an envelope taped to the door of Room 710.
Bruce took it off the door and opened it. He immediately got
a strange look on his face.
“Dude, did you do something wrong?” he asked Tommy.
Tommy looked at his friend. “What? Me ? No,” he
exclaimed.
Bruce held out the note to Tommy.
“It's from Mr. Ethridge. He wants to see us both in his office
tomorrow morning at seven thirty.”
Tommy looked at the note.
“Wow, this is strange,” he commented, “I wonder what he
wants.”
“Well, if you didn't screw up and I know I didn't screw up.”
he paused.
“Yeah,” Bruce laughed. “I wonder who screwed up?”
The next morning Tommy and Bruce walked over to Mr.
Ethridge's office. Mrs. Derosa had not come in yet so
Raymond was waiting in the outside office for the boys.
“Come on in boys,” he said with a smile as he motioned to
his office.
'He's in a good mood,' Tommy thought. Bruce was thinking
the same thing. Maybe they were not in trouble after all.
“Boys, I want to hear all about your trip to Pittsburgh. How
was it?” he asked.
Tommy and Bruce talked for fifteen minutes about their trip
and all the colleges they had talked to.
Mr. Ethridge took off his glasses, and placed them on the
desk.
“That's great news, boys. I am glad you had a good time
and have a line on some college choices,” he smiled. “You
both need to go over them with Mrs. Reitz.”
Both boys nodded, but took notice when Mr. Ethridge got a
serious look on his face.
“But I actually called you in to see me on another matter.”
'Ooh Ooh' Bruce thought. 'here it comes.'
Mr. Ethridge sensed that both boys were all of a sudden
nervous. They both were squirming in their chairs, and giving
each other strange looks.
Raymond burst out laughing.
“Do you boys think you are in trouble?”
The look on Tommy's face told the tale.
Mr. Ethridge laughed again.
“Boys, I didn't ask you in here because you're in trouble. I
asked you here because I need to ask a huge favor of both of
you.”
Tommy immediately relaxed. Bruce still was not sure what
this was all about.
Mr. Ethridge turned serious as he looked at Tommy and
Bruce.
“We have a new student arriving tomorrow. He is special
and different,” he paused.
Tommy looked over at Bruce.
“I am assigning him to room 708 next to yours. He will not
have a roommate, so I want to ask you boys to look after him.
Be his friend and help him adjust.” He looked over at Tommy.
“Just like so many here helped you adjust,”
“Sure Mr. Ethridge, you can count on us,” Bruce said.
“Boys there is something else you need to know. It kind of
why I am asking for your help. You both know what it's like to
be different,” he said looking at Bruce.
“Yes sir,” Bruce replied softly.
“And Tommy, you know what it is like being bullied and
made fun of.”
“Yes sir,” Tommy smiled at his mentor.
“I also know you both believe in judging someone on their
character, and not a preconceived notion of who or what they
are.”
“Yes sir, Bruce and I are living proof of that, sir,” Tommy
said with a chuckle.
“Well, this is going to put your beliefs to the utmost test,”
Raymond said quietly.
Now the boys were confused.
“What you both need to know is that this new student,” he
paused. “Is a homosexual.”
There, he had said it. He looked at each boy trying to gage
their reaction. It was exactly as he expected.
Bruce's expression never changed. He looked over at
Tommy as Tommy smiled.
“Sir, you can count on us,” Tommy said. “But other than
showing him around, and making him feel at home, what more
do you want us to do?” Tommy paused.
“Anyone here can do that,” Bruce continued. “But you
asked us. I think there may be more to it?” he smiled at the
headmaster.
“Son,” Ray smiled. “Sometime you two are just too darn
smart for your own good,” he got up from his desk and walked
around to where the boys were sitting.
“This is going to be very delicate to say the least. I am
charting new territory here. We have never had to deal with a
homosexual student before. I didn't know where to put him. I
can't put him on any of the girls' floors. And some of the boys
might be uncomfortable with him on their floor. So I decided
the best option would be on seven. Next to you two. I know
that you boys are the leaders here. Every student in this
school respects and looks up to both of you. I know if you
embrace this new student, everyone else will follow along.
They trust you. And so do I.”
“Sir, does this student need protection from bullies?” Bruce
asked.
“I hope not Bruce, but he will need some special friends. He
comes to us from Salisbury North Carolina and, his name is
Gavin Davies. Two weeks ago, the bullying got to the point
where his parents removed him from school and are sending
him here. Three boys shoved him into a closet at school, and,”
he paused looking for the right words. Tommy came to the
rescue.
“Let me guess sir, they beat the tar out of him?”
“Yes Tommy. They beat the tar out of him. A defenseless
young boy who couldn't weigh more than ninety pounds
soaking wet. Against three huge football players.”
“Sir, How many people here know about him?” Tommy
asked.
“Just myself, Mrs. Reitz, the Board of Directors and you
two.” Mr. Ethridge said.
“Mr. Ethridge,” Bruce spoke up. “I suggest we let the
student body know.”
“Bruce, I am not sure that is such a good idea.” Raymond said.
“I was hoping to keep it under wraps for as long as possible.”
“Mr. Ethridge,” Tommy got up and started to pace the floor.
“We will do anything for you and this school. You know that.
But we can't do this alone. Yes, we can befriend him and
protect him around school. But let me ask you something.”
Tommy had his attention.
Who is going to protect him from the outside world?”
Tommy thought back to that day in the alley.
“What are you suggesting son?”
“Sir, for starters every student in this school will figure it out
within a few days. When that happens, all our credibility goes
right out the window.”
Mr. Ethridge nodded. He understood, and he trusted these
two youngsters.
“You told me the day I arrived here that Briarwood students
were special. 'The cream of the crop' you said. With all due
respect sir, I think we should treat them that way. I think most
of them would be offended if we did not think highly enough of
them to give them a heads up on this.”
“So are you suggesting a school assembly or something?”
Ray asked.
Bruce shook his head. “No sir, not anything like that.” He
knew what Tommy was thinking.
“Let us handle it, sir,” Bruce said smiling over at Tommy.
“When does Gavin get here?” Tommy asked.
"Tomorrow afternoon,” he replied. “Does that give you
enough time to talk to everyone?”
“It's enough time to talk to the seventh floor, and some
selected students. Word will spread very fast,” Tommy
laughed.
“Sir,” Bruce said. “We promise you, this new student will be
made welcome by everyone. He will not be bullied, picked on
or made fun of.”
Mr. Ethridge smiled.
“But more importantly sir,” Tommy smiled. “No one will harm
him, in any way shape or form. I will see to it. I want him to be
as happy and content here at Briarwood as we are, sir.”
They talked for another twenty minutes about this new
student.
Ray told the boys everything he knew about this new
student. He explained that Gavin was extremely intelligent
and artistic. He loved ballet and was very good at it. He also
explained how shy he was, and how scared he would be.
Life had been rough on this boy. Raymond also knew that
each and every student loved and respected Bruce and his
room mate. He knew once they said this was all right, the
entire student body would follow in their footsteps.
CHAPTER 13 ACCEPTANCE
As Tommy and Bruce went about their day, they invited a
few select students to a private meeting in the cafeteria that
evening. It took most of the day for Tommy and Bruce to track
them all down. All they would tell them was a 'special meeting
in cafeteria at seven.' They also invited some of the 'day
students to stay on campus for dinner and the meeting.
Tommy opened the gathering.
“I want to read you all something,” he said. “Pay very close
attention.”
'On my honor, I will be honest above all things. I will
honor the standards of this school. I will not cheat, steal
or lie. I will respect my teachers and fellow students at all
times. I will be courteous and helpful to strangers. I affirm
that everyone is equal, and I am no better than others.'
When he was finished, he looked at all his friends.
None of them knew what was going on.
“Let me repeat the last part. 'I affirm that everyone is
equal and I am no better than others'.
Sherri spoke up. “Tommy we all know the school creed.” she
laughed then turned serious. “What's this all about?”
Bruce stood up.
“You all have made me feel welcome here. It hasn't been
easy for me, but things got a lot better when this clown
showed up.” he looked over at his best friend.
After the laughter died down, Bruce got serious.
“We have a new student arriving tomorrow,” he said.
“Tommy and I had a long talk with Mr. Ethridge this morning,
and we promised him that we, and that includes all of you, will
make this new student feel welcome here and we will all
protect him.
Jeffrey Fullerton raised his hand.
“Bruce, we do that with every new student,” he looked over
at Tommy. “Remember your first day here?”
“Yes, I do. I will never forget the outpouring of kindness
everyone showed me. I was scared to death the first few days
and all of you helped me adjust.”
“Yes, so what is so special about this new kid?” Jeremy
asked. “And why do we need to 'protect' him?
All eyes turned to Bruce.
“Because he is a homosexual.”
You could have heard a pin drop. There was dead silence
for what seemed to be an eternity.
Actually it was only about five seconds before a voice in the
back said.
“So. What's the big deal?”
Tommy laughed. He knew this would be the reaction.
“Look, this will not be easy. We are not talking about a black
or white issue here. But there are a hell of a lot of people in
this town who won't take lightly to it any more than they take to
Bruce and me rooming together and being best friends.”
“But Tommy, we don't care if he is a homosexual or not,”
Kimberly said.
“Kim, I'm not at all concerned about Briarwood students. I
have seen how we all treat each other. It's the other schools I
am worried about.” Tommy thought back to the day in the alley
with Bruce. “I don't think the Catholics really care much for
homosexuals, but I don't think any of their students would
bully anyone from Briarwood. But a few of the Charleston
High kids pretty much hate all of us here. And trust me, word
will spread fast. It'll be all over town within a day. Two days at
the most.”
“We want to make sure that Gavin is made to feel welcome
here. It did not go well in his other schools. He was made fun
of, bullied, picked on, you name it. And two weeks ago, he was
beaten up.” Bruce said.
“Well, that won't happen here.” David Elwood spoke up.
“Tommy, Bruce, you can count on all of us.”
“This is Gavin's last stop. Mr. Ethridge doesn't think he can
take any more abuse. This kid is pretty fragile. This has got to
work for him,” Bruce added.
“What can we do?” Linda Bidwell asked.
Bruce looked around the room then at Linda. “Linda, just be
you. Be the caring, loving person you have always been. Treat
him like you treat the rest of us,” Bruce replied.
Tommy stood back up. “But keep your ears and eyes open.
If you hear of any derogatory things being said, let me know. I
will deal with it.”
Bruce stood. “And let me say that we never, never want to
hear the words 'homo, 'queer', or 'fagot' on this campus. We
never use the word 'nigger' here, and those words are just as
bad.” He sat down.
Tommy looked over at Bruce. It was the first time he ever
heard Bruce use that word. They all knew what he meant.
I hate to put it this way, but,” Tommy paused. “Let the word
get out that anyone, here at Briarwood, or on the streets
messes with this guy,” he paused again. “They will have to
deal with me.” Tommy sat back down.
“I am going to make sure Gavin understands that he needs
to be very careful out there. We want someone with him at all
times,” Bruce said to the group.
“OK Bruce, you and Tommy let us know what you need. This
boy will be fine here with us.
We
will all see to it.” David Elwood said.
And this is why Tommy loved each and every student at
Briarwood. They were a family, and families stick together.
And they were about to welcome a new member to their
family.
CHAPTER 14 GAVIN
Tommy and Bruce got back from class around four thirty.
Tommy usually would go to the gym first, but they knew that
the new student would be arriving.
As they walked down the hall to room 710, they heard
voices coming from 708. Gavin had arrived.
Gavin Davies, as Mr. Ethridge told the boys, couldn't weigh
more than ninety pounds soaking wet. His horned rimmed
glasses sat on the end of his nose. His skin was perfect. Not a
mark on him. Except for a fading dark area around his right
eye. A left over from the beating at the hands of three
Neanderthal football players. Tommy knew the type. Brazen,
mean, and very inconsiderate of others. They spent their time
pushing students around who were smaller than them. Usually
the studious type. The type that in ten years would be the
CEO of the companies that employed the bullies to drive a
truck or sweep the floors.
Gavin wore dress slacks and a checkered vest. He was
dressed to the hilt. Every hair was inthe right place. His black
shoes shined. He could not have been much over five feet tall.
Mr. Ethridge overestimated his weight.
Gavin had already been made welcome by Jeffrey and
Carlos. They did the introductions.
Tommy shook Gavin's hand. His grip was weak and
tentative. Tommy had never seen anyone so scared. This boy
was so scared, his knees seemed to be knocking.
“Welcome to Briarwood Gavin,” Tommy said. Bruce
reached over to Gavin hand extended.
“Welcome Gavin,” Bruce said with a smile.”
“Hi Bruce,” the newcomer said. His voice soft and
somewhat higher pitched than most boys his age.
“So how do you like the place so far,” Tommy asked.
“I haven't seen much. I just got here a couple of hours ago.”
“Well, I'll tell you what,” Bruce said. “After dinner Tommy
and I will take you around town and show you the sights. Do
you have your class schedule?”
Gavin reached for his notebook and extracted a small piece
of paper.
He handed it to Bruce without saying a word.
Bruce scanned the schedule.
“Well, since you're a sophomore, you don’t have any
classes with me or Tommy. But tonight, we'll show you
where all your classes are, so you won't get lost tomorrow. And
we are arranging for someone to escort you.”
“I need an escort?” Gavin asked shyly.
“Yes, it's a rough world out there Gavin, and we don’t want
a repeat of what happened to you back home. No way.”
Tommy said seriously.
Bruce looked at the newcomer. “If you need to go out, you
get one of us to go with you. There are two other high schools
in the downtown area. Some of their students are not as
understanding as we are.” Bruce smiled at him.
Gavin had a look of total terror on his face.
“Gavin, I remember my first day at Briarwood.” Tommy said
with a serious tone. “I was scared to death. I did not know
anyone. I was sent here against my will because I got expelled
from my old school.”
Gavin found his voice. “What did you do?” he asked shyly.
“Wow, that's a long story Gavin,” Tommy laughed. “Let's just
say I was bullied for eighteen months and when the bully
started to assault a girl in the hall,” he stopped.
“Yeah, Tommy doesn't like it when someone picks on any of
his friends. It has a tendency to piss him off,” Bruce laughed.
“And?” Gavin asked.
“The bully got a taste of his own medicine.” Tommy said
seriously. “He went to the hospital and my folks banished me
to West Virginia and Briarwood.”
“Wow,” Gavin said under his breath, looking down at the
floor.
“But let me tell you something,” Tommy stopped to make
sure the new boy was listening. “It was the best thing to ever
happen to me.” He looked over and winked at Bruce.
“Gavin,” Bruce said. “We promise you that this will be OK.
You will be fine here. You will flourish here. It will be the best
experience of your life.” Tommy thought back to his first day
and what Mr. Kremer and Mr. Ethridge had told him.
Gavin looked down at the floor.
“Do you know about me?” he asked softly.
“What, that you were beaten up by three morons each one
twice your size? All because you are different? Yes, we know.
No one here cares about that. All of us here at Briarwood will
be your friend.”
“Tommy, people like me don't have friends,” Gavin said
softly.
“You do now,” Carlos chimed in. “A bunch of them.”
And for the first time in months, Gavin Davies smiled.
During dinner, Tommy and Bruce insisted that Gavin sit at
their table. Soon everyone was around the group introducing
themselves.
Tommy watched the newcomer. He was terribly shy and
introverted. He was also scared to death.
Gavin answered a few questions with short and precise
answers. He talked so low that several times he was asked to
repeat what he had just said.
Tommy looked over at Bruce and got a 'this isn't going to be
easy' look.
Soon they were joined by Andy Myers & Joe Hayes. They
were also tenth graders that lived up on seven.
Tommy had them look over Gavin's schedule and soon a
plan was formed.
“T.C., it looks like I have two early classes with Gavin,”
Andy remarked. “And Joe has one.”
“Good,” Tommy said. “How about his other two classes?”
“You remember, Kurt Wylie?” Joe asked.
“Tommy, isn't he the one that Mr. Hartwig asked you to help
in math last year?” Bruce spoke up. “But he's a townie.”
Tommy nodded.
“Won't matter,” Joe jumped in. “He is in an earlier class with
me. I will give him a head's up.
Tommy smiled. “Good Joe, really good. Thanks.”
After dinner Tommy and Bruce took Gavin on a Briarwood
tour. He did not say much or ask many questions. They
showed him all the buildings. They did everything they could
to make this new student feel better about where he was and
why he was here.
It would take weeks for Gavin to feel better and more
comfortable in his new surroundings.
Everyone chipped in and helped. Some would become life
long friends. In time, Gavin would adjust and as Tommy told
him, it would be the best experience of his life.
CHAPTER 15 FLOURISHING
Tommy was busy finishing packing for his trip home for
Thanksgiving. He had to be at the bus station in an hour.
Bruce was ready to go and was laying on the bed
engrossed in a book. His bus wouldn't leave until two.
There was a knock on the door. Tommy answered it to find a
man and a woman standing in the hallway.
“Hello young man. You must be Tommy?” the man asked
with a smile.
“Yes sir, I'm Tommy,” Tommy replied with a smile and an out
reached hand.
“John Davies, Tommy. This is my wife Jane.”
“Pleased to meet you both.” He turned to Bruce. “Lazy
bones over there is Bruce Walker. Roommate, best friend, and
my brother,” he smiled.
Bruce laughed. “Can you see the family resemblance?”
Bruce said with a large smile.
Mrs. Davies glanced into the room and softly said. “Can we
come in for a moment? I don't want Gavin to know we are
here just yet. We wanted to stop by and talk to you boys first.”
“I'm sorry, Mrs. Davies,” Tommy said. “I forgot my manners
for a moment. Forgive me.
Please come in.”
As they entered the room, Tommy got the two desk chairs
and offered them to their visitors.
Tommy sat down next to Bruce on his bed.
Mrs. Davies turned to Tommy. “We just wanted to meet the
two boys who have saved our son,” she started to cry. “Gavin
talks about you two all the time.”
“We like Gavin.” Bruce had gotten off the bed.
And he likes you two as well,” Mr. Davies said. “As you
know, Gavin is different than other boys. He is very special.”
“Yes, he is special,” Tommy said. “He is very intelligent,
mega talented, kind, and caring. Everyone in this school likes
him.”
“Let me tell you something son,” Mrs. Davies added. “This
school is something special.”
“As much as we did not want to send him away, it may have
been the best thing we have done for him.” Mr. Davies said.
Bruce smiled. “Tommy and I both know what it's like to be
different, picked on, and in general to be miserable.”
“Yes,” Tommy said. “I can't speak for Bruce but for me,” he
paused. “Briarwood and Mr. Ethridge saved my life.”
“Mr. Ethridge speaks very highly of both you boys,” Mr.
Davies said with a smile. “When we talked about sending
Gavin here, he told us not to worry. He said that our son would
be in excellent hands.”
“And he was right. Thank you both,” Jane said. “We will
never be able to pay you back for your kindness to Gavin.”
“It is our pleasure really,” Bruce looked over at Tommy.
“Gavin is our friend and here at
Briarwood, we all take care of our friends.”
“We were so worried about Gavin,” John said. “Especially
after the suicide attempt.”
Bruce looked at Tommy. Both boys were shocked. This was
a total surprise. Mr. Davies picked up on the look of shock.
“You didn't know?” he asked. “Gavin didn't tell you?”
“No sir,” Tommy said quietly.
“He took some pills,” Jane said. “It was the day after the
beating.”
John put his hand on his wife's. “The only person here that
knows about it is Mrs. Reitz,” John said. “We didn't even tell
Raymond. But you boys deserve to know the whole story.”
“Mr. Davies, I have been seeing Mrs. Reitz off and on since
I got here,” Tommy smiled.
“She's the best. She will help your son. As will all of us.”
“Tell me Tommy, how is Gavin fitting in?” Mrs. Davies
asked. “We get regular reports from Mrs. Reitz and Raymond.
But you two boys live right next to him, they don't. You see our
son in a whole different light.”
Tommy laughed.
“He is fitting in just fine. Bruce and I make sure that one of
the guys or gals are with him if he goes out. We don't let him
leave 'The Holley' by himself. Here in 'The Holley' he does
kind of keeps to himself, but the girls really love him. They talk
about fashion and dance all the time. Last week Gavin and I
went over to the gym. While I shot baskets, he worked on his
ballet. He is very good. My girlfriend back home does some
ballet, and I really enjoyed watching Gavin work out. You can
tell how serious he is about it, and how much he loves it. I
hope that someday Dawn will be able to see him perform. But
to answer your question, I really think he is happy here. He
smiles more and more every day.”
“Yes, he is special in many many ways,” Bruce added. “He
has made an excellent addition to our school.”
“Thank you again, boys. You have both been lifesavers.”
“Well, maybe,” Bruce said. “But we've had the help of every
student here at Briarwood. We told Mr. Ethridge day one that
we could not do it alone.”
John and his wife started to leave.
“I am so glad you two have landed in our son's life,”
Jane said with a tear.
“Ma'am, me too,” Tommy said with a smile.
“Well, we have a long drive dear. Let's get our son and take
him home for the holiday,” June said.
“Are you boys headed home too?” she asked.
“Yes ma'am,” Bruce replied. “Tommy heads back to Indiana,
and I will be going home to Morgantown.”
“You boys have a nice holiday, and thank you again for all
that you have done.” Mr. Davies said as he shook their hands.
“Thank you for bringing Gavin to us, sir” Tommy said. “He
has brightened our lives.”
As they were saying their good-byes, they were interrupted
by a knock on the door.
Tommy opened the door and saw Carlos Cantor standing in
the hallway. He was holding a huge envelope with 'DO NOT
FOLD' written across it.
“Hey T.C., the mail man just brought this and it was too big
to go into your slot so I thought I would bring it up,” he said
with a smile as he handed Tommy the huge envelope.
“Thanks Carlos,” Tommy replied.
It was addressed to Tommy and Bruce and had a return
address in Chicago.
Tommy opened the envelope and found twenty-four eight
by ten glossy photographs of him and Bruce with Brian
Piccolo and Gayle S
Sayers.
He had never noticed the photographer.
There were shots of each of the boys with the ball players
as well as a group shot of the four of them looking at the
game balls.
A note was paperclipped to the first one.
Sorry this took so long, but we just got these back from
publicity. We thought you might enjoy them. If you ever
get to Chicago, please be our guest at any Bear game.
Regards,
Pic and Magic
The photos and the game balls they gave to the boys would
be mementos the boys would cherish for the rest of their lives.
It would take on more meaning on June 16, 1970, when
they l earned that Brian Piccolo had lost a short and valiant
fight with lung cancer. Tommy would become a lifelong
Chicago Bear fan.
Bruce's bus to Morgantown was scheduled to leave at two
so Tommy offered to walk down to the bus station with him.
Bruce was happy not only for the company but for the help
with his luggage.
Both boys were finished with their exams, but Tommy was
waiting for David to finish a late test before they headed to
Indiana.
When they arrived at the bus depot, Bruce reached into his
suitcase and handed Tommy a small package.
“I know we said we weren't exchanging gifts,” Bruce said to
his best friend.” But I had my fingers crossed.”
Tommy smiled at his friend. “Me too,” he laughed. “I gave
your mom something to put under your tree. That way we can
still share the holiday.”
“You tell Vallalonga to drive safe,” he said sternly. “That's a
hot car he has there.”
“Don't worry man, I'll be fine.”
The said their farewells and Bruce headed home to
Morgantown and his family. Tommy walked back to 'The
Holley' to finish packing.
David and Tommy were to meet at four in one of the shared
parking lots. As usual, Tommy was twenty minutes early and
was eagerly waiting by the car in the cold.
Fortunately, David finished fifteen minutes early so Tommy
didn't have to wait long.
“This is great,” Tommy exclaimed. “We can get out of here
early.”
David and Tommy loaded up the luggage in Dave's 65
Chevy Super Sport and headed up to US 35, and the long
drive to Indiana.
Tommy loved the sound of the 327 engine. The roar of the
dual glass packed mufflers was like music to Tommy's ears.
Dave was considered a gear head and had one of the hottest
cars on campus.
It was cold and overcast, and the boys talked about the
basketball season. As the approached Point Pleasant, David
said to Tommy, “Be on the lookout, Tommy. We might see the
Mothman or a U.F.O.”
Tommy looked at his friend. “Are you like, insane” he asked.
“Seriously man, I read about it in Playboy.”
“I am surprised you believe in such nonsense,” Tommy
laughed. “And you read Playboy?”
“Just the articles,” David laughed.
“Yeah right,” Tommy laughed.
“Seriously Tommy, there have been sightings in this area of
a manlike moth creature with huge wings. All kinds of weird
happenings,”
David said. “Lots of UFO sightings. There is even talk of an
Indian curse on Point Pleasant. They call it the Curse of Chief
Cornstalk.
According to the story, Chief Cornstalk and his son went to
warn the soldiers at the fort about some rogue Indians who
were not observing the peace treaty. But the soldiers captured
and killed them.
The story goes on to say that Chief Cornstalk uttered a
curse just before he died. They say that the Mothman was
sent by the Chief to fulfill his curse. Most residents believe
that disaster is looming.”
“Bull,” was all Tommy could say.
“I don't know,” David said. “But I do know I get the creeps
every time I go over that damn bridge."
Tommy had been across the bridge before and unlike his
older brother was not afraid of bridges. He almost wished that
George was with them, so he could make fun of his fear
of bridges.
“Don't worry Dave, that bridge has been there since 1929,
it's safe,” Tommy tried to reassure his friend.
“I'm not scared of the bridge, Tommy.” David laughed. “I
worry about the little green men, and a man with huge wings.”
As they started across the bridge, Tommy saw that Dave
was holding the steering wheel tightly with both hands.
“Dave, be cool,” Tommy sighed. “We are safe as can be on
this bridge.”
All of a sudden the boys realized they were coming to a
stop.
Tommy looked to the rear, and there was a line of cars all
the way back to the West Virginia side of the river.
“Lot of people out today,” David said. Tommy knew his
friend was getting nervous.
“Yeah,” Tommy replied. “People on the way home from work and
probably lots of Christmas shoppers.”
As the minutes went by, even Tommy was getting a little
nervous. All he could see in their lane were cars stretching
out completely across the bridge.
David broke the silence. “Damn stop light must be stuck,”
he said.
“Well, I hope the bridge can take all this weight,” Tommy
said.
He meant it as a joke, but the minute he said it he realized
he shouldn't have.
He immediately saw fear creep across David's face.
“Sorry man, that came out wrong.” Tommy said with a laugh.
David laughed too. At that time the line started to move
again.
“Finally,” David exclaimed as they drove past the light.
“What moron put a damned stop light at the end of the
bridge,” Tommy said as he glanced at his watch. He was in a
hurry to get home and see Dawn.
The two friends continued their conversation as they headed
up US 35 towards Chillacothie.
They were completely unaware of the disaster that was
taking place behind them.
Tommy thought he heard a noise over the volume of the
eight track tape player. Like a loud boom or crash. It almost
sounded like a gunshot.
“Did you hear that?” he asked David.
“Hear what? I thought I was the guy who believed all that
nonsense,” his friend laughed.
“That was weird.” Tommy said as he turned around in the
front seat and was looking out the rear window. He could see
nothing out of the ordinary. “I am sure I heard something. Like
a bang or a crash. That story you told must have got to me.”
David laughed. “Maybe it was the Mothman, or an alien
ship landing to kidnap somebody.”
Tommy turned back around and shrugged his shoulders.
“Yeah, I'm sure it was,” Tommy laughed and inserted
another eight-track cartridge in the player. David didn't have
any jazz in his collection, but he had plenty of good ole' rock
and roll. Tommy reached over, ranked up the volume and
started singing along to the 'Best of the Beach Boys'.
CHAPTER 17 PANIC IN MUNCIE &
MORGANTOWN
Dawn had begged to stay home from Garys game and wait
for Tommy as she had not seen him since Thanksgiving. Gary
told his parents to let her stay home as she would not enjoy
the game with her mind on Tommy. Gary decided that he
didn't want the distraction. But she had to promise that she
and Tommy would be at his next game. Mildred left something
for Dawn to prepare for dinner and she and Walter left early
for the hour drive to Indianapolis for the game with Shortridge.
After a quick dinner, Dawn went into the den to read, with
'Bear' at her side.
When she finished her book, Dawn got up, walked across
the room and turned on the TV. After it warmed up, she
searched through the five channels, and decided to watch the
Christmas Tree lighting at the White House. She knew that
Tommy would not be home for several hours, but wanted to
see him the second he pulled into his driveway. She picked up
a magazine and began her ritual of part reading and part
watching TV. President Johnson was getting ready to throw
the switch and light up the huge tree, when Chet Huntley
broke into the program with a news special.
A map of West Virginia was on the screen and it caught
Dawn's attention. She put down her magazine, and stared at
the TV. He started talking about a bridge collapse in the little
West Virginia town of Point Pleasant. At least five people were
confirmed dead in the collapse of the 'Silver' bridge, as it fell
into the frigid waters of the Ohio River shortly before five PM.
Dawn did not make a connection until the newscaster
mentioned that US Highway 35, was a main link between
Charleston, West Virginia and Ohio. She stared at the screen
for a second then ran into the utility room to the shelf where
they kept their road maps. Within seconds her worst fears
were confirmed. That was the route Tommy and his friend
would be taking from Charleston. If they left on time, they
would have been very close to Point Pleasant by five o'clock.
The fear in her stomach got larger and larger and soon her
heart seemed to be in her throat. If Tommy was on that bridge,
her life would be over.
She grabbed her coat and was out the front door in a flash.
She made the one hundred yards to the Andrews home faster
than O.J. Simpson slicing through a defensive line on a warm
Southern California football afternoon.
Margaret was startled when she heard banging on the front
door. She was in the kitchen finishing up the dinner dishes.
John was in the living room reading his new fishing magazine.
“Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Andrews !!!” she yelled as she banged
on the door.
Margaret opened the door to see a very scared Dawn
Thurston.
“What's wrong child,” she asked. “Are you alright?”
Dawn ran into her arms.
“It collapsed, it collapsed,” she cried as she buried her head
in Margaret's mid-section.
“Calm down, dear. What collapsed?” she asked.
“The bridge at Point Pleasant, it fell into the Ohio River.” she
continued to cry. “I saw it on TV. It was jammed with cars and
trucks. I know Tommy was on that bridge. That's the way they
were coming home. I just know it!!” She continued to sob.
“Oh dear,” Margaret exclaimed as she called into the living
room. “John, get out here now!”
As John entered the kitchen, Margaret commanded him to
go into the TV room and turn onthe set.
Margaret guided Dawn into the TV room just as the phone
rang. It was Mrs. Walker.
“Mrs. Andrews, this is Mary Ann Walker in Morgantown.
Have you heard from Tommy this evening?”
“No, we have not, we just this second learned about the
bridge collapse from Dawn. We just turned the TV on.”
“I was hoping that they pulled off the road and called you.
Bruce is very worried.” she said.
“Yes, so are we, but we don't know anything yet.”
Mrs. Walker sighed. “Well, could you call me when you hear
something? Please?” she asked Margaret.
“Does Bruce know what time they left Charleston?”
Margaret asked.
“No, Bruce left earlier than Tommy. The bus to Morgantown
left at two. Tommy helped Bruce carry his luggage down to the
bus station. He told Bruce they were leaving at four,” Mary Ann
said. “He had to wait for David to finish up a test. Then they
were going to head out.”
Now Margaret was really worried. She knew it took about
an hour to go from Charleston to Point Pleasant. She wrote
down Mary Ann's number and told her to tell Bruce they would
call the second Tommy got home.
There wasn't much news about the disaster on TV other
than the one news bulletin. John went down to the basement
and got a large radio. He set it up in the kitchen and tuned in
Wheeling’s WWVA. Reception was not very good, but they
were able to get enough information to know that this was a
huge disaster. John also tuned to WLW in Cincinnati, as they
had a much better signal.
The newscasters all said the bridge was jammed full of cars
and trucks when it fell. People coming home from work or
going out for dinner and Christmas shopping. Margaret
thought back to what she leaned about the Titanic disaster.
People do not survive very long in the cold waters of the
Atlantic, or the Ohio river. She remembered growing up in
Chester. Very few people who fell through the ice on the river
survived.
Dawn sat quietly at the kitchen table staring at the radio.
Margaret did not want her to go home. She did not want Dawn
to be alone until they heard something. Occasionally Dawn
would get a cold shiver up her spine, and she would shake
uncontrollably. Every time she heard a car on the street she
would jump up and go to the window. Margaret sat there
holding her hand, trying to comfort her. But inside, she was
scared to death.
The boys had made the trip in a very leisurely fashion.
David wanted to get home to Lafayette but the duo decided
to stop in Chillacothie for a quick burger and to stretch their
legs a bit. Soon they were on their way again.
At ten minutes to ten David pulled the Chevy convertible
into the Andrews driveway. Tommy took a quick notice that all
the lights in the house were on.
Dawn heard the car and jumped up.
“It's them !!” she cried as she ran to the door.
Tommy had gotten out of the car, and she was on him in a
flash.
“Thank God your safe!,” she cried out, as she jumped into
his arms. Then the tears started.
She wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck and and
kissed him. She then buried her head into his shoulder.
“I thought I'd lost you forever!!!” she sobbed.
“I'm glad to see you too sweetie,” Tommy said with a
chuckle. “But what the hell are you
talking about?”
By this time Margaret was hugging Tommy.
“Tommy, you didn't hear?” she asked.
“Hear what?”
“The 'Silver Bridge' at Point Pleasant collapsed and fell into
the river at four fifty-five this afternoon.” Now she was crying
as well.
Tommy's friend had also gotten out of the car. The two
looked at each other in amazement.
“You're kidding, right mom?” Tommy asked.
“No son, we saw it on the news. Dawn was sure you two
were on the bridge. It was full of cars and trucks. There are
many fatalities.” she continued.
David looked at Margaret. “They have a stop light on the
Ohio side of the bridge. We actuallysat on the bridge several
minutes waiting for that stupid light to change. I think it was
stuck,” he aaid. “Traffic was backed up almost to the West
Virginia side. It gave me the creeps.”
Tommy face was ashen. He remembered glancing at his
watch as they finished crossing the bridge.
“Thank God we left a few minutes early. We crossed the
bridge at ten till five,” he said somberly.
He thought Dawn was going to faint. She would have to get
in line because all of a sudden, he was a little woozy as well.
Introductions were quickly made, Margaret invited David in
for some coffee, but he wanted to hit the road as he had two
more hours of driving to get home to Lafayette. He asked
Margaret to call his parents just in case they had heard about
the bridge. He did not want them to worry. John gave him
instructions on how to get to Route 28. They bid their
farewells, and soon the Chevy headed up Lancaster Drive.
Margaret went back in the house to make her calls. Tommy
wanted to walk Dawn home. They went very slow. Arms
around each other, Dawn was still crying.
“I was so scared, Tommy,” she cried. “I can't think of life
without you. Please don't ever leave me.” She stopped and
looked into his eyes.
“You know I won't. I love you. Always have, always will.
From the moment I first saw you, I knew you were the one.
Rocky Steele has a saying. 'The bullet with my name on it
hasn't been made yet.' Well, I don't need bullets, but the ticket
with my name on it hasn't been punched yet.”
Dawn looked up at him, and smiled. Then she kissed him
again, longer this time.
“I love you too Thomas Curtis Andrews. But that was just too
damn close for me.”
“Yeah sweetie, me too.”
“And you shouldn't be reading that trash,” she said with a
laugh and a poke in the ribs.
“But honey, that's classic American literature,” he laughed
back at her. “Written by an African doctor.”
Tommy and Dawn sat in the Thurston's family room
watching TV until the family returned from Indianapolis.
Tommy could tell by the look on Gary's face that the game
didn't go well. But Dawn had to ask.
“How the game go Gary?” Dawn asked.
“We lost as usual, 83 to 70,” Gary sighed. “How was your
evening?”
Dawn then proceeded to tell her brother all about Tommy's
close call with death.
Gary turned as white as a ghost. He could not imagine what
Dawn went through, not knowing for hours if Tommy was
safe.”
He walked over to Tommy and hugged him. “Don't you ever
scare my sister like that again,” he said softly. “This family
couldn't survive losing you.”
A voice in the background came from his mother.
“Amen, Gary, amen.”
CHAPTER 18 AFTERMATH
The first thing Tommy did when he got home was to call
Bruce. Although Margaret had already called Mrs. Walker,
Tommy needed to hear his friend's voice. The more he
thought about the close call, the more nervous he got. They
talked for twenty minutes. He assured Bruce that he was OK,
and had no plans to 'check out' anytime soon. Tommy also
learned when he got home that Mr. Ethridge had called John
to check on Tommy and Dave.
The next morning, Tommy was up early. He did not sleep
well. The story was front page news, even in the Muncie
Paper.
More information was coming in from West Virginia. He
learned that the death toll would be much higher. Authorities
estimated that fifty people might be missing. One survivor had
already complained to authorities that the stop light on the
Ohio side of the bridge had been acting up most of the day.
That story agreed with Tommy and David's experience.
Most of the vehicles on the bridge were headed towards the
Ohio side, and were stopped on the bridge by the suspected
malfunctioning red light.
It did not take long for word to spread that Tommy and his
friend had narrowly escaped death.
A reporter from the Muncie Star called the Andrews home
and asked to talk to Tommy. Tommy told the reporter his
story and thought nothing more about it until the next morning.
LOCAL TEEN CROSSES ILL FATED BRIDGE MOMENTS
BEFORE COLLAPSE.
Thomas C Andrews - 17 Muncie, and classmate David
Vallalonga -17 Lafayette, narrowly escaped death Friday
just moments before the collapse of the Point Pleasant
Bridge that spanned the Ohio River, from West Virginia to
Kanauga, Ohio.
Juniors at Charleston's Briarwood Academy, the two
were on their way home from their West Virginia boarding
school for Christmas break.
Interviewed in his northwest Muncie home, Andrews
said they did not know about the disaster until they
returned home to some very worried parents and
girlfriend.
“I remembered glancing at my watch as we crossed the
bridge.” the teen told the Muncie Star. “It was ten minutes
to five.”
According to reports, the bridge started to fall into the
icy cold river a few short minutes later.
Andrews said that he thought he heard a noise shortly
after going across the bridge. “It sounded like a shotgun
blast. I turned around and tried to look out the back
window, but didn't see anything.”
Asked about reports of a malfunctioning stop light,
Andrews agreed with one eyewitness.
“Yes, I believe that may be possible. As we started
across the bridge, I noticed that traffic had slowed down.
It seemed like we sat there forever, but it was probably no
more that five or six minutes. I noticed that traffic in our
lane was backed up almost all the way across the bridge.
I even commented to Dave, who was driving, that I hoped
that old bridge could hold up under the weight. I
shouldn't have said that. Dave was already nervous.”
Andrews said with a chuckle. “I won't do that again.”
Authorities have not speculated as to the cause of the
collapse, and Mr. Andrews would not hazard a guess.
“When I think about how close we came, I get shivers
up my spine.” he told the Star. “We are very very
fortunate.”
Asked if he will cross another bridge, Andrews
admitted that he would be apprehensive, but would have
no choice. “I can't get back to school without crossing a
bridge,” he said. “Maybe I can fly.”
A total of forty six people would lose their lives that cold
December evening. A similar bridge in St. Marys, Ohio was
closed immediately. It would be replaced by a more modern
design.
Following an investigation it was determined that the cause
of the accident was a small crack in one of the eye bars that
was completely undetectable with any known inspection
procedure at the time. The crack had been there since the
bridge was built in 1929 just waiting for the day.
That day arrived on December 15, 1967
CHAPTER 19 MUSINGS FROM VIETNAM
Tommy was sitting at the kitchen table. Margaret was telling
Tommy about the latest letter from George. According to his
mother, George was doing fabulously in the Army. He had
done his basic training at Fort Knox, Ky then went to MOS
school at Fort Polk, La. From there he was shipped to
Vietnam. Twelve weeks from a courtroom to Saigon. He would
be a clerk at one of the Army installations in Saigon, far away
from combat. He could serve his tour in relative safety, then
come home and get his life back together.
December 5 1967
Dear Mom and Dad,
Greetings from sunny hot, Sigon South Vietnam. I doin
good.
Some of my bunk mate and me was talking the other
night. When we get back home, we gonna take some time
off and travel round the country. We get one of those
hippey buses, and go far.
Then after we done that, maybi I can go back to school.
But I not thinking about Enginering. Too hard for me. I
think I go to Ball State and get my teaching degree. I think
enjoy that.
The letter went on and on, but Tommy got the jest of it. His
mother was so excited about getting the letter, she didn't
question the lousy grammar, misspelled words, or shaky hand
writing. Tommy knew his brother was still doing drugs.
One of his classmates had an older brother who had just
returned from Vietnam. She told Tommy that drugs were
everywhere in Vietnam, and most soldiers were high all the
time. His friend's brother was all messed up. He had hoped
that George would get away from all that.
'No wonder we're losing this damn war,' Tommy thought
silently.
He did not point any of this out to his mother. No sense in
making her worry. There was nothing they could do from
halfway around the world. George was on his own, and he
alone would be responsible for his actions.
That evening, as Dawn and Tommy were sitting in the
Thurston's TV room, Dawn brought up the subject.
“Have your folks heard much from George?” she asked.
“How is he doing?”
Tommy took Dawn's hand in his. “Mom and dad have
blinders on when it comes to George.
They go on and on about how he is running things over
there, doing so well, talking about coming home and going
back to school.”
“That's good Tommy,” she paused looking into his eyes.
“Isn't it?”
Tommy shook his head. “No, it isn't. Mom showed me one
of his letters this morning,” he sighed.
“They didn't notice the bad grammar, misspelled words, and
the shaky handwriting.” He looked down at the floor, he hated
to say what he was about to say.
“Dawn, he's still doing drugs and was higher than a kite
when he wrote that last letter.”
Things got real quiet as Dawn thought about this new
revelation.
“Did you say anything to your mom?” Dawn asked.
“No sweetheart, I didn't. Dad wouldn't believe me, and all it
would accomplish would be to worry mom. Nothing anyone
can do from this far away,” he sighed. “I have been down that
rocky road with them already. George is on his own,” he said
flatly.
Dawn leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you
Tommy. Always have and always will.”
Tommy smiled as he pushed his brother back into the far
corner of his brain where George resided most of the time.
“Me too sweetie, me too.' Then he kissed her, and kissed
her again.
CHAPTER 20 A SURPRISE AND A
BRIARWOOD WIN
February 1968
The basketball season was going about as Tommy had
predicted. At this point in the season they were 3-14. Not a
banner year but already three wins better than the year before.
It was a rare Saturday home game at the Civic Center.
Charleston Catholic had invited Briarwood to take part in their
annual invitational. Two games on the same day. Tommy got
up early and worked on a few of his assignments. After a light
breakfast, he walked over to the gym for the walk through
before the game.
Coach Johnson was in a great mood. He liked the Saturday
games. They made his weekends.
After the walk through they all went over to the Civic Center
to dress for the game.
As they sat in the locker room, Tommy reflected back. He
was glad that Vallalonga talked him into joining the team this
year. He was having fun.
“Gather round guys,” Coach Johnson brought Tommy back
to the present. They all gathered around their coach.
“Men, you have really been making progress this year. You
are playing hard and fair. That's all I can ask.”
Tommy smiled. 'I bet no coach at Muncie Central ever said
that,' he thought to himself.
“So let's go out there today and make some more progress
and have some more fun.”
As they started to leave for their warm ups, Coach Johnson
pulled Tommy aside.
“Tommy, I want you to go out there today and have fun. You
are the best shooter on the team. I want you to put the ball in
the air. Don't look at the crowd, look at the basket. Focus on
that.
Understand?” he smiled at Tommy.
“Sir?” Tommy looked at his coach.
“You have been shooting with a 'scared stick' son,”
“A what sir?”
“It's an old pool hall expression. When you shoot you get
scared. It's like you're afraid you might miss. That makes the
ball go off it's target. It also means you are not having fun. Go
out there today and have fun. If you miss a shot, I won't get
mad, honest.” he smiled. “I have the feeling if you do that you
will have the game of your life. I hope you do.”
Tommy liked the occasional Saturday games as well. It
usually meant a larger crowd than went to the week night
games. Most of the student body studied during the week, but
liked to get out on a Saturday. It would be a thrill to play
before five or six thousand people. It would be completely
different than playing over at the smaller Charleston Catholic
gym. The Civic Center reminded Tommy of the Muncie Field
house.
The first game was a thrill with their friends from Charleston
Catholic pulling out a three-point win against a very good
Wheeling Catholic team.
Briarwood would be playing in the second game. Their
opponent on this day was Monangha. They were a little
smaller than Briarwood and Tommy thought Briarwood had a
good chance of winning. He would have the duty of guarding
their top player Nick Saben.
He briefly thought about a small restaurant in that small
town.
As they got ready to tip off, Tommy went over to his
opponent. He shook his hand.
“They tell me you are pretty good,” Tommy said.
“You too Tommy,” Nick said with a smile. “Good luck to you.”
And what fun they had. Nick got his eighteen-point average,
but Tommy would light up the basket for twenty six.
He was on fire. It all flowed together for the first time this
season. Vallalonga was strong inside with sixteen points and
ten rebounds.
Briarwood won 94-88 in a hard fought back and forth tussle.
Tommy had 12 assists and ten rebounds to go with his 26
points. His first triple double of his career.
Tommy met Nick Saben at center court as the buzzer
sounded.
“Nice game Nick, you guys played well and gave us all we
wanted. I bet you if we played five times, you guys would win
at least four of them,” Tommy smiled as he shook his
opponents hand.
“You too, Tommy, good game. You really were on it today.
Congratulations.”
As they were talking to each other, Tommy looked over at
the stands for the first time.
Applauding the win were the most important people in his
life.
Dawn, Gary and their parents were standing on the end
line. Denise was at Gary's side.
Tommy ran over to Dawn and hugged her. Then he
realized. “Oh my, I am all sweaty,” he exclaimed.
“I don't care Tommy; I am just so glad to see you.” Dawn
started to cry.
“What are you doing here?” he asked as he shook Walter's
hand.
“We decided to surprise Dawn for her birthday,” Walter said.
“Gary set it all up.”
“Yeah and it wasn't easy my friend. I had to find a Saturday
when you guys played and Central didn't. Then I had to get
Coach Rowe to give me a night off of curfew. He decided it
was OK since I was going to a game. He must have thought I
might learn something.” Gary laughed.
“Did you?” Tommy laughed.
