Published: 12 Oct 2023

From The Previous Chapter:

Phillip leaned into the hug and after almost five weeks, he was enjoying more and more the closeness he was experiencing from his foster dad; something which he didn’t get much of from even his own mother.

After Mr. Ken finished talking to all the boys, he went down to his own retreat to sleep in his own bed after five days. He used his en suite and then lay down on his king-sized bed. The busy week of long days and decision making finally caught up with him, and Ken Thomas fell right off to sleep.

With their ‘dad’ home, the Cover boys, and thus The Cove was quiet the whole night through.

Ken Thomas enjoyed sleeping in his own bed that night. But he knew he needed to be up and ready to meet Tanner Torres at nine o’clock, and his Golden Retriever, Atlas. So, Mr. Ken was up before eight o’clock and got himself ready, went out to get his morning newspaper, and then went inside to the Kitchen Nook to have his first cup of hot coffee.

He had set the automatic coffee maker to make his first pot of coffee, so it would be hot and ready for him when he came into the Nook with his morning paper. The man set the paper on the table and then went and retrieved his usual cup and filled it with the hot brew, added some cream and then went over to the table and sat down.

The man took the paper out of its protective sleeve and began to separate it as he usually did. But something caught his attention, so he put most of the paper aside, and then he grabbed the first section and looked at the front page.

Mr. Ken knew he had to read the article to find out what the jury did find, since he was gone all week and hadn’t heard anything about the trial. He also wanted to know if the judge announced their sentence, or did he delay it for a later date.

It took the owner of The Cove about five minutes to thoroughly read the article, which rehashed the trial and much of what the primary witnesses had to say. But the bottom line was that Bennett Grafflers and Weston Thrumble were each found guilty of one count of home invasion, 3 counts of aggravated assault, 3 counts of battery, 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, 3 counts of kidnapping, 3 counts of attempted murder, destruction of private property, discharging a firearm within city limits, and with a number of other minor charges.

The article went on to say that the home invasion charge alone could get the men 20 years in prison and when coupled with the assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon and the other charges the men could each be facing 50 plus years in prison. The article ended with the judge saying he would announce their sentence in two weeks.

Mr. Ken sat back and wondered how the trial would affect the lawsuits Levi and Miriam Golderson and Bill have against the security alarm company. He made a mental note to call Bill Jackson on Monday to ask that question.

Mr. Ken’s coffee had gotten lukewarm by the time he took another sip, so he dumped that cup out and filled it up with fresh, hot coffee and fixed it, as he liked it. He then went back to reading his newspaper.

The owner of The Cove was enjoying reading his newspaper that he’d forgotten about the time and it was his phone ringing that caused him to look at the time. When he answered the phone, it was the security guard at the Main Gate telling him his nine o’clock appointment was there.

“Come on Chief, your date is here,” spoke up Mr. Ken, with a smile, and the two Covers headed out to ride a golf cart up to the Main Gate.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Torres,” offered Mr. Ken, as he held out his hand to shake the man’s.

The two men made small talk as Chief pranced around waiting for the man to release his dog, Atlas, so the two could have some fun together.

While the two dogs played on the soccer field and around the Pavilion and the Cove Skate Park, Mr. Torres was interested in talking about what sort of compensation he would get if Atlas was the sire for the litter of pups.

Mr. Ken reminded the man that Chief wasn’t AKC registered, but was a Goldador, as determined by their mutual veterinarian. Mr. Torres said he knew that, but he was interested in being given the first pick of two pups of the litter if breeding is successful.

Mr. Ken was taken aback by the forceful negotiations by Tanner Torres. He told the man that Chief had never had a litter before, and that their vet told him there was no guarantee how many pups the litter would have.

Mr. Ken told him that if his dam has a litter of five or less, he will only get one pup and if there is a litter of six or more, he can have his two pups. Mr. Torres immediately balked and said he was getting two pups either way.

Mr. Ken stood up and called Chief over to him. When Chief was there, the man bent down to eye level with the resident pet and said, “Chief … Mr. Torres says he wants two of your pups if you decide to mate with Atlas, no matter what. Is that OK with you?”

Mr. Torres laughed out loud and said, “You are crazy. You talk to her as if … as if she understands you. No dog makes that type of decision!”

