Back to the Farm
David hugged his wife and kissed her. She blushed adorably. “What’s got you so affectionate?”
“I’m thrilled you had the poor judgement to marry me.”
“Don’t be so silly. Let’s go home. You and Law must be famished, and poor Walt is worried sick. The dinner we made is ice cold and spoiled. It’s a sin. We made one of Law’s favorites and Walt was so proud. He was disappointed when you were late. It was all I could do to make him stay put when we found out you were arrested. All the dear man’s efforts were wasted because of Andy’s stupidity. I’d like to know what he thought he’d accomplish by arresting the two of you, but it’s obvious he wasn’t thinking at all.”
David tossed the Suburban keys to Charlie, who caught them out of the air. “You and Law take my truck. I’m going home with your mother. With any luck, we’ll run out of gas along the way.”
“David!” She exclaimed, then laughed beautifully.
They got in Abby’s sedan and drove off with her at the wheel. Charlie and me watched until their taillights were out of sight. He deferred to me out of respect. “Would you rather drive?”
“You better. I never was much of a driver, and I can’t see at night anymore.”
Charlie drove us out of town at a very responsible speed. I told him what happened along the way. He was surprised by the death of Lars Krengel and by the brazenness of Sheriff Andy. “I don’t understand what Andy’s problem is. Maybe he doesn’t agree with folks like you and Walt, but I’ve never seen him challenge dad the way he did last night. I always thought Andy was a coward.”
“My presence puts your dad at a disadvantage. Maybe Andy thinks this is his chance to get over.”
“Why is it a problem if you’re here?”
“There’s laws against queers. Most of the country has them. Even back home in Philly they have them. We’re not allowed to exist. Andy has the letter of the law on his side. If he just arrested me, he might have had a chance. He overplayed his hand when he arrested your dad with me.”
“Would they really put you in jail just for being…how you are?”
“They can. I don’t think it happens as much anymore, but it happens.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“Yes, it is. This kind of shit is probably why your brother doesn’t visit. Larry wouldn’t have a problem because he’s very masculine, but his husband is far too obvious. A bigot like Andy would have a field day with Stephan.”
“That sucks. I don’t even know my brother. He left when I was a kid. I have a brother and I’ve never even shaken his hand because people suck.”
I turned in the seat so I could see the boy better. The glow of the dash lights reflected on his face and glinted in his blond hair. He reminded me of David, but not David as I knew him as a youth. He reminded me of David as he was now. I liked him a great deal.
“You’re a good kid. I mean, you’re a good man. You’re smart and you care about the right things. Hold onto that attitude and you’ll go far. As for shaking hands with Larry, why don’t you come to Philly this winter? You can stay with me and Walt. Walt’s restaurant is right downstairs. You wouldn’t have to worry about your meals. You could have your breakfast with us and your dinner in the restaurant. All you’d need is a train ticket and some pocket money. Larry would be thrilled to get to know you.”
“You think I could?”
“Why the hell not? Winter is slow time, right? Stay for a month. Come after the new year and stay until February. There will still be plenty of snow on the ground when you get back. Your dad said he and your mom might go as well. You could come with them. If you want to come by yourself, you could take care of things around here until they get back and then come east on your own. Larry’s a great guy. He’s a lot like your dad. So are you. I bet you’d get along great. His husband can be overwhelming, but he’s great too.”
“What do you mean about Stephan?”
“He’s a choreographer. He’s theater through and through. He’s flamboyant and theatrical. He makes big gestures and dresses like he’s in a musical. He talks like he’s always on stage. I like him a lot, but even I get overwhelmed sometimes. Larry builds stage sets. He designs them, too. He works a job with men and runs a crew like your dad. His crew are all tradesmen, carpenters and painters and plasterers and the like. He wears boots and blue jeans and works with his hands. He’s the opposite of Stephan. I think that’s why their relationship works. Stephan is all whimsey and Larry is all practicality. They balance each other. You should meet them.”
“I think I’d like that. I’ve never been anywhere. Might be fun to travel a little and see a city bigger than Billings.”
I laughed to hear Billings called a city. “Billings is barely a town compared to Philly. Philadelphia has history and museums. You can see Independence Hall where they signed the Declaration of Independence. You can see the Liberty Bell and where Ben Franklin is buried. You can go to the art museum and see work from all over the world. You can watch plays. You can eat amazing food from all sorts of cultures. Hell, you’d probably get a kick out of going to the John Wannemaker Department Store.”