“Yeah, I learned a lot watching you play. I learned that I
wished that uniform had a MC on it, instead of BW.”
Tommy laughed.
“Then we had to keep it a secret from Dawn. She had no
idea until we rousted her rear end out of bed at four thirty this
morning.” Walter added as he smiled at Dawn.
“And for once, I kept quiet,” Denise laughed.
“By the way,” Gary said, “Coach Johnson was very helpful.
He even called Coach Rowe for me.”
About that time Coach Johnson walked up to the group.
“Berlin was happy to extend a little professional courtesy,” he
said with a smile.
“You knew about this, sir?” Tommy smiled broadly.
“Yes son, I did,” he smiled as he shook everyone's hand.
“How bout' my star here?” he asked. A huge smile on his
face. “Some game he had today.”
Dawn had her arms around Tommy. “He's my star too sir,
but for different reasons.”
Walter took some pictures. The one with Dawn standing at
center court with her arms around Tommy would become her
favorite.
Tommy saw Bruce walking towards them.
“I thought you weren't coming,” he exclaimed. “You hate
basketball.”
“Are you kidding, I wasn't about to miss this reunion.” Bruce
smiled as he shook Garys hand,
then hugged Dawn and Denise.
Bruce looked over at Tommy.
“Yeah, I knew about it. Gary wrote to me a few months ago.
I was more than happy to help him set it up. It sure was hard
keeping my trap shut,” he laughed.
Walter announced that he was taking everyone to Vesuvio's
for a late lunch. “But only after you hit the shower, young
man,” Walter said with a laugh. “Raymond tells me it's very
good.”
“Am I the only one in this city that didn't know about this?”
Tommy laughed.
Walter had booked some rooms at the 'Daniel Boone'. He
wanted to give Dawn as much time with Tommy as possible.
They would leave Sunday afternoon in time to get Gary back
home for his Sunday night curfew.
They all walked down Capitol Street to the restaurant.
Tommy was walking on a cloud as he and Dawn held hands
and he pointed out some of the sights. He wanted Dawn to
see everything.
Dawn understood why Tommy loved this city. It was
positively beautiful. It was the best birthday present, ever.
They dined at 'Vesuvio's' and Bruce was thrilled to see the
Thurstons again. Bruce understood why Tommy loved this
family so much. It was a wonderful time. He was happy to be
included.
“So, Gary, how does the sectional stack up this year? Do
the 'Cats' have a chance?” Tommy asked.
“Our season is going about the way yours is Tommy,” he
sighed. “Some nights we play well, other nights we don't. We
don't seem to have the work together attitude that your team
does.”
Gary said dejectedly. “I saw how you fed that Vallalonga kid
in the paint. You had twelve assists.
You guys seem to anticipate each other's moves well.”
“Gary, we are four and fourteen. We don't play that well,”
Tommy laughed.
“Well, we're 6 and 13 but if we get the right draw for the
tourney and have one good game,” Gary paused. “we might
come out with a sectional win.”
“Gary if you can put a few games together like I saw at the
Holiday Tournament at Christmas, you could win the sectional
as well as the regional,” Tommy smiled. “New Castle is the
one team you need to watch for. You beat them in the Holiday
Tourney. But if you get to the regional, you have to play on
their home court. It's very loud in the world's largest High
school Gym. They're a good team, and are well coached.
Good teams don't lose to the same team twice in one year. I
would hate to face that team we beat today again this year.”
After their early dinner they all walked around Charleston.
Tommy showed them all the buildings. He took them all down
to the I.A. Basement and showed them the Ham radio set up.
Dawn was in heaven. She was finally able to see this other
side of Tommy's life.
About six thirty, Walter decided that he and Mildred would
walk back to the Daniel Boone and rest. It had been a long
day. At Bruce's urging Dawn, Gary and Dee decided to walk
over to 'The Holley,' to see where Tommy lived.
Bruce was the only one who knew what was planned.
As they all entered the lobby, they were met by Linda
Bidwell and David Elwood. David took Dawn and Dee by the
arms, while Linda placed her arms in Gary's. They all had a
look of total surprise.
Bruce looked over at Tommy. He winked at his best friend
and said. “Gotcha!”
David smiled and said. “Welcome honored guests, please
come with us.”
They were all led into the huge ball room.
A huge banner was stretched across the room.
“WELCOME DAWN, GARY AND DENISE TO
BRIARWOOD”
David Elwood used his booming voice to address the crowd.
“Please give a warm Briarwood welcome to our honored
guests, Dawn Thurston, Gary Thurston and Denise Hawn.”
The room was packed, and everyone applauded.
Tommy looked around the room. Everyone was there
including most of his teachers. Bruce had even invited David
and Mary Ann Walker. Tommy thought he was going to cry.
Dawn was already in tears.
Someone had set up a microphone at the front of the room.
Sherri Hawkins and Daniele Cotter were standing at the mike.
“Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please?
For our honored guests, my name is Sherri Hawkins. I want to
welcome our new friends that we have heard so much about.
Some of us got together a few weeks ago when Bruce told us
you were coming. We wanted to do something special for our
dear friend Tommy whom we all think the world of. I
understand this trip is a special birthday treat for the love of
his life.” Sherri smiled and waved at Dawn. “Happy
Birthday Dawn.” And the entire room broke into a rendition of
'Happy Birthday.'
When they were done, Daniele stepped up to the
microphone.
“Hi, I'm Daniele Cotter. Welcome. I just wanted to say that
Tommy always felt bad that he never gets to take Dawn to any
of the school dances back home. So, we decided that tonight
would be “their” night. So without further ado, let me introduce
you to our disc jockey for the night. From WKAZ radio please
welcome the 'Daddio of the Radio' Jay Jarrell. Have
fun everyone.”
As Jay started 'Green Tambourine', Tommy saw Mr.
Ethridge come into the room accompanied by Mildred and
Walter. They were all grinning from ear to ear.
As the music started, Tommy walked his friends over to Mr.
Ethridge. Introductions were made.
Prim and proper Mr. Ethridge got a huge hug from Dawn.
“Sir, Tommy and I will never be able to repay you for what
you have done for us.” Dawn started to cry. “A thank you will
never be enough.”
“Dawn, no tears tonight,” he said with a smile. “Tommy is
very special to me,” he paused. “And so are his friends.”
Tommy looked at his mentor. “Sir, every time I think I have
you and this place figured out, I get a surprise. Thank you.”
Tommy laughed.
Sherri Hawkins walked up to the group and singled out
Dawn.
“Hi Dawn,” Sherri said with a huge smile.
Dawn took a step and hugged Sherri like they were old
friends.
“Finally, we meet,” Dawn exclaimed with a laugh. The two
of them walked away arm in arm. Laughing.
Sherri had been the organizer of the huge get well card for
Dawn when she was in the hospital. Tommy would learn later
that the two of them started writing to each other after Dawn
had sent her a thank you note. A long-lasting pen pal
relationship resulted that would turn into a lifelong friendship.
It was a fun evening. They all got to meet all of Tommy's
friends and teachers. Gary ended up in a corner with most of
the basketball team talking about the games today and the
difference between Indiana basketball and West Virginia
basketball. They argued about class basketball versus
Indiana's winner take all tournament.
Dawn also fell in love with Gavin. They talked on and on
about ballet. Tommy saw Gavin over in the corner helping
Dawn with a ballet move.
They all danced and had refreshments.
Dawn and Dee loved the 'Briarwood Five'. All the girls
bonded and at least for one evening the 'Briarwood Five'
became the 'Briarwood Seven'.
Walter and Mildred would not need all the rooms at the
Daniel Boone.
The girls were invited by the Briarwood Five to come to a
slumber party on the third floor, while Gary was going to stay
with David Vallalonga, since his roommate had gone home
for the weekend.
They wanted a taste of the life Tommy was having. They
loved it, and all his friends.
CHAPTER 21 TOURNEY TIME FOR THE
CATS'
The end of February and the month of March were a very
important time for residents of the Hoosier State. It was called
'Hoosier Hysteria.' And at this time every year stores would
close as people flocked to area gyms for the annual 'winner
take all' basketball tournament.
People planned for months, and would stand in line for up
to two days to be one of the few who could acquire seats.
Muncie residents thought it was the center of their universe.
However, the 'Bearcats' had fallen from their throne. They
were banned from defending their state title in '64. Losses to
Muncie South in the '65, '66, & '67 Sectionals were the low
point of their history. In that time period only twenty-one wins
would grace their scoreboard against forty-two losses. Not a
great time for Bearcat basketball.
Despite a losing record in '68, the Cats had a new coach in
Berlin Rowe and put together some good games, won the
Muncie Sectional,
and headed off to the Regionals in New Castle.
Regional Saturday found the largest High School gym in the
world jammed to the rafters.
The Cats dispatched a good New Castle team 72-62 but
the wheels came off that evening in a three point loss to
Richmond. Their season ended at ten wins and fifteen losses.
March 2, 1968
Gary,
I just heard about the regional game. I listened to the
scores on WOWO. Sorry about the loss. I know you feel
bad, but I want you to remember something.
You guys salvaged what was turning into a real
crummy season.
You won the first sectional and first regional game,
since the IHSAA imposed the suspension. You helped MC
put that suspension behind them and helped them gain
back some of the respect they lost five years ago.
You can all be proud of what your team accomplished
this season. Put it behind you.
You know as well as I that neither one of us will be
playing college ball. No matter what happens to me next
season, our playing days will be over, unless you and
I play one on one. I look forward to it !!!! I need help with
my free throws.
Dawn probably told you that our season ended on a
sour note too, with another losing season. Basketball is
not that important here, since they have class basketball.
If they ever do that in Indiana, High School basketball will
never be the same.
Charleston High is having a great season. So far, they
are undefeated and picked to win the state in their class
this year. I have been to a couple of their games. Those
guys are GOOD. I'm glad we never played them. Rumor
has it, they will be even better next year.
As I look back on my season, I have to say I had a
blast. Please forgive me for not coming back and going to
Central. Ha Ha !!!! The highlight of my season was when
you, Dawn, Dee, and your parents surprised me by
coming down for a game. I will never forget it. I am so
glad you both got to see Charleston and meet all my
friends.
Remember what 'winning at all costs' did to the Muncie
Central program. It's not worth it!!!
So, keep your head up. Be proud of your playing days.
It was SUPPOSED to be FUN.
You people in Indiana take your basketball way too
seriously!!! Ha Ha again.
Can't wait to see you !!!
your friend,
T.C.
Tommy had no idea he would see Gary much sooner than
he thought. It would not be a happy occasion.
CHAPTER 22 DEATH COMES A KNOCKIN'
March 5, 1968
Tommy finished up his last morning class and walked back
to 'The Holley' to meet Bruce for lunch.
As he entered the lobby he was met by Mother Miller. She
had an odd look on her face.
“Tommy, please step into my apartment for a moment,” she
said. Then she started to cry.
Tommy knew something was terribly wrong. When he saw
Walter, Mildred, and Dawn all sitting in Mother Millers living
room, he almost fainted.
Dawn was crying and ran to him. She threw her arms
around his neck and hugged him harder than she ever had
before. “I'm sorry, my love!” He knew.
Tommy looked at Walter.
“George?” was all he could say. He couldn't bear to hear
the answer.
Walter slowly nodded his head while Dawn held him closer.
“Tommy, I am so so sorry,” she cried.
“And mom and dad?” he said looking over at Mildred.
“They are taking it very hard, son. You father is devastated.”
Tommy led Dawn over to the couch. He sat down and put
his head in his hands for a moment.
After a moment he regained his composure. He may not
have gotten along with George, but he was family.
“I need to go home,” he sighed.
“That's why we are here son,” Mildred said through her
tears. “We did not want you making that trip alone on a bus,
so we told your father that we would come and get you. We
wanted you to hear this in person, not over the phone. You
need your family around you now.”
Tommy took a deep breath, and looked at Walter. He
squeezed Dawn's hand.
“Do they know how it happened,” he asked quietly.
Walter nodded his head. “There was a mortar attack three
days ago at the Tan Son Nhut airport in Saigon,” he sighed.
“George's jeep was hit.”
“Tommy, he didn't suffer, I promise,” Mildred cried.
There was a knock on the door and Mother Miller went to
answer it.
Tommy stood up when Mr. Ethridge entered the room. Ray
didn't say a word while he hugged the boy. It was a long hug.
When he released Tommy from his grasp, he looked at
him.
Tommy could sense the love in his eyes.
“Son, I am truly sorry for you and your family.”
“Thank you sir, I'll be alright.” He looked around the room. “I
am surrounded by love, and family, and all my friends here.”
He tried to smile as he looked at Dawn.
“I can see that son,” Mr. Ethridge said. “I want you to go
home. Be with your mother and father,” he paused. “Do not
under any circumstances worry about this school or your
grades.”
“But sir,” Tommy replied. “I have some tests coming up.”
Dawn stepped in. “Sweetheart, that's not important right
now. Your mother needs you, and she needs you now.” she
said softly.
“Dawn is correct son,” Mr. Ethridge continued. “School can
wait. You are a straight A student. Anything you miss you can
make up in summer school. I will not have you worry about
this, son. Go home to your family. I will talk to your teachers.”
“I need to tell Bruce,” Tommy sighed.
“Would you like for me to tell him?” Mr. Ethridge asked.
“No sir, I'll do it.” Tommy held back the tears. He would do
that a lot in the next ten days. He would be successful, most
of the time.
Bruce was just getting his lunch when he saw Tommy and
Dawn walk into the cafeteria. They were holding hands and
even from a distance he knew Dawn had been crying. He also
knew if Dawn was here without a warning, something was up.
Dawn stood by the doorway and watched.
Tommy as he walked over to Bruce. Soon they were
hugging. When they finished, Bruce walked over to Dawn and
hugged her. He then looked at her through his tears.
“You get my brother through this OK,?” he said. “And I'll
take it from there when he gets back.” He hugged her again.
“I will Bruce, I promise,” she started to cry again. “I am so
glad you're in our lives.” She turned and took Tommy's hand
and they walked over to the stairs where her mother and father
were waiting.
Tommy told them he would be fine while he went upstairs
and packed a bag. He told them he wanted a minute alone.
He also said he wanted to get home as soon as possible.
As he entered his room, he sat down on the bed for a
moment. He thought back to the last time he saw his brother,
and he cried.
MARCH 6, 1968
Tommy did not say much on the long ride back to Muncie.
He sat in the back seat with Dawn holding hands and looking
out of the window. Walter and Mildred sat up front in silence.
Occasionally Dawn would lay her head on his shoulder and
remind him that she loved him with all her heart.
His thoughts were on his brother. He had no business
getting himself killed like that. He hoped that drugs had
nothing to do with it. Tommy always thought that after a year
in Vietnam, George would get straightened out. He was a
clerk for crying out loud. He worked in one of the Army offices
in Saigon. What the hell was he doing at that airport? He
wasn't supposed to be anywhere near combat.
He wondered what he would face when he got home. His
heart ached for his mother. He knew his folks would never be
the same.
He looked over at Dawn. She was snuggled up against him,
sound asleep. It had been a long and troublesome day for her.
He looked at her and had this feeling deep down inside. The
love that he felt for her could never be measured. He thought
about what his parents must be going through. If anything
ever happened to Dawn, he doubted that he could survive.
He now realized how Dawn felt the night the bridge in Point
Pleasant fell into the river.
Mildred turned around and saw Tommy looking at Dawn.
She could see the love and devotion in his eyes. She smiled
at him. He smiled back as he stroked Dawn's long brown hair.
He kissed her on the forehead. Then he sighed and looked
out of the window.
John and Margaret did not have many close friends, but
their acquaintances came out in force.
When Tommy got home, the driveway was jammed with
cars. More were parked on the street.
He wanted Dawn to come in, but Mildred suggested that he
see his family first and Dawn agreed.
Tommy walked into the house, and saw his mother sitting in
the kitchen. He recognized a few of the ladies with her from
Margaret's Bridge club.
Margaret tried to smile at Tommy but said nothing. He
dropped his duffel bag to the floor.
Margaret got up and went over to him, and he hugged her.
“It's OK mom, I'm here now, we'll get through this. I
promise.”
Margaret started to cry. He held her close and squeezed
her as tight as he could. He saw his father come into the
kitchen from the dining room. Tommy had never seen his
father this broken.
Pain was written all over his once proud and stern face.
Obviously, he had been crying. Tommy released his mother
and went over to his dad.
John reached out and grabbed Tommy and hugged him. He
started to sob. Tommy had never seen his father cry before.
He could not remember his father ever hugging him.
“I'm sorry dad, I really am,” Tommy said as they hugged.
John said nothing, he released Tommy. He looked at his
son, nodded his head and slowly walked back towards the
living room sobbing the entire way.
Tommy took his duffel bag back to his room. As he walked
past the door to George's room, tears came to his eyes. 'How
am I going to get them through this?' he asked himself as he
regained his composure.
Tommy talked to everyone. They all wanted to ask him
about school. They talked on and on about how proud his
parents were of him, and how well they said he was doing in
Charleston. He wondered why his parents would tell them, but
not him.
He had been home for about an hour when Gary came up
to the house. He was not able to go to Charleston due to a
test at school he could not miss. Walter wanted him to leave
the Andrews alone for now, but Gary wanted to be with his
friend.
They went out side to get away from all the noise and the
people. It was a cool March evening, but spring was in the air.
“Tommy, you need anything while you are here, you tell me,
OK?” he asked.
Tommy looked at one of his two best friends, and sighed.
“OK Gary, I will,” he said. “Somehow, I need to help those
two in there get through this. I know they will never get over it,
but they have to get past it.”
Gary reached over and hugged his friend. “You will get
through it. It'll be OK.”
Tommy sighed. “You know Gary, all my life George picked
on me and bad mouthed me. He never included me with his
friends. He never, not one damn time had a meaningful
conversation with me. We never got along. Most of the time I
hated the son of a bitch. The last time I saw him I told him I
never wanted to see him again,” he paused. “He goes off and
gets himself whacked in Nam, and I feel bad about it? Why?”
Gary put both hands on Tommy's shoulders and looked him
in the eyes.
“Because he was your brother, Tommy, that's why.”
And he hugged his friend again.
Tommy looked at Gary. “You know, I was always jealous of
your great relationship with Dawn. I always wanted that with
my brother,” he said sadly.
“Hey man, it hasn't always been that way with me and
Dawn,” Gary smiled. “I know that given the chance you and
George would have worked all that out.” He put his hand on
Tommy's shoulder. “So, stop blaming yourself for what you
said.”
The next morning, Tommy accompanied his parents
downtown to the Rhordan Funeral Home to make the rest of
the arrangements for George's funeral.
They told John and Margaret that George's remains would
be arriving in Indianapolis aboard an Army cargo plane,
sometime the next afternoon. If any of the family members
wanted to be there, it could be arranged. There would be a
small ceremony.
Margaret and John both knew they could not handle it. His
mother looked over at Tommy and they had another one of
their silent conversations.
“I'll go,” Tommy said to the funeral director. “Someone
should be there,” he paused. “For George.”
Although given the opportunity to bury their son at Arlington
National Cemetery, John and Margaret flatly refused.
“No, we want our boy here with us, as far away from the US
Army as possible,” John said softly.
As they were leaving the funeral home, Tommy saw the
funeral director's daughter coming home from school.
The funeral home was on the first floor of this huge home,
and the Rhordan family lived upstairs. He remembered
Jennifer from his days at Storer Junior High. He recalled that
his friend Howard had a huge crush on her. He waved to her.
She came over and hugged Tommy. “I heard about your
brother Tommy, I am so sorry.”
“Thanks Jen, I appreciate that,” Tommy replied. “We were
just finalizing everything with your dad. He was so kind.”
“Tommy, if you need anything while you are here just ask
me or my dad. We are all here for you,” Jenny smiled.
“Thanks,” Tommy said.
They talked for a few more minutes. Tommy asked Jenny
how school was going. It was small talk, and Tommy was glad
to see Jenny again.
As he left, Jenny called after him.
“Tommy, say hello to Dawn for me, OK?”
“I will Jen,” he replied.
Although Tommy had gotten his drivers license the year
before, Walter insisted on taking the day off and going with
Tommy to the Indianapolis airport. Walter knew it would be
emotional for the young man. Tommy appreciated the offer.
Dawn told her father that she was going as well.
She could afford to miss a few days of school. She would
not take 'no' for an answer.
The next morning Tommy, Dawn and Walter headed to
Indianapolis. It was a rainy and gloomy day. So fitting the
situation.
Few words were spoken as Tommy sat with Dawn in the
back seat and mostly stared out of the window.
His thoughts were not only on his brother but also his
parents. His mind wondered as they drove past farm after
farm. Soon it would be planting time as Spring was near.
Tommy knew that George would never see another Spring or
Summer. He would never return to the Lake Cottage that he
loved so much. He would never marry and have children. It
was a life wasted. He thought about all the other families that
we experiencing the same devastation. The same waste.
Tommy sighed deeply. How he had wished that he and his
brother had been close. How he wished he never had said
what he said the last time he saw his brother. His heart ached
knowing that the last time he saw his brother they argued. He
would never get the chance to take it back.
He would have to live with that day for the rest of his life.
Upon arriving at the airport, they were taken to a special
holding area to await the arrival of the special plane from
Dover.
Tommy looked around at all the families. Some were crying,
some just stared off in the distance. They were all hurting.
An honor guard waited silently in the wings just off of the
tarmac.
Soon the plane arrived, and they all watched as a huge
conveyor belt was positioned at a rear door.
They watched as a casket was removed from the rear of
the cargo plane. Then another, and another. Tommy and
Dawn had both noticed that several other hearses had pulled
up next to the plane. They both silently realized that this scene
was taking place at airports all over the country, probably
every day of the week. So many families like his, devastated.
lives that would never be the same.
Tommy and Dawn watched hand in hand as a casket
adorned with the U.S. flag was loaded into the Rhordan
Funeral Home hearse. As he watched the soldiers do a final
salute, tears finally came. Dawn held him close.
Now it was real. His brother was gone.
CHAPTER 24 SAYING GOODBYE
The next afternoon Tommy was in the kitchen, and heard a
knock on the door. It was a man from Western Union with a
telegram for Tommy.
Tommy signed for it, tipped the young man then opened the
yellow envelope.
By the time I heard about your loss you had already left
for Indiana. Stop. My thoughts and prayers are with you
and your family during this terrible time. Stop. You are a
strong young man and you will get through this. Stop.
Remember that we all love you. Stop.
It was from Phillip Hartwig.
Tommy somehow got through the visitation that evening. At
the urging of the funeral home, John and Margaret decided
not to have an open casket funeral. Margaret was spared the
pain of looking at her maimed son.
But John made the mistake of insisting that he see his son
before the casket was sealed.
That image would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Tommy had never seen so many flowers. Most of George's
high school friends sent something, and many came by to pay
their respects. Tommy did not know any of them as he never
hung out with his brother and his friends but he appreciated
them coming.
Mr. Ethridge sent a huge floral arrangement, as did many of
Tommy's teachers, classmates, and their parents. David
Vallalonga's parents drove down from Lafayette to pay their
respects.
Dawn, Gary, and Denise never left Tommy's side.
Margaret insisted that Dawn sit with the immediate family.
Tommy was glad. Margaret had embraced Dawn and thought
of her as the daughter she always wanted.
Dawn was a rock through the entire ordeal. She spent
every spare second she had with Tommy and his family.
After the service was over, Tommy stood up. He took
Dawn's hand and with Gary and Denise on his other side, they
all started to leave the church. As they walked down the aisle
he saw them.
Sitting in the back pew was Tommy's best friend, his
younger sister, and their parents. Mary Ann Walker was
crying. Sitting beside them was Mr. Ethridge, his wife June,
Mr. Hartwig, and Mr. and Mrs. Kremer.
Tommy stopped, looked over at Dawn and smiled. They let
the rest of the family walk on out, while they went over to the
group.
He hugged Mr. Walker and David said how sorry he was.
Bruce was also in tears.
“Thank you for coming,” Dawn said when she realized that
Tommy was now busy hugging Bruce. Tommy was telling
Bruce how much he loved him.
“We wanted to be here for you and Tommy,” Mary Ann said
as she hugged Dawn. “We love Tommy so much. We had to
come.”
Tommy was still hugging Bruce.
When he was done, Tommy hugged his headmaster and
his teachers and Mrs. Kremer. He looked over at the group.
“Thank you,” he choked back a tear. “I love you guys,” was
all he could say.
Dawn asked them if they wanted to come to the cemetery
and then to the Andrews home.
David shook his head. “I don't think that would be a good
idea Dawn.” he said quietly, thinking back to that day at the
hospital. He knew it was not a place they would be welcome.
“We do not want to intrude. We are here for you and
Tommy.”
By this time Walter had walked up to the group, and over
heard the last part of the conversation.
“At least come over to our house later to eat and rest up,”
Walter said quietly.
Mary Ann smiled. “Thank you, we would love to.”
Mr. Ethridge excused himself. “I need to pay my respects to
your parents,” he said.
It was time for Tommy to go to the cemetery and say a final
goodbye.
George would be laid to rest at Beech Grove Cemetery just
off of State Road 32 near downtown Muncie.
Chartered in 1841 with one and a half acres of land on the
banks of the White River, Beech Grove Cemetery grew to
over one hundred acres making it one of the largest
cemeteries in the state. It was the resting place for many who
had returned from war, including a Civil War Medal of Honor
winner as well as a couple of former US Congressmen. Many
of the famous Ball family were also interred there.
Dawn sat in the back of the Rohrdan limo with Tommy and
his parents. Nothing was said as they wound their way
through Muncie to the cemetery. They were all thinking about
George.
Margaret sobbed quietly. John stared out of the window.
Dawn quietly held Tommy's hand.
It was a full Military funeral.
After it was over Tommy asked Dawn and Denise to take
his mother back to the limo. John and his surviving son stood
at the grave site, side by side watching as George was
lowered into his final resting place. Not a word was said. John
was all cried out. Emotion had disappeared from his face. He
would be that way for a long long time.
Tommy reached down and picked up a handful of dirt and
ceremoniously sprinkled it into the grave.
As they left the grave site, Tommy noticed a woman
standing off in the distance by a huge oak tree. She was alone
except for a young girl holding her hand. He smiled at them
and they smiled back. The girl looked to be about twelve or
thirteen and looked familiar to Tommy. He wondered who they
were.
When they got back to the house on Lancaster Drive,
Margaret's friendhad laid out a large buffet to feed everyone.
Soon the house was crowded with friends and family.
Tommy was able to change his clothes and sneak out of the
house unseen. There were plenty of people keeping his
parents company. He needed to get away, and as was his
habit he ended up down the street at Dawn's house.
Since Dawn and Denise were at his house helping with the
food, Bruce, Gary, and Tommy decided to go for a walk
around the neighborhood. Tommy needed to relax a bit from
all the tension from the previous week. He and Bruce talked
about his returning to school.
“It's almost time, Bruce,” Tommy said. “I can't stay here
forever. Regardless of what happened, I do have a life.”
Gary agreed. “You can count on Dawn and me to check on
your folks. Mom and dad too.”
“You guys and your folks are the best.” Tommy said softly
as he looked down at the pavement. Then he looked up with a
smile.
“Know what?” he said looking over at Gary. “I am the
luckiest guy around. I have you, Denise, Dawn and your folks
here. I have Bruce at school, and his family in Morgantown. All
my friends and teachers, "he paused. “I think I'll be OK.”
“One thing this week has taught me,” Gary said. “You were
right in your letter. It came this morning.”
Tommy had totally forgotten about the letter he had mailed
to Gary the day before he learned about George.
“Losing a damn basketball game is nothing, compared to
real life. Thank you.”
Bruce and his family headed back to West Virginia late that
afternoon. Tommy promised Bruce that he would be back in a
few days. Soon the people were all gone, and he found himself
in the kitchen alone with John and Margaret.
“Son,” his father said as he looked at Tommy. “I want you to
know how proud we are of how you and Dawn helped us get
through these last few days. Denise too. I spoke to her father
and I apologized for the way I behaved when they were here
three years ago. I was rude, and I shouldn't have been. I
should have listened to them.”
“Thanks dad,” Tommy replied, as he took a sip of his coffee.
“It's OK.”
“I want you to know that I am proud of you for what you
tried to do for Denise. But son, I think it's time you thought
about returning to school. You can't stay here and take care of
us forever. I know you'll have a lot of makeup work to do.”
“Yes, Tommy,” his mother added. “It's time. We'll be all right.
And in a couple months you will be home again on your break.
I think your dad and I need to get away. It's too early to go up
to the Lake Cottage, but we are thinking about going to
Kansas City for a couple of weeks to visit my sister.”
“Are you sure?” Tommy asked.
“Yes Tommy, you have done your duty for us,” John smiled
for the first time in over a week. “Now you need to do your
duty for yourself.”
“OK dad, I will,” Tommy said.
“One more thing,” John said as he got up from his chair and
walked over to the kitchen counter. He picked up a set of car
keys and handed them to Tommy.
“Georges T-Bird is in the garage. I don't think your mother
and I want to look at it. Would you do me a favor and take it
with you?”
“Are you serious dad?” Tommy said. “I honestly don't think
George would've wanted me to have his car.”
“Son, George is gone. It's my decision. Aren't you tired of
riding the bus or hitching a ride with Vallalonga?”
“Well, it would be nice,” Tommy replied.
“Good, because I signed it over to you this morning. The
insurance is paid, and the plates are current. The title is in the
glove box. Maybe with a car, you can come home more often.
Your mother and I would like that,” he paused. “And I am sure
Dawn would too. Just promise me one thing,” he added.
“Sure dad,” Tommy tried to smile.
“Promise me you will drive safely,” John said.
“I will dad, I promise.”
CHAPTER 25 THE FIRST TIME
As Tommy prepared to return to Charleston, Dawn was
concerned about him keeping George's car.
“Honey, do you really want that reminder?” she asked.
“Not really,” Tommy replied. “You know I really want an El
Camino. But I can't turn down a free car. It was nice of Dad
and all, but I know he is only thinking of himself. Deep down
inside I know that George would be furious if he knew I had
that car. Hell, when I was a kid, he wouldn’t even let me play
with his damn train set. But dad doesn't want the car around,
and it will be nice for me to have some wheels. We'll see how
it goes. If nothing else, I can always sell it and get something
else. Besides, we walk everywhere in Charleston. I'll only use
it to come home,” he paused. “To see you,” he said with a
smile. “It'll spend all its time sitting in a parking lot. And mom
and dad won't have to look at it.”
Tommy was silent for a moment then continued. “At least
Dad was smart enough not to put George's name on the title
when he bought it. George would have probably sold it for drug
money if it had been in his name.”
Dawn took Tommy's hand in hers. “Tommy, something
happened to your brother when he went away to school. You
had nothing to do with it any more than your mom and dad
did. He went down the wrong road, and it cost him dearly.”
She started to cry.
They both sat there on the sofa for another twenty minutes,
not saying a word.
Mildred made a quick dinner for the kids, then she and
Walter went out for the evening.
Mildred wanted to get out of the house for a few hours.
After dinner Gary went over to Dee's house to study.
Dawn and Tommy were snuggled on the couch in the TV
room. They were listening to one of Dawn's favorite Four
Seasons albums on the stereo. Tommy would have preferred
some blues, jazz, or rock and roll, but he didn't mind.
“Sweetie?” Tommy said.
Dawn looked up at him.
“I want you to know that I never could have gotten through
the past few days without you, and I really don't want to go
back to Charleston. I love you so much and I don't want to be
alone.”
“Sweetheart, I love you too, but it's time for you to go back.
I know it, and so do you.” Dawn replied.
Tommy nodded his head. “I know.” he sighed.
“Do I have to remind you about the string?” she smiled.
“No,” Tommy laughed. Then he leaned down and kissed her.
“It won't be long my love,” she said. “Soon you will be home
on break, and before you know it, Christmas will be here and
it won't be long after that, graduation.”
“It's going to be a tough Christmas in that house up the
street,” Tommy sighed.
“We will get through it together. Me and you. OK?” Dawn
said.
“Always,” Tommy replied as he kissed her again.
“Have I told you lately how beautiful you are, and how much
I love you?” Tommy asked.
“Me too,” Dawn said as a tear formed in her eye.
They snuggled some more and Tommy thought back to
those early years. He knew she was the one from the moment
he first laid eyes on her all those years ago. He remembered
her first smile, her first laugh, and their first kiss like it was
yesterday. He thought about the first meal they shared and
how shy he was. He remembered how he felt when he
thought he had lost her forever. And he recalled her first letter
when she said she loved him and would wait for him. And
despite the miles apart, she was on his mind all the time. He
would fantasize about what it would be like next year after
graduation and they went to college together, just like Mr. &
Mrs. Kremer. He and Dawn had become as close as two
people could be. As much as he loved Briarwood and
Charleston, he hated to return.
Dawn was also thinking. She thought about the day her
mother brought her a book. She told her that it belonged to
the new boy that had just moved into the house up the street.
Her mother said that he was a nice boy. Dawn remembered
how she blushed, and how nervous she was the evening she
met Tommy for the first time. But she never let Tommy see
that nervousness. She really liked this new boy. He was cute,
shy and funny. She recalled that when she realized Tommy
had forgotten his book, she took it to bed with her. She slept
with it under her pillow just so she could feel close to this new
neighbor from Pennsylvania.
She remembered spending hours at her bedroom window
watching his house, hoping to catch just a glimpse of him.
One summer day she watched him for over an hour as he
mowed the lawn.
She thought about how crushed she was when she found
out that Tommy had been sent away. She cried for days, and
sulked around the house for weeks. She remembered coming
to Tommy's defense with her parents and insisting that she get
to see him. She recalled how hard it was convincing her
mother to allow her to see Tommy.
She thought about how scared she was on that night the
bridge in Point Pleasant collapsed.
She was so sure the love of her life was on that bridge. She
remembered how she felt when she saw that car pull into the
Andrew's driveway that evening, and she realized that he was
OK.
An image came into her mind of waking up in the hospital
and realizing that he was sitting there, holding her hand.
That's when she realized that this was not just a school girl
crush. She had told Tommy many times before that she loved
him, but at that moment she realized what love really meant.
She really had fallen in love and fallen hard. Whenever she
thought of him, she could feel her heart race.
She smiled. It was time. Time for the two of them. She
loved him more than anything else in this world.
She rose from the sofa and took Tommy's hand in hers.
She put a finger to her mouth, signaling Tommy not to say a
word. She led him down the hall to her bedroom.
They had waited long enough.
CHAPTER 26 SORRY ABOUT YOUR
BROTHER
Tommy had been back at school for just a couple of hours,
when Gavin came to his room.
Tommy was sitting at his desk and as usual the door to the
room was open.
“Tommy?” Gavin asked, gently tapping on the door frame.
Tommy looked up from his book, and smiled. “Hey Gavin,
come on in.”
Gavin slowly walked into 710 slowly, then started to cry.
“I'm really sorry about your brother Tommy. I really don't
know what to say.”
Tommy got up and hugged his friend.
“You just said it Gavin, thank you.”
“I've never had anyone die Tommy. Both my Grandparents
are still living. Dad grew up in an orphanage, so he never
knew his folks. But Mom's parents are wonderful.”
“You're lucky Gavin,” Tommy said softly. “My grandparents
are all gone now. They all died younger than they should
have.”
“Were you close to your brother?" Gavin asked.
“No Gavin, I'm sorry to say that we were not even close to
being close. Different as night and day. We never got along,”
he said looking down at the floor. “But I was sad. I was sad for
mom and Dad, and even sad for George. He did not deserve
to die that way,” Tommy paused. “We have no damn business
being over there.”
"I always wished I had a brother,” Gavin said with a sniffle.
“I always wanted a sister,” Tommy replied then he smiled.
"But you know what Gavin? We both have brothers and
sisters. We have tons of 'em. Right here in Charleston.”
“I never thought about it that way Tommy. I know that I love
it here and everyone has been so great to me,” he paused.
“Especially you and Bruce.”
Tommy slapped his friend on the back. “Maybe we should
send those football Neanderthals in Salisbury a thank you
note.” Tommy said with a laugh.
“I don't think so Tommy,” Gavin said with a grin.
While the boys were laughing, Bruce returned from the
library.
Putting his books on his desk, he turned to Tommy.
“I ran into Mr. Moorland at the library. He asked me to see if
you would be willing help one of the new students out with a
bit of tutoring. He said it might help take your mind off of
things.”
Tommy smiled. “He should know by now that he doesn't
have to ask.” Tommy would do anything for Keith Moorland.
“I'll stop by to see him in the morning.”
The next morning Tommy was at Mr. Moorlands door
waiting on him to arrive.
“Hi Tommy,” Keith smiled as he walked up to the classroom.
“I assume Bruce gave you my message?”
“Yes sir, Mr. Moorland. What can I do for you?”
Keith opened the door and the two went into the class
room. He set his briefcase on his desk and turned to Tommy.
“I was hoping you might be willing to help out Betty
Decarlo. She started at mid-term and is way behind. I am
afraid she's having a hard time catching up. She seems to be
distracted all the time. I was hoping that you might help me
determine what her problem is.”
“Of course, Mr. Moorland, I'm happy to help. I don't know
her that well. She seems to keep to herself at “The Holley'.
“She is a little on the shy side. I've suggested to her several
times to go ask you for help. I finally decided I needed to step
in. I think she was too shy to ask you herself.”
“Not a problem. I have to get to class now, but tell her to
meet me in the cafeteria at six thirty. I'll help in any way I can.”
“Thank you son. She really is a nice kid.”
As Tommy turned to head off to class, Keith called after him.
“Tommy?
Tommy turned around and saw the seriousness on Keith's
face.
“I'm real sorry about your brother. It's a damn shame.”
Tommy smiled.
“Thank you, Mr. Moorland. Everyone has been so kind.”
“God, how I hate that damn war,” Keith sighed.
Tommy turned around and started out the door.
“Me too, Mr. Moorland, me too.”
CHAPTER 27 THE GIRL FROM
NEBRASKA
Betty Decarlo came to Charleston from Omaha and had not
been at Briarwood long. She was short with long black hair, a
gift from her Italian parents. Betty was a bit on the shy side,
but had made a few friends in the two weeks she had been in
Charleston.
Tommy was waiting for her when she walked into the
cafeteria at six forty-five that evening.
“Hi Tommy,” she said shyly as she sat down across from
him. “Sorry I'm late.”
“Hi Betty, I hear you need some help with science?”
“Yes,” she sighed, looking down at her science book. “I'm
afraid I'm a little behind and Mr. Moorland thinks I need help,”
she said so softly that Tommy could barely hear her.
“Do you think you need help, Betty?” Tommy reached
across the table and gently lifted her head up with his index
finger. He had a momentary flashback to a Storer Junior High
play and a young shy girl he now considered to be a sister.
“Yes, I guess I do.” she finally smiled.
“Good. Because it doesn't matter what Mr. Moorland thinks.
If you didn't think you needed help, we'd be wasting our time.”
Betty reached into her notebook and handed Tommy three
pieces of paper. “Mr. Moorland said to give you these.”
Tommy looked over the papers. They were the last three
science quizzes. Two C's and a C minus. 'At least she isn't
failing' he thought.
In most schools, those grades would be acceptable. 'Run
'em through to graduation' was the way they operated. But not
at Briarwood. According to Mr. Ethridge, anything below a B
minus was failing.
Tommy looked over at her and smiled. “I think we can work
with this.”
Betty opened her notebook to a clean page. “Can we get
to work now.”
They spent every evening for the next three weeks working
on science. They would meet at seven and spend two hours
hitting the books. Most days they spent another half hour or
so, just talking. Tommy was able to help Betty and still keep
up with his work. But it cost him a lot of sleep.
Tommy got to know Betty well. He thought she had been
sent to Briarwood for all the wrong reasons. He discovered
that her father wanted to get her away from a certain young
boy he did not think she should be seeing. Tommy felt a
connection to her. An uncaring father who sent their child
away instead of dealing with the issues at hand.
When the next test came along, Betty was ready and with
Tommy's guidance she received an 'A' minus. Keith was
thrilled.
But there was something else wrong and Tommy could not
put his finger on what it was.
Betty got quieter and quieter as the weeks went by. Other
than study time with Tommy she started to keep completely to
herself.
Tommy went to see Mr. Moorland.
“Sir,” he said as he tapped on the door. “Got a minute?”
Mr. Moorland was engrossed in grading tests and did not
see Tommy standing in the doorway. When he looked up, he
smiled. He was always glad to see his favorite student.
“Come on in son, what's up?” He waved him into the
room.
Tommy sat on the top of a desk in the front row. His feet
dangling in the air.
“It's Betty sir. I know she is doing much better, but there is
something else wrong.”
“I know Tommy,” Mr. Moorland sighed. “She sits in class,
rarely participates. Thanks to you, her test scores are great
now, but it's like she's somewhere else. She's disconnected.
Like a mis-tuned radio receiver.”
Tommy just nodded his head.
“Yeah, it's like all of us are in A M mode and she is in single
side band mode,” Tommy laughed. Using ham radio talk was
always lost on his classmates, but Keith Moorland understood.
“Tommy, I am at a loss. In all my years of teaching I have
never had a student that I couldn't reach.”
“It's not your fault sir, she is a different type of person. But
there is something else going on, and I have no idea what it
could be. I have a gut feeling that it isn't good. Maybe
something at home.”
Keith shook his head. “Please keep your eye on her son,
be her friend.”
“I will sir.”
Betty did not show up for their usual study session that
evening and that made Tommy worry even more. He asked
around and no one claimed to have seen her since afternoon
classes.
The next afternoon as he was walking back to 'The Holley'
Betty came up from behind him.
“Tommy?” she asked quietly.
Tommy spun around and smiled when he realized who it
was.
“Hi Betty, I've been looking all over for you. I got worried
when you missed our study session last night.”
Tommy looked at her and her eyes told the story. She had
been crying, and crying a lot.
“I'm sorry Tommy, I had some thinking to do.”
“Betty, what's wrong?” Tommy asked. He knew something
was terribly wrong.
Betty started to cry. “Can we go somewhere and talk?” she
said through her tears. "Somewhere private?"
Tommy took her by the hand and turned away from 'The
Holley'.
“I know just the place,” Tommy smiled.
Four blocks later they came to a little grassy area down
near where the old State Capitol used to stand. He motioned
for her to sit down on a park bench that was on the sidewalk
under a tree.
“What is it Betty? What's wrong?”
She started to cry harder.
“I don't know what to do and you're the only one here that I
trust. But I don't want you to hate me.”
Tommy took her by the hand. “Betty, I would never hate
you. I'm your friend and I'm here for you as are all of the kids.
Whatever it is, we'll help.”
“No,” she half shouted. “You have to promise me on your
life that you will never tell a soul. Never, never never.”
Tommy nodded his head. “I promise. But you have to calm
down. It can't be that bad.”
“Yes, it is Tommy,” she paused trying to get the nerve to
say it out loud.
“I'm pregnant.”
She fell into his arms sobbing.
CHAPTER 28 AND THE SURPRISES JUST
KEEP ON
COMIN'
Tommy thought the biggest surprise of his short life was his
father sending him away, or perhaps when he leaned about
George. He was wrong. This came completely out of left field.
He held Betty for a long time as she sobbed and sobbed.
He thought about what he should do. He had never been in
a situation like this. Tommy knew that his friend was really up
against the wall. She was far away from home and was in
trouble. He held her close as she cried.
When she was all cried out, he let go and looked at her.
“First of all, are you sure?”
“Yes, I'm sure.”
“You wanna tell me about it?”
Betty sniffled a bit.
“My daddy hated Billy. We were in school together, but he
wasn't Italian and that made daddy really mad. He didn't want
me to be around Billy. That's why he sent me here. To get me
away from him.”
“So he's the,” Tommy paused.
Betty nodded her head. “Yes, it must have happened the
night before I left. We only did it the one time. He said he
wanted something to remember me by. Damn, I am so stupid.”
Tommy was stunned. Even at his young age, he knew the
facts of life. He also knew that was a poor excuse to do what
they had done. He also knew that it was a line used by guys
all the time. Tommy was glad that he and Dawn waited until
the right moment. It made it special and right.
“Does Billy know? Have you told him?” he asked.
Betty started to cry again. “No, I was going to, but he wrote
me last week and said that he found somebody else and
wasn't going to wait for me. He said he wanted to end it. I am
such an idiot.” she buried her head into Tommy's shoulder.
“He told me to have a nice life.” She continued to sob.
Tommy thought how he would have felt had Dawn decided
to not wait for him and wanted to 'end it'. Betty was in a very
bad spot, the worst spot that any teenage girl could face.
And she was alone.
Betty looked up at Tommy.
“Please help me Tommy, please. I can't do this alone.”
Tommy nodded his head. “How can I help?”
Betty sighed. “I need to borrow some money. I have three
hundred dollars but I'm two fifty short,” she paused. “Please
Tommy, I'm desperate.”
It hit Tommy right in the stomach. He flinched.
“You mean,” he paused.
“Yes Tommy, I want to get rid of it. I need to get rid of it. I
have to get rid of it.”
And the surprises just keep on coming.
Tommy took a deep breath. “Betty, first of all it's illegal,
second of all it's dangerous, and third, you're under age.”
“Tommy, I'm seventeen years old. What would I do with
a baby? A baby fathered by some bastard that dumped me at
the first opportunity. I don't want something to remember him
by. My father will pull me out of here, then if I'm lucky he'll kill
me. At best, he'll never speak to me again.”
Tommy thought back to how mad his father was at him
for getting expelled. It sounded like his father and Betty's were
a lot alike. Uncaring, demanding and extremely unforgiving.
Not to mention having a violent temper. Getting expelled from
Junior High was a walk in the park compared to Betty's
problem.
“Tommy, this place is my only hope. I have to get a good
education, and I don't want this thing to stand in my way. I
need help Tommy, please,” she pleaded. “I want to
become a teacher and I won't get that chance if I have a baby.
I'll end up back in Nebraska flipping burgers for a living. And I
never want to see Nebraska again.”
“How would you do it? Is it safe? Where?”
“I heard of a guy in Steubenville that's been doing it for
years. Please Tommy, will you take me?” she pleaded.
Tommy thought for a moment. “How are you going to
explain being gone?”
“We have Friday off for state teacher conferences.
I'll tell Ethridge that my Uncle invited you and I up for the long
weekend. I'll say Uncle Jack wants to thank you for all the
help you have given me. He'll never question it if you're
involved.”
“Betty, I can't lie to Mr. Ethridge. I owe him too much.”
“You won't have to say a word. He'll never know, I promise.”