Immediately, Chief stepped out from in front of Mr. Ken and looked at the man and growled and bared her teeth and took two steps toward Mr. Torres. Then she barked over and over and growled some more.

“Mr. Torres … you totally underestimated my dog. She has something in her that … that I am sure will be passed onto her progeny that you will not now … or ever have the opportunity to share. Call your dog … and I’ll escort you both out of the estate,” said a very pissed off Ken Thomas.

As the man and his dog exited the estate. Mr. Ken got down again and talked to Chief. “Chief … I hope Atlas wasn’t the sire you wanted to mate with. His owner … well, he was a jerk. I wouldn’t want to have to put up with his attitude and I know … well, I would expect him to be over here constantly wanting to check on his pups, and interfering with your taking care of them, until you were ready to let them go. Come on … let’s go see if the boys are up yet.”

Mr. Bindy had come in while Mr. Ken and Mr. Torres were watching their dogs play and when the owner of The Cove and Chief went back to the house, and walked in through the Foyer Door, the music teacher and Phillip were down in the Great Room playing their guitars. Mr. Ken listened to them play for a few minutes, and then he and Chief went to the Kitchen Nook to see which boys came down for breakfast.

Phillip had already changed out Chief’s bowls with fresh water with ice and kibble, so the resident pet went right over and ate something and then took a drink of the cold water. The other four boys were in the Nook eating, so they asked their ‘dad’ how Chief’s date with the final dog went. He told them Atlas was a fine dog, but the owner was a jerk, and he sent them packing. Chief heard what he said and barked out a few “Woofs” in agreement.

Mr. Ken remembered he had planned to call one of the high schoolers who applied to be a lifeguard at The Cove during the week, but he had extended his time away and now he needed to make that call. It was going on 10 o’clock, and if he called them now, they could show up and start working that weekend.

Mr. Bindy was just finishing up with Phillip and Mr. Ken heard him tell Phillip that he was doing so much better now that he had the metronome to help him work on keeping in time with the beat. Mr. Ken waited at the top of the stairs, so he could talk to the man.

Mr. Bindy told the owner of The Cove that Phillip has made big strides in the short time he’s been working with him. The music teacher told Mr. Ken that he wished the boy had been getting lessons long before now. He added that now that he was teaching him, he will move Phillip along quicker than normal because the boy is like a sponge, and he is learning things and using them very well. Mr. Bindy then said he had to move on to his next student, and the music teacher left Mr. Ken standing there.

The boys’ friends began arriving around twelve noon, as they usually did. Some went right to using the skate park, while they waited for everyone to show, while others just talked about what they needed to do to finish cleaning before the picnic.

Billy called everyone together and when they had all gathered under the Pavilion, he told them that Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis would not be there, so he would be supervising the work today. He added that before they started, he needed to talk to them about the barbeque teams.

“My ‘brother’ Charles … he tells me that some of you are not helping regularly with the barbeques. And now that we’ll be entering the summer season, and you’ll be coming over here every day, we need to establish the teams, as we had last year.

“And now that the twins are gone, and Phillip is too young to lead a team, we are going to have to change up the teams and identify new team leaders. We also don’t have the numbers as we had last year, so it will be important that everyone do their fair share.

“I’ll work with Robert and Charles, and we’ll sort out the teams and make them fair. In the meantime, we need to finish pressure washing the Cove Skate Park, and anything else Mr. Wayne adds. We won’t wash down the restrooms until next Sunday. That way they will be clean and fresh for the Memorial Day Picnic. But we are going to clean the two storage rooms today.

“So, while some of you are working on the skate deck, some of you are going to begin taking everything out of the two storage rooms, and I mean everything. Once that is done, we’ll sweep and then pressure wash the room and, once they are dry, we’ll move everything back in. Does anyone have any questions?” finished the oldest Cover.

Lonnie, Gus, Eric and Logan picked twelve other boys to help move what was in the food storage room out onto the Pavilion tables and benches. They assigned four other boys to work on emptying the cleaning supplies storage room, before it, too, was pressure washed.

When the lifeguards arrived at twelve noon there was an additional teenager outside the Main Gate waiting for Mr. Ken to come outside to sign him into the estate. Just then the golf cart came to the Guard House and the gate began to open.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, Karson,” offered the owner of The Cove, as he held out his hand to shake the teen’s. “I trust you know the other teens.