He huffed like young men do. “I’m not backwards. I’ve been to the department store.”
“I’m not making fun. Wannemaker’s is a palace, eight big stories of shopping. There’s a big bronze eagle in the atrium and a pipe organ that gives performances every hour. There’s two restaurants and clothes and shoes and furniture and housewares and appliances and anything else you could imagine. Just one floor is bigger than all the space inside Lars Krengel’s milk barn.”
“You’re puttin’ me on.”
I raised my hand like I was taking an oath. “I swear, and it’s always full of people. Philly has over two million residents.”
“WOW! There’s only one million in this whole state! That’s crazy! How can people live so close together? Don’t they feel cramped all the time?”
“I never did, but I was born and raised there. I feel exposed in places like this. If you do come, and the city feels like too much, we wouldn’t have to stay there the whole month. We can go up to Reading where Walt was born. We’ll spend some time in rural coal country. Reading is a lot like here except it’s more mountainous and has more trees.”
“What’s coal country?”
“It’s all mining, mostly coal and iron ore.”
“We’ve got mining here, too.”
“Do you? I didn’t know. Anyway, Reading has a lot of old industry near it. You’ve probably heard of Bethlehem Steel. It’s about sixty miles from Reading. There’s all kinds of railroads and old canals for moving coal and iron ore. It’s one of the oldest areas of the country, so there’s a lot of history. There’s even mountains if you want to try skiing. I’m damned if I understand the attraction to that nonsense, but Larry and Stephan went with a group of theater folks last year and they loved it.”
“Would you show me the Kingdom of Keystone?”
I was stunned by the question. I wasn’t surprised that Charlie knew the name because so many of David’s fairy tales were about Keystone. I was surprised he knew it was a real place. I hedged my answer because I didn’t know what the young man knew or didn’t know. “What are you talking about?”
“Dad told me about it, and about him. He tells all the boys when we turn eighteen. He’ll tell Mitch next year. He said he tells us because of what happened with Larry, back when Larry left because he thought dad was mad at him for bein’ like he is. Dad never wanted that to happen again, so he told each of us.
“We’re not supposed to talk about it, but I guess I can with you, because you’re from there. I know you’re the Hero of Law and Order. I know what you did for my dad and why. I know what you did for Larry and that his lawyer was from Keystone too. I know I’m named for a man you both knew, the one who got my dad the job at the Kingdom. I even know dad thought he was…uh…like you back then, but mom showed him he wasn’t.”
I entered the conversation cautiously because I didn’t want to tell Charlie anything he might not know. I didn’t want to dismiss him either. “I could show you where it was, but the old house burned down back in the thirties. The steps were still there for a long time, but even they’re gone now. They built a warehouse on the property. I don’t even have a souvenir. All I’ve got are my memories and a few friends like your dad.”
I remembered poor old Charlie and thought it would be nice if I could introduce him to his namesake. “If we went to Reading, I could show you where my Charlie is buried.”
“Would you tell me about him?”
“He was breathtaking, like a Greek statue made flesh. He had long black hair that fell past his shoulders and a crooked smile that made me happy no matter how bad I felt. He told awful jokes and we teased each other constantly. He was as kind and playful as a brand new puppy. I wanted him badly, but he never let me get close to him. I don’t think he ever let anyone get close. He lived in a world of sin, but I don’t think he ever participated.
“He and I lost touch after Mi…ahem, Keystone closed.” I almost called it Mitch’s but stopped myself when I remembered Charlie’s brother’s name. I wondered if any of them knew where that name came from. I doubted it.
I cleared my throat and went back to the story. “Somewhere along the lines his life soured on him, and he drowned himself in booze. He died in 1947 and was buried by the city in a pauper’s grave. Walt and I had him moved to Reading and buried in the churchyard near where Walt grew up. I visit him as much as I can. One day I’ll be buried next to him. I want to make sure I get to see him again when the Lord calls us to rise for the second coming. I want to tell him how much his friendship meant because I never bothered to say it when he was alive.”
My story made the mood in the car somber. Charlie cleared his throat. “Is Walt from Keystone, too?”
“No. I met him in a diner some years later. He was the counterman, and I was a private eye on a case.”