Tommy sighed. He knew this would be the hardest
decision of his life. And a decision he could never tell anyone
about. She was asking him to betray a sacred trust that Mr.
Ethridge had in him. He was the man who had literally saved
Tommy and guided him in the right direction. Now he was
going to live a lie. A lie that Ethridge could never discover.
“Have you thought this through? I mean really thought this
through?” Tommy questioned.
“Tommy it's all I've thought about for two weeks. I can't eat,
I can't sleep, I can't study,” she started to cry again.
“Have you talked to anyone about this? Would you like to
talk to someone over at Charleston Catholic? I have friends
there, maybe Sister Harriet?”
“Tommy you know what she would say. No, positively not.
This is my body, not God's. This has to be our secret, you and
I alone.”
“Betty, you know I would do anything for you. We're
friends. But this is,” he paused not finding the right words. “I
just don't know.”
“I'm sorry to throw this at you. But you're the only one here
that I can turn to. You're kind, honest and loyal. You won't
judge me for what I did, nor will you condemn what I plan to
do. And you'll keep my secret. That's why I came to you.
Because I trust you.”
Tommy let out the biggest sigh of his life.
He had never thought about the issue. But deep down
inside he knew that this should be her decision. He should not
try to talk her into something that she didn't want, based on
so-called moral or religious teachings. It was her body and her
decision. She needed a friend to help her through this difficult
time. Someone to stand with her. He also knew that Betty
was determined and would do this with or without him. If she
could live with this decision, then he sure as hell could too.
So, no matter how he felt, he decided that he would be that
friend.
Bright and early on Friday morning, a red 1964 Ford
Thunderbird took Betty and her friend Tommy to Stuebinville,
Ohio for the long weekend to visit her Uncle Jack. Everyone
was glad that Betty had a great weekend visiting her Uncle,
and noticed her happier mood after she returned.
Within a few weeks her grades had improved to A's and
B's. She made more friends and people were amazed at her
astonishing turnaround. She jumped headfirst into life at
Briarwood. She never looked back.
Betty and Tommy never spoke again about that weekend.
However, a bond was formed that would remain for a lifetime.
A special bond understood only by two teenagers who
together weathered a West Virginia hurricane in the spring of
1968. It would be their shared secret well into adulthood. A
secret they vowed to both take to their graves.
CHAPTER 29 R.F.K. April 4, 1968
Dawn met Veronica Baxter in civics class. Her family had
just moved to Muncie from the Denver area. It was tough
moving to a new town, especially in the middle of your Junior
year of High School. She knew no one in this new city and
was extremely lonely.
A tall slim redhead, Veronica had the temperment to match
her long red hair. “Ronnie,” as she liked to be called, was a
staunch conservative. She disliked Democrats and all they
stood for. But she believed in the domino theory. If South
Vietnam fell, then the rest of South East Asia would soon
follow. Dawn was also conservative but with the events of
the past month still freshin her mind, she had become
violently opposed to the war. The war had come home to her
doorstep. It had parked itself right at the home of the boy she
loved more than anything.
On her first day at Central, Veronica made the mistake of
disagreeing with something the civics teacher said about the
war.
Dawn spoke up and the debate began. But the new girl
did not back down from her position. Although Dawn totally
disagreed with her, she had to admit the newcomer had
the guts to stand up for what she believed in. Dawn liked her
immediately.
Veronica argued not against the war, but against the way
it was being fought, while Dawn just wanted it over, now.
'Ronnie' was outnumbered as many of their classmates
were opposed to the war.
However Dawn and Ronnie became friends and soon
she was welcomed into the inner circle with Dawn and Dee.
They would joke that between them, they were two Four
Season songs. They would help Ronnie get used to her
new city.
When Dawn read in the Muncie Star that Senator Robert
F. Kennedy was going to speak at Ball State, she wanted to
go hear what he had to say. Like all girls her age, Dawn
thought the Senator was 'dreamy'. She also knew he was
against the war and President Johnson.
Now that President Johnson had dropped out of the
race, there was a good chance that this man could be the
next President of the United States.
Dawn was able to talk Ronnie and Dee into going with her.
On a warm evening on April 4, 1968 the three young girls,
made their way to the Ball State Mens Gym to hear the
charismatic Senator.
The gym was filled to capacity with people eager to get
a glimpse of him.
He was introduced by his wife Ethel and immediately
joked about his brother Ted.
Thank you very much Mr. Mayor, our county chairman,
Marshall Hanley, students, teachers, faculty, everybody.
I’m delighted to be here. Some statements like that
are not gonna sound that I was going to give in the
course of my speech are not gonna sound original. But if
you clap anyway, it’ll make me feel good.
But I’m very pleased to be here, and I’m very pleased
to see all of you. I was going to have buttons for all of
you. You know, buttons with a picture on it, which I
thought would be marvelous. Then I gave it to, the
assignment to, my younger brother Teddy to get the
button ready. I said I’d distribute it when I got to Ball State
University. Then I found out. I gave that assignment to
him and then after President Johnson’s speech on
Sunday in which he said he wasn’t gonna be a candidate
for president, I found that all the buttons had my brother
Teddy’s picture on them. But I told him it was too late for
him to get in this campaign. He gave me his slogan,
which he put on a paper. 'The candidate’s ready; it’s not
Bobby but Teddy.'
But I thought it was going well, my campaign,
especially when I was out in California and I received a
telephone call from George Hamilton. He asked for my
daughter’s telephone number.
I had a request to appear at a certain university in one
of the primary states in which I’m involved, and the
student body president wrote me an interesting letter
which I thought I’d pass on to you. He said he thought my
appearance might liven things up. He said, “Things are so
dull out here that when we take LSD we see Lawrence
Welk.” Not bad though, was it?
But I’m pleased to be here, and I’m going to give a
speech and then I will be glad to answer questions that
any of you might have at the end of the speech. Easy,
easy questions. You know “Is it colder in the East than it
is out here?” Those. But I will be glad to do that. So some
of the subjects which I cover in less detail I will be glad to
go into in greater length in a question period after I
speak.
Some have said that the events of the last few days
have made the commitment to leadership and this
election irrelevant. They say that the war in Vietnam is on
the way to being settled or that the election is
unimportant now or that our course at home is clear."
Veronica leaned over to Dawn, “Is your guy gonna say
anything important here, or just crack same lame jokes?”
Dawn held up a finger to her lips telling Ronnie to keep
quiet.
Ronnie shrugged her shoulders. “Just asking.” she
said dejectedly.
The senator talked at length about race relations,
and the need for education. But since President Johnson had
announced the bombing halt and pulled out to the presidential
race, not much was being said about Vietnam.
Ronnie just shook her head when the Senator talked about
all the progress made in the past seven years.
I think the Democratic party has accomplished a great
deal over the period of the last seven years. I think that
we have done a great deal here in the United States. I
think that we have done much of which we can be proud
in our relationship with other countries. I think we've
made mistakes. But it seems to me that the Democratic
party, if it's going to get elected, and the way I run is that
we have to look not just talk about what we've done in the
past, not just talk about that we've accomplished in the
past. But people want to know what we are going to do in
the future: what we think the situation is at the moment
and what we intend to do to bring peace around the world
and bring prosperity and happiness and to our own
people here at home. It's on that basis that I run
for President of the United States and on that basis that I
ask for your support.
Dawn looked over at Ronnie.
“I am going to go down and get in line for questions.”
Veronica grabbed her by the arm.
“Girl, I want to you ask the tough question. The one that
been in the back of your pretty little head since last month.
Ask it for Tommy.”
Dawn smiled. “No, but if I'm given the chance, I'll ask for
George.”
Kennedy finished his speech to thunderous applause.
After a period of time, he walked back up to the microphone.
I hate to ask you to sit down again. Such an effort. But if
you want to have questions for a few minutes, I’d be glad to
stay and do that.
Dawn was fifth in line to ask a question of the Senator.
She had never been so scared in all her life. To ask a man a
question who may become the next President was a big deal.
She had no idea what the first four questions were, but
soon she was in front of a microphone and the Senator from
New York was looking straight at her.
She thought of Tommy and what he had been through. She
thought of George and the life he would never have. She
stepped closer to the microphone and looked directly at the
man.
“Sir, last month I went with my boyfriend to the airport in
Indianapolis. I watched as a number of caskets were
removed from an Army cargo plane. One of them was my
boyfriend's older brother. My question is to you and everyone
in our government. When is this madness going to end? How
many young men have to die for your agenda??”
She looked up at her seat and saw Ronnie and Denise
clapping and jumping up and down.
First of all, I am sorry for your friends loss. There have
been too many of them. To answer your question, I think
that we should go to the negotiating table, and I think we
should take the steps to go to the negotiating table. And
I've said it over the period of the last two years, I think
that we have a chance to have negotiations, and the
possibility of meaningful negotiations, but last February,
a year ago, when the greatest opportunity existed for
negotiations the Administration and the President of the
United States felt that the military victory was right
around the corner and we sent a message to Ho Chi Minh,
in February 8th of 1967 virtually asking for their
unconditional surrender, we are not going to obtain the
unconditional surrender of the North Vietnamese and the
Viet Cong anymore than they're going to obtain the
unconditional surrender of the United States of America.
We're going to have to negotiate, we're going to have
to make compromises, we're going to have to negotiate
with the National Liberation Front. But people can argue,
'That's unfortunate that we have to negotiate with the
National Liberation Front,' but that is a fact of life. We
have three choices: We can either pull out of South
Vietnam unilaterally and raise the white flag -I think that's
unacceptable.
Second, we can continue to escalate, we can continue
to send more men there, until we have millions and
millions of more men and we can continue to bomb North
Vietnam, and in my judgment we will be no nearer
success, we will be no nearer victory than we are now in.
And the third step that we can take is to go to the
negotiating table. We can go to the negotiating table and
not achieve everything that we wish. One of the things
that we're going to have to accept as American people,
but the other, the other alternative is so unacceptable.
One of the things that we're going to have to accept as
American people and that the United States government
must accept, is that the National Liberation Front is going
to play a role in the future political process of South
Vietnam.
And we're going to have to negotiate with them. That
they are going to play some role in the future political
process of South Vietnam, that there are going to be
elections and the people of South Vietnam, are ultimately
going to determine and decide their own future.
That is the course of action, that is the course of
action that I would like to see. I would like to see the
United States government to make it clear to the
government of Saigon that we are not going to tolerate
the corruption and the dishonesty. I think that we should
make it clear to the government of Saigon that if we're
going to draft young men, 18 years of age here in the
United States, if we're going to draft young men who are
19 years-old here in the United States, and we're going to
send them to fight and die in Khe Sanh, that we want the
government of South Vietnam to draft their 18-year-olds
and their 19-year-olds.
And I want to make it clear that if the government of
Saigon, feels Khe Sanh or Que Son and the area in the
demilitarized zone are so important, if Khe San is so
important to the government of Saigon, I want to see
those American marines out of there and South
Vietnamese troops in there.
I want to have an explanation as to why American boys
killed, two weeks ago, in South Vietnam, were three times
as many - more than three times as many, as the soldiers
of South Vietnam. I want to understand why the
casualties and the deaths, over the period of the last two
weeks, at the height of the fighting, should be so heavily
American casualties, as compared to the South
Vietnamese. This is their war. I think we have to make the
effort to help them, I think that we have to make the effort
to fight, but I don't think that we should have to carry the
whole burden of that war, think the South Vietnamese
should.
And if I am elected President of the United States, with
help, with your help, these are the kinds of policies that
I'm going to put into operation.
Dawn returned home all excited about her evening. She
got to ask a question to the man that very well could be the
next President of the United States. She found her parents
in the TV room glued to what looked like a news cast.
Walter Cronkite was talking about a shooting.
Her mother had a forlorn look on her face. She motioned
for Dawn to be quiet and sit down.
Dawn sat down on the coach, and watched as the terrible
news came in from Memphis Tennessee.
CHAPTER 30 M.L.K. April 4, 1968
Tommy and Bruce had gone up to their room after dinner
to study.
They were at their desks when there was a loud knock on
the door.
It was David Vallalonga and Carlos Cantor. “Guys, open up
quick,” he shouted.
Tommy opened the door, and David ran in.
“Quick Tommy, turn on the TV. Somethings up in Memphis.
I think Dr. King's been shot.” He looked over at Bruce.
Tommy opened the closet door, and wheeled out the set
from it's hiding place. Soon it was warmed up and was turned
to WCHS channel eight.
Walter Cronkite was talking about a shooting at a motel in
Memphis. It didn't take long to learn what had occurred.
Tommy looked at Bruce. He had said nothing, his eyes
were watering as he looked down at the floor.
Tommy went over to him. He did not speak as he sat down
and put his arm around his best friend. He pulled him close
and held him for a long time, just patting him on the back and
rocking him back and forth.
Tommy finally found the words.
“Bruce, I wish I knew what you were feeling but I never
will.” Tommy said softly. “But I am here for you, no matter
what. I love you man.”
Bruce looked up at his friend.
“You're right, you may not know exactly how I feel,
anymore than I knew exactly how you felt last month, but
we're best friends. We help each other, always have and
always will. This isn't about us, it's about the rest of the
screwed up world.”
Then he started to cry. He knew deep down what this
shooting meant. He was scared to death at what the black
community might do in response.
The secret TV may have been one of the best kept secrets
at Briarwood, but not to the residents on the seventh floor of
'The Holley.'
Soon the room was full of kids. They were not just there to
find out what was going on in Memphis. They were all there
to support Bruce.
And they would continue to support Bruce.
Over the next month, Tommy and Bruce would watch as
the country was torn apart by violence. The spent hours
talking about it and wondering why.
“I just don't understand it,” Tommy remarked as he turned
the set off after watching the evening news. “Why are they
burning and ruining their own neighborhoods?”
Bruce sighed. “They're mad Tommy. Their hero has been
taken from them.”
“I get that Bruce, I really do. I remember when President
Kennedy was shot,” he paused not knowing what to add. He
sighed.
“Yeah, but this is different for blacks. This is all they know.
We have come so far, and most blacks think this will put us
back another generation.”
“Bruce, do you believe that? After all we've been through?”
Tommy asked.
Bruce put his hand on Tommy's shoulder. “Not for me and
you. We will always be friends. Always be brothers. But I will
always be black and you will always be white. And there isn't
a damn thing either of us can do about that.”
Tommy hugged his friend. “I love you man, I really do. And
I am here for you.”
Bruce choked back a tear.
“I know.”
CHAPTER 31 NATURE TRIP
It was a lazy Saturday morning. Tommy had already
finished all of his homework. He had twisted his ankle during
a pick up game, so going to the gym was out of the question
for a few days. He decided to take the day off and work on
his final term papers on Sunday.
Tommy found himself in the huge recreation room on the
first floor. A few kids sat in front of the TV watching some
nature program. Tommy went over to the pool table and was
entertaining himself when David came in.
“Tommy are you as bored today as I am,” he asked.
“Yeah David, I think I am,” Tommy laughed.
“I wish I could spend the day out in the country. You know,
nature and all of that stuff. Maybe some tiny town someplace.”
Tommy thought back to the nature trip that he went on with
the Kramer's. He had an idea.
“David, I know just the place. Let me run upstairs and see
if Bruce wants to go. I want to get out of here for a bit myself.”
Bruce was still laying on the bed when Tommy got back to
710.
“Come on lazy bones. You, me, and Vallalonga are getting
out of here for the day.” Tommy exclaimed.
“Really?” Bruce asked.
“Yes really, we are going on a nature drive.”
Tommy had only driven the T Bird once since he returned
from George's funeral. And it was a trip he was still trying to
put out of his mind. Every week he would go out to the
parking lot and start the engine and let it warm up. But he
never took it out on the streets of Charleston.
Tommy picked up his friends in front of 'The Holley.' David
really liked the T Bird and was hoping that Tommy would
'open it up' when the got out of the city.
David would be disappointed. Tommy was a very
conservative driver, and he did not go above the posted
speed limits. He promised his father he would be careful. He
would not do anything stupid.
They wound their way around back roads as they headed
north.
Both David and Bruce wanted to know where they were
going.
“David, you said you wanted to get out in the country,”
Tommy laughed. “That's where we are,” he smiled.
“You also said something about a little town someplace."
"That's where we're going.”
David laughed. He knew not to question his friend.
Soon they were in Fairmont. “This doesn't look like a
quaint little town to me Tommy,” David said.
“Patience must not be your middle name,” Tommy
laughed. “We're not there yet.”
Tommy was hoping he could remember the way to this
little town they were headed for. It had been a couple of
years, but he thought he could find it.
The back road he found was very narrow and had no
safety berm at all. One false move and they would find
themselves down the ravine and into a creek. Tommy was
very careful.
Soon he rounded a curve and they saw a few houses.
Within minutes they were parking the car near a very small
downtown area.
“Welcome to Monongah boys,” Tommy said with a smile.
David looked around. It was small and quaint. It was
exactly what he was thinking of.
“How in the hell did you know about this place?” David
asked.
Tommy laughed. “One Saturday morning a couple of years
ago when I was really down in the dumps, Mr. & Mrs. Kremer
kidnapped me and we ended up here. I had the best damn
lunch I ever had in a tiny little restaurant up the street.” He
started walking and the others followed.
“Come on guys, I know its still early, but late breakfast or
early lunch is on me.”
The restaurant had not changed. They found a table and
sat down. As Tommy looked around he saw Penny. She
smiled and headed for their table.
“Good morning Penny Ann Nichols,” Tommy laughed. “You
probably don't remember me.”
Penny did remember this boy. “Yes I do remember you,”
she said with a smile. “Tommy right? It's been a while. How
have you been?” she asked.
“Great. These are my friends. Bruce Walker and David
Vallalonga,” Penny gave each a wave and a huge smile.
“We all go to Briarwood Academy down in Charleston.
David wanted to get out of town and see some nature. I
remembered your nice little town and decided it was time for
a road trip.”
“That's nice of you to remember, Tommy. Welcome,” Penny
said with a smile.
Tommy noticed an older woman standing behind Penny.
“Honey, can you move please, so I can take these
gentleman’s orders?” the woman asked.
“Yes grandma,” Penny laughed.
“I thought you were leaving,” the woman asked.
“I was grandma, but I ran into some old friends,” she
smiled at David. He smiled back.
“If you're not working, perhaps you would like to join us?”
David said.
“Grandma, why don't you let me take care of this table,
OK?” Penny smiled.
The older woman laughed, handed her order pad to
Penny, then turned and went back to the counter.
Penny not only waited on the boys, but joined them all for
lunch.
After lunch, Penny took the boys on a short but complete
tour of Monongha.
After the tour they all got in the T-Bird. Penny wanted to
take them down to Tygart Lake.
A nature trip they would get.
Tommy all of a sudden realized that David had
maneuvered Bruce into the front seat, so he could sit in the
back with Penny. He smiled.
“This is a beautiful car Tommy,” Penny exclaimed.
“Thanks, it was my brother's car,” Tommy said. “He was
killed a few months ago in Vietnam, and my folks wanted it
out of the garage.”
“Tommy, I am so sorry,” Penny said softly. “I didn't know.”
“It's OK Penny,” Tommy remarked. “I am glad you like the
car.”
They ended up renting a small boat, and Penny took them
to the other side of the lake where there was a huge rock.
They sat for several hours, getting to know each other and
enjoying the beautiful view. Tommy wished he had brought a
fishing rod and vowed to come back to this gorgeous place.
CHAPTER 32 MISTER ROBERTS
It was late on a Saturday morning, and Tommy and Bruce
were at their desks studying.
Tommy wanted to get all his work finished so after lunch he
could go over to the radio station with Mr. Moorland.
A knock on the door interrupted the silence.
They found a very upset and out of breath David Elwood.
“I can't find him, I looked everywhere,” he exclaimed.
“Who?” Bruce asked.
“Gavin. We walked down to Hecks Department Store. He
wanted to get a new pair of slacks. Man, that boy loves
clothes. I turned my back for one second, and he was gone.”
Tommy sighed. “OK, don't worry, we'll find him. You go get
Vallalonga while Bruce and I head down to Hecks. You and
Val search the downtown area.”
“Val's not here T.C.,” David said. “He took off early this
morning to go up to Monongah and see that girl he is so stuck
on.”
Tommy smiled. He was so glad that Val had found
someone. Even if she was two and a half hours away.
They all went down to the cafeteria to see if they could
recruit some help in searching for their friend.
It didn't take long to find four other students ready and
willing to help in the search.
Meanwhile, Tommy and Bruce walked quickly down to the
huge department store. For an hour they searched and
searched. Gavin was not to be found.
“Tommy, where on earth could he be?” Bruce sighed.
“I wish I knew,” Tommy replied as they headed back to 'The
Holley'.
About four blocks later, they heard a noise. Tommy turned
and looked into an alley where he thought the noise had come
from. He saw two legs sticking out of a garbage can. They
were wiggling as if they were trying to run.
“Jesus P. Christ,” Tommy exclaimed as he ran into the alley.
Gavin Davies had been plunged head first into a garbage
can. Tommy grabbed him by the waist and pulled him out.
“Gavin, are you OK? What the hell happened?” Tommy
sked when he got the scared youngster in the upright position.
“I got separated from David at Hecks. I looked everywhere
for him. When I couldn't find him, I decided to walk back to
'The Holley.” He started to cry. “I tried to outrun him, but I'm too
slow.”
Tommy looked him over. He had been punched a few times
but the biggest damage seemed to be to his dignity.
“Who did this?” Bruce asked.
“I don't know,” Gavin sobbed. “Some big kid from
Charleston High. He called me all kinds of names. And he hit
me. Hard.” Gavin continued to sob.
“Damn,” Bruce barked. “We gotta find out who this kid is.”
“Gavin, I'm so so sorry,” Tommy said as he looked at his
friend. “It's all my fault. I promised you that you would be OK
here.”
“No, no, Tommy. It's not your fault. And it's not David's fault
either. I wondered away. I wasn't paying attention. You have
told me over and over to pay attention. I should have
been more careful,” Gavin sobbed lightly.
“I promise you this Gavin,” Tommy said with a more serious
tone. “We will find this guy. And when I am done with him, he
will never bother you again.”
Concerned was now written all over Bruce's face. He
always got concerned when Tommy got 'pissed off.' And he
knew his best friend was 'pissed off.'
Together they helped Gavin back to 'The Holley.'
“If you saw him again, would you recognize him?” Tommy
asked as Gavin imped back to 'The Holley.'
“Yeah Tommy, I'll never forget his face. He looked just like
those three guys that beat me up back home.”
When they went to dinner that evening, Tommy searched
out Richard Toraletti.
“Hey Rich, do you have any friends over at Charleston
High?”
“Yeah T.C, a guy I met at last years science fair. Jack's an
OK guy.”
“Can you please do me a favor?” Tommy said to his friend.
“Give him a call and see if we can borrow a couple of
Charleston High yearbooks. Last year and the year before.”
Richard made his call to his friend. Jack said he had a date
that evening, but he would be happy to stop by the next
morning.
Tommy, Bruce, and Gavin had just finished their breakfast
and were hanging out in the cafeteria, when Jack Thomas
arrived with yearbooks in hand. Tommy immediately had Gavin
look through each one. They could tell by his facial expression
when he saw his attacker.
“That's him!” he exclaimed, pointing to the page.
“Are you sure?” Tommy asked.
Gavin shuddered. “I will never forget that face Tommy,
never.”
Tommy looked at the picture, recognition soon written all
over his face.
“Well, I'll be damned,” was all he could say. Then he smiled.
He then motioned for Bruce to take a look.
Bruce walked over and looked down at the open page.
Tommy pointed to Gavin's attacker.
“Well, well, well. Verrry interesting,” Bruce said with a smile,
imitating the German soldier on the popular Rowan and
Martin's 'Laugh In' program. “Hello, old friend.”
Tommy looked at his roommate and smiled. “I'll be right
back,” he said. “Thanks for helping us out, Jack.”
“Tommy, stay away from this guy. He's a bad ass.”
"No, he's not Jack. He just thinks he is, and that's his
biggest problem.”
Tommy turned around and headed up to his room.
As Tommy walked away, Bruce turned to Jack.
“Tommy is somewhat less than correct, Jack. This guys
biggest problem,” he said as he began tapping at the picture.
“It just left the room.”
They all stood around wondering what Tommy had in mind.
They were still wondering five minutes later when Tommy
returned to the cafeteria carrying his history book.
Jack looked at the book in Tommy's hand. “What's the book
for?” he asked.
Tommy sneered. “House call, Jack. Just a house call.” He
motioned to his roommate. “Come on Bruce, let's go.”
Bruce got up and followed Tommy upstairs. He knew where
his friend was going and what he was going to do.
Tommy said nothing as they started the long walk to Bowen
Street. The address had been embedded in his mind ever
since that day in the alley. It was close to Laidley Field, so it
was a long walk from 'The Holley'.
Bruce finally broke the silence and tried to calm Tommy
down. “Tommy, I think you should let it go.”
Tommy kept walking, picking up the pace a bit.
“Bruce, I promised Mr. Ethridge that nothing would happen
to that boy. I failed.” Tommy said.
“It's not your fault Tommy. I know you're pissed and I know
how you get when you're pissed.”
“You're damn right I'm pissed. That bastard hurt our friend.
For no good reason other than the fact that he is different than
the rest of us. I promised Gavin that he would be safe here. I
failed him too.”
Bruce looked over at his best friend.
“Tommy, you can't walk around with the weight of the whole
damn world on your shoulders. It's not fair to you. You can't
save them all.”
Tommy stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to his friend
with a serious look on his face.
“Bruce, Mr. Ethridge asked for my help. I promised him.
That man saved me. I owe him everything,” Tommy paused,
searching for the words. “I would walk into the gates of hell for
him.”
Bruce sighed. “I would too, but Tommy, please don't do
anything stupid.”
Tommy smiled at his friend. But it was the sarcastic smile
that always worried Bruce.
“Bruce, it'll be OK. I am just going to have a chat with him.
That's all. I promise I won't hurt a hair on his chinny chin chin.”
Tommy started walking again, a bit faster this time.
Fifteen minutes later the boys were standing in front of a
small dilapidated two-story white house. Only most of the
paint had peeled away. Two junk cars sat in the driveway on
top of cinder blocks. But it wouldn't have mattered if they had
wheels or not, since neither junker had an engine. It had been
years and years since they had seen the roadways of West
Virginia.
Tommy knocked on the door. He could hear a TV blaring
inside. 'These people must be half deaf' he thought. A lady
answered and gave an unfriendly glare at the two boys. A
cigarette dangled from her mouth. Her fingers were yellow
with nicotine stains. Her house dress was filthy. She glared at
Bruce.
“Hello ma'am. Is John home?” Tommy asked with a smile.
“I think he's still upstairs in bed. It's kind a early,” she said in
an unfriendly tone.
Tommy looked at his watch. It was eight forty five.
“Yes ma'am. I do apologize for the intrusion and the early
hour. It's just that John wanted to see my history book, so we
thought we would stop by.”
She looked at Tommy then at Bruce.
“John may be a friend of yours,” she said to Tommy. She
then turned back to Bruce. “But I know he's not your friend,”
she said glaring at the young black youngster.
Bruce understood what she was saying, and why.
“No ma'am. I justa come long with Massa Tommy.” Bruce
said ever so politely. “I open da doors for 'em, I polish 'da
shoes. I be doin' stuff for 'em.” He really turned on the accent.
Tommy could barely keep a straight face. The woman had
no idea that Bruce was making fun at her expense.
“Well, you can go up. First door on the right.” she said to
Tommy. “But I suggest that your friend stay right here.”
“That's fine ma'am, Thank you.” Tommy said as she opened
the front door for him. Tommy looked over at Bruce. “I'll just be
a moment,” then he turned towards the front door.
“Yessa. Massa. I be stayin' right cheer Massa Tommy,”
Bruce called after his friend. “I be good nigga.”
Tommy knew if he turned around and made eye contact
with his roommate, he would break out in hysterical laughter.
Tommy entered the house. A pungent aroma attacked his
nostrils. 'Smokers' he thought. God, how it made him sick.
Dirty clothes littered the living room and stairs. He looked
around. Dishes were stacked a foot high in the kitchen sink.
Empty beer bottles were strewn all over the room. A small
black and white television sat on a table in the corner. Based
on the picture quality, Tommy knew it needed a new vertical
output tube. Soon the picture would be nothing but a straight
line on the screen. An ashtray piled high with old cigarette
butts lay in the middle of a coffee table among a pile of beer
bottles and empty take out food containers. A small rodent
ran along one wall. He couldn't tell if it was a small rat or a
huge mouse. 'How do people live like this? It's a damn fire
trap.' he thought. He carefully and quietly walked up the steps
to the first door on the right.
He opened the door very slowly. There on the bed, under
sheets that looked like they hadn't been laundered in months
lay a sleeping John Roberts. The room reeked of body odor.
Tommy carefully sat down on the bed. John stirred when
the bed creaked like a cat caught in a wood chipper.
Tommy placed his forearm against the boys throat.
His eyes opened and it took about a second for the boy to
realize who was staring at him.
“Well, good morning Mary Sunshine,” Tommy smiled.
“Sleep well, I trust?”
John looked at Tommy then at the history book in his hand.
His eyes and mouth opened so wide Tommy thought for a
second that maybe his history book would fit into the huge
opening that was surrounded by teeth that looked and smelled
like they hadn't been brushed in months.
John Roberts started to shake.
“You wanna see my history book? It's a nice one. All kinds of
good stories in it,” Tommy laughed holding the book in front of
John's face. “All about how America was settled back in the
day. Stories about all the past Presidents and World Wars.
Really interesting reading. You could learn a lot.”
John didn't say a word. He just laid there and vibrated like
the electric football game that Tommy's brother used to play
with. He wondered if his father threw it out after George died.
“I'll get right to the point, because the odor in here is about
to make me vomit.” Tommy smiled again.
“I told you I would come for you. Didn't you believe me?”
John finally found his voice.
“I didn't lay a hand on your colored friend. Honest,” he said
with terror in his voice.
“Oh, Bruce is fine by the way. Thank you so much for
asking.” Tommy smiled again. “In fact, he is downstairs right
this very moment doing his very best to make your racist
mother as uncomfortable as possible. I may give him an
Oscar for his performance,” Tommy laughed, thinking of his
best friend.
“Please, go away,” John begged. “I did what you asked. I
told everyone at school to leave you guys alone.”
Tommy smiled. “And you did a wonderful job. But that's not
why I am here John.”
John looked at Tommy, still staring at the history book.
Most bullies are really wimps deep down inside. They
usually crack the minute someone gives them a dose of their
own medicine. And Tommy was good at dishing out the
medicine. And John had cracked open just like the San
Andreas fault.
“I understand you don't like homosexuals. You like to stuff
them in garbage cans. Of course now I understand since you
live in a garbage can.” Tommy said shaking his head.
“Jesus, I thought he was a 'mackerel snapper' from
Charleston Catholic,” John moaned. “You mean that little
'fagot' goes to Briarwood?” He knew the minute the words
came out of his mouth that it was a mistake.
“John, John, John. When are you going to learn to engage
your brain before your mouth? That boy didn't do anything to
you. Just like me and Bruce, he was simply walking down the
street. You could have passed him by with a 'hello' or a polite
wave. But again, you made the wrong choice.” Tommy pushed
his forearm deeper and raised one eyebrow. “Shame on you,”
Tommy paused. “You're real close to pissing me off. And you
know what happens when I get pissed off.” He lifted up the
history book and leveled it six inches away from the boys
mouth.
“Yeah , yeah, I get it. I'm sorry man. I really am.”
“That's nice John. Real nice.” Tommy laid the book back on
the bed and patted John on the forehead.
“I just wanted to stop by and tell you I was adding Gavin
Davies to the list of people whose safety you are now
responsible for. Same deal as before. You will tell all your
goons to leave that kid alone. One more garbage can incident,
any bullying, any derogatory comments,”
he stopped, wondering if this boy even understood the
meaning of the word 'derogatory.'
“That means you can't say anything bad about Gavin. Got
it?” Tommy continued.
“Yeah, yeah I got it,” John said, fear permeating his voice.
Tommy patted him on the cheek.
“Good boy, John. Good boy. You know if I hear of anything
or he is harmed in any way, I will come for you. And I won't be
near as nice the next time. I still have the baseball bat I told
you about. It's right next to my bed,” He smiled sarcastically. It
was a little white lie.
“Maybe I should start carrying it around with me. You know,”
he paused and sneered at John.
“Just in case.” He then patted the boy on the cheek again
as he rose from the bed. He thought he may have to throw his
clothes away. A long shower was definitely in order when he
got back to 'The Holley.'
Tommy looked down and noticed the wet spot between the
boys legs. He literally had scared the piss out of him. It was
hard not to laugh.
“I hope I don’t have to have any more of these talks with
you. It is getting old. And I really would rather not have to
come back here. So I am going to leave now and let you go
back to sleepy time.” That being said, Tommy turned around
and headed towards the door.
When Tommy got to the doorway, he turned and smiled at
the boy.
“Sleep tight now. Bye-Bye.” As he closed the door quietly,
John could not see the snicker on Tommy's face.
Bruce was standing on the sidewalk with John's mother
who was watching him like a hawk.
“Thank you very much ma'am. I appreciate your hospitality,”
Tommy said as he exited the house.
“I thought you brought that book over to loan to John.” she
said.
“No ma'am. I just wanted to show it to him,” Tommy smiled.
He saw it, and now we shall leave.”
“Come on Bruce,” Tommy said. “Let's go.”
Bruce turned around and Tommy joined him on the
sidewalk. He could not resist.
“Yessa massa Tommy. We be goin' now.”
Bruce made sure he was two steps behind Tommy as they
walked away. It was a wonderful performance. He even
shuffled his feet a little as he walked.
Tommy was glad the bully's mother could not see his
reaction.
Tommy took a few steps then turned back around and
waved to the lady. “Thanks again,” he said with a huge smile.
Of course he wasn't smiling at her, he was smiling at Bruce.
She watched them walk away and thought to herself. 'What
a nice young man.'
They got about a block away when Tommy turned to Bruce.
“I kinda feel sorry for John,” he said. “Living in a place like
that.” He then told Bruce how filthy the house was.
Bruce listened for a moment, then looked at his roommate
and best friend.
“Are you nuts?” he exclaimed. “You feel sorry for him? That
scumbag lives that way because he wants to. He can't do
some dishes, wash some clothes? Not to mention himself?
Pick up some trash? Let me tell you something my friend.
That moron has more opportunities in life than my parents
ever had. They had to fight through all the barriers. My dad
worked his way through undergraduate school as a
dishwasher in a restaurant that he couldn't even patronize. My
mother cleaned white people's houses and went to night
school. They busted their butts. And that idiot is upstairs
sleeping on a Sunday morning. You and I were both up at six
this morning hitting the books,” he paused.
“Mr. Roberts could be doing the same thing. He chooses
not to do it. Let me repeat that. He chooses not to do that. It's
on him. He is making these choices. No, I don't feel a damn
bit sorry for him. He's lazy, that's all,” Bruce paused eyeing his
friend for a reaction.
Bruce let out a sigh. “Tommy, I know you try to understand.
But it's hard. You don't have to face the barriers my parents
did. Or me for that matter. You have to realize that to have any
chance at getting ahead, blacks have to be better. We have to
behave better, we have to act better, and we have to work
twice as hard as any white man to get ahead. And most of our
own community won't admit to it. They want, and expect it to
be handed to them. I call it the 'whitey owes me' syndrome.”
Tommy had never heard Bruce talk like this and he liked it.
“Did I tell you about running into an old friend from sixth
grade the last time I went home for a weekend?” he asked.
Bruce was on a roll.
Tommy shook his head. “No,” he replied. This conversation
was getting interesting.
“Ran into him in downtown Morgantown. Sitting on a corner
throwing dice. Dropped out of high school. He ranted and
raved for ten minutes about how 'whitey' had wronged him
and his ancestors. On and on he went about how it was
everyone else's fault. That's part of the problem in the poor
black community and in the poor white community. One word,
Tommy. Lazy. That's it. He had the same educational
opportunities that I did. We went to the same elementary
school that I attebded. We had the same teachers. You know
what the difference is?” he didn't give Tommy time to respond.
“Difference here is a work ethic. My parents have it, I have it
and Tommy, you have it. Obviously, Mr. Roberts doesn't have
it.”
Tommy was silent.
“Tommy, my great grandfather was born a slave. Two
generations later his grandson is a well respected attorney.
He didn't get where he is by feeling sorry for himself, or
bitching about how 'whitey' had wronged his ancestors. No, he
got there by working his ass off. He made something of
himself. So did my mother. They took the hard road to
success,” he paused.
“You're right, it all starts at home, doesn't it?” Tommy smiled.
“Yes it does Tommy. By the time kids are seven or eight
years old, the lifestyle is ingrained in them. So, to hell with
John Roberts. And my ex-friend back in Morgantown. I'm not
wasting any more of my precious brain cells thinking about
them or their kind. I don’t care what our school creed says.
We are better than them. My parents worked their asses off to
get what we have and I'll be damned if I will apologize to
anyone for that.”
Bruce stopped. Tommy had folded his arms across his
chest and was smiling from ear to ear.
He had never heard Bruce talk like this.
“You are going to make a damn fine Republican.” Tommy
said with a laugh, as he started to walk towards 'The Holley'.
Bruce realized he did not ask Tommy about his
conversation with Gavin's attacker.
“So how did it go?” Bruce asked.
“Let me put it this way. I doubt that Gavin will have any
more issues with those guys from Charleston High.”
“Good. Did you scare him?” Bruce asked.
Tommy laughed. “Yeah, I think I did.”
They walked another few blocks.
Bruce chuckled. "Damn, we should have brought your T
Bird."
"No, the walk was good for us." Tommy replied as they
continued their stroll. "Gave me some time to cool off."
Bruce laughed and slapped his friend on the back.
“Bruce?” Tommy asked. “Where in the world did you learn
to talk like that? You damn sure didn't learn it at home.”
Bruce looked at his best friend and smiled. “I have this
distant cousin. Unfortunately, he talks that way all the time.”
“Really?” Tommy asked.
“Yeah. We don't see much of that side of the family. They
claim that mom and dad 'sold out' to whitey.”
“That's not selling out Bruce, that's just working hard to get
ahead.” Tommy sighed.
Bruce smiled. “Thank God they did, and passed that on to
me.”
Tommy gave his friend a friendly jab in the ribs.
“Yeah, And don't you ever call me 'massa' again.” Tommy
said with a chuckle.
They laughed all the way back to 'The Holley.'
They made one small side trip on the way back to 'The
Holley.' Tommy wanted to stop at Hecks and purchase a
baseball bat. Just in case.
CHAPTER 33 SO LONG MOTHER MILLER
LATE APRIL 1968
Tommy had a habit of going down to the cafeteria, getting a
cup of coffee and just sitting at one of the tables. He liked to
study in that great big room. He could go off in a corner and be
by himself.
It was early May and Tommy was concentrating on his
English Literature book when Daniele tapped him on the
shoulder.
“Hi Tommy, want some company?”
Tommy smiled and motioned to the bench. “With you,
anytime.”
“Did you hear the big news today?” she asked him as she
sat down.
Tommy's day had been a bit on the hectic side. He had
come down to the cafeteria when he got out of his last class
and planned to study before dinner. He like to sit and smell
the aromas as the staff prepared dinner for the students. It was
his alone time.
“What news?”
Daniele sighed. “Mother Miller is leaving us.”
“Really?” Tommy replied. “Are you sure?”
Danny shook her head. “Yep. I heard that her sister in
Florida has taken ill and she's retiring to go take care of her.”
Tommy smiled. “Wow, when I got here, I was told that she
refused to retire when she came of retirement age. Wanted to
stay here forever. This was her family.”
Danny smiled. “That's what I heard too. That's why
everyone is so surprised.”
“I am sorry to hear about her sister. Hell, I didn't even know
she had a sister.” Tommy looked down at the table, then his
head popped up.
“Danny, we need to throw her a going away party.”
Daniele's eyes opened wide, and she smiled broadly.
“Yes, yes, of course we do.” She patted Tommy's hands.
“Leave it to me friend. I'll get with the girls and set it all up.”
“Can I help?” Tommy asked.
Danny thought for a moment then smiled. “Yes, Tommy you
can.”
“OK, what can I do?”
“You sir, can give the going away speech. No way Ethridge
can let everyone talk. It would take forever.”
“Danny, I am not a speech giver.”
Danny laughed. “Come on Tommy, I've heard you filling in
for the news guys over at WCHS. You can use a different
name if you want to, but I know T.C. Andrews when I hear him.
Voices never change.”
Tommy laughed. “OK, I'm busted. I wasn't aware you were
a Fan of country music,” he said with a laugh.
“I always wanted to ask you why you used a different
name.” Danny said. “I assumed you didn't want any of us to
know you were doing the news on the radio.”
Tommy shook his head. “No, it was their idea. They thought
'Tommy' was too juvenile, and 'Thomas' too formal. I wanted
to use 'T.C.' but the 'C' came out too much like a 'G' and they
thought it would confuse people.”
Danny laughed. “So, you became Jerry Needler?”
“Yeah, in honor of an old and dear friend back home.”
It would be a huge gathering. As they planned the party,
Daniele realized that they didn't have enough room for
everyone in the cafeteria, but Tommy had the answer.
The next morning, he walked over to Charleston Catholic
and talked to Sister Harriet. She was happy to offer the
services of their huge cafeteria.
Every student, every teacher, and every staff member came
to the party. Sister Harriet gave the blessing and a long
speech honoring Mother Miller for not only her years of
service to Briarwood, but her many years of volunteering at
various charities around the city. Even Charleston Mayor
Elmer Dodson stopped by, giving her a key to the city.
Everyone loved Mother Miller. An editorial in the Charleston
Gazette honored her service as well.
Mr. Ethridge introduced Tommy.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I am so honored that our students
love Mrs. Miller so much, they wanted to throw her this
gathering. And a special thank you to the wonderful people
here at Charleston Catholic for helping us out. Not only with
the use of their cafeteria but helping with the food as well.
And thank you to Sister Harriet for the wonderful blessing and
all the kind words. The students all wanted to come up and
speak about their love for this woman, but we would be here
until next week. So, they chose Tommy Andrews to speak for
them.”
He motioned to Tommy. “Tommy, it's all yours.”
Tommy came up to the microphone and cleared his throat.
“Thank you, Mr. Ethridge. Good evening,” he glanced
around the crowd.
“Before I get to the thank you from all of the students. I
would like to add a personal note and my own special thank
you to each and every one of you. And I am so happy to be
able to do this in front of all of you,” he paused looking down at
his notes.
“As you know, the last couple of months have been
extremely difficult for me. Losing a family member in that far
away place is something no one should ever have to endure.
But I got through it because of the love and support of each
and every one of you in this room. But I want to single out
several people. Mr. Ethridge of course, and my best friend and
roommate Bruce Walker. I could not have survived it without
them.” Tommy stopped and looked at them with love in his
eyes. “And Mrs. Reitz who always knows the right thing to
say,” he paused and smiled at Janice. “After I returned from
Indiana, I went to see two very special people. Mother
Miller and Sister Harriet. I'm not the most religious person in
the world, and have never even been inside of a Catholic
Church. But that didn't matter to Sister Harriet. She helped
guide me through the pain, and Mother Miller gave me a
shoulder to cry on. I love them both. Thank you from the
bottom of my heart,” he paused and motioned to both of them
to stand.
They received a standing ovation.
When they were seated, Tommy continued.
“I worried about how to convey our feelings towards Mother
Miller. I wanted to say all the right things and express the love
that each and every one of us here has for her,” he smiled.
“So, I wrote a poem.” Tommy expected a laugh or two, but
none came.
“Anyway, with extreme apologies to the English
departments of both schools,” Tommy smiled broadly.
When the cooks get mean and the kitchen's too hot,
We really appreciate Mother Miller a lot.
And when the gravy's too thin and the meat has a smell,
We count on her not to break down and yell.
When rolling pins fly through the air, How happy we
are, that Mother Miller is there.
When the cooks are fuming and want to fight.
She knows just what to say to make it alright.
Yes, she's confident and firm, ornery and bright,
Our dear Mother Miller is an utter delight.
That's why we feared a day like today, when our dear
sweet, Mother Miller has to go away.
She's on her way to Florida, and there she will stay,
where the 4:30 meal is the most important of the day.
She will be living in Palmetto, where they can all the
tomatoes.
We'll all try to be good, like she thinks we should.
And we will always remember, looking forward to
September.
But from the bottom of our hearts, we wish her luck.
Whether she climbs Mt. Everest or drives a truck.
May she always be free from worry and strife,
And we all want to thank her for coming into our life.
We
love you, Mother Miller.
Everyone stood and applauded as they turned to Mother
Miller. Tears were coming down her cheeks.
As the applause died down someone in the back started
the chant.
“Speech, speech, speech,”
Tommy motioned for her to come up to the podium.
With reluctance, Mother Miller walked up and hugged
Tommy.
“I'm not a speech giver Tommy, really.” she whispered in his
ear.
Tommy hugged her again and smiled.
“Just pretend you're standing at the doorway of the
cafeteria greeting us for dinner.”
She wiped a tear away as she approached the microphone.
“Thank you all, thank you. I am not a speech giver but I want
to express my love and gratitude to Mr. Ethridge and Daniele
for setting this up, and Tommy for the wonderful poem, "she
smiled as she paused.
“Son, I hope you study Engineering, because you're not
going to make a living writing poetry.”
Everyone including Tommy broke out in laughter.
“Seriously, this has been my home and family for many,
many years, and it is so hard to leave you,” she started to cry.
Tommy walked up and put his arm around her in a show of
support.
“I planned to be here forever, but I have learned that
nothing is forever,” she continued. “I move on to a new part of
my life, but will have love and gratitude in my heart for each
and every one of you, forever. God bless you all.”
Everyone was in tears.
Tommy and Daniele walked back to the 'The Holley'
together.
“We did a good thing didn't we?” Daniele asked.
Tommy smiled.
“Yes, we did, Danny. I am going to miss Mother Miller,” he
said with a sigh.
“Why the sigh Tommy?”
Tommy stopped and took Dannys hand.
“Because she is right. Nothing is forever. Some day we are
all going to go our own way, just like Mother Miller.”
Danny squeezed his hand.
“Yes, we will all go off to college and have lives. You and
Dawn, and me and someone to be named later,” she laughed.
“But Tommy, you and I are friends. You, me, Bruce, Sherri,
and a host of others. We will always be in each other's lives.