“Guys, gals … Karson Bell … he’s my … our newest lifeguard. He’ll start working as of today, so Jordan you’ll need to start training him in all the positions. Oh, and Mr. Chris … he got all of your new uniforms and equipment you said you needed. I’ll have to get that out for you later.

“Karson … Jordan is the senior guard and makes the schedules. When the summer goes into full swing, you’ll work four days and have the fifth one off, unless you need a different day and you switch off with one of the other guards. Work that out with Jordan.

“Jordan, you and the others, teach Karson how to use all of the equipment out there that you use to watch over the boys. Then practice with him how to save the adult and child manikins, so he’s familiar with the procedures here. Jordan, then get Karson’s sizes and give them to me later, so I can get Mr. Chris to order him what he needs. Karson, welcome to The Cove!” finished Mr. Ken.

When it came time to dry out the two storage rooms and put everything back, they needed squeegees to get rid of the excess water in order for the floors to quickly dry, but they didn’t have any. Robert called his dad and asked him if he could get them some as Mr. Wayne and Mr. Dennis weren’t working today.

Reluctantly, Mr. Ken told Robert that either he or Bill needed to go with him and to meet him at the Main Gate in five minutes. Robert went with his dad, so Billy could finish working on putting the barbeque teams together and check that the boys weren’t missing any part of the Cove Skate Park deck.

When Mr. Ken and Robert returned from the hardware store, they had four large squeezes and curiously, enough, a number of ceiling hooks and screw eye hooks. Billy asked what the hooks were for, and Robert told him that Phillip’s dinner bells had arrived and, later, they needed to try to install them.

Phillip heard what Robert said, and he asked where the bells were. Mr. Ken told him and his friends to meet him down in the garage. Phillip grabbed the keys to a six-person golf cart from Billy, and drove himself and his friends down to the garage.

There the boy’s foster dad showed the boys the two bells Phillip had chosen to try out to see which one would be the best one to use to call everyone to lunch. The boys picked up the triangle and found it weighed about 3 pounds. They were surprised that it weighed that much.

The boys then went over to the cast iron dinner bell and when they picked it up, they were surprised at its weight. Mr. Ken told them that it weighed about 25 pounds, and they needed to be careful they didn’t drop and break it.

Phillip asked his foster dad how would they be able to listen to them. The man pointed to the 10-foot -long pressure treated 6×6 post and a few bags of Quikrete sitting on the garage floor, and some rope. He told them that someone would have to dig a hole, measure how high they wanted the bell and then cut the post and then cement the post in the hole using the Quikrete.

Phillip and the boys didn’t understand what the owner of The Cove was telling them, so Phillip said he’d get Billy, or Robert, to help him with that. The foster boy then asked how would they install the triangle. The man said that was what the hooks were for. He said someone would have to drill a hole to screw the hook into it, so they could hang the triangle in order to ring it. Again, Phillip said he’d get one of his older ‘brothers’ to help them.

The five boys loaded the two ringing devices onto the middle seats of the six-seat golf cart and Phillip slowly drove back up to the Pavilion. When he arrived, he called Billy over to show him the two items he had Mr. Chris order. The youngest Cover then told him what Mr. Ken said about having them installed.

By then it was almost time to eat and the first team had already set up the serving line and the burgers and hot dogs were being ‘burned’. But the lifeguards hadn’t showed, yet. So, Billy asked Phillip to go down to the pool and tell them to ‘come and get it’, and then he laughed.

Phillip’s friends were going to go with him, but Billy said that with five guards his ‘brother’ needed all six seats to bring them there. Phillip drove the golf cart to the bottom of the driveway, and went into the pool area from the Patio side.

Jordan was surprised it was time for lunch, and told the other guards that Phillip had a golf cart outside to take them to the Pavilion. They all quickly dried off and put on a warm shirt and followed the Cover out to the golf cart. Phillip then drove the golf cart filled with the lifeguards back up to the Pavilion.

“Jordan … I don’t have any money to pay for this,” discretely whispered Karson to the senior guard.