“How did you know you were both…you know?”
“Queer?”
“Yeah, that.”
“You can say the word. It’s not offensive. I hear a lot of people are using the word ‘gay’ now. The only word I don’t like is ‘fag.’ Everything else is fair game.”
He asked his question directly. “How did you know that Walt was queer?”
“I assume you like woman. Is that right?”
“Yeah.”
“When you’re in public and an attractive woman walks by, you look, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“But when a man walks by you don’t look, do you?”
“No, almost never.”
“That’s how you tell. If you’re curious about which sex a man is attracted to, get him in public with a lot of people around and talk to him face-to-face. Pay attention to where his eyes go as people walk by. His eyes will follow what he wants. That doesn’t mean he’ll admit it. If he doesn’t, it could mean he’s embarrassed, or he might be lying to himself. I noticed where Walt’s eyes went. When I was ready, I asked him directly, but I did it with no one around, so he could be honest.”
Charlie jumped ahead of the story. “And you started dating.”
“No. The story of our courtship would fill a novel and then some. I’ll tell you about it if you want, but we’ll need more time and I’d like to be less tired. Besides, it looks like we’re almost home.”
He agreed that we were. A moment later he drove into the farmyard and parked. “Thanks for the stories. You should go in. Poor Walt really was beside himself. I’m gonna have a smoke.”
I got out and went into the house. I barely made it through the door when Walt was wrapped around me. “THANK GOD! I was so scared!”
“I love you too.”
He kissed the side of my face and pushed us apart so he could kiss my mouth. He tasted like over-brewed coffee. He embraced me again. “I was so scared that idiot redneck hick bigot sheriff would keep you overnight or hurt you. Abby said you’d be home soon, but you know how I worry.”
“She was great. You should have seen the way she took control of that sheriff’s office. Between her and Aunt Violet, Andy didn’t know whether to shit or wind his watch.”
He kissed me again. “That’s why I married you, Love, your eloquence.”
Charlie came through the screen door behind us. Walt felt his scrutiny and stepped out of our embrace. “Let me get some dinner for you. You must be starved! Charlie, let me fix you a snack. Where’s your dad? They didn’t keep him in jail, did they? What about your mom?”
“She and dad drove separate. Dad said he hoped they’d run out of gas on the way home. They might be a while.”
Walt didn’t understand. “Why on Earth would he want to run out of gas?”
I answered. “An empty tank would give them an excuse to park and neck like teenagers. David was very pleased with Abby’s performance tonight. He was quite amorous when they drove away.”
Walt still didn’t get it. “Why do that in a car when they’ve got this comfortable house to do it in?”
“Cause it’s fun, Love.”
He shrugged and bustled around the kitchen to warm up enough food for at least four people. He wouldn’t even let me help. He also made a fresh pot of coffee. We had Walt’s Special herb crusted pork chops with linguini pasta in pesto and olive oil and a medley of roasted vegetables. Everything was delicious. I ate too much and Charlie stuffed himself with another portion.
After dinner we took our coffee onto the porch to breathe the fine night air. Charlie lit a cigarette and offered me one. I hesitated, but Walt waved his permission. “You had a rough day, go ahead.”
I drew the smoke in and savored it. Walt sipped his coffee and smacked his lips. “I almost wish I had a cigar we could share. Do they still make that fancy brand you smoked when you finished a case?”
“Basilio Cubano, I don’t know if they make them or not. They’re on the other side of the Cuban trade embargo. I miss them sometimes.”
I was just knocking the first ash from my cigarette when David and Abby drove up to the house. Oddly, David was at the wheel when they arrived while Abby had been driving when they left. He got out first and ran around to let his bride out of the car. Abby’s face was red and she wouldn’t look at us. David smiled like he was the new risen sun. The pair paused on the porch just long enough for greetings.
Walt offered food like he always does. “Let me heat something for you, David. You must be starved.”
“No thank you, Walt. I’m not hungry at all. We’re going right to bed.”
Walt tried to object but I talked over him. “Good night and enjoy!”
Abby gasped, “goodness,” and ran inside. David followed at his own pace.
I laughed and crushed out what was left of my cigarette. I stretched and yawned and struggled out of my chair. “Come on, Walt. It’s time for bed.”
We wished Charlie a good night and retired.
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