We may not see each other every day, but we will see each
other once in a while. And we will forever be in each other's
hearts," she looked up at him and smiled.
“Got it?”
Tommy smiled. How he loved this place and the people
around him. “Yeah Danny, I got it.”
CHAPTER 37 PIEDMONT FLIGHT 230
Piedmont Airlines flight 230 originated in Louisville, KY and
left Cincinnati, OH at 8:05 with IFR clearance to Charleston,
WV.
After stopping in Charleston they would proceed to
Roanoke, Lynchburg and Newport News, VA
They were aboard a Fairchild-Hiller 227N aircraft with the
tail number N712U. The craft was powered by twin Rolls
Royce RDA7-MK-532-7 engines equipped with Dowty Rotel
R-193/4-30-4/50 propellers.
The plane could carry 44 passengers and a crew of three.
Forty-year-old Gene A Suggs was the captain. With 6884
pilot hours and 2809 hours on the F-27/227 aircraft,
Captain Suggs had been with the airline since 1955 and
was upgraded to captain in May of 1965. His last first class
medical certificate was dated April 30 1968 and was issued
with no waivers. He completed his last line check on May
20 1968 and passed his proficiency check in a Martin 404
on July 17,1968.
He looked over at his co-pilot.
The First officer was John F. Messick. At age 34, he had
been with Piedmont since 1966. John was rated for both
single and multi engine aircraft. He had 3722 hours in flight
with 403 hours in the F-27/227 type aircraft. His last
proficiency check was completed just this past May.
After leaving Cincinnati, the craft leveled off at ten
thousand feet for the flight to Charleston. John had told
Flight Attendant Anna Pearl Steward that they expected a
smooth ride all the way, and she could go ahead and start the
beverage service.
Everyone on the plane seemed to be in a good mood.
As Ms. Steward went down the isle, she noticed one man
with a notebook open in his lap. He was deep in thought and
did not hear her when she asked if he would like something.
“Sir,” she asked again. “Would you like a beverage?”
He finally looked up and smiled. “Sorry ma'am, I was
engrossed in my lesson plans. I was not paying attention.”
Anna smiled. “That's OK, happens all the time. Would you
like some coffee?”
The man shook his head. “No thank you. I had way too
much already today.” He looked down at his notebook and
continued to write .
Anna Steward proceeded down the isle to to the next
passenger.
The decent into Charleston was as smooth as the rest of
the flight. The plane was on an 'Instrument Landing' approach
to runway 23 at the Kanawha County Airport.
“Well, looks like our altimeters were within reason,” Gene
said.
“Yeah,” John agreed.
“Yeah, I like that altimeter,” the captain commented.
John glanced over. “Boy, you know it. Reads right
about the middle marker there. I always watch that radio
altimeter.”
Gene whistled. “I go by this one on a field like this
close one.” It would be his thirty fifth landing in Charleston
in the past six months.
“Yeah” John replied as the captain increased power.
“Too many valleys here,” Gene said as he gazed out of the
front window. “Ask him, John. Ask him if he's got his lights
turned all the way up.”
“Tower, Piedmont 230. Have you got the lights turned all
the way up?”
Captain Suggs increased his power a bit.
“230, Sure do, uh, a little fog right off the end there and it's
wide open after you get by that. It's more than a mile and a
half on the runway,” came the response from the tower.
Captain Suggs called for 'fuel trim'.
“I am going to hold this altitude,” he said.
John saw some lights. “I got the lights in sight down low.
Got it?” he asked.
The captain eased off on the power. “In sight. Thank you.”
“Everything’s good,” John remarked.
“Landing flaps.”
“I got to get to the chart right here. We're liable to lose it.”
John said. “Got the lights there?”
“Yeah, boy,” Gene said.
Gene started to ease off the power then all of a sudden
he increased power. He saw something that he did not like.
“Watch it!” John yelled.
Flight 230 was about to come to an end. It was 8:58 AM.
The aircraft first contacted some trees 360 feet from the
threshold of Runway 23. The initial ground contact was 250
feet short of the threshold and 33 feet below the runway
elevation. The plane continued up the hill coming to rest about
six feet beyond the threshold and 50 feet to the ridge edge of
runway 23.
Both engines were separated from the aircraft. Following
impact, an intense ground fire destroyed sections of the
fuselage and wing area. Firefighting personnel arrived at the
wreckage approximately two minutes after the crash and had
the fire under control within ten minutes.
Captain Suggs, First officer Messick, and Flight Attendant
Anna Pearl Steward, along with 29 passengers were killed on
impact. Five survivors were thrown clear of the aircraft during
the crash. Three of the five survivors succumbed the
following day.
One of the two remaining survivors was nineteen year old
Barbra Schiller of Cincinnati. She and two of her friends Judy
Benhase and Sue Boskin were on a holiday weekend trip
headed to Virginia Beach, VA.
“There wasn't any warning .. nothing .. nobody sensed
anything,” she said from her hospital bed. “I thought it was all
a bad dream, just a bad dream,” she sobbed. “I wasn't even
looking out the window when it happened. I blacked out and
when I woke up, they were throwing foam all over us.” Her two
friends were killed in the crash.
The NTSB would release their findings on August 21, 1969
a little more than a year after the fatal crash.
It was determined that the fatal crash of Flight 230, was
probably caused by “unrecognized loss of altitude orientation
during the final portion of an approach into shallow, dense fog.
The disorientation was caused by a rapid reduction in the
ground guidance segment available to the pilot, at a point
beyond which a 'go-around' could not be successfully
completed.”
CHAPTER 38 – AFTERMATH
Tommy heard about the crash when he arrived at the radio
station. He knew it was bad. Having just buried his brother five
months earlier, he felt sad for all those families.
WCHS immediately sent their news crew to the scene.
One of the producers asked if Tommy wanted to tag along. He
declined, but offered to help man the newsroom and the
phones.
Tommy had no urge to go to the site of an airliner
crash.
When he arrived back at 'The Holley' he thought it odd that
no one was in the recreation room. And there was no one at
the front desk for check ins. He was running late so he
decided to check in later and went down to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was not crowded, and he was surprised how
quiet everyone was. This was totally weird. Then he saw
Sherri Hawkins. Tears were streaming down her face.
“Sherri, what's wrong?” Tommy asked.
“He's dead Tommy, he's dead,” Sherri ran into his arms and
sobbed. “He was on that plane.”
“Sherri, who?” Tommy looked into her eyes.
“Mr. Hartwig, Tommy. Mr. Hartwig is dead.” she continued
to cry.
Tommy was stunned. He almost fainted.
“No Sherri, it has to be a mistake. He's in Cincinnati
visiting his sister.” Tommy said.
“Tommy?” He did not see Mr. Ethridge come into the
cafeteria. “Phil decided to come home a day early. He was on
Flight 230.”
“Sir,” Tommy said softly. “Are you sure?”
Mr. Ethridge started to choke up. He nodded.
“I just came back from the make shift morgue they set up
at a National Guard hanger at the airport. I identified the body
myself. Phil called me last night and told me his sister was
doing so well, he was changing his flight and coming home
this morning.”
Tommy went to the nearest chair and sat down. Memories
flooded his mind. The first thing he remembered was three
weeks of missed lunches as Mr. Hartwig gave him special
attention so he could do well in math. He also remembered a
telegram that he would cherish forever.
“Are you all right son?” he heard Mr. Ethridge say as he
placed his hand on Tommy's shoulder.
“It's so unfair Mr. Ethridge. Why him? He was such a good
man.” Tommy was holding back the tears.
Bruce also came in the cafeteria along with more of
Tommy's friends. They all knew how Tommy felt about their
math teacher. Bruce hugged his best friend.
Mr. Ethridge sat down next to Tommy.
“Son, Phil Hartwig thought the world of you. He did not
believe in having favorites. But I know that deep down, you
were his favorite,” Mr. Ethridge said softly.
“Did you know he sent me a telegram when George was
killed?”
“Yes, I was the one who told him about your brother. He
really hurt for you, son.”
Tommy looked deep into Mr. Ethridge's eyes.
“You and Mr. Hartwig were really close weren't you?”
“Yes, Phil Hartwig was the first teacher I hired when we
opened this school. He was a major force in the building of
Briarwood.” he paused. “And he was a dear friend. I am really
going to miss him.”
“Me too sir, me too,” Tommy said softly.
“Son, I want you to grieve for your friend and teacher. Then
tomorrow morning I want you to come see me at eight in my
office.”
“Sir?” Tommy did not understand.
Mr. Ethridge got up. “I need to make some phone calls and
do some thinking about how we can handle the rest of the
semester,” he said to his favorite student. “We'll talk in the
morning.” Then the Headmaster patted Tommy on the
shoulder. He then turned and walked away. Tommy knew he
was hurting too.
Tommy looked around the cafeteria. Sitting in the back
corner all by himself was a sobbing Gavin Davies.
Tommy walked over to him. He sat down and put his arms
around Gavin's shoulder.
“It'll be OK Gavin,” Tommy said softly.
Gavin looked up. Tears were streaming down his face.
“Mr. Hartwig was the only teacher here that really
understood me.” he cried.
“I know Gavin, I know,” was all Tommy could say. “We all
loved him.”
Tommy sat in the cafeteria for hours that evening. All the
students milled around. It was a somber crowd. Mr. Hartwig
was one of the most popular and respected teachers at
Briarwood. There were lots of tears.
Tommy wanted to write to Dawn, but he just could not put
pen to paper. 'Maybe tomorrow', he thought. Perhaps then he
could organize his thoughts.
Tommy did not sleep much that night. All he could think
about was his math teacher. It was so unfair.
The next morning, Tommy felt a little better. The news had
sunk in and Tommy knew there was nothing he could do to
change it.
He arrived at Mr. Ethridge's office right on time.
Tommy could tell that Mrs. Derosa had been crying. She
just motioned to Ray's office. Tommy went in.
Mr. Ethridge looked up at Tommy.
“Thank you for coming in on a Sunday morning. I won't ask
you how you slept, son,” he said with a sigh.
With a heavy sigh, Tommy sat down in the chair across
from his Headmaster.
“Tommy, I am canceling all classes for tomorrow and
Tuesday. I have asked some of our teachers to meet with all
the kids over at 'The Holley'. We have also asked all the day
students to assemble there as well.” he paused. “Mrs. Reitz
is going to be very busy for the next three days.”
"Yes sir,” Tommy said softly.
“And I want you to promise me you will talk to her.
Understand?” he tried to smile. “I know how close you and
Phil were, and I want to make sure that you deal with this
tragedy in the proper manner.”
“Yes sir, I will.”
“I talked to Sister Harriet at Charleston Catholic last night.
They will be having a short memorial service for us tomorrow
in their gym at three PM.”
Tommy nodded. “That is very kind of them to do that for us.”
“Now, we have to make some plans,” the headmaster
continued. “I would rather not move on right now, but that is my
job. I have to move on. I have five hundred students to worry
about.”
“Yes sir,” Tommy replied. He understood. “What can I do to
help?”
“I knew you would ask that question, son. And I do
desperately need your help right now. That's why I asked you
to come in this morning.”
He had Tommy's attention.
“This may sound strange, and I know it is totally
unorthodox.” he paused looking at Tommy. “I want you to take
over Phil's ninth and tenth grade classes for the rest of the
summer.”
Tommy was stunned. “Sir, I would do anything for you. You
must know that. But I am not a qualified teacher. The board of
directors will have a fit.”
Mr. Ethridge smiled. “No son, they won't. I talked to each
one of them about this idea. They are all one hundred percent
behind it and behind you.”
Tommy was speechless.
“Son, I have someone who has wanted to teach here at
Briarwood for a number of years. Well qualified. A great math
teacher. But Mrs. Bower won't be available until September.
So I need someone to fill in until then. Sister Harriet offered
the services of their top math teacher to take the junior and
senior classes. But she can't do them all.”
“Sir, can I do that? I mean is it like, legal?” Tommy was
shocked.
“Well, yes and no,” Mr. Ethridge replied. “According to the
State Board of Education rules, each class must be
monitored by a certified teacher. So we will have a certified
substitute in the class room at all times. She will issue grades
based on your lesson plans.”
“I don't know, sir. I want to help. I just don't know if I can do
it.”
“Doesn't matter what you think son. What matters is what I
think,” he finally smiled. “And I know you not only can do this,
but you will do a great job,” he paused.
“I suggest that the first thing you do is to talk to some of
the ninth and tenth graders. Find out exactly where they are in
their study plan. Then start formulating where you want to
take it. We can talk again tomorrow.”
“I have been helping a couple of the ninth graders, so I do
have a good idea where they are in their lessons.”
“Good,” Mr. Ethridge said.
“Is it OK if I am scared?” Tommy asked.
Mr. Ethridge laughed. “Phil Hartwig told me years ago
about the first time he walked into that classroom. This was
his first teaching job out of college. He was scared to death.
Said he shook like a leaf for a week,” he paused. “But you
have one advantage that he didn't have.”
Tommy looked at Mr. Ethridge. “And that is?” he asked.
“You'll have Mr. Hartwig right by your side the whole time,
looking down and guiding you through it.”
“Thank you sir, but would you mind terribly if I asked you
to tag along as well?” Tommy smiled.
“I will be right there with you son,” Mr. Ethridge smiled. He
reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a notebook.
“One more thing Tommy,” he said somberly as he handed
the notebook to Tommy.
“They found this with Phil,” Mr. Ethridge said. “He was still
holding it.” He paused.
Tommy looked at the charred notebook. He knew what it
was. The lesson plan for the rest of the term.
“I think you should have this,” Ethridge said to his favorite
student. “And I know Phil would want you to have it as well.”
Tommy Andrews was holding back the flood gates. He said
nothing as he turned and left Ethridge's office.
Tommy would cherish this last memento of his favorite
teacher, and friend.
Dearest Dawn,
I am so devastated. I wish you were here. Mr. Hartwig
was killed yesterday morning in that plane crash at the
Charleston airport. He had been in Cincinnati visiting his
sister who just had surgery and was on his way home.
She was the only family he had. Mr. Hartwig never
married and was alone. Now he is gone.
I never want to be alone. I want to be with you always.
The first thing I thought about when I heard about the
crash was you. I thought about how much I love you and
miss you, and never want to be away from you.
When I first came here, I wasn't sure about Mr. Hartwig.
Bruce told me he didn't have a lot of personality but was
the BEST math teacher in the state. Bruce was right. Mr.
Hartwig took his lunch hour for three weeks the first
summer I was here and helped me catch up. I will never
forget him.
Mr. Ethridge wants me to help out a substitute teacher
with Mr. Hartwigs ninth and tenth grade classes until a
replacement can be found. He tells me that even I can
teach the class as long as a certified teacher is in the
room. So I have put my independent study on hold for the
rest of the summer. I hope I can honor his memory and
help those ninth and tenth graders
just like Mr. Hartwig helped me that first summer.
I will never forget how kind he was to me. He always
asked me how I was doing. And he would ask about you
too.
He told me once. “When you find that love, don't ever
let it go. Treat it like it's the only love you will ever have.
Cherish it.”
I am really going to miss him.
This is turning into a really crappy year.
All my love
t
Tommy somehow got through the next few days. School
was canceled to allow students to get over the loss. Not one
student went home. Even the day students spent the time
hanging out with their classmates. They were a close knit
community, and they were all hurting.
A huge memorial service was held for Mr. Hartwig at St.
John's Episcopal Church and burial followed at Spring Hill
Cemetery.
As Tommy looked past the newly dug grave site, he could
see the gold covered dome of the state Capitol off in the
distance. He smiled knowing that his friend and teacher would
have this beautiful view for all eternity.
Mr. Hartwig had no close relatives other than his sister, but
he had a huge family at Briarwood. Mr. Ethridge arranged the
funeral, and unknown to everyone, he also paid for it. He
asked Tommy to be one of the pallbearers.
It brought back so many memories of another funeral and
another casket. Tommy had a hard time getting through that
day. He leaned on all of his friends to help him cope with his
latest loss.
Tommy spent every second he had preparing for his
classes. He was scared yet honored that he was being given
this huge responsibility. He wanted to be ready. He wanted to
honor Mr. Hartwig and do a good job.
Dearest Tommy,
I am so so so sorry about your friend and teacher. I can
tell how much you loved and respected him. That's one of
the many things I love about you. Your compassion for
people.
You have so much love in your heart.
And I know Mr. Hartwig shared those feelings. How
could he not?
Mr. Ethridge picked the right person to honor Mr.
Hartwig's memory and finish out his semester. It is such
an honor that he asked you. It tells you not only that he
loves you, BUT he respects and trusts you. Can you
imagine a teacher at Storer Jr High doing that???
I am sure those kids realize how much you care about
them and your school. They are gonna love you!!
But watch out for those ninth-grade girls!!!!!! I used to
be one!! ha ha !!!
You will get through this, and you will do a GREAT job.
When you get down and start to second guess
yourself, and your abilities, just think about me!!!!
I may be 300 miles away, but I am ALWAYS at your side.
I love you more and more every day. I am counting the
days until graduation next June, and then we will be
together forever. I am never going to let you out of my
sight !!
Keep holding on to that string. I am at the other end.
I love you so much
dawn xxxxxxxxoooooooxxxxooo
CHAPTER 39 NEW MATH
Cathy Bower was tall and thin, her brown hair was cut
short. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, she had come
to Charleston three years earlier when her husband was
transferred to West Virginia. She filled her time doing some
substitute teaching while she waited for a full time position to
become available. Cathy had sparkle in her eyes and a bit of
a bounce in her step as she entered the classroom for the
first time. Black glasses hung down on a chain around her
neck. The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the newcomer.
“Class, may I have your attention?” she said loudly, eyeing
the fifteen students in front of her. A look of horror appeared
on everyones face. Then she smiled.
“I didn't mean to scare you,” she laughed. “I wanted your
attention when I say what I'm about to say.” She pulled her
chair from her desk and rolled it as close to the students as
she could before she sat down.
“I want you to know that I have wanted to be a part of this
school ever since I came to Charleston and first heard about
Briarwood. I would have done anything to obtain a position
here. In fact I've been pestering poor Mr. Ethridge for three
years,” she paused. “But the way I got this job is sad, and it's
bittersweet. It takes all the joy right out of it. I can not imagine
how you must feel.” She got up and walked between two rows
of students.
“I did not know Mr. Hartwig, but I certainly have heard
much about him. I know he was not only a great teacher but a
friend to each and every one of you.” Several of the students
nodded their heads.
“I can no more replace Mr. Hartwig, than you can forget Mr.
Hartwig, “ she paused looking at one student. “So lets not try,
OK? Let's honor his memory by never forgetting.”
Tommy Andrews nodded and tried to smile.
“I will make you one promise,” she smiled. “I will do
everything in my power to help you achieve all your goals. I
will help you to make Mr. Hartwig proud. We will finish what he
started and so desperately wanted to finish.”
She rolled her chair back behind her desk and turned to
the blackboard. It was time to begin a new era at Briarwood.
As Tommy started to leave class, Mrs. Bower called after
him.
“Mr. Andrews, can we speak for a moment, please?”
Tommy walked over to her.
“Yes ma'am.” he said.
“Son, I know how difficult this is for you. You and Mr.
Hartwig were very close and Mr. Ethridge told me how much
he thought of you.”
“Yes ma'am. When I first got here Mr. Hartwig spent his
lunch hour for three weeks helping me catch up. He was a
wonderful man.”
“Yes he was. And I want you to know that I will never try to
replace him. All I can do is continue what he started.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“I don't know if I can fill his shoes.”
Tommy thought she was about to cry.
“Mrs. Bower, don't try to fill his shoes. No one can,” Tommy
smiled broadly. “Just be yourself. Fill your own shoes. It'll be
OK.”
“Thank you. I will do my best,” she said softly.
“Ma'am, may I make a suggestion?” Tommy said as he
gazed around the room.
“Yes, what is it?” she asked.
“Change this room,” Tommy waved his arms in a circle.
“Why would I do that?” Cathy asked. “It looks fine to me.”
“Because it still looks like Mr. Hartwig's room. And every
time we see it, we will remember and be sad. Make this your
room, not Mr. Hartwig's. Move the desks around, change the
wall hangings. Make your mark on this room. Make it yours,”
he smiled. “I think it will help. I know it will help me.”
Cathy Bower looked at Tommy. Deep down she knew that
he was trying to help. And he was right. She knew
immediately that this young boy and her would be just fine.
“That may be the best idea I've heard in a long long time,”
she said with a smile.
“Good, I'm glad I could help,” Tommy said with a grin.
“Speaking of help, there is one more thing,” she said
softly. “I was talking to my first period ninth graders this
morning. They went on and on about how much you helped
them this summer.”
“Thank you. Except for the circumstances, it was fun. They
are all great kids.”
“Yes, they are. They actually asked me to do them a favor,
and ask you if you would be willing to help out again this fall
term.”
“Help out?” Tommy asked.
“Yes, they want you to help me teach their class. Kind of be
my assistant. You would come to class, teach some of the
lessons and be available at 'The Holley' for help,” she paused
and smiled. “Are you interested?”
Tommy thought for a moment. He did have that hour free
each morning.
“Ma'am, if that's what you want and it's OK with Mr.
Ethridge, I would be honored to help out.”
“That's wonderful, thank you. I'll set it up with Mr. Ethridge.
And it will be a great way for us to get to know each other,”
she added with a smile.
Tommy nodded. He was dreading this first day of math
class without his favorite math teacher. This woman had
done everything she could to put everyone at ease and make
it better for them. He liked her immediately, and decided that
it would be all right. It would be what Mr. Hartwig would have
wanted. He would make him proud.
CHAPTER 40 CHEATING
The first six weeks of the new term went by in a flash.
Tommy was beginning to be more comfortable with his new
math teacher. And he was enjoying helping out in first period.
As he entered “The Holley” after an evening at the library,
he saw Daniele Cotter sitting over in the corner of the lobby
all by herself. Tommy had noticed that Danny had not been
her usual cheery self the past few days. He decided to see if
he could help.
As he walked over to where she was sitting, he smiled.
“Hi Danny. Mind if I sit down?” he asked.
Daniele looked up and nodded, but did not speak.
“Danny, are you OK?” Tommy asked. “I've noticed that you
have been out of sorts all week. Anything I can do to help?”
All of a sudden Daniele put her arms around Tommy and
started to sob as she hugged him.
“Oh Tommy, I don't know what to do,” she sobbed.
Tommy immediately had a flashback to a few months
earlier and another sobbing teenage girl. His stomach felt like
a dagger had just been thrust into it. 'Please, please', he
thought. 'Not her.'
With one finger, he moved her hair away from her eyes
and looked at her.
“What's wrong?” Tommy paused. “Whatever it is, you can
count on me and all your friends here at 'The Holley'.
“I can't talk about it,” she said looking down at the floor. “At
least not here.” She gazed around the huge room.
Tommy took her hand and smiled. “Come on friend, lets go
for a walk.”
They left 'The Holly' and started to walk down Quarrier
street. Tommy said nothing as he held her hand and walked.
And waited.
It took Daniele about two blocks to compose herself.
It was the longest two block walk in Tommy's life.
“Tommy, do you know what the school does if someone
cheats on an exam?”
Tommy stopped dead in his tracks. A wave of relief washed
over him. “Danny, are you in trouble here? Don't tell me you
cheated on an exam?
Danny's eyes got huge.
“No Tommy. Not me. You know me better than that.”
“I do, that's why I would be totally devastated. Not to
mention surprised as hell. I think you better tell me the whole
story.”
Daniele squeezed his hand and smiled.
“A few days ago I was in the library and accidentally
overheard Jimmy Ruble and Jeff Ellis talking about Mr.
Moorland's midterm,” she paused. “I wasn't being nosy
Tommy, honest.”
“People forget how voices carry in that huge room,” he
smiled. “What did they say?”
“It seems they got a hold of a copy of the test. I didn't hear
how they did it,” she started to cry again. “I assume they stole
it.”
“I know I need to tell Mr. Ethridge, but I don't want to be
known as a 'snitch,'” she looked down at the pavement.
“Do they know that you know?” Tommy asked.
“Well Jimmy knows that I was in the library. He gave me
some weird looks when he saw me.”
“OK, we can deal with that. Anyone else know?”
“Just Gavin. We walked over to the library together.”
Tommy thought for a second. He was surprised that Gavin
did not say anything to him about it.
“You didn't mention it to Sherrie or Linda? I know you guys
are as thick as thieves,” he paused realizing that that was the
wrong word to use in this situation.
Daniele bailed him out with a huge laugh.
“No, I did not tell them,” she said. “Tommy, I have thought
about it and thought about it. I know I need to tell Mr. Ethridge.
But I'm afraid.”
“Give me a day,” Tommy said. “Then, if we have to, we will
go to Mr. Ethridge together.”
Danny smiled. She was glad she talked to Tommy. He
would know how to deal with this.
When they got back to “The Holley” Danny gave Tommy a
hug before getting on the elevator.
“Thank you Tommy. I should have come to you sooner,”
she started to cry.
Tommy reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.
“It's OK Danny, it's OK,” he said as she got on the elevator.
He was still staring at her when the doors closed.
Tommy went up to seven and immediately knocked on the
door to room 708.
When Gavin saw the look on Tommy's face he knew that his
friend had been informed of the situation.
“Come on in Tommy,” he said softly. “I hope to God that
Danny told you.”
Tommy sat down on the desk chair. “Gavin, why in the hell
didn't you come to me,” he asked.
Gavin smiled. “Because Mr. Ethridge told me not to.”
“He told you?” Tommy said in amazement.
Gavin paced around the room.
“I have to admit that I went straight to him about this. I
didn't want to involve you or anyone else. What they did was
wrong, and it needed to be dealt with,” he sat down in another
chair next to Tommy.
“Tommy, I know that Danny didn't want to be a snitch, so I
decided to take the fall for her. The problem was, Ethridge
knew all about it before I got there. I assumed that Ethridge
knew that Daniele heard as well so I mentioned her name,” he
paused.
Tommy knew that was a mistake.
“I didn't mean to Tommy, honest. Ethridge told me to keep
my trap closed about it. He said that Daniele has to come
forward or she would be as guilty as Ruble and Ellis.”
Tommy just shook his head.
“This is not good Gavin, not good at all.”
Gavin started to cry. “Tommy, I wanted to tell you. I really
did. You're the best friend I've ever had. I didn't want to keep it
from you. Danny is going to hate me.”
“No, Danny will not hate you.”
“Tommy, I don't think you can fix this one,” Gavin sobbed.
“Never say never my friend,” Tommy chuckled. “You get
some sleep, it'll be OK.”
Tommy left his friend and went back to his room. He did
not say anything to Bruce. 'Too many people already know
about this,' he thought.
Early the next morning, Tommy arrived at Mr. Ethridge's
office. Mr. Ethridge had not arrived yet, so Tommy waited
patiently.
Mr. Ethridge smiled when he saw Tommy standing by his
office door. “Good morning young man. How are you this fine
day?”
“Fine sir, fine. But I think we need to talk.” he said seriously.
“Oh, oh. Sounds important Tommy, come on in.”
They entered Ray's office and Tommy waited to sit until his
mentor pulled out his huge office chair. He folded his arms
across his chest and smiled.
“We have a problem sir,” Tommy looked down at the floor.
“A problem son, or an opportunity?” Ray asked with a smile.
Tommy took a breath.
“I know that you know that Jimmy Ruble and Jeff Ellis stole
a copy of Mr. Moorland's mid term science exam,” he waited
for his Headmaster to reply.
“Yes, I know the whole sorted story,” he sighed. “And what
part are you playing in all of this? I know you aren't involved.”
Tommy sighed. “I talked to Danny last night sir. I noticed
that she had been quiet the last few days and I was worried
about her. She told me the whole story.”
“That's all fine and dandy young man. But she needs to
come in here and tell me the whole Story,” he paused. “If she
wants to avoid expulsion.”
“But sir, she didn't steal the test. She just heard about it.”
“I know Tommy. You're well aware that here at Briarwood
we take honor and honesty very seriously. If she does not
come to me, she will be just as guilty as if she had taken the
exam.”
Tommy got a worried look on his face.
“Sir, she is worried about being labeled as a 'snitch'. Is
there any way around this?”
“I can help her on that one,” he smiled. “Someone has
already taken the hit on that score.”
“Yes sir,” Tommy smiled. “I talked to him too.”
Mr. Ethridge grinned. “Does everyone at this school know
about this affair?” he asked.
“No sir, just Daniele, Gavin, and myself. That's it,” he
paused. “I think,” he said with a smile.
“Let's try to keep it that way. We have not finished our
investigation. So don't say anything to Keith or to Mr. Ruble
and Mr. Ellis.”
“Of course sir,” Tommy replied. “I am not that close to
Jimmy and Jeff.”
“And Tommy?” Mr. Ethridge smiled. “Get that girl in to see
me today. I do not want to see Daniele get into trouble. She is
to smart and too honest. But there are rules here that even I
have to follow.”
“Sir?” Tommy turned serious. “Can I ask you what going to
happen to them?”
“You know the answer to that one, son. Cheating is not
tolerated at Briarwood. If they are found guilty, they will both
be expelled. No reprieve. No second chances. This rule is
explained to every student on their very first day.”
“Yes sir, I remember. How much trouble is Danny in, sir?”
“Miss Cotter will be fine as soon as she comes and talks to
me. Don't worry.”
“Oh one more question sir.” Tommy said. “Will Danny have
to testify before the Board of Directors?”
“I will try to keep her name out of it. Gavin has agreed to
testify and that should be enough.”
Tommy smiled. “Thank you sir, thank you.”
“Tommy,” Mr. Ethridge sighed. “This is a very rare
occurrence at Briarwood. In all my years running this school,
we've only had one other incident of cheating. I am
embarrassed about it. And I don't like what I am going to have
to do to those two young men, but I have to do what I have to
do.”
Tommy got up and smiled. “Sir, I'll bet you that no other
high school in the country has as good a track record as
Briarwood in that regard. Focus on that. Not a couple of rotten
eggs. One thing I learned from my grandfather is that
everyone is responsible for their own actions. These two
deserve whatever punishment they receive. They are an
embarrassment to the rest of us who go to class and study
hard. The ones who would never dream of cheating. And sir,
that amounts to 99.999 percent of Briarwood students.”
Mr. Ethridge smiled. “Thank you son.”
Tommy had a late class with Daniele and caught up to her
as they were leaving class.
“Danny, we need to talk.” Tommy said with a smile.
“Am I in trouble Tommy?” she asked.
“No you are not in trouble. You just have to go over to
Ethridge's office and tell him what happened. That's all. It'll be
OK.”
As they walked down the hall Tommy explained.
“The rules are simple Danny. Anyone caught cheating gets
expelled. And its only happened here once. The problem is
that anyone who knows about it and does not report it is as
guilty as those who cheated.”
“So I have to go and tell Ethridge?”
Tommy sighed. “Yeah, you have no choice,” then he smiled.
“But it's OK. Ethridge says you probably won't have to
testify before the board. Gavin is taking the hit on that.”
Daniele looked relieved. “That kid is very special Tommy.
He does not have to do that.”
“Well, he likes you and he knew how worried you were,”
Tommy grinned.
“Well, sport. Let's go get this over with,” Daniele smiled.
“You did say you would go with me?” she asked.
Tommy smiled back as he held out his hand and together
they walked over to Mr. Ethridge's office.
After a short walk the two friends entered Mr. Ethridge's
office. They were greeted by Mrs. Derosa.
“Miss Cotter, glad you stopped by. Mr. Ethridge has been
waiting for you,” she said with a smile.
“Yes ma'am,” Danny replied.
“You can go on in,” Mrs. Derosa said to her as she
motioned to Raymonds office door.
Tommy started to follow but Mrs. Derosa stopped him.
“Just her son,” she said with a smile. “You can wait out here.”
Tommy shot Danny a look of support and smiled. Danny
opened the door and entered.
Fifteen minutes later she emerged from the Headmasters
office.
“Well?” Tommy eagerly asked.
Danny smiled as she put her arms around Tommy and
hugged him.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Tommy nodded and led her out of the office.
“He was very nice about it Tommy. He just said I should
have come to him sooner. We talked a lot about honor and
the school. He said he was proud of me for doing the right
thing.”
Tommy smiled.
“See, I told you so,” Tommy laughed. “Honesty is the best
policy.”
“Yeah, then he gave me twenty demerits for waiting so
long,” she paused. “But he was smiling when he did it.”
Hand in hand the two walked back to “The Holley” for
dinner and study time.
Two days later Mr. Moorland gave a different exam. Both
Jimmy Ruble and Jeff Ellis appeared before the board of
directors. Gavin explained what he had overheard in the
library.
Rather than fight the inevitable, both boys admitted to what
they had done, and were immediately expelled. Gavin was
never labeled as a 'snitch'. Many thought he was brave in
going to Mr. Ethridge. It would be years before another
cheating scandal would find its way to the halls at Briarwood.
CHAPTER 41 CHRISTMAS BREAK 1968
Tommy and Gary wanted to go to Anderson to see the
Bearcats play in the Holiday Tournament. The girls promised
to go along if the boys agreed to take them to a nice dinner in
between sessions.
It was a fun day as the 'Cats overpowered New Castle
63-48. The fun was short lived as Anderson dispatched the
Cats in the championship game 72-65.
“You know Tommy, I always thought that Kim Kaufman
should have played more last year,” Gary commented as they
left the “Wig Wam.”
“Yeah, he looked pretty good today,” Tommy replied. “He
has the jump shot I wish I had.”
“You guys are having a great year,” Gary laughed. “Six and
two is pretty good after your last two seasons.”
As the four friends made their way to Tommy's car, Denise
suddenly stopped, then she moved behind Gary as if to shield
herself from danger.
“Don't let him see me,” she cried out softly.
“Who?” Gary asked.
“T-T-Torbin,” Dee said quietly. It was the first time in three
years that Denise had stuttered.
Gary then realized that Dave Torbin was walking towards
them.
Tommy immediately shielded Denise from the other side.
“It's OK Dee,” Gary said softly. “Tommy and I are right
here. He is never going to touch you again.”
“Gary,” Tommy said. “Be cool. Let's not start anything. He
may not even recognize Dee.”
“I won't start it,” Gary scowled. “But I sure as hell will finish it.”
They were even with the bully with one car separating
them, when David saw them.
“Hey Thurston,” he yelled. “Long time no see. Come on
over here and say hello.”
Tommy slipped Dawn his keys. “Get Dee to the car, and
lock the doors,” he whispered.
Dawn said nothing, she knew exactly what to do. She
placed herself in David's line of sight, hoping that he would not
see Dee.
Gary walked over to David with Tommy behind him.
“Be cool Gary,” Tommy whispered.
“Hello Torbin, I see you got out of reform school.” Gary said
with a scowl.
“Yeah, I got out on my eighteenth birthday,” Torbin smiled.
“I got me a factory job over at Warner Gear.”
'Probably sweeping floors,' Tommy silently thought.
David all of a sudden recognized Tommy.
“Holy cow, this is great. Andrews !!!” He yelled. “I never
thought I would see your ugly face again.” He made a fist and
glared at Tommy.
“Maybe I should pay you back now for jumping me like you
did. I limped for two months because of you.”
“Jumping you? You moron,” Tommy said quietly. “You were
assaulting another student. You're lucky I didn't kill you.”
Tommy said firmly.
Torbin started to walk towards Tommy but Gary got in
between them.
“Are you kidding ? She was just an ugly cripple. Who cares
about her?” David said with a laugh.
Tommy knew that Torbin had just made a huge mistake.
Gary pulled his arm back. “I do, you son of a bitch.”
Gary landed his punch. That was all it took, one punch.
Gary learned something that Tommy had learned years
earlier. Dave Torbin had a glass jaw. Next thing David knew,
he was lying on the ground between two cars. Gary was
standing over him, looking down.
“If you ever go near my girlfriend again, I'll come for you.
Understand?” Gary said. “And it won't be pretty.”
David didn't say anything. He laid there rubbing his jaw.
Gary turned away and started to walk over to the T- Bird.
Tommy stepped over Torbin and looked down at him.
“You never were very bright, were you?” he laughed. “You
never learned that brains will ultimately win out over brawn,
every time.” Tommy then shook his head and walked away.
Gary stood by the T-Bird. Tommy looked at him and smiled.
“I thought you said you weren't going to start anything?”
Tommy laughed.
Gary wasn't laughing.
“I lied.” he said quietly as he opened the car door.
Dee was silent on the way home. Gary held her hand, and
told her over and over that it would be alright. He would
protect her.
They all knew what had happened to her in the hallway at
Storer Junior High all those years ago. They did not know
about the nightmares she had to endure over the years.
Nightmares of David Torbin assaulting her over and over
again, laughing at her and touching her.
The assaults would get worse with each nightmare. Some
nights it was physical, some nights only verbal. Once in a
while, it was sexual. Ted had gotten her some therapy, and it
was helping. She hadn't had a nightmare in over six months.
She would have one this night. It would be the worst one yet.
The nightmares would disappear for good a year later
when Denise learned that a drunken David Torbin met his
maker after wrapping his car around a telephone pole at
eighty-five miles an hour.
CHAPTER 42 BETRAYED December 30,
1968
Tommy slept in for the first time in ages. He and Dawn,
along with Gary and Dee had been up late the night before
playing cards.
As he walked down the hall he could hear Margaret and
John's voices coming from the kitchen.
“Look, I know that trust fund was to pay for Tommy's
education. But they deserved some of it too.”
Tommy stopped dead in his tracks in the foyer.
“When the trust deposited the money, I thought why not
use it? Obviously they didn't know about Tommy's scholarship
and I sure as hell wasn't going to tell them. He wouldn't be out
anything.” John said sternly.
Tommy could not believe what he was hearing.
“But John, after George left school, you took more!”
Margaret cried. “That's fraud, you could go to jail.”
Tommy could not take it any longer. He stepped into the
kitchen.
The rage was evident on Tommy's face. “How much
did you steal?” Was all he could say. He stared at his father.
“Thirty six thousand dollars.” John said to his son with no
emotion. “And I did not steal it,” he barked at his son.
“Where did the money come from?” Tommy demanded.
“Your Grandfather. T.R. set up a trust fund for your
education.” John sighed.
“How much?” came the question.
“It was well over Three Hundred Thousand dollars, plus
interest.”
“And all this time, I have been paying for my own education
and good grades?” he demanded. “And George's playtime in
college?”
“No, son. Your grandfather has been paying for it. From all
the work and effort he put in, not you. It was his money, and
the crazy old son of a bitch left it all to you. Every last god
damn cent he had. I tried everything I could think of to break
that will, but the old bastard was too damn smart.”
“God I am stupid,” Tommy said angrily. “I knew Briarwood
was expensive and always wondered why all my classmates
seemed to be richer than us. The only rich one around me,
was me!”
Margaret knew Tommy was about to lose his temper.
Tommy looked at Margaret. “And did you know about all of
this?” Tommy glared at his mother.
“I knew about the trust fund, but not about this Tommy,
honest,” she started to cry.
“So let me get this straight,” Tommy said calmly. “Pops left
me a ton of money to help pay for my education. And you
used it to pay for my first year at Briarwood. And when I got a
scholarship, you used it to pay for George's tuition. Then
when number one favorite son flunked out of college you took
more?” Tommy paused and glared at his father.
John glared back at his son.
“And what happens to the money that's left over if I don't
use it.
“The entire trust reverts back to you on your twenty fifth
birthday.” John said.
“So,” Tommy said his voice a bit stronger. “You took twelve
thousand for George. That I get. But what about the other
twenty four grand? Where did it go dad?” he yelled. “I can not
believe you stole thirty six thousand dollars. George may have
deserved some of it, but it doesn't cost twelve grand to go to
Purdue.”
John was not taking any more of this, especially from
Tommy.
“Yes, you little bastard, I took it. So what,” he screamed.
“That money should have been mine.” John said slamming his
fist on the table.
Now Tommy understood. The years of verbal abuse from
his father. Not being included in outings with him and George.
The hatred that he always felt coming from his father. It was
always about the money. And he passed those feelings on to
George.
“And what did you do with the money Dad?” he asked
loudly.
“That's none of your god damn business,” John yelled.
“You don't need to know.”
“Don't need to know?” Tommy screamed. “It was my
money and I want to know where the hell it went. It doesn't
cost twelve grand to go to Purdue!”
John sat silently staring at his son, refusing to answer.
“Did George know about this?” he asked Margaret.
“No, he had no idea,” she cried. “He was not a part of it, I
swear.”
Many things went through Tommy's mind in a split second.
He thought about paying his father back with a punch in the
nose, but he knew that would accomplish nothing.
“Dad, ever since George was killed, I have tried to cut you
a break. I know it's been hard on you and mom,” he looked
right at his father.
“I always knew that he was your favorite, but could never
understand why. Now I know. It all makes sense,” he sighed.
“No wonder I never stacked up to your expectations, because
you never had any. No, you had three hundred thousand
reasons to hate me.”
He looked over at his mother. “I'm sorry mom, I can't do
this any longer. I love you but that isn't enough anymore. I'll
never step foot in this house again. You understand that? I am
done with you. My whole life here has been a pack of lies.
This family does not deserve me,” he glared at his father.
“From this day forward, you have no sons.”
He looked over at his mother again. He actually felt sorry
for what she was going through, but he could not be a part of
it, anymore. “I'm sorry mom,” was all he could say.
He looked at his father. “My attorney will be in touch.”
Tommy turned and started back to his room. He could not
get out of this house fast enough.
“Don't you walk away from me you little bastard,” John
yelled.
Tommy turned back around and faced his father.
“Go straight to hell,” He grinned, then added “sir.”
Tommy went to his room, grabbed his duffel bag and
started throwing in his clothes. He knew he had to go to
Dawn's. After he saw her and said goodbye, he would head
back to Charleston. He wanted to go home. The only home he
cared about. The only home he was ever happy in. His home
at Briarwood.
Margaret appeared at his door as he was finishing his
hasty job of packing.
“Please Tommy, don't go,” she pleaded through her sobs.
“Don't let it end this way.” Tears streamed down her face. “I
can't bear to lose another son”
“This is all his fault,” Tommy sighed. “But like his attitude
with Bruce, you went along with it. You always go along with
him. When are you going to stand up to that man, mother.
When?” he asked as he walked by her carrying his duffel.
“What did he do with the money mom?”
Margaret cried harder.
“Let it go Tommy please? Just let it go. Try to understand.
Just let it go. Please,” she cried.
“For all I care, you can burn the rest of my things,” he
barked at his mother, as he walked down the hall.
John was still sitting in the kitchen.
“You walk out of here young man, you never come back.
You hear me!” He yelled as Tommy reached for the front door.
“Don't worry sir, I won't be back. Ever.” Tommy opened the
door and left the house he had hated for so many years.
CHAPTER 43 A NEW TRUSTEE
Dawn was making an early run to the grocery store with
Mildred, and Walter was surprised to see the T-Bird pull into
his driveway. Tommy always walked down to their house. He
could tell by the angry look on Tommy's face when he
slammed the car door that there was trouble.
“Tommy come in,” he said to the youngster, “What's wrong.”
“Sir, would it be all right if I stayed here and waited for
Dawn to get home? I am leaving for Charleston as soon as I
say goodbye,” Tommy said.
“Of course son, of course,” Walter said. “Tell me what
happened.”
They went into the kitchen and Tommy slumped down in a
chair.
“Sir, It all fell apart up there. I can never go back. I tried so
hard since George was killed.” Tommy sighed. “I am so sorry.”
“It's all right son,” Walter said. “Tell me about it.”
Walter said nothing as Tommy explained about the trust
fund. Walter could not believe the story Tommy told. How
could someone do that to their own child? When Tommy
finished, Walter folded his hands and looked at Tommy.
“Son, I am going to make some suggestions,” he said
softly.
“First of all, calm down. Remember what your father did
was fraud, and he could go to jail. Think about that real hard
before you decide what to do. Think hard about what that
would mean to your mother.” Walter paused.
“You could call your dad's attorney, but I think it would be
better if your attorney handled this. I think you should go into
the other room and call Bruce's father immediately. Maybe
you can catch him before he leaves for his office. See what
he suggests. You need legal advice on this, and you need it
now.”
Tommy nodded.
“And son, you stay here as long as you need. I know you
have a few more days before you have to go back to school.
Spend those days here with us and Dawn. You can bunk with
Gary. This will all work out, I promise. David will know exactly
what to do.” he smiled at Tommy.
Tommy spent an hour on the phone with David Walker.
After some heated discussion, they finally decided that
David would call John's attorney immediately. John would
have to admit to wrong doing and sign a payback agreement
to avoid prosecution for fraud. The trust would immediately be
transferred to the control of Tommy's attorney in Morgantown.
David had a feeling that the trust had never been handled
properly and Tommy may have missed an opportunity to see
it grow.
Tommy asked David not to say anything to Bruce, he
would fill him in when they got back to Charleston.
“Tommy, you don't understand. I am not allowed to say
anything to anyone about what we talk about. Remember,
you have attorney client privileges,” he reminded his client.
“That's why Walter insisted you call me instead of John's
attorney. He is a very smart man.”
“Thank you sir, I don't know what I would do without you,
and your family, and the Thurstons,” Tommy sighed into the
phone.
“And thank you for not insisting I call the police. It would kill
my mother if he went to jail. She doesn’t deserve more grief.”
“It'll be OK, Tommy. Really it will,” David tried to assure his
client. “I want you to go back to school and concentrate on
your last semester. It too important to let this thing derail your
progress. You worry about your studies, let me handle your
father and the trust.”
“Yes sir, I will try, I promise.”
Dawn could not believe what had happened. She cried on
Tommy's shoulder, and kept telling him how much she loved
him. That was all that mattered.
Tommy spent the rest of the break with Dawn and her
family. Margaret called a few times, but Tommy refused to talk
to anyone. He spent every second he could with Dawn and
Gary. Soon it was time to go home to Charleston and try to
finish his senior year.
CHAPTER 44 - ACCECPTANCE
Tommy returned to Charleston and tried to settle back into
his studies. He found it difficult to concentrate but was still
doing 'A' level work. He would not let his father get the best of
him. The end was in sight.
Three days after he returned, he showed up at Mrs. Reitz's
office.
Janice Reitz was sitting at her desk reviewing some
college applications when Tommy arrived. She could tell by
the look on his face that something was wrong.
“Tommy, come on in,” she tried to smile. She was hoping
whatever the problem was, it wasn't serious. “What's wrong?”
“Mrs. Reitz, I found out over Christmas that my father is a
thief. He stole from his own son,” Tommy said looking down at
the floor.
Mrs. Reitz got up from her desk and pointed to the two
chairs over against the far wall. “Let's sit.” she said firmly. “Tell
me everything.”
Tommy walked over to the chair and slumped down.
Covering his face with his hands, he tried to get the courage
to actually say it out loud. He took in a few breaths then
removed his hands and looked at her.
“My grandfather left me everything he had in a trust fund to
pay for my education. When Mr. Ethridge gave me the
scholarship, dad continued to withdraw money from the trust.
He used it for my brothers college tuition. And when George
flunked out, dad took more,” he looked down again.
“What did he do with the money?” Janice asked.
“He refused to tell me. I don't have a clue as to what he did
with it.”
Janice was shocked. She had heard a lot of bad things in
this office, many things she could never repeat. But this was
unexpected.
“How much did he take?” she asked. She decided 'take'
was a better word than 'steal'.
“As near as I can figure a little over thirty six thousand
dollars. “He said he used twelve thousand for George's tuition,
but I know it doesn't cost that much to go to Purdue. So I
have no idea where it went.”
Janice let out a whistle. “Tommy, start from the very
beginning.”
Tommy let out a sigh. “I always wondered why everyone
here seemed to have more money than we did. I knew
Briarwood was expensive but figured dad just took out a loan.
He would have done that just to get rid of me. So I dismissed
it. When I was home, I overheard him and mom talking about
it in the kitchen. Mom sounded like she didn't know anything
about it and was really giving him hell. I barged in and it went
down hill from there,” he paused gathering his thoughts.
“Heated words were exchanged and the next thing I
remember is telling them I would never come home again. I
went down to Dawn's and stayed there until break was over.”
Janice took Tommy by the hand. “And did you believe your
mother when she said she didn't know anything about it?” she
asked.
“Yeah, I really did. But she said something strange to me.
She kept saying I should 'let it go, let it go.' I wonder what she
meant. To me it means that she knows exactly where the
money went. She won't tell me either. Maybe they are having
financial troubles.”
“Maybe she was just trying to defuse the situation,” Janice
sighed.
“Maybe, Mrs. Reitz. I just wonder what the deep dark
secret is. Dad runs that house. It's pretty much his way or the
highway. I always wondered why mom put up with it, but I
guess she really loves him. He's smart, has a good job and is
a good provider. He's just a crappy father. At least towards
me. He treated George great, but now that he is gone,” he
paused. “It's gotten worse. It's like he blames me for being
alive instead of George. I am never going to speak to him
again. I hate him.”
“Tommy, don't hate. It gets you nowhere. You have to
realize that your father has many issues. The biggest issue
seems to be with his own father. Can you imagine how he felt
when he learned that your grandfather left it all to you ?”
Tommy thought for a moment. “I never thought of that Mrs.
Reitz. It was around the time that pops died that dad started
treating me bad.” He paused for a moment then added. “Do
you think it was about the money?”
Mrs. Reitz smiled. “Son, it's always about the money.”
Tommy nodded his understanding. “I just can't believe he
would do that to me.”
Janice took Tommy's hand. “It'll be all right Tommy. No
matter what, you have people here who love and respect you.
They respect you for what you have accomplished here. They
are your family.”
“I know that Mrs. Reitz, but something has been missing in
my life ever since pops died. Maybe even before that. I don't
know how to describe it. It's just a feeling that won't go away.”
“Let me ask you something,” she paused to make sure
Tommy was listening.
“When your dad started treating you badly, how did you
react?”
“Ma'am?” Tommy did not understand.
Janice smiled. “How did you handle the situation? Did you
work harder at the relationship with him and your brother?”
“No ma'am, I just stayed away from them. I spent all my
time in my room. I didn't study, I refused do my homework. I
hid from the world. I was mad all the time,” he paused. “And
anyone who picked on me at school got a fat lip in the
process.”
“So you withdrew more and more from people. You got into
lots of trouble making your dad madder and madder?”
Tommy smiled. He was beginning to understand.
Janice continued. “And did it get worse when you moved to
Indiana?”
“Ma'am, I was devastated when we moved. I left it all
behind. All my friends, the woods I used to play in, everything
was gone. I knew I would hate Indiana.”
“Tommy, why? Indiana never did anything to you.”
Tommy laughed.
“I remember sitting in the back of the car as we headed to
Muncie that first time. I had this picture in my head of terrible
things and terrible people. It was hate at first sight.”
“But Tommy, isn't Muncie where you found Dawn?”
Tommy nodded. “So I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought.”
“That's right Tommy, there is good and bad everywhere
and sometimes it is just what we make of it.”
Tommy thought back to the day on the bus and the words
of wisdom from Mr. Kramer.
“Mrs. Reitz, are you saying that this is all my fault?”
Janice shook her head. “No son, not entirely. But if you
think back at everything that happened and how you reacted
to it,” she paused. “I think you will come to realize that
everyone was in a no-win scenario. Your dad, George, and
even you. There is a lot of fault to spread around.”
Tommy understood and in the coming months would come
to realize that part of it was indeed his fault.
CHAPTER 45 DO IT, OR ELSE
It had been a long week for both John and Margaret. John
spent his time in the basement workshop while Margaret laid
on the bed, most of the time in tears. She had lost both her
sons, and in many ways she placed the blame on the
shoulders of her husband.
Six days after the blowup over the trust fund, Margaret
made her decision.
That evening following another silent dinner, John started
to get up from his chair. Margaret held out her hand.
“No John, sit back down. We are going to have a talk.”
John smiled as he sat down in his chair. “I wondered how
long this silent treatment was going to last.”
“Don't be so damn smug John. You are in no position to be
smug and arrogant,” she paused. “In other words, your usual
self.”
John held out his hands in a defensive gesture.
“Calm down Margaret, this will pass.”
“No John, I am not going to calm down. I am not going to
let it pass. When I said we were going to talk, I misspoke. I am
going to talk, and you for once in your miserable life are going
to listen to me,” she said firmly.
John started to get up. “I don't have to sit here and take
this,” he bellowed.
Margaret pointed to the chair.
“Yes you do,” she commanded. “Now sit back down and
shut the hell up.”
In all their years together she had never talked to her
husband with this kind of tone. And she had plenty of
opportunities.
Margaret folded her hands together and stared at John
across the table.
“You have come seriously close to ruining this family. Your
hatred of our youngest son has consumed you. It has been
like a cancer. All because of the money. Was it that important
to you John, that you would ruin your relationship with
Tommy? Not to mention me?”
“Margaret,” John said with a sigh, but Margaret stopped
him from saying more.
“I am not done,” she said quietly, trying to maintain her
composure. “When Tommy told you that George was in
trouble, you didn't believe him. You let it go. You never
believed him. You sent him away, basically kicked him out of
our family. You could have at least taken some interest in how
well he was doing in Charleston. But no, your ego got in the
way. He tried to warn you John, and now George is dead.
Gone forever. And because of your actions, Tommy may also
be gone forever,” she started to cry but was able to continue.
“Your secrets have just about ruined us John, and I don't
know if I can take it anymore. I don't want to go through
anymore of this damn drama you call your life. You need to
get it together if you want to save our marriage,” she paused.
“If it's worth saving.”
John hung his head, when he finally looked up there were
tears in his eyes.
Margaret continued.
“You have ruined our friendship with the Thurston's, and
everyone else we know. No one wants to be around you.
You're a racist and you're arrogant. Your son's best friend is
black and you've never made an effort to meet him or his
family that Tommy adores. You boss people around. You
think you know everything. Other than bowling, you have zero
friends. You spend all your time down in that damn workshop,
by yourself. We never go out, we never talk. Sometimes I ask
myself, 'Why am I here, what kind of life is this for me? I know
it's been hard on you since George died, but it's been hard on
me too. But all you think about is you. That's all you've ever
cared about, John. The world does not revolve around you.
You drove away our only surviving son. I told you over and
over to tell him about everything. But you refused. 'Mr. Know It
All' strikes again. Well, guess what? You were wrong.”
John tried to pick up his coffee cup, but his hands were
shaking. He quickly set it back down.
“Margaret, please believe me when I say I did not want this
to happen the way it did.” he looked back down at the table,
hanging his head in shame.
“I know that John, that's why I am still here. You're not a
bad man, you're not a monster. Somewhere inside that hard
head of yours is the decent and caring man that I married.
We need to find that man again, John.”
Margaret got up and went over to the counter. She
returned with a slip of paper.
“I made a Monday morning appointment for you with
Doctor Jackson,” she paused. “Nine o'clock. You will be there.”
John held up his hands. “I do not need a shrink, Margaret.”
he said firmly.
Margaret shook her head. “Non negotiable John. If you
don't go, I will keep my ten o'clock appointment.”
John smiled. “I thought you weren't seeing that shrink
anymore.”
Margaret smiled. But is was a smile laced with sarcasm.
“Not Doctor Jackson, dear. My appointment is with a divorce
lawyer.”
John stood up. This came as a complete surprised. In all
their troubles over the years, his wife had never threatened to
divorce him.
“What?” he exclaimed.
Margaret just pointed to the chair. “Sit down.” she
commanded.
Folding her hands she looked across the table at John.
“That's the deal John, you go see the doctor, and I cancel
my appoint. If you don't go, I will keep it. Simple as that. One
of us has an appointment Monday. You decide who it is. Your
choice.”
John sighed deep and heavy.
“OK Margaret, you win this round. I'll do it.”
“Fine John, but please keep a few things in mind. You will
not bag this. You will make an effort to get better. You will do
what the Doctor says. If it takes a thousand sessions, you will
do it. Do you understand me?” she waited for a response.
John knew his wife was beyond serious on this matter.
Maybe she was right.
CHAPTER 46 END OF SENIOR YEAR
He had been back in Charleston for about a week when he
got a message to call David Walker at his office. His secretary
put Tommy through immediately.
“Son, how are you?” David asked.
“Fine sir, fine. A bit hard to keep my mind on the studies
but I'm OK. Bruce had been a god send since I got back. He
won't let me out of his sight,” Tommy laughed. “It's like he has
become a worry wort.”
“He gets that from his mother, so don't try to change him,”
he chuckled. “I called you to let you know that we got the trust
fund all worked out.”
“And my dad ?” Tommy asked.
“No jail time. He signed the agreement, and the trust
transfer papers. His attorney was not happy about what he
did. I think your dad is looking for new representation.”
“Since you are less than a month away from your
eighteenth birthday, he realized there was no sense in fighting
this. I had to remind him that if he did not go along, I would file
emancipation papers. The court would ask me why, and the
whole mess would have to come out. That would just get him
into deeper trouble. He did do one smart thing, he declared it
as personal income and paid taxes on it. At least the IRS
wont be coming for him.”
“Well sir,” Tommy said. “I am glad it is all behind us now. I
really appreciate your taking over the trust. I really trust your
judgment.”
“I am happy to help you son, you know you can come to
Mary Ann or me any time for anything. You are one of the
family.”
“Sir, I was kind of hoping that you would keep a hold of the
trust past my twenty fifth birthday. Dawn and I talked about it
before I left and no matter where we go, I want you to be in
charge of the trust.”
“Tommy, I would be thrilled to do that for you and Dawn,”
David happily agreed. “We can talk about it next time you and
Bruce come up for a weekend.”
“Thank you sir,” Tommy replied.
“Have you and Dawn given anymore thought about your
college choice? Mary Ann and I are still hoping that you and
Dawn will decide on WVU.”
David and Mary Ann had arranged a weekend after
basketball season to show Tommy and Dawn WVU. Dawn
and her parents were coming over and would stay with the
Walkers. They were lobbying both to attend WVU and live
close to them. Bruce was looking at Harvard and Yale and
was definitely going away for school.
“Well sir, “ Tommy said. “We have narrowed it down to
WVU or Florida. I really liked Florida, but I want Dawn to see
WVU. You know how much I love Morgantown, and being
close to you and Mrs. Walker would be wonderful for both of
us. Dawn has never been away from home before, so it might
be an advantage for her to be near some people she loves.
Gary was not happy that we eliminated Purdue, but that is not
the place for Dawn to go. Their Engineering school is one of
the best in the country, but Dawn wants to go into Nursing.
And frankly sir, the farther I am away from my dad, the better.
The only thing Dawn and I have definitely decided is that we
are going to the same college. We have been apart way too
long. We want to find a place that is a good fit for both of us,”
Tommy said.
“Well, as soon as basketball season is over, you will need
to make a decision. You know that Mary Ann and I would both
love to have you and Dawn close to us,” David said. “We
know Bruce wants to be the first in our family to graduate from
an Ivy League school.”
“And he will too, with honors. He'll make us all proud,”
Tommy replied.
“I know he will Tommy, and you will be a big part of his
success,” David said.
“As he is to mine, sir. As he is to mine.”
CHAPTER 47 IT'S JUST A DAMN GAME
Heads were hanging low as the team filed into the locker
room. It was a tough loss in the semi-finals, and it ended their
season. They had a chance at the end but it just wasn't in the
cards for them. Up by one point with four seconds to go,
Wheeling Central hit an impossible half court shot to win it.
Coach Johnson was trying to console each player but
when he got to Tommy he had tears in his eyes.
“Tommy, it's been a pleasure not only coaching you, but
watching you grow into a fine young man. You should be very
proud of what you have accomplished, not only on the court
but off.” He knew that Tommy had been through a lot this
year, and he really wanted to win for him.
Tommy smiled. “No sir, it's been my pleasure. You taught
us how to enjoy the sport, but more importantly how to be
good sports. I have enjoyed every second of it. Thank you.”
He held out his hand. Coach took it, then hugged his player.
“Would you mind if I addressed the team?” Tommy asked.
Craig nodded. “I was was hoping you would.” He let out a
whistle. “Men, let's huddle up. Tommy would like to say a few
words.” All was silent as they gathered around.
Vallalonga broke the silence.
“Tommy doesn't know the meaning of a few words.”
All the boys laughed, and the sadness they felt started to
ebb.
Tommy stood on a locker room bench.
Guys, it has been a joy for me to be on the same court
with all of you this season. All of you wanted to win. I
wanted to win. But trust me, it is not the end of the world
that we lost. Yes, be disappointed, but in the big scheme
of life, winning or losing a damn basketball game means
next to nothing. Will it matter in six months? Not really.
I watched one of the most famous High School
Basketball programs in the country come apart at the
seams a few years ago. The school was suspended from
play for a year by the state Athletic Association. No more
basketball, track, football, band contests, debate, and if
they had a tidily winks team, they would not have been
allowed to play either. No nothing for a full year.
Why?? Because they put winning ahead of
sportsmanship, and it destroyed them.
That town and school administrators and coaches
covered up a multitude of sins by some players only
because they wanted to win. Winning was everything in
that town. Player not going to classes? Give them a
passing grade so he can play.
Player gets a girl pregnant?? Cover up that paternity
suit. Don't let it go public. Lose a game on the court, just
beat the hell out of them later in the parking lot.
They were reinstated a year later, but the program was
destroyed and may never be the same. Coach is right,
we are students first, and ball players second. We are
here for one reason, and one reason alone. That is to
prepare our minds for college. Nothing more, nothing
less. My hometown forgot that for a time. It will be
years before they regain what they had, if they ever do.
And I remembered that every time I took to the floor.
Sportsmanship has to come first. It's the only thing that
matters. It separates me from all those thugs and bullies
that played for my home town high school. If I don't get
the grades and behave properly, I should not be given the
opportunity to take to the court. No matter how good I
am.
Playing on a high school team is a privilege, not a
right. Those guys that beat us tonight, love their school
just as much as we love Brairwood. On this night, they
were better than us. And that is exactly what I told the
Wheeling coach after the game. I went up to him, and
congratulated him on a fine game. I told him that both
teams played well, and wished them luck in the next
round. I didn't hang my head in shame because we lost.
That's because I was not ashamed. We gave it our best
shot. We played well, but more important, we played fair.
And I did the same when we won. I congratulated our
opponents for their fine play. If I fouled someone, I made
sure they were OK. If they fell down, I helped them up.
And yes, if they beat me on a play, I let them know that I
appreciated heir better effort.
So you underclassmen, remember this next year. I
hope you win every game. But if you don't, fret not. Life
goes on.
The earth will continue to rotate on its axis. And in a
few years you won't even remember the scores.
Basketball should be fun. Yes, it's nice to win. But
when the importance of winning takes precedence over
the joy of just playing the game, leave the court forever.
You don't deserve to play the game.
Especially for Briarwood.
CHAPTER 48 COACH HARRELL
About a week later, Tommy received a note to go see
Coach Johnson. When he arrived at the gym, the coach was
on the court with another man shooting free throws.
“Tommy,” he said as Tommy walked into the gym. ”Come
on over and meet Coach Bill Harrell of Morehead State.”
Tommy walked up as the man and and extended his hand.
“Hello sir.”
Coach Bill Harrell was a stout man but it looked like it was
all muscle. He had short black hair, and was dressed in
sweats and tennis shoes. An unlit cigar stuck out of one of his
pockets. He talked with a southern accent. Tommy would
learn later that the Coach came from Kentucky and won a
State Championship in 1966, while a High School Coach at
Shelby County High School. He became Head Coach at
Morehead after two years as the assistant at Nebraska.
“Nice to meet you Tommy,” Harrell said shaking Tommy
hand. “I just took over as Head Basketball coach at Morehead
State. I saw you play during the semi-finals, and I was very
impressed, young man.”
Tommy could not believe it. A college coach had wanted to
meet him.
“Thank you sir, but we lost.” he smiled.
“Yes, but you and your team played not only well but
showed true sportsmanship. You're the kind of player that I
would like to have playing for me.”
Mr. Johnson spoke up. “Let's all go into my office and get to
know each other,” he said.
Coach Harrell spent twenty minutes talking about
Morehead State and how he planned on building it's
basketball program. Tommy liked him immediately and could
tell that this man has a passion for the game.
By the time the conversation was winding up Tommy
realized this man was offering him a scholarship to play
college basketball at Morehead State. He hated to
disappoint him.
“Sir, I want you to know how deeply I appreciate the offer. I
come from Muncie Indiana and know what basketball means
to a lot of people.” Tommy said looking first at Coach Harrell,
and then at Coach Johnson.
Harrell spoke quickly, “Yes, the High School basketball
capitol of Indiana. Have they recovered yet from all the
unpleasantness?”
“No, and it will take years and years, and a great coach,”
Tommy said. “And that is exactly the reason why I have to
very respectfully say, no thank you.”
“Son, this is a chance for you to play college basketball,
and get a free education.” Harrell seemed to be pleading.
“Bill, this young man already has scholarship offers to
Purdue, Florida, and WVU.” Coach Johnson said.
“Basketball?” was all Harrell could say.
“No sir, academics. I want to go to Engineering school.”
Tommy replied with a smile.
“Tommy is a straight A student.” Coach Johnson said.
“Well son, I know I can't compete with that.” Harrell
said with a laugh. “So, are you thinking at all about playing
some college ball?”
Tommy smiled. “To be honest sir, not at all. I am not
college ball material.”
“Son, I saw you play and you are definitely college ball
material,” Harrell laughed. “With my coaching of course.”
“Sir, not on the court, but up here,” Tommy said pointing
to his head. “I don’t put winning at the top of my sports list. I
play for the fun of it. I know if I try to play in college, all the fun
will go out of it.”
Harrell looked at Tommy with a look of confusion.
“Sir, let me explain. As I told our team the night we lost in
the semi-final game, I saw a program implode because they
thought that winning was more important than anything else.
For several years I didn't want to play high school ball at all,
but I learned that Coach Johnson is special. We're different
here at Briarwood. I'll be the same when I go to college. I'll
be there to get an education, not bounce an orange ball.”
Tommy smiled.
“Sir, please don't take this the wrong way. But I don’t need
to play ball just to go to college. I am lucky. Even without a
scholarship, I can afford to go to any college of my choice.
There are tons of players out there, sir, that are better players
than I am, and need your scholarship as the only way to get a
college education.”
Coach Harrell nodded. He was disappointed but amazed
at this young man.
“Sir, please save that scholarship for some player that
really needs it.” Tommy extended his hand.
“Well son, I am disappointed, but your coach did warn me
that you may not be interested.” Harrell smiled. “But I had to
try.”
“I am sorry that you wasted your time sir,” Tommy said as
Coach Harrell got up to leave.
“Son, meeting a fine young man like you is never a waste
of my time.” Harrell said as he placed the unlit cigar in his
mouth.
Over the next several weeks, Coach Johnson would get
offers for Tommy from Fairmont State and Ball State in
Tommy's hometown. Tommy turned them all down.
CHAPTER 49 WILL HE ACCEPT ?
It was just after dinner when the phone rang at the
Andrews home. Margaret answered it, and the man on the
other end of the line identified himself as Bob Barnett of the
Muncie Star.
“I wondered Mrs. Andrews if I could ask you or your
husband a few questions for a column I'm working on,” he
asked politely.
Margaret asked John to get on the other phone and
listened in as her husband talked to the noted Sports writer.
“I was working on an article about the basketball players
that Ball State is trying to recruit for next fall.” Barnett said.
John had no idea why he was calling, but responded.
“And this has what to do with us?” he asked.
Barnett immediately thought perhaps he had called the
wrong Andrews.
“Sir, do you have a son Thomas that attends Briarwood
Academy in Charleston, West Virginia?” he asked John.
“Why yes I do, is this about him?”
“Mr. Andrews, I am looking at a sheet provided to me by
Coach Getchell at Ball State. There are ten names of High
School Seniors they are offering full scholarships to,” Mr.
Barnett continued. “And your son's name is on the list.”
“Mr. Barnett, Is this a cruel joke?” John asked, his tone
more unfriendly.
“No sir, it is not. It says here that Thomas C Andrews from
Muncie Indiana led Briarwood Academy to a 15-5 record this
year, averaging 21 points per game and 11 assists,” he said.
“They say Tommy impressed a lot of college scouts during the
state semi finals, although they lost a heart breaker to
Wheeling Central.”
“Well, I am sorry, I have no comment.” John said to the
phone. “I suggest you contact Ray Ethridge at Briarwood.
He'll know more about this than I would.”
“So you also don't know that the rumor is that Tommy
was also offered scholarships to Morehead State and
Fairmont State?” the sportswriter asked. “And that he is
turning them all down?”
“No comment.” John said as he hung up the phone.
Margaret was still sitting in the kitchen holding the now
disconnected telephone when John walked into the room.
“We didn't know,” she cried. “We didn't know. We missed it
all.”
The column hit the paper two days later..
AFTER THE BALL BY BOB BARNETT
It's recruiting time for Ball State Head Basketball Coach
Bud Getchell, and his staff are hitting the high school
ranks hard.
Although not final, Ball State is looking at the following
players for next year.
The article listed a group of players from around Indiana
and Ohio that Ball State was offering scholarships. But the
last one on the list was the most important.
10 Thomas C. Andrews - Guard - Briarwood Academy-
Charleston WV. This young man is actually a Muncie
resident but has been attending the West Virginia
Boarding School for the last four years. He led the
Briarwood Knights to a 15-5 record his senior season
averaging 21 points and 11 assists per game. Coach
Getchell says, “This kid is a pure shooter, and is one
of the hardest working players, I have ever seen.” The
problem facing the Cardinals is that Andrews may not
play college basketball. According to sources close to the
Briarwood program, the straight 'A' student wants to go
to Engineering school and not play basketball.
We contacted his parents in their Northwest Muncie
home, and they had “no comment”.
Attempts to contact both the Headmaster Raymond
Ethridge and Briarwood Basketball Coach Craig Johnson
were unsuccessful.
CHAPTER 50 DECISIONS
Tommy continued to work with Dawn on college choices.
They have narrowed it down to Florida and WVU. Both have
offered the teens full scholarships. Dawn visited Morgantown
to look at WVU with Tommy.
Dawn and her parents stayed with the Walkers. Mary Ann
was a great tour guide and lobbied hard for them to choose
WVU.
Mary Ann Walker even hosted a dinner party in their honor
and invited many important colleagues to talk to the kids.
Dawn fell in love with WVU. Tommy was leaning towards
Florida but realized that the WVU Engineering school had a
lot to offer as well.
The big surprise was when David and Mary Ann presented
the boys with their graduation gifts. Two 1969 Chevrolet El
Caminos. Blue for Tommy and fire engine red for Bruce.
Tommy was speechless as he walked around the vehicle.
“I, I, I,” was all he could muster.
“You boys remember last fall when the new models came
out and we stopped at the dealership? While I was arranging
some service for Mary Ann's car, I saw you too guys drooling
over these. I couldn't resist. I want both of you to be safe. And
I hope the blue car stays in Morgantown at least four years,”
he laughed, eluding to his desire for Tommy and Dawn to
attend WVU.
“Sir, I just don't know what to say,” Tommy finally muttered.
David put his arm around Tommy. “Son, Mary Ann and I
love you as if you were one of our own. I know you have the T-
Bird, but I also know you're having a hard time with it. Maybe
it's time to get rid of it and have something that is yours. Not a
hand me down. One without any of the family baggage. Enjoy
this son and drive carefully.”
He looked over at Bruce.
“Both of you.”
It was during Sunday's early dinner that the kids made their
much anticipated announcements.
Both sets of parents knew something was up as all the kids
were smiling from ear to ear during the meal. And they figured
that the final decisions would come during this last meal
together.
They were all gathered around the Walkers huge dining
room table. The boys were leaving after dinner for Charleston,
while the Thurstons would head back to Indiana in the
morning.
Tommy and Dawn were first. Tommy clinked his spoon
against his water glass and he and Dawn stood up.
“I am so glad to be here with the people that Dawn and I
love the most,” Tommy smiled as he looked over at Dawn. “I
just wish that Gary and Dee had been able to come, as they
are such a big part of our lives. It has been an incredible and
long journey for Dawn and myself. I know neither of us would
have survived that journey without the love and support from
all of you. But the time has come for some decisions.”
He looked over at Mildred. She was crying. All she could
think about was how grown-up Tommy and Dawn had become.
She thought back to that day so many years ago when she
and Walter had gotten upset with their daughter for writing to
this troublemaker. How wrong everyone had been. Except for
Dawn and Gary. They were both wise beyond their years. She
was so proud of them.
Tommy smiled at her. “After a great deal of thinking, a lot of
talking, and maybe a prayer or two,” he paused. “Dawn and I
have decided to move to Florida,” he looked over at David.
David looked surprised and disappointed. Dawn gave Tommy
a quick elbow to the ribs.
Tommy smiled at this man he thought of as another father.
“But it'll be after we both graduate from W.V.U.”
A smile appeared on David lips, and tears came to his
eyes. But he regained control.
“That's wonderful,” they all seemed to exclaim in unison.
Mildred was still crying, and she was now joined by Mary Ann
and her daughter. Susan loved Tommy and Dawn and was
hoping that they would come to Morgantown.
David stood up and walked around the table. He hugged
Dawn first, then Tommy.
“Son, I am thrilled beyond words.” He choked up just a bit.
“You know that Mary Ann and I think of you both as our own
kids.”
Mildred and Walter had also gotten up and hugged the kids.
David looked at Mildred and smiled.
“I promise you; they will be fine here. I will see to it.”
“Thank you, David, I am thrilled as well. They made the
decision that Walter and I hoped they would make.” she
started to cry again.
“You know sir, being near you and your family really was
one of the deciding factors. Since the day I met all of you, I
have been treated like one of the family.” Tommy smiled. “You
welcomed me into your home from the very first day, and you
have embraced Dawn the same way. We both love you all
very much.” He looked over at Susan. “You too squirt,” he
said with a laugh. Then he turned to Mary Ann. “Besides,
there are still a few books in your library that I haven't read
yet,” he said with a smile.
Bruce let them all have their moment. He was the only one
that knew in advance of Tommy and Dawn's decision. He
walked over and hugged them both.
“OK, my brother,” Tommy said to his best friend. “Now it's
your turn.”
They all sat back down, except for Bruce.
Tommy was holding Dawns hand. They had never been
happier. Their long separation was almost over. And they were
both thinking back to the three-hour conversation they had the
night before.
Bruce looked at his parents then his sister.
“Wow, this is going to be harder than I thought it would be,”
Bruce smiled. Then he looked at his best friend.
“But first there is something I need to say,” Bruce paused
still looking at Tommy. “Four years ago, I was just a young
black kid trying to work my way through a tough boarding
school. I was away from home for the first time. I was
desperately lonely,” he choked back a tear. “No one
wanted to room with me. I was the only black kid living at 'The
Holley.'”
He smiled at his best friend. “Then one June evening, Mr.
Ethridge brought this clown to my room and my life changed
forever.” Bruce smiled.
“I had been around a lot of white kids, but never
considered them to be friends, just classmates. I didn't know
what to expect, but I discovered something when I met
Tommy,” he smiled. “It really doesn't matter. Dr. King was
right. Tommy and I bonded the second we shook hands for
the first time. And as Tommy pointed out to me a while back,
that bond has grown larger with every passing day.” He
looked over at his father.
“Thank you dad for raising me right. For understanding that
it is all about character,” he stopped to regain his composure.
“Tommy and I became one. The black and white thing went
right out the window. We had each other's back. From that
very first night when Tommy was so scared, to that day in a
Charleston alley when I was petrified. But it was OK, because
my best friend was at my side.”
“Everyone said we were pioneers. We were breaking a
barrier. We were the first. We were brave. But we were just
two guys, Bruce and Tommy. The color of our skin meant
nothing to either of us.”
Everyone was silent. You could hear a pin drop.
“That night in June 1965 truly was, the first day of the rest
of my life. Every good thing that has happened to me since,
is because of T.C. Andrews. Every grade, every laugh, every
good time was because of him. I cannot imagine going off to
college without him.” He looked over at his father.
“Dad, please take good care of my brother and my other
sister. They both mean the world to me,” he started to cry.
“I will son,” David said softly. “I promise.”
“But life goes on. I know in my heart that I will see Tommy
and Dawn many times. I will not allow them out of my life.
They are my life.”
He looked at his mother. The pride and admiration she had
for her son was evident in her eyes.
“And I know that I will take a huge part of them with me
when I go,” he paused. He looked over at his father and
said, “to Harvard.”
“Yes,” exclaimed David. He had never been more proud
than he was on this day. Then he started to cry. He knew that
it may be hard for a black kid at Harvard, it would still be
easier for Bruce than it was for him in college and law school.
And that was progress.
Tommy waited for everyone to hug Bruce. When it was his
turn, he held him for a long time.
“That was one hell of a speech Bruce,” Tommy said.
Bruce looked at Tommy. “I meant every word of it. You
saved me man.”
Tommy laughed. “I hope you make those kind of speeches
when you become President.”
Now it was Bruce's turn to laugh. “We may have come a
long way, but you and I,” he paused. "We'll never see a black
President in our lifetime.”
“Bruce, never say never.” Tommy replied.
They had no idea that they both would live to see that day
come, although neither would vote for him. But both boys
were proud of how far the nation had come since that terrible
day in 1968.
Later as Tommy and Bruce prepared for the drive back to
Charleston, Tommy found himself alone in the kitchen with
Mildred.
“Tommy,” she said as she looked at him with love in her
eyes. “Do you remember way back that first Christmas, when
you and I sat at our kitchen table, and I told you the
conversation would never be repeated?”
“Yes ma'am, I remember it like it was yesterday,” he
laughed. “I was scared to death. I knew that you were the key
to that locked door that was Dawn's life. I didn't want to mess
it up. I loved her too much, even then.”
Mildred started to cry. “I always knew that you two kids
would make it. There was something about you Tommy. I
didn't know what it was, but watching you in there tonight, I
finally figured it out.”
“What was it, Mrs. Thurston?”
“It's one simple word. Love. You know how to love those
who are in your life,” she was now smiling. “You have more
love in your heart than anyone I know. I saw it in your eyes
that very first night when you met Dawn. You paid attention to
every word she said. You were focused on her. You cared.
You showed your love to Gary, even after those terrible things
he did to you when you first moved to Muncie. And you
showed it with your relationship with Bruce and his entire
family. It is the real thing with you. It is genuine,” she choked
up a bit. “Tommy, you are a fine young man, and I am so so
proud of you and what you have become.” She reached over
to Tommy and hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.
“Walter and I always taught Dawn to make good choices in
life. I guess she listened.”
“Thank you Mrs. Thurston,” he said. “I want you to know
that I will always make you proud. I am what I am today,” he
paused. “Partly because of you and your whole family. Thank
you for trusting me with one of your most prized possessions. I
I love you all.”
Mildred smiled. “Not my possession any more Tommy,” she
smiled. “I am thrilled to give her to you. I could not be happier.”
Mildred was hugging Tommy again when Dawn came into
the room.
“What are you two talking about?” she asked.
“Oh, this and that,” Mildred replied. Then she winked at
Tommy.
CHAPTER 51 SPECIAL DELIVERY
Now that Tommy had his El Camino, he needed to decide
what to do with George's car. He was working it over in his
mind over dinner, when Vallalonga sat down across from him.
Tommy was so lost in thought, he didn't even look up.
“Hello,” David laughed. “Earth calling T.C. You in there?”
Tommy looked up at his friend. “Sorry Val, I was thinking
about what I should do with the bird.” Tommy sighed.
“You gonna sell it?” David asked.
“Yeah, I think so. Deep down I know that George would
freak if he knew I had that car. Mr. Walker wants me to sell it.
I know that's one of the reasons they got me the El Camino.
And I value his opinion.” Tommy looked down at the table.
“Well, I think it should only go to a good home,” David said
with a grin. “Somewhere that it can be appreciated, and loved
in George's memory. It should go to someone who'll take good
care of it.”
Tommy looked up and smiled. “You have a suggestion?”
“Yeah. As a matter of fact I do. The last time I was in
Monongah, Penny said she was looking for a car to take with
us to I.U. I have my car, but she really wants one of her own.
She actually mentioned your bird,” he smiled. “She really likes
that car. Said she wanted one just like it.”
Tommy smiled as Dave continued. “I talked to her dad.
Lionel said he would pay for it. Assuming you make him a
good deal,” he paused. “But watch out, he knows cars
better than anyone I know.”
“That may be the best idea you've ever had,” Tommy
laughed.
“No, the best idea was talking you into joining the
basketball team,” David said with a smile. “You want to call
Mr. Nichols and see what you can work out?”
The following Saturday, David drove the T-Bird to
Monongah while Tommy followed in the El Camino.
They went immediately to the grocery store. Penny was
behind the counter. Tommy and her dad had decided this
would be a surprise for her.
“Hey you guys,” she exclaimed. “I didn't know you were
coming.” She ran over and kissed David, then hugged Tommy.
“I thought you had something special going on today.”
“We do,” David smiled. “A special delivery.”
Penny had a look of confusion.
Tommy reached into his pocket and pulled out the title for
the T-Bird.
“A very special delivery,” he smiled as he handed her the
keys and the title. “One 1964 red T-Bird.”
Penny let out a yell and grabbed Tommy and hugged him
as if there was no tomorrow. David stood there and smiled.
He loved it when Penny was happy. When Penny was happy,
all was right with the world.
By this time Penny's father had come down from upstairs.
He stood by the counter with a huge smile on his face.
“Tommy, nice to see you again,” he said. “Shall we go into
the back and finish this deal?”
“I hope so Mr. Nichols, “ Tommy laughed. “I've already
signed over the title.”
While Lionel and Tommy went into the back, Penny ran out
to see her new car. David was excited for her. He knew that
Penny did not need a car in Bloomington. She could always
use his. But he also knew that this was the most independent
girl he had ever met. That's what attracted him to her. He also
know she could not wait to get out of West Virginia and see
the world. It was not easy growing up in a very small mining
town in rural West Virginia.
Tommy looked at the check. He had thought long and hard
about what to do with it. With his trust fund and all the money
he had saved from his dad paying for his grades, he really
didn't need the money from the car sale. And deep down he
knew that George would not want him to have it.
All of a sudden he knew what he was going to do.
With a smile and the check in hand, Tommy went looking
for Penny and David. He found them across the street at the
restaurant.
Tommy decided to have an early lunch, then head up to
Chester for the afternoon. He would stay the night and pick
David up on Sunday. After lunch, Penny and David took the
T-Bird down to Tygart Lake for the day while Tommy headed
up to Chester.
The first thing Tommy did when he got to Chester was to
stop at the local funeral home. The gentleman at 'Arners
Funeral Home' was happy to give Tommy directions to
Locust Hill Cemetery.
afforded a beautiful view of the valley below.
Tommy drove around for about twenty minutes looking for
any headstones with the name of 'Andrews'.
“Damn,” he muttered to himself. “If it was a snake, it would
have bit me,” he glanced out of the El Caminos window at the
huge stone monument that had 'Andrews' engraved across it.
Tommy spent another hour just walking around and visiting
his families final resting place. He had brought some flowers
for his Aunt Susan's grave. He was sorry that he never got to
know her. She was an accomplished musician who had her
whole life ahead of her when her appendix suddenly burst. No
one could save her.
He paid his respects to T.R. and the rest of the family. Then
he guided the El Camino down the winding narrow road that
led back to Chester.
He walked around Rock Lake Park, remembering all the
great times he had with his grandfather. He stopped by 'The
Worlds Largest Tea Pot'.
How he missed those simpler times when he hadn't a care
in the world. Now it seemed like he had the weight of the
world on them.
He drove down Carolina Avenue and when it turned into
the Chester-Newell Road he spotted the house on the right
hand side of the road. He pulled onto a small grassy area
and got out of the El Camino.
He could hear the sounds of the barges as they chugged
their way up the Ohio towards Pittsburgh. It brought back
many memories of his childhood years of time spent in
Chester with T.R.
Tommy had not seen his Godmother in many years. She
was thrilled when he knocked on her door. Margaret Wright
was retired, had little family left and did not get many visitors.
“Tommy, my god how you have grown,” she said with glee.
“Come in boy, come in.”
They had a wonderful visit. Margaret insisted that he stay
for dinner.
“Perhaps I could borrow the sofa for the night?” he asked.
“Then we can visit longer,” he said with a smile.
Margaret beamed with joy.
They talked for hours and hours. Tommy didn't mention all
his family troubles. Margaret had been close friends with both
his mother and his father's families. Widowed at a very young
age, Margaret Wright was her own woman. She was
independent and ahead of her time. They had a wonderful
visit.Tommy listened intently as she talked about her years
working at the Homer Laughlin Company in Newell. Makers of
the famous 'Fiesta' kitchen ware, her house was full of
samples and pieces that never made it to the masses. She
showed and explained each one to Tommy.
“Here is one I want you to take back home with you. It's
very rare and special to me,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you Auntee Margaret,” he replied. “It looks like a
tea pot.”
Margaret smiled. “Very good son, but not just a tea pot.
This is a two-cup teapot that was never put into production.
To my knowledge it may be the only one ever made. It was
designed by Frederick Rhead, but never went beyond the
prototype stage.”
Tommy didn't know much about this line of dinnerware but
he knew that something like this would indeed be rare, and
worth a lot of money.
“Auntee Margaret,” Tommy pleaded. “I can't take this. You
should keep it.”
Margaret smoothed put her apron and smiled.
“Tommy, I am getting up there in years. I have no idea how
many I may have left. I know that you will cherish this piece
and care for it all the days of your life. I want you to have it.”
Tommy leaned over and hugged her, as a tear came down
his cheek.
“Thank you, Auntee Margaret, I will cherish it. I promise.”
CHAPTER 52 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
As Tommy finished his last final exam, a wave of dread
enveloped him. All of a sudden, it was over. He had been at
Briarwood for four years. For him it had been a new life, new
friends and many great adventures. And now it was over. But
a new life and new adventures awaited him and Dawn. They
would finally be together.
As he walked slowly back to 'The Holley' to pack for break,
he realized that he needed to see two people before he left.
Tommy bounced up the steps to the math department and
found Mrs. Bower grading final exams.
“Ma'am, can I bother you for just a sec?” he called from the
doorway.
Mrs. Bower smiled broadly. “Of course Tommy, come on in.”
He walked slowly up the row of desks, pausing at the one
he had called home for so long.
As he ran his finger down the top, he remembered all the
tests, all the learning. And he thought of a dear friend. He did
not notice her walking up to him.
“Kind of hard, isn't it?” she said softly.
“Yes ma'am. It is very hard,” he said turning towards her.
“Tommy, goodbyes can be hard, but they don't always
have to be goodbyes. Think of them as 'see you laters.' I have
a feeling this is not the last time we'll see each other. “
“Ma'am I have a confession to make. I really didn't think I
would like you when you got here. I was still stunned over
losing Mr. Hartwig so soon after my brother's death. It
was a hard time for me.”
Cathy smiled. “That's all right son. I have to confess that I
thought I was going to have a lot of trouble with you too. I had
heard so much about you and Mr. Hartwig, I was sure we
would have issues. That's one of the reasons I wanted you to
help with the ninth graders. I wanted you to see that I could
teach and cared so much for all my students, including you.”
Now it was Tommy's turn to laugh.
“It's amazing how things work out. As much as I loved and
respected Mr. Hartwig, I quickly learned that you were a
different person, a different type of teacher,” he paused. “I
realized that it was all right to love and respect you as well.”
Cathy stood up and walked over to the one who had
become not only her favorite student but a friend as well. She
hoped they would be able to stay in touch.
“I am going to miss you Tommy, a lot,” she said as they
hugged.
“Me too.”
When they separated, Tommy smiled. “See you later?”
“You bet.”
She waited until he was gone for the tears to begin.
Tommy stopped by Janice Reitz's office and was glad
to see that she was sitting behind her desk.
“Mrs. Reitz? Got a sec?” he asked.
Janice smiled. “Of course Tommy, come on in.” She
motioned to the chair.
Tommy sat down. “I know things are going to get crazy
when we all come back for graduation. Since I am leaving
early in the morning, I wanted to stop by and thank you
before I left. Although a thank you doesn't really cover what
you have done for me.”
“I am so glad you came by. I am really going to miss you
son. Just remember, we are not that far from Morgantown.
Please don't be a stranger.”
“I'll miss you too. I can not imagine what it would've been
like here without your guidance, love and support.” A tear
came to his eye. “Mrs. Reitz, you really did save me. Thank
you.”
“No T.C., I just helped you save yourself. You are a fine
young man and you have such a bright future ahead of you.
You are going to do such amazing things with your life.”
“Mostly due to your advice. You guided me all the way.”
Janice stood up and walked around the desk. She held her
hands towards Tommy and he took them as he stood up.
As they embraced, tears came down Janice's face.
“Tommy, you will always have a home here and friends. I hope
you stay in touch with us always.”
Tommy nodded as he turned and started for the door.
“Tommy, before you go there is something else I need to
say,” Janice wiped a tear from her eye. “Just between us
friends.”
Tommy smiled. He was going to miss this place and this
woman.
“I want you to know how proud I am of you. What you did
for Betty Decarlo last year went beyond friendship. It was an
act of love and loyalty to a dear friend.”
Tommy's eyes opened as wide as silver dollars.
“Oh my God, you knew about that?”
Mrs. Reitz smiled as she nodded.
“Yes, she came to me and we talked about all of the
options. But it had to be completely unofficial and off the
record.”
“Or it would cost you your job?” Tommy asked.
“At the very least.” she nodded. “Maybe even my marriage.”
“So, she got the information about the man in Stubenville
from you? She never told me she talked to you.”
“Yes, she asked me to meet her down by the river after
school. That way we were off of school property. We talked for
hours. And we cried a lot. I knew that a baby would have
ruined her life. Her boyfriend had just ended the relationship.
She needed to move on, stay here and get her education. Not
raise a child. I thought she should not have to pay the rest of
her life for one spur of the moment mistake.”
“I heard you got her a scholarship.”
Janice nodded. “Yes, to Penn State. A full ride. I was able
to arrange for a part time job for her as well. She says she is
never going back to Nebraska. In fact, she is leaving right after
graduation for State College.”
Tommy shook his head. “I don't think she will ever forgive
her dad for sending her here. Although just like me she admits
it was the best thing for her.”
“Yes, it was for both of you. That's why I could not let her
lose the opportunity.”
“You took a huge chance, Mrs. Reitz,” Tommy said. “It
could have blown up right in your face. It could have cost you
your career.”
Janice smiled. "Yes, that's why I sent her to you. I knew
you would handle it privately and discretely. You were the only
one here I could trust with her secret. You two understood
each other. You had this connection, a bond. You were the
one I had to turn to.”
“You sent her to me?”
“When Betty and I talked, I knew that I could not involve
myself any further. And I knew that she needed help. She was
alone and so scared. I knew that she needed a friend that
would not judge her. A friend that would help her through that
terrible ordeal. She need someone to stand beside her. And I
knew it should be you. I scraped together most of the money
for her, but I was still short. It's the only secret I have ever kept
from my husband.”
“So it was you?”
“Yes, her father didn't give her much money to live on. I
knew you would help. Betty already trusted you. I hated to put
you in that position, but I had no choice. I also knew you
would make the right decision.”
“Ma'am, it was the hardest decision I have ever had to
make and it's one I will have to live with the rest of my life. I'll
never know if it was right or not. When I think about what could
have gone wrong,” he paused in thought.
Janice Reitz put her arms around Tommy and hugged him.
“Son, you made the right decision to help that girl. Please
believe that. As usual, you put a friend's needs ahead of your
own and I will always love you for that.”
Tommy smiled as he hugged her. He owed her so much.
Tommy squeezed a bit harder and patted her shoulder. “I love
you too Mrs. Reitz.”
CHAPTER 53 JUNO
Tommy left early the next morning for Indiana. It had been a
tough twelve months. Losing his brother, favorite math
teacher, leaving his parents home for good, and being away
from Dawn had taken a huge toll on the young man. He also
hated the idea of leaving a school and a city that he grew to
love more than anything, except for Dawn. He was tired as it
had been a year of major changes in his life.
And there were more changes on the horizon. But he was
looking forward to spending some down time with Dawn and
her family, without worrying about school and studies. It would
be the first time in four years that he didn't have to think about
upcoming tests, projects, and required reading. He was glad
they decided to take the summer off and not go to
Morgantown until the end of August. They both needed some
time for each other. Mr. and Mrs. Walker insisted that they get
the Morgantown house all set up for Tommy. They promised it
would be ready for him by August 27. All he had to do was
bring his suitcase. Tommy would not know for many years
that not one penny for all of this came from his trust fund.
David and Mary Ann Walker paid for it all.
All Tommy wanted to do for the next couple of months was
to hold Dawn's hand, take long walks, and plan their life
together. And of course, shoot some hoops with Gary.
His finals were all finished, papers turned in, all his classes
completed. And all he had to do was finish his little speech,
and return for graduation.
He and Dawn still had plenty of planning to do for the move
to Morgantown. And Tommy was looking forward to going to
the Indianapolis 500 with Gary. It had become a yearly ritual
for them.
As he cruised along Route 23, he listened to the roar of the
El Camino's 396 Big Block 375 horsepower engine. He
loved his new truck. It was the first vehicle he had seen that
came with an FM radio. He loved all the crystal clear stereo
music he found on this unexplored dial. It was music that most
of the AM stations refused to play. He wished his favorite AM
station was on the FM dial. WNOP 740 in Newport Kentucky
was fondly called “The Jazz Ark”, because their studios were
on a houseboat located on the Ohio River. Playing a mixture
of Jazz, Big Band and Comedy, this station had been
Tommy's favorite for a long time. He could not wait to get into
their limited signal range where he could hear them. But he
also enjoyed discovering all kinds of new music and new
artists on this new FM band. He was in artistic heaven. He
could not wait to get a good FM tuner for his house in
Morgantown.
He didn't mind the extra miles on the road. The collapse of
the Silver Bridge eighteen months earlier had added a lot
more time and miles to the trip. Now he had to cross the Ohio
River at Huntington, get on Route 52 and go all the way to
Portsmouth were he could get on Route 23.
That would take him back up to US 35 and the way
to Dayton. Although it added only forty miles to his trip it took
an extra hour to wind his way on the new route. He reveled in
the peace and quiet.
Just outside of Dayton he spotted a dog standing by the
side of the road. It looked to be not quite fully grown and from
a distance reminded Tommy of Dawn's Golden Retriever
'Bear'. He slowed down as he passed by. The dog did not
seem to have a collar and looked like it was lost. Afraid that
someone might hit the animal, he decided to stop.
Tommy pulled off of the road, got out of the El Camino and
called to the dog. It ran right up to him and licked his hand. It
seemed to be very friendly and well behaved.
Tommy was amazed. This was a beautiful Golden
Retriever. He could tell it was a female and looked to be full
blooded. It did not seem to be fully grown yet, but Tommy did
not know how to judge its age. Since his father always
refused to let him have a pet, Tommy's only experience with
dogs was with Dawn's Golden Retriever and his grandfather's
Boxer named 'Dutchess'.
Tommy bent down on his knees and stroked the animal.
“What's wrong little girl, are you lost?” he asked. The dog was
wet and badly matted and looked like it had been outside for
some time. But she looked to be healthy.
Tommy thought 'jeez, this is going to put me behind
schedule, but what the hell.' He knew he had to see if he
could find out where this dog belonged.
He was out in the country but there were lots of farm
houses nearby, so he started knocking on doors.
The first six farmhouses he stopped at knew nothing about
the dog, but on the seventh try Tommy had success at the
'WM. W. Johnstone' residence.
The man who answered the door was tall and well built.
With a nicely trimmed gray beard, he looked like a mountain
man. There were two beautiful Alaskan Huskies by his side.
“Oh my,” the man said. “That's Juno !! We thought she was
dead.”
Tommy was happy to have found her owner. “Sir, I am glad
I found your dog,” Tommy said with a smile.
“I'm sorry son, she's not my dog. She belonged to the
Raines' family. They moved away two weeks ago. Their
Golden had puppies five months ago. This one escaped just
before they moved.”
“Do you know how to get in touch with them?” Tommy
asked. “I would like to get their dog back to them.”
“No, I'm afraid I don't,” he said. “But I can take the dog
off your hands.”
Tommy thought that was wonderful. Now he could be on
his way. But then he spoke again.
“Ben Raines told me if she turned up, we should just take
her to the pound.”
That took Tommy by surprise. He made a quick decision.
No one was taking this beautiful animal to any dog pound.
“No sir, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's not gonna happen,”
Tommy said flatly. “If you ever talk to Mr. Raines, please let
him know that you found Juno a really good home.”
He turned and started back to the truck. He whistled for the
dog.
“Come on Juno, let's go home.”
Juno jumped in the El Camino. Tommy got in and the dog
licked him on the face. Man, and dog had bonded. Forever.
CHAPTER 54 ACCEPTANCE
It didn't take more than a couple of miles before Tommy
started to scratch. “Damn little girl, you got fleas, and you
stink.” he laughed.
Fortunately, he found a pet store just outside of Dayton,
Ohio that also did grooming. And she really needed a good
grooming. While they were bathing and trimming Tommy's
new friend, he went outside and 'de-flead' his new truck.
He also got some air freshener. His jeans and shirt now
smelled like a wet stinky dog, so he changed his clothes
in the pet store restroom.
There was a small grocery store across the street so
Tommy went over and bought himself a couple of deli
sandwiches for lunch. Two egg salad sandwiches, a small
bag of Mike-Sells potato chips and a soda made for a
satisfying meal. He then realized that he needed some
food for Juno. While they finished the grooming, he chose a
couple of their dog food varieties. He would find out later that
the dog was indeed very hungry. Juno ate with vigor, then
barked a 'thank you' at Tommy.
Three hours later they were both flea free and on the road
again, armed with a new leash, collar, dog bed, and other
assorted accessories. Tommy was amazed at how beautiful
this dog turned out to be. He was also glad that the pet store
was willing to take his out of town check. All it took was a
quick phone call to the school in Charleston. Being on her
own in the woods for two weeks did not seem to cause any
lasting problems for the dog. Tommy hoped that she was
healthy. Juno immediately curled up on the seat and fell fast
asleep.
Meanwhile, Dawn was getting a little worried. Tommy must
be running late, she thought. She knew he had planned on
leaving extra early, but when he had not arrived by three, she
got concerned.
About four thirty, she heard the rumble of the El Camino.
The dual exhaust pipes with the glass packed mufflers could
be heard a block away. She ran out to meet him.
Dawn did not notice the dog, as she was squarely focused
on the love of her life. She wrapped her arms around Tommy
and kissed him. She jumped about a foot when the dog
barked.
“What the,” she exclaimed. Then she saw the animal still
sitting in the front seat, it's black nose pressed against the
window.
“Oh, honey, What is this? I can't wait to hear this story,” she
said with a smile.
“Say hi to Juno. I had to bring her with me. I found her on
the side of the road, just outside of Dayton. That's why I'm so
late. She was matted and dirty, and a little scared. I stopped
and had her cleaned up and groomed.”
“What about her owner?” Dawn asked.
“She was abandoned,” Tommy said. “What could I do?” he
smiled broadly as he shrugged his shoulders.
As the three of them went into the house, Tommy gave her
the short version of the story.
They both smiled when Bear walked up to the new comer,
took one sniff, and laid down in front of her. Juno followed
suit.
“I think they are going to get along just fine,” Tommy
exclaimed.
While the two new canine friends slept side by side in the
hall, Tommy and Dawn went into the kitchen where Mildred
was preparing a welcome home dinner for Tommy. Tommy
was thrilled to learn it was his favorite chicken dish.
Walter told Tommy they were happy to have the dog
around until he and Dawn moved to Morgantown.
Mildred and Walter just shook their heads. Neither were
surprised that Tommy would save an animal. They called their
vet, and made an appointment for the next day, for a complete
exam and shots. She would also need to be spayed.
All of a sudden, Tommy had an idea. He could not believe
he hadn't thought of this before. He knew Dawn didn't want to
leave 'Mr. Bear' behind. He looked at Dawn.
“You know sweetie, when the summer is over, we might not
want to split those two dogs up. Maybe we should take them
both with us to Morgantown,” he smiled.
Dawn had resigned herself to leaving 'Bear' with her
parents. It was the hardest part about going away to college.
She looked over at her mother and got an approving nod. She
started to cry.
“You know I am going to have plenty of room at the house.
He can stay with me and Juno. Then you can see him
whenever you want. The house is not that far from your
dorm.” Tommy smiled. He winked at Mildred.
Dawn wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck, looked
into his eyes, and kissed him. “I love you.”
Mildred looked at the two soon to be graduates. She
was smiling and shaking her head. She also knew that more
than a couple of dogs might be headed to Morgantown.
“I don't know why you two just don't get married,” she
laughed wiping her hands on her apron.
“MOM !” Dawn exclaimed.
“You know darn well that's gonna happen,” Mildred
continued. “Seriously, you both are never gonna be more than
a foot apart for the rest of your lives,” she smiled. “So why
not? Besides why live in a dorm? I know you're going to spend
all of your time at Tommy's.”
Tommy was holding Dawn's hand. “Mrs. Thurston, we did
talk about getting married. We talked for hours and hours
when we were all in Morgantown last month, and we really
planned to talk to you both about it after graduation,” he
smiled at Dawn then looked over at Walter. “I was going to do
the whole ask your permission routine and everything.”
Mildred and Walter smiled as they looked at each other.
They were both beaming with pride.
“But since you brought it up, we both thought we should
maybe put off a decision on 'when' until next summer,” Tommy
said.
“By then Dawn will have one year in the dorm. It's too soon
for that step, but only because both of us need to concentrate
on our studies. I really want Dawn to have the experience of
living in a dorm. At least the first year.” Tommy smiled at
Dawn.
“And you are right, if we get your blessing, it's gonna
happen.” He looked over and winked at Dawn's mother.
“Period!”
“Besides,” Dawn laughed. “The way things are going with
Gary and Dee, maybe we can wait and have a double
wedding!”
Walter got up and went over to the coffee pot. He poured a
cup for Tommy and one for himself. On his way back to the
table, he looked at Tommy.
“Well, I've got a hundred bucks that says you don't wait.”
He said with a laugh.
Tommy laughed as well. “You're on sir.”
Walter set the cup down in front of Tommy.
“Seriously, Mildred and I are so proud of both of you, and I
could not be happier that your long separation is almost over.
You both have handled it better than we ever dreamed you
could or would. I honestly don't know how you did it,” he
beamed.
Dawn looked at her father. “It's simple, daddy. Because we
love each other,” She looked tenderly at Tommy. “Always
have, always will.”
Walter continued his thought. “You sacrificed so much for
each other, and you deserve to be together. You both are
adults now, and we love you more than we can express.
I know you both are so young, but there is something special
about you two. You are both mature beyond your years. And of
course, you have our blessing.” Walter said. He then looked at
Tommy.
“But there is one thing I want to talk to you about, young
man.” he said in a more serious tone.
'Uh oh,' Tommy thought. 'Here comes the father of the
girlfriend sex speech.' He was surprised it took this long.
Dawn wanted to save Tommy from this conversation, so
she interrupted. “Daddy, I am afraid that ship sailed over a
year ago.”
Mildred could not control her laughter. Dawn shared
everything with her mother. Especially things that you don't
ever talk to your 'daddy' about. And some things you don't
tell your boyfriend about either. Tommy never knew that
Mildred went out of her way to arrange some special 'alone
time' for the kids when Tommy was home on break.
“That's not what I was talking about young lady,” Walter
was not a stupid man, so he could not help but laugh. “What I
was going to tell this young man is,” Walter paused and shook
his head. “Isn't it about time you dropped the Mr. and Mrs.
Thurston routine?”
Dawn and her mother again both broke into laughter.
Tommy looked at both of them. “OK Mom, Dad,” Tommy
smiled.
It made Mildred cry. And it made Tommy happier than he
had been in months. He had a family again.
The ringing of the phone interrupted the family bonding
moment. Walter answered it. He listened for a moment, then
handed the phone to Tommy. “It's Mr. Ethridge.”
Tommy took the phone and said hello.
“Tommy, how was your trip home?” he asked.
“Fine sir. It was delayed a bit when I stopped outside of
Dayton to rescue a dog,” he laughed. He then proceeded to
tell his mentor about how he found, then acquired Juno. Mr.
Ethridge was not surprised.
They chatted for a few minutes, then Tommy got real quiet.
All he said was “yes sir,” “of course sir,” and a “thank you, sir.”
His face went ashen. Dan got a worried look on her face. She
did not think she and Tommy could deal with any more bad
news. They had enough of that in the past eighteen months.
When Tommy hung up the phone, Dawn was first to speak.
“Honey, what's wrong?” she asked.
“That was Mr. Ethridge, Tommy replied. “He tried to catch
me this morning, but I left too early and we missed each other.”
Tommy got quiet again.
“And?” they all seemed to ask in unison.
“They just announced it,” he said quietly.
Dawn couldn't take much more if this.
“What?” She exclaimed.
“Now I have to change my speech.”
“Why, for heaven's sake,” Mildred asked.
Tommy looked at her, then at Walter and Dawn.
He smiled broadly as he looked over at Dawn.
“They posted the final grades for the term this morning. It
looks like we have two Valedictorians in this room.”
CHAPTER 55 THE RING
Tommy and Dawn were in the TV room, each reading their
chosen book for the week. Dawn was reading Alexander
Key's 'Escape to Witch Mountain', while Tommy was
engrossed in 'The Lessons of History' by Will and Ariel Durant.
They were passing some time as they waited for Gary to
arrive home after finishing his second semester at Purdue.
The doorbell interrupted their thoughts. Tommy assumed it
was Dee coming over to wait for Gary to arrive from West
Lafayette.
Bear and Juno were laying on the floor, side by side. Both
were sound asleep. They didn't want Juno to jump up on the
sofa until her stitches were healed. Tommy had been like a
mother hen since the dog was spayed. Bear opened one eye
when he heard the doorbell, thought better of it and closed it
again.
Dawn looked out the window where she could see the
front porch.
“Oh dear, it's your dad!” she exclaimed.
Tommy put down his book, sighed, and stood up.
“I'll get it,' he said to Dawn.
“Be nice sweetie,” Dawn said softly as he left the room.
Tommy opened the door and looked at his father. He had
changed over the past few months. He looked much older
than the last time Tommy saw him. Tommy realized that he
was no longer afraid of this man.
“Hello Tommy,” John said quietly. “I heard you were in town
until graduation. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Tommy had no idea where this conversation might go. But
he knew his father didn't walk down for any idle chit chat.
Tommy knew whatever it was about, it was important.
“OK, sure," Tommy smiled as he walked out onto the porch
and closed the door.
"Son," John looked down at the ground. "I just got off the
phone with Ray Ethridge. I want to congratulate you on being
named Valedictorian, and on your scholarship to W.V.U. Your
mother and I are both very proud of what you have become. I
know it's no thanks to me, but I wanted you to know."
"Dad, it's OK. You did what you thought was best for me,
and you know what?" Tommy smiled at his father. "You were
right, it was the best thing for me. No matter the reasons or
the facts, you did the right thing. I don't regret it. You made
me grow up. Maybe earlier than most kids, but I need to thank
you for that."
Tommy saw a tear in his father's eye.
"I want you to know that I am putting the lake cottage on the
market, and as soon as it sells, I will re-pay the trust. What I
did was wrong."
"No, dad." Tommy was carefully searching for the right
words. "What you did wasn't wrong, you just did it for all the
wrong reasons. It took me awhile to understand that," Tommy
paused. "Don't sell the lake property. I know how much that
place means to you and mom."
"But son, I need to repay the trust," John said. “Thats was
the deal I made with Mr. Walker.”
"No sir, you don't have to do that," Tommy replied. "I have
thought a lot about this whole mess we are all in. I spent all of
January and February hating you for what you did to me. I
spent a lot of time talking to my counselor, Mrs. Reitz. She
helped me to realize that I was also partially to blame. I was a
troublemaker and I made life miserable for you, mom, and
George. I never gave this town a chance. I walked around
with a huge chip on my shoulder hating everything and
everyone around me, except for Dawn. Last month I realized
that we both overreacted and said a lot of things we shouldn't
have said. And at least for me, things I really didn't mean. I
can't repair the damage that both of us have done, but in a
way you were right. Pops never should have set up the trust
fund the way he did. All that he accomplished was to set us all
up for a disaster. It was unfair to George and to you. I am sure
he did what he thought was right, just like you did. But you
should have told me about it from the very beginning. All you
did was add to that disaster. You hated me for years, and
passed those feelings on to my only sibling. And now,” Tommy
choked up a bit thinking of his brother and what could have
been.“That damage is irreparable, and that was totally your
fault. And it was always about the money. I don't know if I can
ever forgive you for that, but I hope I can. I know I want to try.”
Tommy paused again, and really looked into his father's
eyes, perhaps for the first time.
“Mr. Walker is setting things up so the trust can buy a
house in Morgantown. We sign the papers in a couple of
weeks. He says I can sell it when I graduate and make a nice
profit. I decided I did not want to live in a dormitory. It wouldn't
be fair to any new roommate to try to replace Bruce. Besides,
I think I want some alone time for a while. And it works out.
because Dawn and I have decided to take Bear and Juno, the
dog I just rescued, with us to Morgantown. Dawn is going to
live in the dormitory at least for a while. I want her to hopefully
have the same roommate experience that I've had. We will
see how all that goes. I am not going to college for the
experience. I've had the away from home experience. I am
going to college for the education.” Tommy smiled at his dad.
“Besides,” he continued. “Mr. and Mrs. Walker will always be
around keeping their eyes on us. Dawn and I both trust them
with our lives.”
John could not believe what he was hearing. This was not
at all what he expected when he walked down the street.
"I talked to Mr. Walker last week." Tommy continued. "I told
him to tear up that payback agreement he made you sign. And
I want you to know that agreement was his idea, not mine. But
I went along with it. I let my temper get the better of me. I am
sorry for that. As far as I'm concerned, the matter is closed."
"And he was OK with that?" John asked.
Tommy smiled, "As my best friend's father, he wanted to
make sure I really thought it through and wanted to do it, and
honestly, he did try to talk me out of it." Tommy said. "But, as
my attorney, he did what I asked him to do." Tommy smiled.
"I think he is still mad at you for punching me. The way I look
at it, there were probably a lot more times when I deserved a
punch and didn’t get one." Tommy laughed.
John looked down at the porch floor.
"Dad, I trust Mr. Walker. He really gives good advice. He is
going to invest some of it for me, and give me a monthly
allowance to live on. There is some sort of new computer
company, he wants me to invest in."
"Son, you definitely got your mother's kindness. Thank
you." John looked up and finally smiled.
"Yeah, dad, I did get that from her, but I got my brains and
my common sense from you. There is a lot more of you in me
than either one of us would like to admit. Maybe that's why we
fight so much." Tommy smiled back.
John nodded his head in agreement.
“One more thing dad,” Tommy sighed. “I know you won't
tell me what you did with the money, and that's OK. I thought
about it a lot and decided that you would not have done it
without a damn good reason, so whatever you did with the
money is fine. I will never ask you about it again.”
“Son, it's not that I won't tell you, I just can't tell you. Not
now, maybe never. Please understand.”
“Its alright dad, I'm sure you used it for a good reason and
that's all I need to know.”
John hung his head in shame.
“Dad, it's OK, really it is.”
John looked up at his son.
"Before I go," John said softly. "I did want to give you
something. Not really a graduation present, but something I
want you to have." John reached down to his left hand ring
finger and removed his diamond ring. He handed it to Tommy.
"Dad, that's Pops diamond. Since the day he was buried,
I've never seen you take it off." Tommy exclaimed.
"Yes, and it was his father's before him. I want you to have
it now, rather than later. I know if you and Dawn get married,
she cannot have children. But maybe you two will adopt. You
need someone to pass this ring to." John paused and smiled
at his son.
"But not for a very, very, very long time."
Tommy looked at his father. They both knew that it might
be impossible to repair the damage to this relationship. There
was too much water over that dam. But they were both trying
and that was a good first step. Tommy knew he would at least
try to have a lasting relationship with his father. He knew John
was still broken hearted over the loss of his oldest boy.
John held out his hand to Tommy.
Tommy stepped up to his father, put his arms around him
and hugged him.
"Thanks Dad."
Dawn could not resist peaking out the window. She had
no idea what father and son were saying to each other. It
warmed her heart to see them hug. Soon she was crying.
As they stepped apart, both father and son were smiling.
“Tommy, I hope you and Dawn will be very happy at W.V.U.
You two kids deserve it. I know she is aware of how lucky she
is to have found you.”
"That may be true dad," Tommy laughed. "But I got the
best end of that deal. I can't imagine my life without her in it."
"Now that's something we can both agree on, they call it
love," John replied. "I hope that you both will keep in touch
with us," he paused. "For your mother's sake?"
"I will dad, I promise." Tommy was close to tears. "Tell mom,
I'll stop by and see her before I leave."
As John started to walk away, he stopped beside the El
Camino. He turned back to Tommy and said. "Nice truck
Tommy. Yours?"
"Yeah," Tommy replied. "It was a graduation gift from Mr.
and Mrs. Walker. Bruce got one too. He'll be the only 'gear
head' at Harvard," he said with a laugh.
“And the T-Bird?” John asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Dad, please don't be mad. I sold it to Dave Vallalonga's
girlfriend and donated the money to the school's math
department in George's name. I wanted to start a yearly
award for the top math student in Mr. Hartwig's honor. A lot of
my classmates chipped in as well, so we have a pretty
good math fund started. Mr. and Mrs. Walker knew I was
uncomfortable driving George's car. And I knew deep down
inside that George would not have wanted me to have it.
And I was OK with that. The Walkers encouraged me to sell it
and move on."
“It's fine son, it's fine. I'm not mad, not at all. I am sure
George would have approved. And so do I. I never thought
about what having that car around would mean to you. As
usual, I was only thinking of myself. I should have sold it and
bought you something different. Please tell Mr. Walker that I
was wrong about him and for that, I am truly sorry. Obviously,
he is a much better man than I am. I'm glad he and his family
were there for you. I certainly wasn't. And tell Bruce that as
well. I know they helped make you the kind of man you have
become. Please thank them for me, for all that they have done
for you. And please tell them I appreciated that they all came
to George's service. It was a nice thing they did for you. They
must care for you deeply. I just hope someday I can thank them
in person.”
He turned and walked away.
"I will Dad, I promise." Tommy said with a smile. He had not
known that his father had noticed the Walkers at the funeral.
Tommy stood on the porch and watched as his father
walked up the street to the house that Tommy hated. Lots of
emotions flowed through his mind. He thought about those
terrible first years in Indiana and about the school that he
hated. He remembered the bullies and what they had done to
him. He thought about the years of verbal abuse he had to
tolerate from his father and brother. He recalled staring out of
that bedroom window for hours and hours on end, wishing
he could go back to Pennsylvania. He thought of his brother
George, and what could have been.
Then Tommy came to a startling realization. It was time to
forgive and forget. He thought about Dawn, Gary, their
parents, Denise, Bruce and his family. All the friends he had
made in Charleston in the four years he attended Briarwood.
He thought about the education he had received. He realized
that he would not have had it any other way. He looked up in
the sky and thanked God that he had moved to Indiana.
Tommy smiled broadly as he went back into the Thurston
home. It was time to move on.
CHAPTER 57 APOLOGY FROM A FAR AWAY
LAND
Tommy saw the young man as he walked up the drive way
to the Thurston home. He noticed the beaten up Volkswagen
parked behind his El Camino. The man was tall and lanky
with a full beard and long hair to match. He was wearing an
ARMY jacket, but Tommy could not make out the name on the
patch.
Tommy met him at the front door.
“Can I help you?” Tommy said politely.
“Are you Tommy Andrews?” the bearded man asked.
“Yeah, that's me.” Tommy replied, then smiled at the
newcomer.
The man shifted on his feet. “Can I come in and talk to you
for a moment?” he asked. “I just came from your house and
your mother said you might be here.”
“Can I ask what this is about?” Tommy was always leery of
strangers.
“I'm sorry Tommy. I did not explain myself,” he took a
breath. “I served with your brother in Vietnam,” he looked
down at the ground. “I was with him when he died.”
He then looked up at Tommy, held out his hand and said.
“Frank Templeton.”
“Come on in Frank,” Tommy smiled as they shook hands.
“You obviously have a story to tell me.”
“Yes I do, thank you,” the man finally smiled.
They went into the kitchen and Tommy poured Frank a cup
of coffee. Dawn came into the room and Tommy introduced
her.
“Frank Templeton, this is Dawn Thurston,” Tommy said with
a smile.
“Ahh, the famous Dawn that George told me about,” he
smiled. “George was right, you are gorgeous. He said that
you were a very special young lady.”
Dawn blushed and said, “Thank you.”
They all sat down and Frank started to tell his story.
“Tommy, I know that you knew all about George's drug
problems.”
Tommy just nodded his head.
“George told me all about you,” Frank said. “He talked
about you all the time. How smart you were, and what a bad
brother he had been to you. He was my dearest friend.” The
man started to cry.
Tommy understood. He knew how he would feel if anything
ever happened to Bruce or Gary.
“Anyway, we were close. But drugs were everywhere in
'Nam.” Tommy nodded his head. “It was impossible to stay
away from it. We both tried,” he paused searching for the
correct words. He wanted this conversation to be perfect.
“George got word that another company was bringing a
shipment of heroin to the airport,” he continued.
Dawn's eyes opened wide. Pot was one thing, but this
was a total surprise.
“Yes, he was heavily into heroin. He started using right
after he got to 'Nam. I tried everything to get him off it.” Frank
rubbed his straggly beard. “I got my head screwed back on in
time, but he never had the chance.”
Tommy always wondered what George was doing at that
airport.
“Are you telling me that my only brother got killed over
some heroin?” Tommy asked.
“No, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
When I found out he had gone to the airport and why, I went
after him. I found him at one of the gates waiting for the drop
sitting in a jeep. I was trying to talk him into leaving when the
mortar attack came. We didn't have a chance. It came out of
nowhere. The Cong were laying in wait for a convoy that was
passing us. Next thing I knew the jeep was flipping over. I was
thrown clear,” he paused. Tommy stared intently. Dawn was
silent. She reached over and took Tommy's hand in hers.
Frank continued. “I looked over at George. He had also
been thrown clear, but took the full force of the blast on the left
side of his face and body. There were huge pieces of
shrapnel in his neck and side. Blood was everywhere.”
Frank looked at Tommy. Tommy was as white as a ghost.
Dawn thought he was going to faint. “Ahh, do you want me to
continue?”
Tommy regained his composure. “Please, Frank. I think I
need to hear this.”
“Part of his face was badly burned. I yelled for a medic, but
it was pure chaos. Honest, Tommy I did the best I could.” he
started to cry again. “Mortars were going off everywhere.
There was no one to help,” he sobbed.
It was obvious to Tommy that these two soldiers had
bonded, yet only one came home.
“Frank, I am sure you did. Please don't blame yourself,”
Tommy said quietly. “How much of this did you tell my
mother?”
“I told her none of this story, Tommy. This story is for you,
and I will tell you why in a moment. Please hear me out.” He
took a drink of his coffee and tried to collect himself.
“I just told your mother that I served with George, we were
friends and I wanted to look them up when I got home. We
had a nice friendly visit. I didn't see the need for her to know
the details. What good would it do? I told her I wanted to
meet you too and asked how to find you. But I think someone
in your family should know the details. She told me you were
on break from school and I should come here.”
“I worry about her; she is still very delicate.” Tommy said.
“She and dad both are having a tough time.”
“Tommy, your brother talked about you a lot. We had a lot
of downtime. It was so damn boring in Saigon. I think doing
drugs was his escape,” he said.
Tommy looked at Dawn. “Yeah and drugs cost him his life.”
“Perhaps you are right. Anyway, we talked about
everything. George told me all about you and how badly he
treated you growing up. He knew what a jerk he had been to
you. He also told me how damn proud he was of you.”
Tommy was stunned. He never expected this. Were they
talking about the same George Andrews?
Tommy looked over at Dawn. They were both surprised
and wondered where this story was headed.
Frank went on with his tale.
“George was a complicated piece of work, Tommy. He was
lost, and in a way, I think he was extremely jealous of you.
You had the grades, all the friends, you were living away from
home and,” he smiled at Dawn. “You had the beautiful
girlfriend.” Dawn smiled back.
“George told me all about you getting into trouble and your
dad sending you away. He always said there had to be more
to that whole story, and your dad was wrong for sending you
away like that,” he sighed. “He remembered a man and his
daughter coming to your house after you left for boarding
school. They told a story about what happened that day, but
your dad didn't believe it. George had forgotten all about that
until just a few months before,” Frank stopped cold, then
continued. “He was sorry that he never went to you and asked
about what happened. He told me about the night before you
left, when he stood in your bedroom doorway. It was the night
you finally stood up to him and told him that you and he were
'through'. He actually cried when he told me that story.” Frank
paused again to collect his thoughts.
“George also said that you were like a kitten. Soft and
tender, until someone crossed you or a friend, then the claws
came out and you became a roaring lion. He said that you
were the nicest, most caring person in the world. But when
someone crossed you or a friend, you became the meanest
son of a bitch on the face of the planet.”
He looked over at Dawn. “Sorry Miss.”
Dawn smiled. She understood exactly what he was saying.
“It's OK, please continue Frank,” she said.
“I think he respected you for that,” Frank said turning his
attention back to Tommy.
Tommy sighed. “He never told me.”
“I don't think he knew how to talk to you Tommy. Maybe he
thought he had to play the mean big brother act. I don't really
know. But I do know that the one thing George talked about
more than anything else was coming back here to Indiana and
making things right with you. He carried a ton of guilt with him
and he really wanted to fix it. I kept telling him to write to you,
but he always said he wanted to do it in person. He had no
idea that he would not be returning home,” he paused. “Until
that night at the airport.”
Tommy interrupted. “Frank, can I ask you one very
important question?”
Frank nodded.
“Did George ever mention anything to you about a trust
fund.”
Frank got a confused look on his face, then shook his
head.
“A trust fund? No, I'd remember something like that. He
talked on and on about your scholarship and how he hoped
you would get one for college. He said you were too smart to
have to work your way through college. He knew that this
school you were doing so well at was one of the top high
schools in the country. But he never mentioned any trust
fund. George always worried about how your dad paid for the
first year. He knew it had to be expensive. He told me
he asked your dad several times, but was told to stay out of it.
He said that when he went back to school he would use the
GI bill and get a job,” he paused for a moment in thought. He
shook his head. “No, I would've remembered if he ever
mentioned a trust fund.”
Tommy looked over at Dawn. His mother did not lie to him.
George knew nothing about the trust fund. He was not a part
of it. Tommy was relieved and thankful.
Frank looked down at the table. “Tommy this is the hardest
part,” he paused.
“George knew he was dying. There were no medics
around. He reached up and grabbed me by the collar. He
shook me as he made me promise to come back in one piece
just so I could come and find you.”
Tommy did not understand.
“Tommy, he knew he would not get a chance to mend
thingswith you. He cried, but I don't think it was about the pain
or that he knew he was going to die. I think he was sad that
he would never get the chance to tell you all this in person.
The last thing he said to me before he died was 'Tell Tommy
that I loved him'."
Dawn was in tears, and Tommy was about to break down.
They both realized that the last thing George thought of before
he died was his younger brother. Tommy would carry that
memory with him for the rest of his life. Tommy put his head
in his hands and the newcomer continued.
“I didn't know it at the time, but he did write to you.”
Tommy looked up, surprise written all over his face.
“He did ? I never got a letter from him,” Tommy replied.
“That's because he never mailed it,” Frank continued.
Maybe he was afraid of your reaction, maybe he thought you
wouldn't forgive him. We'll never know for sure.”
Frank reached into his pocket and brought out a sealed
envelope. “I found it when I was going through his personal
effects. I like to think that he wrote it, then decided to
deliver it in person. Maybe he was hoping to discuss it after
you read it. Maybe he knew I would find it. I thought about
mailing it but decided it would be best to give it to you in
person,” Frank choked back another tear. “I think maybe it's
what your brother wanted me to do. And it's the last thing I can
do for my best friend,” he stopped again finding it difficult to
go on. He started to cry again. “Is to honor his last request,”
Frank paused.
“This is the real reason I am here,” he said softly as he
handed the envelope to Tommy. “Read this later, after all this
soaks in a bit,” Frank said. “Obviously I have no idea what is
in it.”
“Thank you Frank for coming here. I can tell that you and
George were really close. I am so relieved that my brother did
not die alone. He was with someone who obviously cared a
great deal for him. It was very kind of you to go to all this
trouble to find me. You came a long way for this. And I
appreciate your compassion for my mother.”
“You're welcome, Tommy,” Frank smiled for a moment. “I
would have come sooner, but I had another six months of tour
duty left, and a few issues of my own to work out.”
Tommy smiled. “That's OK, you're here now. That's all that
matters. Thank you.”
"Your brother was right; you are a class act. He was so
proud that you were the first at your school to room with a
black.”
“Really?” Tommy asked. “My brother?”
“Yeah, by the time he found out I was half black, we had
already become close friends. It really opened his eyes. We
talked about it all the time. He came to realize what you
already knew. It's about character, not color. I think he realized
that you were right all along. He said your dad was a bit of a
racist.”
Tommy laughed again. “Just a bit,” he replied.
“George said he was sorry about all those things he said to
you about your roommate. He told me that you must have had
really big balls,” he stopped and looked at Dawn.
“Sorry miss.”
Dawn smiled at him. “It's OK Frank. I have an older brother.
I've heard much worse,” she said with a laugh.
“Anyway,” he continued, “George said you must have had
a lot of guts to do what you did. He thought it must have been
hard blazing the trail like that. He worried about what other
people might do to you guys. But he was so proud of both
you and Bruce. I know he wanted to apologize to you for the
things he said. He was wrong and he finally admitted it to
himself. He talked about you and your best friend all the time.
He really wanted to get home for your graduation, so he could
meet Bruce. I hope someday to meet him too. He sounds like
a really nice guy.”
“He is one of the best,” Tommy smiled.
Frank got up signaling he was ready to leave, but Tommy
stopped him.
“Hold up Frank, let me get my keys. You and I need to go
somewhere if that's OK with you.” He smiled at his brother's
friend. “Can you spare me a bit more of your time?”
“Sure, where are we going?” Frank asked.
Tommy grabbed his keys and guided Frank towards the
front door. He looked over at Dawn.
“I want to go visit my brother” Tommy said, a single tear
coming down his cheek.
CHAPTER 57 LETER FROM VIETNAM
Tommy and Frank went to Beech Grove cemetery and
visited George's final resting place. It was the first time
Tommy had been to the cemetery since the funeral. He liked
the headstone his parents chose.
On the way, they stopped and bought some flowers.
Tommy and Frank talked for hours and hours. Tommy took
his brother's best friend to dinner and they talked even more.
Dawn was already in bed when Tommy got back to the
house.
Tommy offered a place for Frank to sleep, but he wanted to
head back to Florida. He planned to stop for the night south of
Cincinnati. They promised to keep in touch.
Tommy stood on the Thurston's front lawn and watched as
Frank drove up Lancaster Drive.
He stood there for another twenty minutes, just staring at
the house up the street. Emotions went through his mind
faster than those cars going around the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway. He wanted to open the letter but he was afraid. He
was afraid of what the letter might contain. But he knew he
had to find out. He went back into the house. It would have to
wait until morning.
Tommy did not sleep well. His brother was now in the front
part of his brain. He was still digesting all the revelations of
Frank's visit.
It was a little before five when Tommy awoke. He quietly
got dressed and wondered into the kitchen to put on the
coffee.
He sat at the kitchen table for a moment, then he got up,
and walked back into Gary's room and quietly retrieved the
letter from his jacket. He did not want to wake Gary, as he had
been over at Dee's until late the night before.
He looked at the envelope as he waited for the coffee to
finish. It was a typical U.S. Army envelope. It had George's
APO San Francisco return address and Tommy's name and
his West Virginia address. 'He must have gotten my address
from mom' he thought.
He got up and poured himself some coffee. Sitting back
down at the kitchen table he broke the seal. His hand
trembled as he removed the long letter. His last link to his only
brother.
Feb 8, 1968
Dear Tommy,
Happy seventeenth birthday!! I hope you have a great
day. I was thinking that you are almost a man now. Then I
realized that you have been a man since you were twelve
years old. More of a man, than I am now. I know that you
had a rough patch for a couple of years, but not as bad as
the rough patch that I'm going through.
I need to explain a few things to you little brother.
I was a jerk to you. Plain and simple. I never figured
out how to treat a brother. And I am really sorry about it. I
think I got part of that from Dad. I don't know why he
always treated you like crap. No matter how I think about
it, I can't understand it. You never did anything to that
man and all he did was stomp on you. I am so so sorry
that I did the same thing. I guess I thought I needed to act
the same way in order to gain his love. It was never about
you. It was always about me. I was so so wrong. I know
you will probably never forgive me, but there are some
things that that you need to know. I just hope you will
read all of this and hear me out.
Please?
You were always smarter than me. I had a hell of a time
keeping up with you. Deep down inside I was jealous of
you. But I could not tell you that. I know in 7th and 8th
grade, your grades suffered. No wonder, with the way you
were treated at home and at school. I am ashamed that I
did that to you. You never fit in at your new school or in
Muncie. I don't know how you survived. I should have
tried to make it easier for you. I could have introduced
you to some of my friends. But I was afraid they would
like you better than they liked me. You have that effect on
people. I am so sorry.
But brother of mine, you have flourished in Charleston.
Getting out of that house was the best thing to ever
happen to you. Maybe if I'd been sent away, things would
have been different for me too. I heard mom and dad all
the time telling people how great you were doing. And
how proud they were of you. Mom writes to me all the
time about you.
I want you to know how proud I am of you too.
Every time you came home, I wanted to ask you about
your school. I wanted to hear about your new friends and
how you were doing. But I was scared. Yes, I was afraid of
my own little brother. I could not figure out how to fix
what I had done. So, I stayed at a distance.
All I heard after you went to Charleston was how great
you were. Then I realized that before you left all you heard
was how great I was. No wonder we didn't get along. We
never stood a chance. I see it all now. I wish I could have
seen it then. Maybe I wouldn't be so screwed up.
I was not very kind to you about the Bruce thing either.
I never realized how wrong I was until I met Frank
Templeton. He's from Orlando and has become my best
friend. I did not know for many months that he was half
black. What a revelation that was for me. I told him all
about you and how I treated you. He really helped me
understand what I had done to you. And he opened my
eyes so I could see things clearer. I hope you get to meet
him someday. I know you would really like him. He is the
first real friend I have ever had.
Now I understand the bond that you and Bruce have. I
want you and me to have that same kind of bond. And
when I get home, I'm going to do everything I can to make
it up to you.
Remember that last argument we got into, after I
called Bruce a, well you know. I thought for sure you were
going to deck me again. You should have, but you didn't.
You said you never wanted to see me again. That was
worse than a punch. And I don't blame you. I wouldn't
want to see me again after what I said to you. What
I said was mean, cruel, and totally uncalled for. I don't
even know Bruce. How dare I say that? I hope someday
you will forgive me.
Maybe after you graduate from Briarwood, we can go
up to the lake cottage for a week. Just you and me.
Fishing, swimming, and just hanging out. I know you and
Dawn will be getting ready to go off to some big college
somewhere but maybe, you can find a week just for us? It
might be our last chance for awhile. Please ?
About Dawn. I know you realize what a lucky guy you
are to have her in your life. So, don't screw it up! I can tell
that she is special. There is just something about her. I
am looking forward to getting to know her better. I have a
feeling that you two will be together forever. Let me tell
you little brother, if I ever meet a girl who loves me like
Dawn loves you, I will NEVER let her go.
And I want to hear the 'real story' about why you got
expelled from Storer. I'm not stupid, and neither are you. I
always thought that you would not have beaten the tar
out of that kid without a damn good reason. I wish I
would have asked you then. Maybe Dad would not have
sent you away. I realized a few weeks ago that I had
forgotten all about the two visitors we had a few months
after you left. A man and his daughter came to the house.
He explained to Mom and Dad that the reason you beat up
that kid was because he was assaulting his daughter in
he hall. Dad didn't believe the story and since I was being
a jerk, I agreed with Dad. Then I forgot all about it. WHY
DIDN'T YOU TELL EVERYONE??? Is that what really
happened ??? It would have made a huge difference,
Tommy. They should have called you a HERO!!!
And speaking of dad. You know Tommy, I am a lot like
him while you are more like Mom. But you got the best of
both. Her love and compassion and Dad's brains. I don't
know what I got. I wish I had your compassion and
wisdom. I cannot talk to people like you do. I can't make
friends like you can. Neither can dad. Work on him
Tommy. You and he deserve a relationship too. But you
will have to take the first steps. He will go kicking and
screaming. Trust me. It will be worth it. Chip away at that
armor. You can learn a lot from him. He is not a bad man
Tommy, he is just distant. He never learned how to love.
You will have to bridge that gap. Like me, he can be a real
ass sometimes. He never had a close friend to help him
see they way he is. Be that friend. Be his Frank
Templeton. Be his Bruce Walker. I will help you when I
get home. We will do it together !
And please do me one favor. Next time you are home
on a break, please get my T-Bird out of the garage and
take it back to school with you. Now don't get all excited, I
still want it back when I get home! But the thought of you
riding those buses back and forth from Charleston really
bothers me. I want you to be safe. It's stupid to leave that
thing parked while I am gone.
I know you can use it. Enjoy !! Maybe I can talk Dad
into getting you your own wheels when you graduate. I'll
work on the old buzzard for you !!!
Something else I need to say.
I should have listened to you that night. Remember
when you caught me smoking weed? You were right
about all of it. I spent my whole year in college on drugs.
No wonder I flunked out. You did your best. You tried. I
also know that you tried to tell dad. I bet that was a fun
conversation. I am so sorry. I wish to god, I hadn't had my
head up my ass.
Maybe if I had listened to you, I would not be here now.
But that's OK. I needed to grow up.
I am really trying to kick the drugs. I'm sorry that I got
into heavier drugs when I arrived in Vietnam. Drugs are
everywhere here. We're stoned all the time. It's the only
way I know to get through it.
But I promise you little brother. I AM GONG TO BEAT
THIS.
Even though I am away from combat, I am scared
Tommy. I am scared every second of every damn day. The
ugly feeling in the pit of my stomach will not go away. The
next six months are going to be the longest six months in
my life. I am in hell. Maybe it's what I deserve.
You remember after we moved to Indiana, you
fantasized about going back to Pennsylvania? I
understand that feeling now. I feel the same way now. I
want to go home!!!
Please Tommy, don't judge me.
I am going to come home, get my head on straight and
go back to school.
I want to make you as proud of me, as I am of you.
Happy Birthday.
love
George
Tommy sat in silence and just stared at the letter he had
just read. Not one misspelled word, perfect grammar and
each and every sentence made sense. George was not high
when he wrote this. Tommy knew that this letter would
become his most prized possession.
Tommy put his head in his hands and cried like he had
never cried before. He cried for what was, and what could
have been. He cried for what was lost. He cried for his slain
brother. He mourned, and it was long overdue.
Dawn heard the sobbing and quickly grabbed her robe.
She ran into the kitchen and saw the letter on the table.
Tommy was sobbing uncontrollably.
She sat down beside him and without saying a word, she
took him into her arms. She rocked him gently back and forth.
Just like Tommy had done with Bruce on that terrible night in
April of the previous year.
After a few minutes she turned his head to her.
“It's OK Tommy, I love you. It'll be all right.” She wiped his
blond hair from his forehead and kissed him.
Tommy looked into Dawn's eyes and wished his brother
could have experienced this kind of love. Maybe things would
have been different.
Tommy tried to smile. He wiped a tear from his cheek.
Then he reached down and slid the letter over to her. Without
a word he got up from the table and quietly walked down the
hall and out the front door.
He walked the neighborhood for almost two hours.
Dawn sat at the table and read the letter. Soon she was in
tears. By this time Gary and her parents were up.
Dawn did not tell them what the letter said. If Tommy
wanted them to know, he would share it with them.
Gary knew Tommy's route when running or walking. He
knew if he went clockwise along the route, he could find his
friend. He caught up with Tommy over on Sheffield drive.
“Tommy, are you OK? he asked.
Tommy walked over to Gary and hugged him.
“I am so damn fortunate. Maybe if George had friends like
you and Bruce, he would still be here,” he started to sob again.
“Dawn told us about the letter, but she would not tell us
what the letter said. She said that was up to you.” Gary said.
They walked for another hour. Tommy told Gary everything
that was in the letter. Tommy went on and on about what
could have been. Gary was a good listener. He was also a
good crier. George had been his friend for a while. He cried
for his old friend.
When Tommy got back to the Thurston's, the letter was
back in the envelope and sitting on the kitchen table.
Mildred was sitting at the table drinking her morning coffee.
Tommy took the letter out of the envelope and handed it to
Mildred.
“Hope you have some tissues handy,” he smiled for the
first time this day. “You're gonna need them.”
She did not have enough.
CHAPTER 58 GUY TALK
It was the day before the big race, and Gary and Tommy
were on their way to Indianapolis.
As usual, they would stay at Gary's aunt and uncles the
night before and avoid a lot of the race traffic. Uncle Harold
would drop them off at the speedway and pick them up after
the race.
Through his contacts at Chevrolet, Walter was able to get
the usual tickets right behind pit row. He offered every year to
get four tickets, but the boys wanted this to be a 'guy' thing.
And Dawn and Dee were thrilled about it. Neither girl had any
interest in sitting on a hard bleacher seat for over four hours
watching 33 cars go round and round and round. It was hot,
sometimes wet, loud, and it smelled of gas fumes. It was a
guy thing.
Gary was the one who brought the subject up.
“So,” he said looking over at Tommy. “Mr. Brother In-Law
to be, you pick a date yet?” he said with a smile.
Tommy thought he was going to drive the El Camino off the
road. He laughed.
“Damn, how long have you known?” Tommy asked. “As if
your sister could ever keep a secret.”
“About a month,” Gary laughed. “Dawn called me in
Lafayette the minute she got back from Morgantown,” Gary
said, still smiling. “You should know by now that Dawn and I
have no secrets. And by the way Tommy, I couldn't be happier.
For both of you. After what you both have been through the
last four years, you both deserve this. It was hard not saying
anything. I just learned that mom and dad know.”
“We planned to talk to them after graduation, but your
mother spoiled it. She says to Dawn , 'I don't know why you
two just don't get married.' And it went down hill from there,”
Tommy laughed. “Next thing I know, your mom is all gushy
gushy and crying. I wasn't sure if your dad was going to belt
me or not. It wasn't at all like I thought it would be. Haven't
been that scared since the day I got sent away to boarding
school. Dawn's talking nonsense about a ship sailing a year
ago. It was bizarre.”
Gary was in hysterics. “That's our family,” he said through
the laughs. “Get used to it.”
“You know what tho, Dawn and I talked later. We don't
think we can wait that long,” Tommy sighed.
Gary laughed. “Then do it you moron. Dawn loves you
more than anything. You've been apart four years. Do you
honestly think she is going to sit in a dorm room, while you
have a house across campus? Give me a break. That dorm
room is never going to get used and you know it. So quit
kidding yourself. Get married this summer. Just give mom
some time to plan the party.” Gary smiled. “And boy, some
party it'll be. I'll see to it.”
Tommy got quiet and looked at the road ahead.
He thought back to that first day at school in the Storer
cafeteria, and the day behind the bleachers.
Gary wondered where his friend went.
“Earth calling T.C. Andrews,” he said with a smile.
“Sorry man, my mind wondered for a sec,” Tommy looked
over at his friend. He reached over and put his hand on
Gary's shoulder. “It's been a long and strange journey hasn't
it?” Tommy asked one of his two best friends.
“You and me? Yeah it has,” Gary said. “Who would have
thought it, five and a half years ago,” Gary paused and
chuckled.
“That Gary Thurston and 'Indinia' Andrews would end up
best friends, let alone brothers.” Gary laughed long and hard.
Tommy had not thought about that nickname for a long
long time, and as much as he hated it, he knew how Gary
meant it. It was nice. He laughed too. Then he gently slapped
Gary on the cheek.
“I am glad you said all that when I was driving at seventy
miles an hour,” Tommy said. “This way, I'm not tempted to hug
you, you big goon.”
Gary could not control his laughter.
“So is Dawn keeping any secrets from me?” Tommy
chuckled. “Maybe about you and Dee?”
“No, she isn't, I wanted to tell you first,” Gary paused.
“Tell me what Gary?” Tommy asked jokingly. He knew what
was coming. No surprises in this truck.
“I asked Dee to marry me last night. She wanted to be the
one to tell Dawn.”
“That's wonderful, but not a surprise. I can see them now,”
Tommy laughed. “Lot's of giggling, laughing, crying, and all
that girl stuff. The long long planning sessions.”
“Yeah,” Gary laughed. “Isn't it great! We are not making a
big deal out of it right now, since she has her senior year to
finish. And I want to graduate first.” Gary continued.
“How about her Dad,” Tommy asked. “Is he cool with the
idea?”
“He was positively floored and happy as hell.” Gary
beamed. “We had a long talk when I asked him for his
permission a few weeks ago. I called him and he met me for
dinner. I snuck into town and snuck back out. No one but Ted
knew I was here. By the way, he told me that he has a lady
friend.”
“No kidding ? Damn, that is so great,” Tommy exclaimed.
“Yeah, her name is Jackie and Dee positively adores her.
But Dee hasn't told Dawn about her yet, so keep your trap
door closed, OK?” He didn't know that Dee told her best friend
everything. Dawn helped her through the 'acceptance' stage
of her dad's new relationship. It didn't take long. Jackie would
never take the place of her mother, but she and Denise had
bonded like sisters.
“No problem,” Tommy said with a smile. “Mr. Hahn
deserves some happiness, along with the rest of us. I couldn't
be happier for him.”
“Dawn and Dee are having one of their infamous 'sleep
overs' tomorrow night. I would love to be a fly on the wall,
when she tells Dawn,” Gary said.
“Let's face it brother, as of now, we have lost all control
over our lives,” Gary laughed.
“Yeah, isn't it great!” Tommy laughed. Gary joined in.
Gary then got a serious look on his face.
“But there is something else I want to talk to you about,”
Gary said.
They talked the rest of the way to Indianapolis.
CHAPTER 59 INDIANAPLIS 500 FRIDAY
MAY 30, 1969
They awoke long before dawn. Part excitement and part
knowing that at Indy, you better get to the track early.
Speedway out to the Interstate. Tommy was glad that Uncle
Harold knew all the back streets and alleyways.
They were in their seats by nine. Tommy always liked to
watch the bands march around the track, and all the other
pre-race festivities.
Greatest Spectacle In Racing.'
As in past years, Aunt Marie packed them a huge cooler
full of sandwiches, chips and sodas. Later they would find the
four beers, that Uncle Harold had put in the cooler for them.
You can't go to the Indy 500 and not have a cold beer.
Gary was hoping that A.J. Foyt would win his fourth Indy.
He was on the pole and was one of the favorites.
Tommy liked Mario Andretti, but since they were sitting
behind the pit of Lloyd Ruby, he would be Tommy's
sentimental favorite. Gary was upset that Al Unser Sr.
would not be in the race due to an injury. He wasn't injured in
a race car, but on a motorbike. During a rain delay, he jumped
on his motor bike in the infield and broke his leg trying to do a
'wheelie.'
Tommy was disappointed that USAC rendered the new
turbine cars noncompetitive, by placing massive restrictions
on their engine design. No Turbine car would be running in
this INDY 500, or any others. The short reign of the Turbine
car was over.
Soon the Purdue band played, the balloons were released,
words.
“GENTLEMAN START YOUR ENGINES.”
Not a single one of the three hundred thousand fans in
attendance was in a sitting position. They were all on their
feet and would remain that way for quite a long time, except
for a few drunks in the infield. And the inebriated girl two rows
down that passed out while the band was playing. She
wouldn't wake up until the race was over.
Led by the Chevrolet Camero Super Sport Pace Car, the
warm up lap began. LeeRoy Yarbrough's car failed to start,
and the field pulled away leaving him behind. He finally got it
started and tried to catch up to the pack.
“Gary, I don't think he is going to catch up,” Tommy said.
He never made it to his row three starting position, but
ended up in the middle of the pack when the green flag
dropped.
Soon the pack crossed the start/finish line and the race
was underway. Thirty three rear engine piston powered works
of art, were soon speeding around the two and a half mile
oval at 170 miles per hour.
From their seats, the boys could see the entire front
straightaway and the entrance into turn one.
Foyt for the early lead.
“Wow,” he yelled above the roar of the engines. The sound
was deafening. The boys loved it.
Five laps later Foyt would return the favor, again going into
turn one.
But it would be Mario Andretti's day.
CHAPTER 60 A MEANINGFUL
CONVERSATION
Tommy watched as the ramp was pushed up to the side of
the air craft. Soon the doors of the jet were opened and
people started to disembark.
He was so excited as this day seemed to take forever to
arrive. He smiled at Dawn as he stood there holding her hand..
He saw George when he reached the doorway. George
waved to his younger brother.
Tommy broke away from Dawn and ran to him. Soon they
were hugging.
“George, welcome home,” Tommy exclaimed. “What are
you doing here?”
“I am here for your wedding little brother,” George smiled.
“You don't think you are going to take that plunge without me
do you?”
“George, Dawn and I are not getting married,” Tommy
looked at his brother. “At least not right now. Maybe in a year
or two.”
George laughed long and hard.
“Yeah you are dude. You just don't know it yet.” George
said with a smile. “You have a lot of preparing to do before
August 9th.”
“George, I appreciate you coming I really do,” Tommy
smiled as he guided his brother into the terminal. “The car is
about a block away. What do you want to do first?”
George smiled. “I want one of those famous Pizza King
pizzas,” he said. “Just like that first night after we moved here.”
“You got it. Let's go,” Tommy said with a grin.
All of a sudden they were sitting at a table with a checkered
table cloth. The plastic covering was slippery and Tommy had
a hard time keeping his soda from moving around on the
shinny surface. For some reason, his hands were shaking.
He did not know where Dawn was. There was a red telephone
at the end of the table.
Tommy picked it up and his mother answered.
“May I take your order, boys?”
Tommy shook his head, and ordered a large cheese and
sausage pizza.
Instantly Dawn and Dee brought them their pizza.
But both acted as if they were regular customers. Tommy
was confused.
“So, Tommy, you gonna marry that girl?” George asked.
“Yeah someday,” Tommy smiled. “I just don't know when.
the whole idea scares the hell out me. What if I screw it up
George? What if we get married and I mess up in college. I
won't be able to support her. She will grow to hate me. I can't
stand the thought of that,” he looked down at the table.
“OK dork, listen up and listen good. I'm only going to say
this once,” then he smiled at his younger brother.
“Remember in my letter I told you not to screw this up?
Well, don't. I know how much you two nuts love each other
and how long you have been apart. You guys have something
really special. You both have been through hell and you're still
together. After everything that mom and dad did to break you
up, you're still together.”
Tommy looked up at George and smiled.
“Yeah George, I know, but I am scared.”
George smiled again. “Yeah T.C., that's normal. But let me
tell you something.”
Tommy was listening.
“You won't screw it up. You haven't screwed up in years, so
you won't start now. You will go to WVU and continue your
straight A's,” he winked at Tommy. “Or else, I will come back
and haunt you.”
“But George, you got good grades in high school too,” he
looked down at the table. “And look what happened to you.”
“Yeah right, I went to college and got high. As high as I
could get. And I stayed high until they threw my ass out. I
tossed it all away, and it cost me dearly. If you look in the
dictionary under screwed up, there’s my picture. All I can do
now is lay in that damn box they put me in. You're not that
stupid Tommy. You will be fine with Dawn right at your side.
Just as she has been the last five and a half years.”
“George?” Tommy asked. “How did you get so damn smart
all of a sudden?”
George reared back as he laughed.
“Tommy, You're not the only smart one in the family,”
Tommy smiled, "Yeah George, I guess you're right. Any
other advice?”
“Just what I put in the letter brother of mine. Make up with
the old man. Do all the things you want to do in life. Embrace
it. Enjoy it. Share all that love you have in your heart,” George
smiled. “Live my life for me. Don't mess it up like I did.”
Tears were streaming down Tommy's face. This was the
first meaningful conversation ever between the two siblings.
“I won't George, I promise,” Tommy was sobbing.
“And one more thing little brother,” George said seriously.
“Anything,” Tommy sobbed.
“Take care of Frank for me. He really is a great guy. I don't
want to worry about him.”
“I will George, I promise.”
George started to fade away as Tommy awoke. He looked
over at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was 4:30.
He knew he would not be able to go back to sleep. He smiled
broadly. Soon he was in the kitchen making coffee.
For the rest of his life he would dream about George. It
would get to the point that Tommy would look forward to those
dreams. He would share every major event in his life with his
long lost brother. Tommy would become convinced that his
brothers spirit was with him. The relationship they never had
when George was alive, thrived in Tommy's mind as he grew
into adulthood and beyond.
It was a secret he would only share with Dawn.
CHAPTER 61 MORE SUPRISES
Gary and Denise had decided to treat Tommy and Dawn to
a special graduation dinner at the Flamingo before Tommy left
for West Virginia and graduation.
It also gave the four of them time to celebrate the two
engagements. Tommy hated to wear a tie, but he would do
anything in the world for Dawn. She was excited about going
out to a fancy place.
The four of them got dressed up and headed towards
Kilgore Ave and the restaurant.
With the revelations of the last few days, it turned into a
multiple celebration. Graduations, engagements, and the
beginning of Dawn and Tommy's college life together. There
would be a surprise or two.
Tommy and Gary wanted to invite Ted and Jackie since
they were also part of the celebration, but Dee said no. “They
are celebrating on their own tonight,” she said as she winked
at Dawn.
Soon the subject turned to the letter from George. Gary
had given Dee the highlights.
“So, what did your folks say?” Denise asked.
“Nothing,” Tommy replied. “I didn't tell them about the
letter.”
“Really Tommy, why?” she asked.
“Dee, let me ask you something,” Tommy said softly. “If all
of a sudden you were handed a letter from your mother
written less than a month before she died, and you realized
this was a personal letter to you that ran deep with emotions.
Would you share it with your dad, or would you want to
cherish it as a last personal memento that was aimed at just
you from someone that you would never see again?”
Dee smiled as she reached over and patted Tommy's hand.
“You are truly a wise man Tommy” she said. “I understand
completely.”
“Maybe someday, I'll tell them about it. But George wrote
that letter to me, not to them. It is the only thing I have left of
him,” he smiled. “I think I'll keep it to myself for a while,” he
paused. “And a few dear friends.” Tommy said looking around
the table.
“I guess I will wait to see how it goes with my dad. I am
going to take George's last advice and try to make it work with
him. For George.”
Dawn looked over at Tommy. “You see guys, this is why I
love him so much,” she said.
“I thought a lot about it after Frank left,” Tommy continued.
“There is no need for my parents to hear what Frank told me.
What good would it do? It would only hurt them more. They
don't need to hear the details of his death or what caused it. I
want them to have their memories.”
“Tommy,” Gary said. “Have I ever told you what a class act
you are?”
Tommy smiled. “I have such a sordid history with my family.
I need to put it all behind me. I finally came to realize that a lot
of it was my own fault. I was not a very good kid.”
“Thomas Curtis Andrews,” Dawn said sternly. “You stop
talking about the guy I love that way. Got it?”
“Yes dear,” Tommy said with a smile. “But I have to admit
that I came to this town and that Junior High with a huge chip
on my shoulder. I didn't want to move here. I had the
preconceived notion that I would hate it. So, I did everything I
could to hate it here,” he looked over at Dawn and held her
hand. “But thank god we moved here.”
Dawn smiled. “Indeed.”
“Honestly, I made life miserable in that house up the street.
Based on what I know now about the trust fund, my dad and
George. I have to say that we never stood a chance of getting
along. Way too much baggage.” he sighed.
“Yes,” Gary said. “But you have plenty of time to make it
right.”
Tommy smiled. “Thanks to a visit from Frank Templeton,
and a letter from George. It's like this huge fog has been lifted
for me. I see it all clearly now.”
“Honey don't be so hard on yourself,” Dawn begged.
“It's OK Dawn,” Tommy smiled. “There is plenty of blame to
go around. But you know what? We all did what we thought
was best at the time. Even old T.R. God rest his soul. He tried
to do something nice for me, and I will always love him for
that. But wow, did he ever put an elephant in the room. Dad
hated him for it and I was the only one around that he could
take it out on.”
“He didn't mean to,” Dawn said.
“I know that dear. One thing I have learned over the past
four years is were are all messed up in some way. But that's
alright. It just means we are human.”
It was time to order. The four were having a great
time.
Just as the salads arrived, Gary dropped the bomb on
Dawn.
“Sis, I need to tell you something that we have kinda been
keeping from you the last few days,” Gary said lovingly.
“Gary, you never keep anything from me,” Dawn laughed.
“Well, not really keeping it from you, I just wanted to
surprise you, and I thought tonight would be the perfect time.”
Gary said winking at Dee. “And these two clowns went along
for the ride.”
“OK big brother, surprise me.” Dawn sighed, putting down
her fork.
“Well, Tommy and I had a long talk on the way to the
race, and on the way home,” Gary said. “We talked about a lot
of things.”
“Yeah,” Dawn smiled. “Guy talk, I know, all about girls and
sex and stuff,” she laughed. Dawn was not stupid. She knew
something was up. Although she had no idea what it was, she
wasn't going to make it easy for her brother.
“No, not about that. Well, partly,” Gary smiled. Tommy was
having a hard time controlling himself.
“Man come on, give the girl a break,” Tommy said with a
laugh.
Gary laughed as well. “OK, anyway, about two months
ago, I got this crazy idea. I looked into it, and it all worked out.
Then I talked to Tommy about it on the way to the race. I also
had to talk to Dee since any decision we make now is a joint
decision, and of course mom and dad.”
This was going to take the rest of the night. Dawn picked
up her fork and pointed it at Denise. “Dee, would you please
tell me what the hell is going on?” Dawn said loudly. So loud
that three patrons turned around and looked in in her direction.
Gary, Dee and Tommy all smiled. Gary looked at his sister.
They all looked like the cat that had just swallowed the
canary.
“I am transferring to W.V.U.,” Gary said proudly. “ I was
accepted two weeks ago.”
Dawn dropped her napkin, and in a flash was up from her
seat and hugging her brother.
“Oh my God, I can't believe it, you and me at the same
college with Tommy.” She started to cry.
People around them were wondering what the excitement
was all about.
“How? Why?” was all Dawn could say.
“I was so disappointed when you and Tommy eliminated
Purdue from your list. I know it was the right decision for you,
and I agreed with it. But I was still disappointed. So I decided
if I couldn't beat em, maybe I would join em,” he smiled.
“I could not make a move like this just to be with you two
clowns. That would have been the wrong thing to do. So I
started asking around, and I found out that Tommy was right
when he told me that although Purdue was a great
Engineering school, W.V.U. was just as good, if not in
some ways better,” he paused. “Dad asked around at work
too. It was the perfect solution.”
“How about the expense of out of state tuition,” Dawn
asked.
“It's only a bit more when I take out the dormitory room
expense. If I watch the budget, it'll be fine,” he beamed. “And,
dad says with you being so smart and all with your
scholarship, there is a bit more available in the college fund.”
“So, everybody knew about this except me?” Dawn smiled.
Tommy looked at Dawn. “I don't think he told the paper boy
or the milk man,” Tommy said with a chuckle.
That got Dawn laughing.
“Dawn, I know I said that no one would ever replace Bruce
as a roommate,” he looked over at Gary. “But I think I was
wrong. After four years in Charleston, I don't think I can live by
myself. I'm used to having a lot of people around me. I like it.
I'm thrilled beyond words.”
“That's what you meant about the dormitory expense. Your
going to live at Tommy's?” Dawn asked her brother excitedly.
“Yeah, we figured what the hell, why not?” Gary laughed. “I
think he said yes, only to get some help taking care of the
dogs.”
“Said, yes? It was my idea, goofy. I just hope he can
cook,” Tommy laughed looking at Dawn.
“We'll both learn Tommy. I'm sure Dawn will give us
lessons. After all, she did learn from the best,” Gary replied.
“Lessons begin tomorrow guys,” Dawn smiled broadly. “If
you two clowns think I am coming over there every day and
take care of you, think again,” Dawn laughed. “I'll be there for
other reasons,” she winked at Tommy.
“All we gotta do now is convince another member of our
little group to join us next year,” Tommy said looking over at
Dee.
“Dee, you know how much Dawn and I love you. And I'll
have plenty of room,” Tommy continued. “But more
importantly, it's one of the best colleges in the country. You'll
have to live in a dorm for the first year, tho.”
Dee was now smiling from ear to ear.
“Gary and I already talked about it. And I talked to my Dad
and Jackie. I've already sent away for the admission papers
and info on their English department,” she looked at Gary.
“It's been bad enough with Gary two and a half hours away, I
don't think I can deal with him six hours away,” she looked at
Dawn. “How in the hell did you two do it for four long years?”
she asked.
“Love conquers all Dee. It was something we both just had
to do.” Dawn said. “So, you are really going to consider
WVU?”
Dee leaned on Gary's shoulder and looked him in the
eyes. “It's a done deal Dawn.”
Dawn could not control her excitement.
“I will make a phone call to Mrs. Walker tomorrow,
girlfriend,” Dawn exclaimed. “You need to go visit the Walkers
with us.”
Tommy looked at Dee. “Dawn and I are going to
Morgantown in a couple of weeks for a few days. I need to
sign some trust papers for the house. Why don't you and Gary
come with us? You can see the house Mr. Walker found for
us.” Tommy said with a smile, accenting the word “us”. “I'll ask
Mrs. Walker to arrange a campus tour for you guys. And a
glowing recommendation from a highly respected member of
the English department faculty should help you get in.”
“Do you think she can help me get in quick?” Dee asked.
Dawn looked at her.
“How quick?” She asked.
“Well,” she paused. “One more little surprise,” Dee said as
she looked over at Dawn. Gary and Tommy were both
grinning from ear to ear.
“I found out that I only need two more classes to graduate,”
she beamed. “So, I decided to bust my ass in summer school.
If you clowns think I am waiting a year for this adventure to
begin, you're nuts!”
The four of them joined hands. They would all be together,
forever.
CHAPTER 62 DR. HOWARD GETS HIS
They were almost finished with desert, when Dawn noticed
four adults being seated across the room.
“Oh boy, can this day get any better?” she exclaimed. “If it
isn't Dr. Incompetent himself.”
Tommy gave her a funny look. “Dr. who?” he asked.
“Doctor Howard,” she said looking over at Tommy. Dawn
put down her fork and dabbed her mouth with the linen napkin.
“I think I will go over and say hello.”
Tommy got a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“Dawn, sweetie, leave it alone,” Tommy pleaded.
“No way,” she replied with a smile. “I am not going to pass
up this opportunity. His time has come.”
And with that said, Dawn Lynn Thurston got up from her
chair and marched across the room. It would be the perfect
ending for this perfect day. Gary sat there shaking his head.
“This is going to be fun to watch,” he laughed.
“Good evening Dr. Howard,” she glared at him.
“Remember me?” she asked.
Dr. Howard looked her up and down. It took a moment, but
then he smiled and said “Yes, you're Dawn,” he paused in
thought. “Thurston, right?”
“Yes I am. And do you see that extremely good looking
blond guy sitting over there with my brother and his girlfriend?”
She pointed across the room and waited for a response.
“Do you remember him?” she said with a smile.
“Yes, he does look familiar.”
“Well, that's Tommy Andrews,” she smiled. “Now do you
remember?”
“Oh yes. I do. I expelled that little trouble maker four years
ago,” he said with a smirk. “I figured he would be in reform
school by now.”
Dawn looked at the rest of his party. “Well, let me tell you
all a quick little story,” she smiled politely. Dawn had decided
to do this with some class.
“Back at Storer Junior High, Tommy was bullied by
everyone, but this man ignored it. He blamed Tommy for
everything, and yes, he expelled him. He was expelled for
trying to protect a female student from an assault in the hall by
another student. By the way, she's the pretty girl sitting over
there, next to my brother. Then one of his teachers attacked
Tommy from behind. Tommy had no choice but to defend
himself. And if that wasn't bad enough, no one at that school
ever asked him what happened or ever investigated. And
when it did come to light four months later, Dr. Howard here
said the matter was closed.”
“Miss Thurston, I really don't think this is the time nor the
place for a confrontation about the antics of a poor student
and troublemaker that occurred over four years ago.” Dr.
Howard said sternly. “In fact, I am a bit surprised to see you
out with him.”
“Oh sir, I did not come over here to confront you. I came
over here to thank you for what you did.” she smiled.
“You want to thank me for expelling that kid?” he asked.
“Yes, let me finish my story. It will only take a second,” she
smiled and winked at the man. “You see, Tommy left your
school and was sent away to a boarding school out of state.
For four years he was a straight A student. Yes, thanks to you,
we have been apart for four long years except for an
occasional break. He did very well in West Virginia. He had
lots of friends, and was never bullied again. That's because
that school doesn't tolerate it. He was involved in everything
at Briarwood. He played basketball and was even offered
several college basketball scholarships, but he turned them
all down. Why, you ask? Because he also received three
academic scholarships as well. Florida, Purdue and
West Virginia University. They all wanted Tommy to come to
their school. Poor student? Only in your school,” she smiled
again. “If he was a poor student, why is West Virginia paying
his way to Engineering school? Maybe there is something
in the water because they also gave me a full scholarship.”
“Oh, and did I mention the word, val-e-dic-tor-i-an?” she
said, emphasizing each syllable. “Yes, he is that as well,” she
turned around and waived at Tommy. She turned back to the
group.
“In closing I want to thank you for getting him away from
that place. It was the biggest favor you have ever done, for
any student.” She started to walk away but stopped. Turning
back around, she looked at Dr. Howard right in the eyes.
“And if you were any kind of a man, you would walk right
over there, congratulate him on his accomplishments, and
apologize to him for totally and completely misjudging him.
We both know that you are not a bad person, but you really
messed up on this one, sir.”
Dawn smiled and nodded at the rest of the group. “Enjoy
your evening,” she said before she walked away.
All four diners sat there motionless, without saying a word.
Dawn gracefully walked back across the room, and sat
down at the table. She calmly picked up her fork and smiled
at Tommy.
“I feel so much better, now,” she said.
Tommy looked over at Gary, shook his head, and smiled.
“What did you say to him?” Dee asked.
“I just informed the good Doctor Howard that he is full of it,”
she grinned. “But I said it nicely,” she added.
“He's lucky,” Dee said seriously. “If I'd gone over there I
would have slapped him.”
Gary looked at Dee. “Really?, he asked.
“Damn right,” she exclaimed. “I will never forgive him for
what he allowed those kids at Storer to do to me and Tommy.
I was having enough to deal with at that time in my life. I had
just lost my mother, and Dad was a wreck. I didn't need all
that other crap. I couldn't walk from class to my locker without
someone picking on me or making fun of my stutter and limp.
When my dad told Dr. Howard that Torbin touched me, he
laughed. He didn't believe it.”
“Dee, I totally understand. I knew if I wasn't overly nice to
that jerk, I might have done exactly that,” Dawn smiled at Dee.
“And knowing the facts of the situation, I actually thought
about slugging the jerk for you.”
As they were getting ready to leave, Dr. Howard appeared
at their table.
“Mr. Andrews,” he said with a smile. “Your lady friend here,
just put me in my place,” he glanced over at Dawn.
Tommy smiled. “She does have spunk, that's for sure.
That's one of the many reasons I love her so much.”
Dr. Howard continued. “I was sitting over there thinking
about what she said, and I think she might be right. I am sorry
if I misjudged you,” he paused.
“Thank you sir, but I got over it years ago,” Tommy said.
Dr. Howard extended his hand to Tommy. Tommy wanted
to ignore it, but thought better of it. He shook his former
principals hand.
“Congratulations to both of you,” he said to Tommy and
Dawn.
Then he looked at Denise. “I am really sorry about what
happened to you. I wish you would have come to me about it,”
and he walked away.
Dee sat motionless and just glared at him. She had no
urge to respond to this man. She would never forgive him.
Dawn looked at Tommy, took his hand in hers and smiled.
She reached across the table with her other hand and
grabbed Denise's hand. “Now my friends, we can all move
on.”
CHAPTER 63 FINAL DECISIONS
Two days later Tommy was helping Gary finish up some
yard work. As they finished trimming the hedges, Tommy
looked over at Gary.
“Hey Gary, you and Dee have any big plans for the second
weekend in August?” he smiled at his friend.
“Not really, Dee's gonna be so busy with summer school
and planning for Morgantown. We probably won't do much
fun stuff over the summer. Too much planning to do. And I got
the part time gig over at the Chevrolet plant.”
“You wanna come to a wedding?” Tommy said with a huge
smile.
Gary dropped his pruning shears.
“Holy cow, you son of a gun!,” he wailed. Then he walked
over to his best friend and gave him the biggest bear hug
Tommy had ever had.
“I can't believe it ! I knew you clowns couldn't wait,” he
laughed. “When did you decide? How?”
“Well,” Tommy said. “It was sort of your mom's idea. She
knows that when we get to Morgantown, Dawn is going to
spend all her spare time with me. As much as I thought I
wanted her to have the dormitory experience, I realized that
was a stupid pipe dream,” he smiled. “The thought of her
across campus and me in a house, was driving us both crazy.
We've been apart way too long. So we talked to your folks
and they actually agreed that it was a great idea,” Tommy
paused. “Your dad even cried a bit.”
“Well, he is an old softie,” Gary laughed.
“When I first got back for break, he bet me a hundred
bucks that we wouldn't wait. And damned if he didn't make
me pay up too,” Tommy laughed.
“I wanted to just run off to Florida and get it done, but
Dawn put her foot down, and your mom agreed with her.”
Tommy laughed.
“She's right, you know. Wise woman,” Gary smiled. What
about your folks?”
“We haven't told them yet. But we will. Dawn and I had a
long talk. After Frank's visit and George's letter, I really had to
re-evaluate some of my thinking,” he looked down at the
ground. “I just hope it works. I really want it to.”
“It'll work Tommy. You'll make it work.” Gary smiled.
“I've been thinking a lot about dad lately. It's time for me to
get over it and forgive him. The last year has really been hard
on him. George was right. I need to make the first move, or it
will never happen. Maybe as two adults we can get along
better than when I was younger,” Tommy said. “Anyway,
August gives your mom and Dawn some time to plan. You
know she wants the whole deal, church, white dress,
bridesmaids, flowers, music. All that girlie girlie stuff,” Tommy
said with a smile. “And she should have that. You only get
married once.”
“Man,” Gary laughed. “What about you? Do you get
anything that you want?”
“Yeah Gary, two things. Dawn is one.”
“And the other,” Gary asked.
“My two best friends in the whole world as my best man?”
Tommy beamed. “Or should I say best men?”
“I would be honored to stand up there with Bruce,” Gary
had a tear in his eye.
“You know I could never choose between you two idiots,”
Tommy laughed. “You both mean more to me than I can say.”
“You know I think that Bruce is a class act, and I would
have understood if you had chosen him,” Gary said.
“Yeah, he said the same thing about you.” Tommy smiled.
“He wasn't surprised either, and luckily he can come. I know
he's knee deep in getting ready for Harvard. In fact the whole
family's coming.
“Dawn is going to ask Dee to be maid of honor, and
Bruce's sister Susan, and Loraine, Ronnie, and Jenny to be
bridesmaids. Sherri Hawkins and Daniele Cotter too. Dawn
has gotten really close to Sherri and Danny. And they are both
like sisters to me. It'll be a blast,” Tommy smiled. “I told Dawn
to do anything she wants. This is going to be her day.”
“Yeah, I know,” Gary said. “You would be happy getting
married on a beach somewhere in a tee shirt.”
“Well, I'll at least get some time on the beach. We are
going to Daytona Beach for a couple of days, then drive down
to Key West.” Tommy smiled. “Mr. Moorland knows some
people at Cape Kennedy and has arranged for a personal
tour, so we are stopping there for a day as well,”.
Gary smiled. “Boy would I love to see one of those huge
rockets go up. Those pictures you took of the Apollo 7 launch
were really something.”
Tommy smiled. “Yeah, thanks to Mr. Moorland. He got us
into the VIP area. It was great.”
“Must be nice to have friends in high places,” Gary said
with a smile.
“We still have time to make it a double wedding,” Tommy
said looking at his friend.
Gary laughed. “Dee promised her dad we would wait a
couple years. Besides, this day should be about you two
screwballs. Our turn will come. And you'll be right there
next to me.”
Before Tommy could respond, Dawn came out of the
house. Gary ran over and hugged her. “Sis, I couldn't be
happier. I hope you know what you are getting into,” he
laughed.
“I do, Gary, I do,” Dawn walked over and put her arms
around Tommy. “And I can't wait to say I do.” She looked into
Tommy's eyes.
“Tommy, it's time to go talk to your mother.” Dawn said
softly. “My mom hasn't said anything to her yet, but word is
going to spread really fast. It'll really hurt her if she found out
that way. I even made a couple of special invitations for them.
Your mom really needs some good news for a change. I know
she is still having issues coping with George's death. And
your dad too. You've put it off too long and you have to leave
tomorrow to get ready for graduation. Let's go talk to them,”
Dawn paused. “Now.”
“Damn, I hate it when you are right,” Tommy relented with
a smile.
“You better get used to it, husband to be.” Dawn grinned.
“It's gonna happen a lot.”
She reached out and took his hand in hers, and together
they walked towards the house up the street. The house that
Tommy vowed he would never set foot in again. But this time
it would be different.
CHAPTER 64 MENDING FENCES
Tommy and Dawn walked slowly hand in hand to the
house up the street.
“You sure about this Tommy?” she asked.
“Yes honey, I'm sure. I've been thinking a lot about Frank's
visit and George's letter,” he smiled. “It's time. I think George
was right. I have to take the first step.”
Dawn looked over at her fiancée'. “And that dream too?”
she asked.
“Yeah, that too,” Tommy smiled.
Dawn knocked on the Andrews door. Margaret opened it
and a smile immediately came to her face.
“Kids, come in,” she exclaimed. John had told her that
Tommy promised to stop and see her, but having Dawn with
him was a pleasant surprise.
They went into the kitchen and Margaret immediately
poured Tommy a cup of coffee. She sat down.
“Thanks, mom. We really wanted to talk to both you and
dad.” Tommy smiled.
“He's downstairs,” she said as she got up from the chair to
head to the basement door.
“No mom, I'll go down,” Tommy said as he stood up. He
winked at Dawn. He grabbed his coffee mug and headed
down to the basement.
Tommy found his father in the workshop working on a
beautiful black walnut grandfather clock.
He smiled broadly when he saw his son.
“Hi dad,” he said. “Nice clock.”
“Glad you like it, son,” he paused. “Because it is for you
and Dawn.”
“Really dad?” Tommy was touched by the gesture.
“I hope you are here to tell your mother the good news?”
he smiled. “I haven't told her yet. I was hoping that you would.”
“You know?” Tommy laughed. “How?”
“Now don't say anything to your mother. One of my
Engineers at the plant is a friend of one of Walter's co
workers. It was pure luck that I found out. And to be honest I
had already started this project. I decided it would make the
perfect wedding gift for you two. I'll make another one for your
mother.”
“Thanks dad, it's really nice. Dawn is going to love it.”
Tommy grinned from ear to ear. “And yes, that's why we're
here. To tell you and mom.”
John walked over to his son and hugged him. “I am so
proud of both of you. I could not be happier, she is one
special girl.” He had a tear in his eye. “And son,” he paused.
“Yes, dad.”
“I've been thinking about our conversation last week. In
fact, I have been thinking about it a lot.” he paused again.
“Me too, dad.”
“I know I can't undo all those things, but,” he hesitated. “I
want to try to make it up to you.” another tear came to his
eyes.
Tommy put his hand on his father's shoulder. “Me too dad,
me too.”
“You know son, after we lost your brother,” John paused. “I
went into a deep depression. I lost myself in my work and my
projects.” He smiled. “I didn't tell you this when we talked last
week, but I've been seeing someone, a doctor. I've been
seeing him ever since the argument we had that day over the
trust fund. I knew I had to do something. I was completely out
of control. And your mother threatened to divorce me if I didn't
get help. The doctor is helping me understand myself better
and why I have done some of the things I have done,
especially to you. It's taken some time, but I am doing better.
I want to be there for you.”
“Good dad, I am glad to hear that. I know it has been rough
on you and mom. I really understand.”
John smiled. “Thank you. But Tommy, my troubles go way
back to my days with T.R. It started long before you were ever
born. But that's a story for another time,” He paused in
thought. “Look, I know you have some guilt about what you
said to George the last time you saw him.”
Tommy just nodded.
“Son, forget it, please. That was not your fault,” John said
as he looked down at the floor. “And I know a bit about guilt
myself. You have no idea what I put George through after he
left school. It was not pretty.”
“I guess I had it easier,” Tommy laughed. “You just sent me
away.”
John didn't laugh. “Tommy, I have guilt about that too. I was
scared. You were so lost and I didn't know how to help you.
And I said a lot of things to hurt you. I let my temper get the
best of me. It was one of the worst days of my life. I am sorry.”
“Dad, it's OK. It all worked out. It was truly the best thing
you could have done for me. It took me years to understand
that,” Tommy said as he smiled.
John smiled back. “Shall we go join our ladies?”
“Yeah Dad, let's do that” Tommy grinned.
As they walked up the steps, Tommy turned around to his
dad and whispered.
“Hey Dad, try to look surprised when we tell you the news.”
“What took you so long?” Dawn asked when the two men
reached the top of the stairs. She could not wait to tell them
their news.
“We were chatting and looking at Dad's latest work of art,”
Tommy smiled at his father. He decided to let the clock be a
wedding surprise for his bride.
“Sit down John,” Margaret said excitedly. “The kids came
up here to talk to us.”
John smiled at Dawn and sat down. Tommy went over to
the counter and refreshed his coffee. How he loved that stuff.
He could not have gotten through four years at Briarwood
without it.
Dawn reached into her purse. She took out an envelope.
She handed it to Margaret.
“Tommy and I wanted to give you this invitation to Tommy's
graduation. We are all going. Dad's reserved some rooms at
the Daniel Boone Hotel,” she smiled broadly. “I am sure that
Tommy's friends at 'The Holley' can find rooms for me, Gary,
and Denise.”
Tommy thought his mother was going to faint.
John looked at his son. “What's a Holley?”
Tommy smiled. “That's where I've been living for the last
four years dad,” he said softly.
They had missed so much.
John looked across the table at Tommy. “Are you sure you
want us to come, son?” he asked.
Tommy reached over and took Dawn's hand.
“Dad, when you sent me away to school, the very first thing
I learned was that the past is the past. Mr. Ethridge told me to
put it all behind me. It was over and done with. He told me it
didn't matter. Everyone started with a clean slate. I told
Dawn's mother that when I came home the first time. I need to
extend that same courtesy to you, sir.” he smiled at his dad.
“It's time we cleared the slate and started fresh.”
“Thank you,” was all John could say.
“The other thing I learned was that everyone has issues,
problems, and things they have to deal with. You have yours,
and I have mine. Everyone is messed up in one way or
another.” He thought about the last letter from George. “It's
time to forget it and move on. One thing I learned from losing
George is, you never know what's going to happen. After
Frank's visit, I realized that George never got the chance to
say a lot of things to me that he wanted to say. And I didn't get
a chance to say some things to him,” he smiled at John. “Let's
not waste any more time.”
Margaret was in tears. “Tommy, we would not miss this for
anything,” she looked over at Dawn.
“When is your graduation, dear?” she asked.
Dawn smiled. “Actually Mrs. Andrews, it's the same day as
Tommy's.”
John looked surprised but he understood.
“You're not going to your own graduation? You're the
Valedictorian!”
“No. Mom, dad and I decided when we learned about the
dates several months ago, that we would rather spend that
day with Tommy. He has been gone so long. We want it to be
his special day. He's earned it. And now that he's
Valedictorian, we would not miss it,” she said with a smile.
“And Charleston is such a lovely city.”
“Well, we won't miss it either,” John smiled.
Tommy looked at Dawn. “There is one more thing,” Tommy
said with a grin.
Dawn reached back into her purse and handed Margaret
another envelope. “Another invitation,” she said with a smile.
“Another invitation dear? I thought you weren’t going to
your graduation,”
“No, Mrs. Andrews, this is an invitation to our wedding.”
She looked into Tommy's eyes.
Margaret's eyes opened wide. “Your wedding!!!” she
screamed. She jumped up and hugged Dawn. “I have a
daughter !!” she exclaimed.
John was smiling. He went over and hugged Dawn.
“Welcome to the family, Dawn. I could not be happier. If it
were anyone else, I would say you're too young, but you two
are different. You fit. Together you are whole. I can tell by the
way you two look at each other. I saw it years ago, on that
very first night. It's so amazing to watch both of you. You two
kids deserve this moment. I cannot believe that all of us tried
to break you two up.” John winked at Tommy, then walked
over to one of the kitchen cabinets.
Dawn laughed. “As if that was ever going to happen.”
“This calls for a toast. Margaret, where is that champagne
we got last New Year's,” he asked.
Margaret got up and walked over to John. “Let me get it
dear,” she laughed.
As Margaret poured the champagne. John sat down next
to Dawn.
John raised his glass. Who wants to make a toast?” he
asked.
Tommy stood up. “I do,” he said as a tear formed in one of
his eyes.
He raised his glass. “To George. How I wish he was here.”
As they toasted Tommy's brother, Tommy realized that he
was OK now. He had made the first step. And it was huge.
“So, when did you decide to get married? What about
your folks. Are they OK with this?”
“Mr. Andrews,” Dawn started to reply, but John interrupted
immediately.
“No more Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, daughter. From now on
it's Margaret, John, mom, dad, hey you, whatever you're
comfortable with.”
“OK, mom and dad are as thrilled as you are,” she paused
then said. “Dad.”
Margaret had not been this happy in years.
John could never remember being this happy, other than
his own wedding day and the birth of his two sons. It was a
new beginning, a new birth. It was the first day of the rest of
his life. It was a second chance with his surviving son. And he
silently vowed not to screw it up.
“We decided in April when we were in Morgantown and
made the final decision on where we wanted to go to school,”
Dawn continued. “We talked for hours. Originally, we were
going to wait until next summer, but we both realized that
wasn't going to happen. We were even going to wait until
after graduation to make a more formal announcement.
But the more we talked when Tommy got home, the more it all
fit together. It makes sense. For us, it is time,” Dawn said as
she looked lovingly at Tommy.
“I thought something was up when you and I talked the
other day,” John laughed.
“Tommy, your dad told me that you are getting a house in
Morgantown,” Margaret said.
“Yes, Mr. Walker set the whole thing up for us. We go down
in a couple of weeks to sign all the papers. Dawn was going
to stay in a dorm the first year, but we both realized that we
didn't want to wait any longer. We have spent so much time
apart. We want to start our life together.” he looked over at
Dawn.
“Honey, tell mom and dad about Gary! “ Dawn said
excitedly.
“Oh, I forgot,” Tommy said. “Gary is transferring to WVU
from Purdue and is going to stay at the house too. And Mrs.
Walker is trying to get Dee an early acceptance. She will
have to stay in a dorm, since she and Gary aren't married.”
“Yet,” Dawn added. “But all four of us will be together. Dee
is busting her rear end in summer school, so she can
graduate early.”
“So, you didn't decide to get married because single
students have to live in a dorm?” John asked.
“No dad,” Tommy laughed. “When WVU approached me
about the Engineering scholarship, I made it a condition of my
acceptance. I told Florida the same thing. I did not want to live
in a dorm. I told them I had four years of that. I want space for
some ham radios and antennas. If they wanted me, they
would have to let me live off campus.”
“And since my husband to be is such a genius, they gave
him anything he asked for,” Dawn laughed.
“Son, you kids are going to need a lot of things to set up
housekeeping.” John said. “What can we help with?”
“Well, actually dad,” Tommy wanted to be careful how with
this conversation. He did not want to hurt his dad's feelings.
“Mr. and Mrs. Walker offered to handle the whole thing. They
told me to just show up with my personal stuff, and they would
handle the rest. But that was before Dawn and I made our
plans.”
John thought for a moment.
“Tommy. Do you think he would mind if I called him?” he
asked. “We don't want to horn in, but your mother and I really
want to help.”
Tommy smiled. “Dad, I think that would be a great idea.
Dawn's mother is already making a list. Thank you both.”
“I want you to have T.R.'s drop leaf table, and some of your
grandmother's paintings. I know that elk painting is one of your
favorites."
"And one of the rose paintings."
"Besides,” John sighed. "It's damn time I thanked Mr.
Walker for all that he and his family have done for you.”
“Dad, they really are great people. I know if you tried you
would really like them.”
John smiled. “I hope so son. They are such a huge part of
your life. And it's time I grew the hell up.”
Margaret was looking at the wedding invitation.
“Dawn, we don’t have a lot of time before August ninth.
And I want to take you shopping,” Margaret was so excited.
“Dear, don't forget we are spending the month of July at
the lake cottage. I have that new boat house to build,” John
remarked.
He looked over at Dawn. “But don’t worry, we will be back
in plenty of time,” he smiled at his daughter in-law to be.
Tommy glanced at Dawn. Like with his mother, he and
Dawn had many 'silent conversations.' She just nodded at him.
“Dad, would it be OK if Dawn and I came up for a week? I
really think she would love it there. And I would love to help
you build something,” he said with a smile. “There are a lot of
good memories up there.”
John shook his head, “Sorry son,” he paused, then he
smiled. “It's gonna take at least two weeks to build that boat
house. Besides, we need some fishing time too. Do you have
two weeks?”
Tommy smiled at his mother. She was grinning from ear to
ear.
“Yeah dad. All we have to do is go to Morgantown and sign
the papers on the new house. Then get ready for the wedding.
It's the first real time off I have had in four years. And I want to
spend every second of it with family and friends.”
“Yes,” Dawn added. “And I can't think of a better way to
spend two weeks. We would love to come.”
“Hey dad, I bet you're glad we don't have room in the El
Camino for the dogs,” Tommy laughed.
John grinned. “You can bring your mother's car. I just got
her a new Impala. Plenty of room for the dogs. Hope they like
the water.”
Tommy could not believe it.
John smiled. “We also have plenty of room if you want to
invite Bruce,” he said.
That took Tommy by surprise.
“Dad, are you sure about that? Based on past history, it
doesn't sound like a good idea.”
John smiled. “Son, trust me on this. I owe the Walkers, and
you and Bruce should spend some quality time together
before heading off in different directions. It'll be fun. Honest,”
he grinned.
Tommy nodded. “OK dad, Let's do it. Bruce isn't much on
the outdoors. I'll talk to him when I get back to Charleston.
Maybe he can fly up for a long weekend.”
“That's great son. I want you to know that I will do
everything I can to show him a good time.”
Bruce would end up staying for a week.
“Tommy, did that friend of George's and you have a nice
visit?” Margaret asked.
“Yes mom, we did,” Tommy smiled. “We actually spent the
rest of that day together. I took him to see George.”
John looked at his son. “That was nice Tommy, thank you.”
“It was nice for me too dad,” Tommy replied with a smile.
“I got the feeling that there was something he wasn't telling
us,” Margaret said.
“Well, I don't know what he told you, but we talked a lot
about his friendship with George. They were pretty close,”
Tommy looked over at his dad. “Did he tell you that he was
half black?”
Tommy could tell by the look on John's face that Frank's
background had not been discussed.
“Really?” John replied. “I wish he would have told us.”
“And that's all you talked about?” Tommy's mother asked.
Both Tommy and Dawn were getting uncomfortable. He
did not want to tell his parents everything. Some of it was
private and the rest of it were things they just did not need to
know. Tommy looked over at Dawn and had another silent
conversation.
“Yep, that's about it. George had told Frank about Bruce
and Frank said that George wanted to come home and
apologize to me for the way he had acted towards him.”
Tommy smiled. “I'm glad he came. It was nice to know that
George came around. It meant a lot to me. We really had a
nice visit.
“He did seem like a nice man,” John said. “I am glad that
George had a good friend while he was there.”
“We promised we would keep in touch. He told me he was
going to work for a couple of years, then go to school at the
University of Florida. Maybe by the time Dawn and I are ready
for grad school, we can hook up again in Gainesville.”
“Are you thinking about Florida?” John asked.
“Yes sir, we are for Graduate school,” Dawn replied. “In
fact for undergraduate school, it was down to them and WVU.
We both loved the campus, and really liked the weather, but
we both wanted to go to WVU. It's a good fit for both of us.”
Margaret smiled. “Well, you made a good decision. It's a
great school and it'll be comforting to us to know the Walkers
are close by. But save some time for us too. We plan on
spending some time in Morgantown.”
“Maybe when we go to Morgantown, we can run up to
Chester,” John said. “We have not been there since T.R. died.
I really would like to go up to Locust Hill Cemetery and put
flowers on dad's grave,” he said to Margaret. He had some
forgiving to do himself.
“I did that myself a couple of months ago,” Tommy said.
“When Dave and I took the T-Bird to his girlfriend, I drove the
El Camino. I dropped Dave and the car off in Monongah, then
I went up to Chester for the afternoon. By the time I got done,
it was too late to drive back, so I took a chance and stopped
to see Auntee Margaret. She let me have the sofa for the night.
We had a great visit. Then I picked Dave up the next day.”
Tommy said.
John was amazed. “You found that cemetery? You were so
young when your grandfather died.” John shook his head in
amazement.
“No dad, my memory isn't that good.” Tommy laughed. “But
there aren’t that many funeral homes in Chester. I stopped at
Arners Funeral Home and asked them. All I remembered was
it was on the top of a mountain. The man I talked to knew
exactly what cemetery it was and gave me directions,” he
looked at his father. “I drove all over that damn cemetery
looking for headstones. I finally saw this huge one that said
'ANDREWS.'
“That would be your great grandfather Ebeneezer Archer
Andrews,” John laughed. “E.A. always believed in
flamboyance. He said many times that he wanted the biggest
damn headstone in that cemetery.”
“Well, I visited all of them, dad.” Tommy said with a grin.
“I even put flowers on Aunt Susan's grave for you. I have
some pictures back at school. I labeled the photo album, 'The
Dead Andrews',” Tommy laughed.
They talked a bit more, and made some plans for the trip
to Charleston and the Lake Cottage.
But soon it was time to leave. At least for a while.
As Dawn was hugging John, Margaret pulled Tommy aside
and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“You did a good thing today son. I know it wasn't easy for
you. I would say I am proud of you, but I am always proud of
you,” she started to cry. “So, I will just say 'thank you'.”
“It's going to be OK mom, I promise,” Tommy said as he
hugged his mother. “I love you.”
CHAPTER 65 THE OLIVE BRANCH
David was at his desk reviewing his new clients 'articles of
incorporation' when his intercom went off.
“Mr. Walker, I have a John Andrews for you on line four,”
his secretary announced. “He said it was a personal
matter.”
David's eyes opened wide and his mouth opened even
wider as he picked up the receiver.
'This might be interesting' he thought to himself. He
punched the button on line four.
“Mr. Andrews, is Tommy alright?” Tommy's well being was
the first thing that came to his mind.
“Yes, he's fine.” John took a deep breath. “Look, our two
kids are best friends. Don't you think we should at least be on
a first name basis?”
“OK John, that's fine by me,” David said cautiously. He
was going to handle this conversation very carefully. A lot of
water had gone over this dam in the past few years. David
was going to tread this water very carefully.
John picked up on the caution in Davids voice.
“David, please put your mind at ease. I'm calling to try
make amends with you and your family. I was wrong, I was
cruel, and there is probably no reason for you to even think
about forgiving me. But I hope you can, for the boys sake.”
David thought for a moment.
“Yes, I suppose we could talk about that.”
“David, more importantly I wanted to personally thank you
and your wife for everything that you have done for my son.
The fact that you came all the way to Indiana for his brother's
funeral, shows the type of people you are. And it shows how
much you care for Tommy. I just wish I could have seen it
then. I am sorry.”
David smiled. “John can I ask you a very personal
question?”
“Of course.”
“Was your father prejudiced against blacks?”
John laughed long and hard.
“I guess my shrink must be helping me more than I
thought. A year ago I would have gone off the handle if a black
man had asked me that question.”
That made David laugh as well.
“John, perhaps a year ago, you would not have been
having a conversation with a black man.” David said. “Take it
one step at a time.”
John laughed. “David, I really never thought about it before
but yes, my father was a racist and I guess I was raised that
way.” John paused. “Are you suggesting that I couldn't help
my feelings?”
“In a way John. We are all products of how we are raised.
And that makes it harder for a person to change. But it
doesn't mean it is impossible.”
“But if that is true, why did I pass it on to one son and not
the other?”
“John, please don't take this the wrong way, but from what
I have learned about you and your family from Tommy,” he
paused. “You never spent much time with Tommy, so it would
be natural for him to feel different.”
“Perhaps, you are right, David. I made so many mistakes
with my youngest. But I think we should give a lot of the credit
for his success to your son. He really must be something.”
John could not see the smile on David's face.
“Perhaps we should give some of the credit to Ray
Ethridge,” David laughed. “He was the one with the vision. He
told me once that he knew that Tommy had been bullied,
beaten up and was so desperately lonely in Indiana. He said
that his roommate at Briarwood would have to be very very
special. I was honored that he chose my son for that job,”
“Well said David, well said. I hope that Bruce accepts our
invitation to come up to the lake cottage in July. Tommy is
going to ask him when he gets back to Charleston for
graduation,” he paused again. “I hope you will find it in your
heart to permit him to come.”
David laughed. “Bruce is an adult now, so that will be
entirely up to him. But if he asks my advice, I will be positive
about the idea.”
“Thank you David,” John replied. “I'll personally make sure
he has a great time.”
“And we are all coming for the big day in August,” David
said excitedly. “My little girl Susan is so excited about being a
bridesmaid. It's all she talks about. She loves Dawn and
Tommy something fierce.”
“That was another reason I wanted to call you,” John piped
in. “With the wedding coming and the kids moving to
Morgantown. Margaret and I wanted to help some with the
house set up.” he paused. “If that's alright with you and you
wife. I know you offered to do it all, but we would really like to
help.”
“That would be fine John, just fine,” David said happily. “I
have already talked to Dawn's parents about that very same
thing.”
The two former adversaries talked for another twenty
minutes about the upcoming wedding and the move to
Morgantown.
As they hung up, David smiled.
He was happy that John was coming around. Perhaps
there was hope for the father son relationship that Tommy had
never had with his father before.
In another state, John Andrews put his hands up to his face
and cried. He had missed so much. But he was going to
make it up to his son, his son's best friend, and to the man
who was more of a father to his son than he had ever been. It
would be a new beginning. Oh, how he wished he could turn
back time and change the past.
CHAPTER 66 GRADUATION AND GOODBYE
JUNE 6, 1969
The day arrived. Tommy and Bruce were almost packed,
but neither wanted to say goodbye to each other or to this city.
The Thurstons and the Andrews had arrived late Thursday
night and went straight to the hotel.
Tommy had arranged for Denise and Dawn to stay on the
fourth floor with Daniele and Sherri. Gary would have to crash
on the floor in room 710. Mr. Ingham was able to find a spare
mattress. It was crowded, but the boys had fun. It helped take
their minds off of the fact that they were leaving this wonderful
city.
They all met for breakfast at the Quarrier Diner on Friday
morning, then Tommy took Margaret and John on a long tour
of the city he had fallen in love with. They got a complete tour
of 'The Holley'. John was amazed as Tommy introduced them
to all of his friends. He could tell that these kids really cared
for his son.
Tommy also took them on a tour of all the buildings and
classrooms. John enjoyed seeing his son demonstrate the
Ham Radio Station.
As a special surprise, Tommy took them over to Mr.
Ethridges house. Ray had invited Tommy to bring his parents
by for coffee.
It was quite the reunion. Tommy smiled as the two old
friends talked on and on about the good old days. He was
thrilled as his Headmaster told his father what a great son he
had. He blushed when Ray said, “In all my years in education,
I have never been prouder of any student, than I am of your
son.”
Graduation was scheduled for three o'clock at the
Municipal Auditorium. 'The Holley' was a buzz of activity as
students prepared to pack up and leave. Some would leave
right after the ceremony, while others like Tommy would leave
the following morning. Tommy was not looking forward to
saying goodbye to his best friend.
John and Margaret had gone back to the hotel to get ready
for the ceremony. Tommy found himself alone in his room. He
sat on the bed and just looked around. He was almost
packed. Memories flooded his mind. He remembered how
scared he was that first night. He thought about five boys who
came knocking on the door that evening, all eager to meet
him. He looked at the bookcases he made during
Independent Study. He was thrilled to leave them behind for
the next two roommates. And the ones after that, and after
that. He thought about how much he loved this city, this
school, and all of his friends.
He was in the middle of his thoughts when Bruce came in.
“Hey Tommy, you about ready?” he smiled. “Mom, Dad
and Susan just got here. They are on their way over to the
Municipal Auditorium,” he smiled.
“Yeah, I'm ready to graduate,” Tommy sighed. “But not for
what comes after.”
Bruce sat down on the bed next to him. “You mean the
goodbyes?”
“Yeah, that's what I mean.” Tommy started to choke up.
“Dude, get over it. You and I are seriously connected,” he
laughed. “You are not going to get rid of me that easy. I have
too much time invested in you.”
“People say that all the time,” Tommy groaned. “They say
they will write and call, but they never do. I told Susie I would
write to her and visit. I never did.”
“Not me and you, Tommy. We have been through too much
together. We each have our own adventures to go on. And
we will share those adventures with each other, until the day
we die.” He looked at his best friend. “Besides I am coming
up to the lake, and your wedding, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember.” Tommy smiled.
“We are going to be spending a lot of time together,
getting older and crankier.” Bruce laughed.
Bruce got up and Tommy followed suit. Then he put his
arms around his best friend and hugged him.
“I cannot imagine what my life would be like without you
as a friend. I love you man.” Tommy had tears in his eyes.
“Me too,” Bruce replied as tears came to his eyes. “What
do you say? Let's you and I go and get this thing done. I
can't wait for your speech.”
As they left the room, Bruce noticed the television still in
the closet.
“You're leaving the TV?” he asked.
Tommy laughed. “Yeah, I figure what the hell. I'll leave a
note on it when I get back later.”
And the two best friends walked together to the Municipal
Auditorium. They knew it would not be the last time they
would be together. Tommy and Bruce had lots of string left.
When Tommy and Bruce arrived at the Auditorium, Tommy
was thrilled to see his parents, Denise, Dawn, Gary and his
parents all sitting with the Walkers. John was sitting beside
David and they were deep in conversation. Tommy walked
Bruce over to introduce him to his parents.
“It's about time we had a proper introduction,” John said
with a smile as he shook Bruce's hand.
“Yes, sir,” Bruce replied meekly.
“Bruce, I want to thank you for being my son's friend. I am
glad he found you and your family.”
Bruce tried to smile. He did not know what to say.
John could tell that Bruce was a bit apprehensive and
uneasy.
“Tommy tells me you are going to join us at the lake for a
few days,” John smiled. “Do you fish?”
Bruce found his voice. “Not much fishing these days
around Morgantown, sir. I've always wanted to learn.” Bruce
said.
“Don't worry son, by the time I am done with you, you'll be
an expert.” John laughed.
“Dad, go easy on him, OK?” Tommy said with a smile.
“I will son, I promise,” John replied.
It was time for the kids to prepare for the ceremony.
Tommy gave Dawn a kiss and hugged Denise. He kissed
Susan on the nose.
CHAPTER 67 TIME TO SAY GOODBYE
Bruce looked out at the audience as Mr. Ethridge started
to introduce him. His thoughts went back to a June evening
when his life changed forever. He was happy to be
graduating, but sad that the day to move on had arrived. He
was brought back to the present with the applause. He looked
over at Tommy and smiled as he approached the microphone.
Ladies and Gentleman, I am honored that Mr. Ethridge
asked me to come up here today and talk about my best
friend. I remember that day so many years ago when Mr.
Ethridge came to me and asked if I wanted a roommate. I
was the only black student rooming here at that time, and
I did not have a roommate my first year. Yes, we had a few
day students of color, but I was the only one actually
living on campus. I thought that no one wanted to room
with me. My first reaction was, 'Oh boy, another black
student.' Mr. Ethridge must have read my mind and
quickly told me, "He is white.
My first reaction was that no black and white student
had ever roomed together. How was this going to work?
It couldn't work, no way.
Mr. Ethridge explained to me that rooms were scarce,
and this was going to be a special student that would
need a special friend, and he thought I was the right
person for the job. Besides, he told me, if we really
believed in our school motto, it would not make any
difference. He said it was time to break down some
barriers. He also told me that it would not be easy. He
said that a white and a black student rooming together
might offend some people. I agreed, but asked Mr.
Ethridge what the other student thought about the idea.
Well, he hadn't arrived yet, so he did not know about the
arrangements. I asked Mr. Ethridge what would happen if
he refused. And he told me not to worry, he would never
force anyone to do something they did not want to do,
except study.
So little Tommy Curtis Andrews arrived. He sure was a
skinny, wimpy, scared thing. I kind of felt sorry for him.
The first thing he ever said to me was to question my
taste in Jazz. From that second on, we were connected
together.
When anyone asks me what kind of person T.C. is, I
tell them this story.
Tommy had been here a week or so, and I finally got
the nerve to bring up the subject. I said to him, "Is it weird
for you to be rooming with a Negro?" He put down his
book. Tommy always had his nose in a book. He looked
over at me with a really funny look on his face. He
lowered his head so he could see over the top of his
glasses, and replied, “You're a Negro? Damn, I hadn't
noticed. I thought you had just been out in the sun too
long.” And then he went back to reading his book.
That's the kind of person Tommy is. Just like Dr. King,
he judges people by the content of their character, not by
the color of their skin. Tommy and I became brothers. We
were one. We shared everything. He became part of my
family. It was difficult to know where I left off and T.C.
Andrews began.
It was hard on Tommy being away from home, but he
adjusted well. Although he missed Dawn, he fit right into
our lifestyle here. Tommy studied hard, and he played
hard.
He became someone that all of us looked up to. He
was our friend. He became the yard stick that we all
measured ourselves with. To say I am going to miss
Tommy is an understatement. As I go off to Harvard and
Tommy goes up the road to Morgantown, I know he will
be with me in spirit, and I with him. And I know that
wherever we go in life, we will be together. I refuse to let
go of this relationship. Besides, he still has a lot to learn
about jazz.
Thank you my friend, for your love, companionship,
and understanding. I cannot imagine what the last four
years would have been like, had you not arrived on our
doorstep, that warm June evening. And thank you Mr.
Ethridge for having a vision. You understood that the time
had come to break down that barrier. And thank you for
choosing Tommy and me for making that vision come
true.
Thank you all very much.
Mr. Ethridge approached the podium, and hugged Bruce.
He watched Bruce walk over to Tommy, and smiled as the
two best friends hugged. He knew they were going to miss
each other, but would always be in each other's lives. He
thought about that June evening so long ago when he
introduced them. Tears came to his eyes. He was proudest
of the friendship the two teens had forged through some
pretty terrible times in history
Thank you, Bruce. Ladies and Gentleman. It is now
time to hear from the Valedictorian for the Class of 1969.
He came to us from Muncie, Indiana the summer before
his freshman year.
I remember meeting him at the bus terminal. He was a
shy, introverted, and totally petrified young boy.. He had
been in some trouble and sent here, hoping the
experience would be good for him. As it turned out the
experience was good for us. Every once in a while, we
educators get someone who is special and sticks out
above all the rest. It doesn't happen often, and I am so
grateful that it happened to me. I am so proud to have
watched Thomas grow not only into a fine student, but
also into the fine young man he has become. He is what
this school is all about. His list of accomplishments at
Briarwood are too numerous to mention. He was on the
Honor roll his entire 4 years, and in the National Honor
society. Tommy was the first student I ever had, who
smuggled a TV set into his room, almost one piece
at a time. But I let it go, because sometimes you need to
let kids think that they are getting away with something.
And when a very tragic day came, and we lost one our
most valuable teachers, it was Tommy that I turned to. He
gave up the rest of his summer studies to help a
substitute teacher finish out Mr. Hartwig's summer
classes. I knew Phil Hartwig for over thirty years, and I
know he was looking down on Thomas, watching him
teach those classes. I know how proud he would have
been. I know how proud I was.
Tommy's basketball talents will be remembered here for
a long time. Our basketball coach Craig Johnson has a
saying he uses. 'We grow students here, not athletes.'
Although he was offered full basketball scholarships
to Morehead State, Ball State and Fairmont State, he
turned them all down to accept an academic scholarship
to the WVU School of Engineering. Not too bad for a kid
who wasworried about passing Math when he arrived
here. Since he arrived on our campus, he has been an
inspiration to his fellow students as well as the entire
faculty. Muncie's loss was definitely our gain. I am proud
to introduce to you, the Class of 1969 Valedictorian,
Thomas 'T.C.' Andrews.
Everyone in the auditorium stood and applauded as
Tommy walked up to the podium.
They watched as the two hugged each other.
As Tommy shook his hand he said to his mentor. “I should
have realized that you knew about the TV.” Tommy said with a
smile.
"I know everything," he smiled as he winked at his student.
“I also knew about that little trip you and Bruce took to Rock
Lake Pool during your first summer here,” he said with a wink.
Tommy just smiled and shook his head.
“I bet you didn't know about the time Bruce and I were
jumped in the alley,” he smiled.
“Son, never bet. I knew about that before your heads hit
the pillows that night.”
Tommy laughed and shook his head again.
Mr. Ethridge motioned to the podium. "It's time to say
goodbye, son."
Tommy smiled and stepped up to the microphone. He
would not need any notes for this goodbye. He looked
straight up and thought of his brother.
Thank you, Mr. Ethridge. Welcome fellow students,
parents, guests, and faculty. Thank you again. I am truly
honored to be standing before you today.
About a month ago, Mr. Ethridge asked me to prepare
a small speech to give at today’s ceremonies. I had no
idea it would be this kind of speech. It wasn't until two
weeks ago, when he called me at Dawn's to tell me that I
had been chosen as Valedictorian that I realized what the
speech was for.
I was totally surprised and deeply honored. I knew I
had good grades all through school but I never once
thought about this award.
I originally decided I should finish my speech before I
left on break. So, I stayed up late one night to work on it.
As I sat at my desk, in a room that I have shared with my
best friend for the past four years. I tried to come up with
a topic for my speech, and I looked over at Bruce. He was
asleep on his bed, snoring as usual. I sat there watching
him, and started to think about the connection, the bond,
and the love that he and I share.
It is a relationship that has no reference to black or
white. I thought about what we have shared together
these past four years. I will never forget the day at Rock
Lake Pool when we joined together in a fight for what was
right, decent, and long overdue. I thought about how he
helped me get through my own personal tragedy when
my older brother lost his life in a faraway land. I was so
glad to have him there with me. I thought about the night
we all lost Dr. King. Together we watched as the city of
Chicago was torn apart last summer.
I thought about my time in Morgantown with Bruce and
his family, where I was always welcomed and treated like
a member of the family. I recalled that weekend we all
drove down to Cape Kennedy to see an Apollo launch. It
was then that I fell in love with the state of Florida.
I thought of his parents, my girlfriend, teachers, and all
the wonderful people that I have met over the last four
years. I thought about this wonderful city and how much I
grew to love living here. I thought about how truly
blessed I was, to have all these connections as a part of
my life. I realized that what we are, what we become, are
all because of our connections.
Four years ago, I thought I was being sent to prison.
Not a real prison, as it existed only in my mind. I had
gotten into some trouble and was sent here to Briarwood.
It was for my own good, I was told. I thought my life was
over, when in fact; it was just beginning.
On my way to Charleston, I met a man on a bus. He
was very kind, and we talked about many things. One
thing he said to me was 'This school you are going to
may be the best thing to ever happen to you. Don't think
of it as a prison. You will get what you make of it. Nothing
more, nothing less. You will be responsible for what
happens to you.' It is the best advice I have ever been
given.
I did not learn until later that Mr. Ethridge asked that
man to be on that bus to watch over me, and befriend
me. Thank you Mr. Kremer. To say you are a great
teacher would be an understatement. You have been a
mentor, a friend when I wanted it, and a father figure
when I needed it. When I got really lonely and questioned
how to make a long-distance relationship work, you and
Mrs. Kremer were there for me. You helped me get
through it, with your love, understanding, patience, and
advice. Mr. Kremer promised me that this would be the
greatest experience of my life. He was right.
On my arrival I was greeted by the headmaster. What
can I say about Mr. Ethridge? He's the toughest, most
demanding person I have ever met. And he is also the
softest, kindest, gentlest man I have ever met. He guided
me skillfully through the maze of my first year here. He
made the transition easier for me. Mr. Ethridge gave me
extra time and the extra attention that I so desperately
needed. I learned later that he put his neck on the line for
me. He believed in me and made sure I knew it. Not only
did he help me, but also like Mr. Kremer, he listened to
me. Until I arrived here, only one person had ever really
listened to me. I will get to her in a moment. Mr. Ethridge
helped a poor student find his way. That's the kind of man
he is.
Thank you, Mr. Ethridge, for being you and for all that
you have done for me. I know a thank you is not enough. I
will never be able to repay you for the kindness and love
you have given me. I want you to know that no matter
what I do, no matter where I go in life, I will never let you
down. You will always be with me. You will be in my heart
and in my mind forever.
I met my roommate on that first day. Not only did
Bruce Walker become my best friend, he became the
brother I always wanted. Most people thought that a
black kid from Morgantown and a white guy from Indiana
would never get along. They could never room together. It
had never been done. It was too soon, they said. They did
not know Bruce Walker. From our first discussion we had
about jazz music, the color line disappeared. There was
no black and white with us, or his family. It was just Bruce
and Tommy. We did have a few disagreements over the
years. But we always respected the others opinion. I
taught him about Buddy Holly and his music, and he
taught me about classical music. And we argued about
Jazz. It was a perfect relationship. Bruce and I will be
connected forever. I take a huge part of him with me to
WVU, and I know he will take some of me to Harvard. No
matter what paths we take as individuals, our connection
will always remain strong. We are forever joined at the
hip. When I arrived here, he showed me the ropes, and
picked me up when I was down and lonely. And I say,
without question, if it wasn't for Bruce Walker, I would not
be standing here today. I love you man.
Bruce's family became my family. His mother, father,
and little sister opened their arms, their hearts and their
home to me. I spent many weekends at their home in
Morgantown, and it became home to me, and they
became my extended family. I never felt out of place, or in
the way. They treated me like one of their own from the
very first day. When Dawn got sick and had surgery, it
was Mr. Walker that drove all the way down from
Morgantown, picked me up and drove all night so I could
be with Dawn when she woke up the next morning. A
couple of years later, he and his family made the long
drive to Indiana again, this time to be with me as I helped
bury my only brother. What love and compassion that
man and his wife have, and they have passed that on to
both of their children. I love them all.
My classmates. Too many great friends to mention,
and I would not want to leave anyone out. But Mr.
Ethridge only gave me ten minutes for this speech. From
the first day I arrived, they have all been kind, courteous,
helpful and fun. My first night here, I was scared to death.
I had never been away from home. I was still shell
shocked at being sent away. But soon five boys showed
up at our room to welcome me. I immediately felt at home.
They told me the school already had a Tommy, and that I
should leave the old Tommy behind. Make a new start,
they said. So I became T.C. They all embraced me as their
friend and made sure I was all right. I will never forget
them.
Upon my arrival at Briarwood, I met a lovely lady.
Mother Miller was like a mother to all of us at 'The Holley'.
And she was loved by everyone. She was a mother, a
friend, a disciplinarian, and a counselor to all of us. When
she retired and moved to Florida to care for her ailing
sister, I was honored to be chosen to give the going away
speech. 'The Holley' will never be the same without her.
When I arrived here, I was given the opportunity to
study any area of my choosing. I had never heard of
Independent Study. But I chose to study Radio and
Electronics. That's when I met Mr. Moorland. He
encouraged me to succeed. He also advised me to have
a life here in Charleston. He was so right. He took me
under his wing and made learning enjoyable. I could not
wait to get into his classroom each day. And that my
friends is the mark of a GREAT teacher. He is one of the
greatest. Thank you, sir, for every second you took for
me. I will always cherish those times. You sir, have helped
me become me.
And a word about my favorite math teachers. I don't
think I will ever get over the untimely loss of Mr. Hartwig.
He took an interest in my well being as a person, and
spent many many hours helping me achieve my math
goals. I will cherish forever a telegram he sent to me after I
lost my brother, and a charred notebook he was holding
on that terrible day last August. I will enter the
Engineering school at WVU largely because of him and all
the extra help he gladly gave to me. I will carry his
memory with me forever.
We all knew someone would replace Mr. Hartwig and
lived in fear of what would happen. No one could take his
place. No one could teach like him, and no one would be
as close to us as he was. But we should have trusted Mr.
Ethridge to pick the perfect person for the job.
Mrs. Bower arrived and immediately fit in with all of us.
She was kind, caring and so understanding of our loss.
She will forever be in my heart right next to Mr. Hartwig.
Mr. Ethridge could not have found a better person to
continue what Mr. Hartwig started here.
Mrs. Reitz became my counselor and confidant when I
arrived. She was always there for me, ready to lend a
helping hand or a shoulder to cry on. She never judged,
she never placed blame. All she did was save my sanity.
She showed me the way. I will never forget.
And now my favorite connection. When I moved to
Indiana, I thought it was the worst thing to ever happen to
me. I thought it was the end of the world. But it was there
that I met a young girl who lived down the street. My
family had just moved in and we had been invited for
dinner. And there she was, a shy little sixth grader. And I
fell instantly in love. And that love has gotten stronger
and stronger over the years.
Dawn, you are my love, my rock, and my inspiration.
You are my life. You have stood by me through all of my
trials and tribulations. You never judged me, and you
were always there for me. Looking back I don't know why
you did that, but I am glad you did. I certainly didn't
deserve it. You told me once if I could not do this for me,
then to do it for you. I did this for us. When everyone was
down on me, you stood by me. You and your brother
convinced your parents that I was not a hopeless case.
But more importantly, you waited for me. You sacrificed
for me. And today you made another sacrifice, by
skipping your own High School Graduation in order to be
here with me, on this special day.
You missed out on so many High School activities
because your boyfriend was three hundred miles away.
And you never complained. When ever I got frustrated or
down, I would think of you. Even from a distance, you
made me feel good about myself. You tolerated the
missed weekends when I could not get home for one
reason or another. Now it is our time. It is our turn. We
have earned it. I am happy to say that Dawn will be
joining me at the University of West Virginia. She received
a full scholarship and will be entering their Nursing
program.
Mr. Hartwig told me once, “When you find that love,
don't ever let it go. Treat it like it's the only love you will
ever have. Cherish it.” I will never forget those words.
Dawn, I love you more than life itself, and I am so proud
to say that Dawn has decided to spend the rest of her life
with me. And on August ninth we are going to make that
official.
Dawn's brother is also here today. Gary and I didn't get
along when we first met. But for some reason, we kept
being thrown together. One day he pointed out to me that
we shared a connection. The strongest connection you
can have. We both loved a certain young lady. Through
that connection we got to know each other, and realized
we were more alike than we were different. We both also
grew up a lot. And as we grew up, we grew closer. I am
proud to call him my brother. We are also joined at the hip
forever. And give me a basketball, and I will still beat him
one on one, some of the time. And I am also thrilled that
Gary has decided to leave Purdue. Their loss is WVU's
gain, as Gary will be joining me and his sister this fall in
Morgantown.
Gary's fiancé is here as well. Dee and I became
connected when I was in eighth grade, and she was in
seventh. She has also stood by me through thick and
thin. And I stood by her. And I always will. Although I did
not know it until much later, she stood up for me with my
own parents. I thank her for being Dawn's friend and
helping her get though those months and years while I
was away. I always wanted a sister. I am so glad she is a
part of my life. And thanks to Mrs. Walker, there is a
strong chance that Dee will be joining our little
Morgantown group sooner rather than later.
I am thrilled that Dawn and Gary's parents joined them
in coming today. The entire family gave up seeing Dawn
graduate, so they could share this moment with me. I will
never forget their sacrifice. They have always been an
inspiration to me. When my own parents sent me away,
they were understanding, but yet cautious. They were not
sure they wanted their little girl getting involved with a
troublemaker like me. Mrs. Thurston was a tough sell, and
it took some time. But like her daughter and Mr. Ethridge,
she saw something in me many others did not, including
myself. She is the most gentle and caring person I know,
next to her daughter. I thank her for her patience, her
understanding and most of all, her love. When Mr. and
Mrs. Thurston learned about my brother, they both
insisted they come to Charleston to get me. They did not
want me to hear the news and be alone. They did not
want me to make the long trip back to Indiana on a bus all
by myself. I love them both with all my heart and soul.
Someone once said of me and Bruce. “You are the
bravest kids I have ever met.” What Bruce and I did was
not brave. It was long overdue and speaking for myself,
was the easiest thing I have ever done, thanks to Bruce.
The bravest person I have ever known is right out there
sitting in the first row with the Junior class. Gavin, you
are the bravest person I have ever met. You are kind,
gentle, and loving. I will miss your laughter, your advice,
and most of all, your friendship. You are another
connection that I never will let go of.
I wish my brother could have been here today. All I
want in life is one more conversation with him. Just a few
more minutes. I would tell him that it's OK. I understand it
all now. And I would say,' I love you too.'
And a word about the smartest man I know. My dad.
Thank you dad, for sending me here. You were right. I
needed Briarwood. I was a young kid totally out of
control. I hated life and my old school. I was headed
down the road o disaster. You forced me to grow up. It
was the best thing you have ever done for me. And it was
the right thing to do. I love you and mom dearly.
All these wonderful people made me what I am today.
This school will credit me as being the class
valedictorian. But my connections deserve all the credit.
All of you on this stage, my classmates, and all my
extended family are the reasons I stand here today. When
was on that bus, oh so many years ago. Mr. Kremer told
me that 'When you succeed, you get the credit.' That may
be true, but I have to give credit to the people around me
that encouraged, supported, loved, and yes, even pushed
me. They should get the credit for all that I am and will be.
And I love each and every one of you with all my heart.
My advice to the ones we leave behind is the same
advice I was given on that bus so long ago. "This school
you are going to may be the best thing to ever happen to
you. You will get what you make of it, nothing more,
nothing less. You will be responsible for what happens to
you.”
So now, we all leave these halls and this wonderful
city. This place we have called home for so long. We will
scatter all across the country. But we leave a large part of
ourselves here, and are forever connected with each
other and this beautiful city. It is time to move on to the
next phase of our lives, and allow these wonderful
teachers to mold yet another group of students. Another
group of connections that because of these teachers; will
also be connected to all of us. Whatever I become in life,
no matter where I go, I will owe it all to my connections. I
thank them from the bottom of my heart.
God bless you all.
Tommy did not notice when Sherri Hawkins left the stage.
He did not see her go out into the audience and grab Dawn
by the hand and say, "follow me."
Dawn looked up at Sherri as she got up. "Where are we
going, Sherri?" she said.
Sherri had a huge smile on her face. She winked at Gary
then said to Dawn, "Why, your graduation of course."
Dawn's parents looked at each other in confusion.
Tommy looked up and saw that Dawn was gone from
her seat.
Mr. Ethridge approached the microphone.
“Each year Briarwood Academy awards a full
scholarship to a top student. As you know Tommy
Andrews has been on that scholarship for several years.
Normally the announcement is made before graduation,
but this year we decided to start a new tradition and wait
until today to make the announcement. We thought it
would be nice to ask Mr. Andrews to award this
scholarship to a very special student.”
Mr. Ethridge motioned to Tommy to come up to the podium.
Tommy had a huge smile on his face.
“Thank you, Mr. Ethridge. I remember how honored I
was three years ago, when I was awarded the Briarwood
scholarship. I realized how special it was, but it wasn't
until Mr. Ethridge told me who this year's recipient was
that I realized how special the students were who
received this high honor,” he looked into the crowd. He
could see his mother and father smiling broadly.
“It is an honor for me to present this year's Briarwood
Academy Academic Scholarship to one of my dearest
and closest friends,” he paused with a huge smile.
“Mr. Gavin Davies.”
While the entire class stood and applauded their
friend from the Junior class, Gavin made his way to the stage.
After hugging Mr. Ethridge, Gavin turned to Tommy with tears
in his eyes.
“I cannot fill your shoes, Tommy,” he cried.
Tommy hugged him for a long time. Patting him on the
back he said, “I am so proud of you. You don't have to fill
my shoes. Just be yourself.”
Tommy and Gavin went back to their seats as Mr.
Ethridge approached the podium.
“Each year,” he said then paused. “The ninth graders
get together and vote on their class 'teacher of the year'
and this year is especially bittersweet.”
“As you know, last August we were all deeply
saddened by the loss of our beloved math teacher, Philip
Hartwig. Over and above the grief that we all felt, I knew
that we had to be concerned about Phil's students. With
three weeks left in the term, it was impossible to get a
qualified math teacher in place to take over his ninth and
tenth grade classes. I was fortunate to know a well-
qualified math teacher that wanted desperately to be a
part of our Briarwood family, but Cathy Bower would not
be available until September,” he smiled at Tommy.
“So, I did something that most educators would never
consider. I turned to a student. I knew that as long as we
had a certified substitute teacher over seeing things, we
could get anyone qualified to teach the rest of the
summer term.”
“I went to Tommy Andrews and asked him to help. He
was concerned that he did not know how to 'teach,' but
he wanted to help in anyway. And, he did. He jumped in
with both feet. And he did a wonderful job.”
He did such a good job, many of the students asked
Mrs. Bower if he could help them in the fall as well. Of
course Tommy agreed. Phil Hartwig won this award many
times over the years, that's how popular he was. I know
he would be thrilled that the ninth grade class of 1969
voted to award their favorite teacher of the year award
to,” he paused a for what seemed to be forever. “Mr.
Thomas Andrews,” he said with a grin.
Tommy could not believe it! This had to be the biggest
secret in Briarwood history.
Tommy walked up to Mr. Ethridge .
“This is unbelievable” he said as tears came down his
cheeks.
They hugged again and then Mr. Ethridge said to Tommy,
“I told you those kids would love you. And they do. You
would make an excellent teacher, son.”
Awards passed out and all the accolades said, it was
time for the Class of 1969 to graduate.
Diplomas were handed out to everyone. As is
custom, those on stage would be last.
Tommy was getting worried. Dawn was going to miss
seeing him getting his diploma. 'Where was she?' He
asked himself.
Tommy was the last one.
Mr. Ethridge stood at the Podium.
"Before we give Mr. Andrews his diploma and send
him off into the world that I know he will conquer, the
class of 1969 has a little surprise for him."
"It has been no secret here, that the love of Tommy’s
life and her entire family gave up her own graduation
ceremony in order to be with us on Tommy's special day.
Tommy was thrilled that they were coming but felt bad
that they would never see Dawn graduate from High
School."
Tommy was shocked, as he had no idea what was
going on. He looked over at Mr. Kremer. He had a huge
smile on his face.
"I was at my desk a month or so ago and was visited in
mass by a large group of his friends. There were so many
of them; they would not all fit in my office. I was asked,”
he paused. “No I was told to do something about it. As
usual with this bunch," he smiled, "They were led by
Tommy's roommate and best friend, Bruce Walker.”
“They had a plan. They knew that Dawn had gone to
summer school after seventh grade so she could skip a
grade and eventually graduate with Tommy. It was her
dream. But Tommy never went back to Indiana for High
School. He opted to stay here with us. She thought her
dream would never come true. But Bruce and the rest
of Tommy's friends decided they needed to fulfill that
dream. They reminded me that Dawn was part of our
family too. They explained that when Tommy was given
the option of returning to Indiana, it was Dawn that
helped talk him into staying at Briarwood with us. She put
aside her own wishes for the boy she clearly loves. She
knew in her heart that his place was here in Charleston. I
totally agreed with the group. All it took was a couple of
phone calls to Indiana, some express mail, and some
planning by Dawn's brother," he paused looking over at
Tommy.
"So, by a unanimous vote of Tommy's classmates, I
hereby designate Dawn Lynn Thurston as an honorary
member of the Briarwood graduating class of 1969."
The entire class stood up and applauded.
Sherri escorted Dawn from behind the stage curtain.
She was wearing a purple Muncie Central Cap and gown,
and a huge smile.
Tommy looked up at her parents, both were crying. They
had realized they would actually see their daughter
graduate too.
Tommy ran over to Dawn and picked her up in a hug and
spun her around. He then hugged Sherri.
Mr. Ethridge motioned for Tommy and Dawn to come up to
the podium. He gave Dawn a hug. Tommy looked into the
audience at Gary. He knew that Gary was a part of this too.
He gave Gary a thumbs up sign, and mouthed the words:
“Thank you.”
Mr. Ethridge continued.
“Since Dawn has been named Valedictorian of her
graduating class, I guess we have co-valedictorians for
the first time in Briarwood history.
The applause continued.
“Ladies and Gentleman, Dawn Lynn Thurston.”
He handed Dawn the Muncie Central diploma.
“Dawn, I know it's not the same, but on behalf of Muncie
Central High School and all your friends here at Briarwood
Academy, I am honored to present you with this diploma.”
He hugged her again.
Dawn kissed him on the cheek, and whispered in his ear,
“Oh, Sir, this is so much better. Thank you for all you have
done for my Tommy. You saved us both. We will never forget
you. I love you.”
Then she hugged him again as the tears continued.
“And young lady, I will see you again in August,” he said
with a smile. “I am not going to miss your wedding.”
“I will save you a dance, sir,” Dawn replied with a big
smile.
The class was still standing and applauding.
Mr. Ethridge knew it was now time to say goodbye. He
had been dreading this moment for months.
“Thomas Curtis Andrews,” As Tommy accepted his
diploma, he hugged his headmaster. No words were
needed. It would be a long hug. It was the first time
anyone at Briarwood remembered seeing Mr. Ethridge
cry. And it would be the last.
The class was joined in their ovation by the rest of
the crowd.
Tommy looked at Dawn, they were now both in tears.
Tommy looked up at his mother and father, sitting with
the Walkers, tears streaming down both of their faces. There
was not a prouder couple in the room. He smiled as he
looked up and waved to them. Tommy was glad that he
and Dawn invited his parents to share this day. It was
time to forgive.
And as the entire Briarwood class of 1969 threw their
caps in the air, Tommy and Dawn did the same, and kissed.
It would be a long kiss. Now it was their turn.
THE END
Epilogue
Tommy and Dawn were married in a small church on the
north side of Muncie on August 9, 1969. During the reception
while the new bride and groom danced, John Andrews
stood over in the corner sharing a drink and a laugh with
David Walker. Tommy looked over at the two and
David smiled at him, while John went on and on about fishing.
He noticed later that Ted Hahn and Walter had joined the
two men and soon all four of them were laughing. The four
men would forge a lifelong friendship.
Mr. Ethridge got his dance with the new bride.
While Bruce and Gary joined together to make the best
man toast, Tommy looked out into the crowd. Tommy saw
a faded image of his older brother. He was standing in
the back of the ballroom looking at Tommy with his arms
folded across his chest. He was dressed in a full dress
Army uniform, the front covered with medals. He also had
a huge smile on his face. He was nodding his approval.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMING SOON: BRIARWOOD – PART THREE : NEW
BEGINNINGS
As Tommy, Dawn, Gary and Denise head off to
Morgantown, and Bruce goes on to Harvard, new students
arrive in Charleston.
Mike Gambill, a brilliant but shy chubby kid from Detroit with
scars left over from the accident that took his father's life.
William Summers, the one with a deep dark secret that
soon comes to light.
Robert Johnson, the good looking ladies man who was
thrilled to be away from home.
Linda Keer, the beautiful girl from New York City that will
find her one true love in West Virginia, as well as tragedy.
Natalie Stovall, from near Cleveland, Ohio. A girl with a
few secrets of her own.
Paula Reeves, a sophomore day student from the wrong
side of the tracks. On a special scholarship from the city,
she feels like she doesn't belong at this school. That is,
until she meets her math tutor.
David Jackson - A privileged son of a United States
Congressman. Having lost his mother years earlier, David
was raised by nannies, butlers and servants. Being sent to
Briarwood was a blessing to him. But his 'I'm better than
others' attitude would soon be trimmed back by those
around him.
Catherine 'Katey' Boatright - The girl from Louisiana with
the singing voice of an angel that's nothing like her southern
drawl.
Bessie Akers - the privileged kid from L.A. that thought
she would hate being in this 'god for saken place', but a
meeting in the deep woods of West Virginia would change
her mind and her life forever.
Carol Roberts – the sister of a bully, who escapes tragedy,
and finds a new and beautiful future.
And the one that ties them all together. A young student
named Gavin Davies.
Strong bonds will develop with some of these students
and an attorney in Morgantown, as well as a young man
and his new bride.
And Tommy will finally learn the hidden family secret and
where the trust fund money had gone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now a sneak peek at BRIARWOOD – NEW BEGINNINGS
– Book Three
CHAPTER - ARRIVAL – Room 710
Robert Johnson looked around the room. Large
matching desks and bookcases lined each wall. Closets
were located on each side of a door that led out into the
hallway. There were two beds, with a window separating
them. As he gazed out of the window he could see the
roof of the building next door.
At six foot two, Robert was always taller than most of his
classmates. His muscular build and good looks had always
caught the eye of the girls around him.
All his life, girls had flocked to him. Last year, he juggled
three girlfriends at once. And it worked well, until they figured
out his scam. The scene at the sophomore dance was
not pretty when two of his out of town girls friends both
decided to surprise him at the dance, both at the same time.
But it didn't bother ole 'girl crazy Bob'. He looked forward
to some new pickings in this new school in West Virginia.
He had been in Charleston for just about an hour. Glad to
be away from home, he could not wait for the new school
year to begin. He was happy to be away from the nightly
arguments between his parents along with the slamming of
doors and the breaking of glass. He hated hiding in his
closet while his parents went after each other and he never
wanted to go home again.
Since the room smelled musty, he opened the window. He
assumed it had been closed up all summer. Soon he felt the
cool September breeze permeate the room along the
sounds of downtown Charleston drifting upwards from the
street below to the seventh floor of 'The Holley.' He could hear
car horns and the rumble of the city buses as they drove by.
Three suitcases sat next to the bed. Robert was tired after
trekking up seven flights of stairs not once, but twice. The
school was repairing the elevators and it was a long walk
up those seven flights of stairs.
Robert had hoped to be assigned a room with his best
friend William Summers. Bill was also from his home town
of East Lake, Pennsylvania, and it was his parents who
convinced Faye and Jim Johnson to send their oldest to
boarding school. However, Bill was assigned a room on the
fifth floor. At least he got to ride down with his friend, since
Bill's parents decided he could take his car to Charleston.
Robert and Bill would both be Juniors at Charleston's
Briarwood Academy.
He thought since he was the first to arrive, he could
choose which side of the room he would take. But it didn't
matter, as both sides of the room were identical in every way.
He placed a suitcase on the bed and opened it. He
decided that he would start unpacking. It would occupy his
time until his roommate arrived.
He grabbed a couple of shirts and walked over to the
closet to hang them up. As he gazed inside, his eyes
opened wider. Sitting in the back of the closet was a
television set. It was perched on a wooden cart that
obviously could be rolled outward into the room. It did not
have a cabinet and he could see all the vacuum tubes
protruding from the steel chassis.
He thought back to the paperwork his parents were
provided by the school in preparation for the school year.
It specifically stated that television sets were not allowed
in the dormitory rooms.
He noticed that a note was taped to the screen. He picked
it up and started to read out loud.
June 6, 1969
Dear friend,
I smuggled this TV up here in the fall of '66. And I
did it damn near one piece at a time. I went all through
High School very proud of myself because I had pulled
something over the eyes of old Mr. Ethridge.
It came in handy the night we lost Dr. King, and
the terrible summer of '68. I also watched the Gemini and
Apollo flights. And it was nice to have on 'Star Trek' night,
which was my original intention. Too bad the clowns at
NBC decided to cancel it. They'll live to regret that
decision.
But life goes on my new friend.
Today, as Mr. Ethridge handed me my diploma, I
discovered that he knew about it the whole time.
With that in mind, I leave you with some advice.
Do not over do. I know he'll be watching.
He assumes that I took it back over to the I.A.
building, but don't sell him short. He knows me better
than I do. But as long as you get good grades, he will
probably ignore it.
The best advice I can give you is 'There is nothing
that goes on here that Ethridge does not know about.'
He is one of the two smartest men I have ever
known.
And keep your trap shut about it. Use your power
wisely.
And after you are finished with it, please pass it on
to the next resident of 710.
Warmest regards
Tommy (T.C.) Andrews
BHS 69'
Robert smiled as he started to hang up his clothes. All of
a sudden he felt as though someone was watching him.
He turned around and saw another boy standing in the
open doorway. He was short and skinny and dressed like
he just stepped out of a fashion magazine.
“So, he left you the TV. That sounds like something he
would do,” the boy said with a smile.
Robert walked over to the door and put out his hand.
“Robert Johnson,” he said with a smile.
The boy took the hand gently. “Gavin Davies, pleased to
make your acquaintance.”
“Are you my roommate?” Robert asked.
“No,” Gavin smiled. “I'm next door in 708. Do you go by
Robert, Bob, or Bobby?” Gavin asked.
Robert smiled. “I prefer Robert, if that's all right. William
calls me Bobby, just because he knows it gets my dander
up,” he chuckled.
“So, Robert it shall be. Whose William?”
“Bill Summers. That's my best friend. He's the reason I
came to Briarwood. He was assigned a room down on five.”
Robert said looking the boy over. 'No, he couldn't be,' he
thought to himself.
“So you knew the TV guy,” Robert asked, pointing into the
closet.
“Oh, yes I did,” Gavin laughed. “One of the nicest guys you
could ever meet,” he smiled. “Until you crossed him or any of
his friends. Has the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met.
And the sharpest claws.” He held up both hands and flexed
his fingers like a cat extending his claws.
“So, I have big shoes to fill, huh?” Robert asked.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authors note:
You'll be pleased to know that my real brother is alive and
well, and is the grandfather of six. He now resides in Jackson,
Mississippi with Wilma, his wife of 50 years. He would
graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue
University. And to my knowledge he never did drugs. Sorry I
killed you off bro, but it made for a better story. Besides, it
was Penny's idea.
Muncie Central would return to basketball prominence,
making it back to the final four in 1970. And three more state
titles would come for the Bearcats in 1978, 1979, and again in
1988.
The coach for those three state titles would be Bill
Harrell, former coach at Morehead State University. Trips to
the State Championship games in 2005 and again in 2006
would end in losses. Once again, the field house would be
full of screaming fans. Indiana would eventually institute
'class basketbal', thus ruining “Hoosier Hysteria” forever.
The girl in the little town of Monongah was real. Only David
Vallalonga didn't marry Penny Ann Nichols, I did.
When Robert Kennedy appeared at Ball State University in
April, 1968, the War in Vietnam was hardly mentioned.
Although the preliminary remarks are taken directly from his
speech that evening, the answer to Dawn's question came
from a speech given one month earlier at the University of
Kansas.
Complete transcripts are available for both speeches.
http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/RFKen/id/22
https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/Ready-
Reference/RFK-Speeches/Remarks-of-Robert-F-Kennedy-
at-the-University-of-Kansas-March-18-1968.aspx
And now, you may move on to the third volume in our journey.