“Karson … don’t worry about it. OK. This is considered as part of your pay. After a while, you will be put on what they call a barbeque team. You will be expected to help when they set up the serving line, or with the cleanup afterwards, but you won’t have to pay. Once we had pizza, and another time we fixed our own sub sandwiches. I’ll have to tell you more later, but for now, just enjoy the burgers, or hot dogs, and fix them the way you like them,” explained Jordan.

Mr. Ken came up for a burger, and he took time to talk with the guards. Jordan gave him Karson’s sizes, before he forgot. Mr. Ken then told them that the Covers would be gone, as they were last year, for about ten days, right after school let out, but they can use that time to hone their skills just as they did last year. Karson looked to Jordan, who told him he’d explain it to him later.

Before Mr. Ken headed back to his Study, Billy and Robert came over to him to ask him about installing the two dinner bells. The three talked about where they could place them, and Mr. Ken told them what they needed to do to install the farmhouse dinner bell, on the post.

Before Mr. Ken left, Billy asked his foster dad if he was sure that it was OK for them to do that without him, Mr. Wayne, or Mr. Dennis there. ‘Dad’ Ken told the two teens to not try it, if they didn’t feel comfortable doing it, but all the tools were in the garage, and for them to put everything back where they got it. The teens smiled as the man got in the golf cart to drive away.

Billy called everyone together and thanked them for coming together and cleaning both storage rooms. He asked them to store the pressure washers, and the rotating surface cleaners, before they went swimming. if they wanted. He also introduced Karson to them.

As most of the boys decided to go swimming, Billy and Robert decided to look at the 10-foot post they would have to ultimately measure, cut to length and dig down into the ground somewhere up at the Pavilion. Phillip and his friends also wanted to help, so the teenagers told them to meet them in the garage.

The seven boys looked at the very long post and not having the bell to even measure how high they needed to make the post they decided to haul the 10-foot long 6×6 pressure treated post up to the Pavilion. But the golf cart could only handle eight feet of it, so someone would have to hold it as they slowly drove up to the Pavilion, or they all would have to carry it across the soccer field up there. With seven boys, that was what they decided to do.

Now they needed the tools, but they were back in the garage. But Mr. Ken had seen them carry the 10-foot post up to the Pavilion, so he went out and got a six-seater golf cart and drove up there. The man then drove five of the boys down to the garage, then sent Phillip up to get the rest of them.

Mr. Ken knew the boys were determined to get the job done, so he decided to help them think this through. He asked the boys some questions to see what they thought they needed to do to measure the post, and how did they know what was the right height. Then he asked them how deep they thought they needed to put the post into the ground.

All the boys had answers, but it was Billy who told Mr. Ken they needed to know how heavy the bell was, so they could figure how deep they needed to dig the hole. Then he said they needed something to stabilize the post, so he asked if there was any concrete. Mr. Ken pointed to the four bags of Quikrete laying in the corner. Billy smiled.

In the meantime, Robert got out a 25-foot tape measure, a combination square, a carpenter’s and a post level and a circular saw. He then asked Phillip to go with him out to the storage shed to get a garden and a spade shovel, as well as a tarp to put the dirt on they take out of the hole.

The seven boys, and Mr. Ken, took all of the tools up to the Pavilion and searched for a good place for the large dinner bell. Most of the area had already been covered over with concrete in the form of a pad, so they would have to be creative as to where they placed the bell, so it could be best heard throughout the estate.

“Well, Phillip,” began Mr. Ken, “this is your project, so you need to give us your idea as to where you want to bells to be hung. Phillip wasn’t ready for that question, and he looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Billy saw the look of despair on his youngest ‘brothers’ face, so he pulled him aside and told him to go with him, and the rest of the boys followed. They looked along the front edge of the Pavilion, that faces the garage/house, and then Billy had an idea. He asked the boys to bring the 10-foot post over and they put it over the railing.

“Mr. Ken,” called out the teenager, “if we put it here, on the corner of the Pavilion, it will be out of the way and we might be able to use the full 10-feet of the post. We can put at least two feet into the ground and then the next four feet will be the height of the Pavilion deck and the last four feet will be where we will install the bell which will stand another, what, two feet? So, what do you think?” asked a smiling Billy.

“Mr. Ken, it will be sort of out in the middle of the field, so it should be able to be heard all over from there,” added Phillip.

“But what about the triangle, boys? You haven’t even considered it, yet,” countered Mr. Ken.

Robert said they could hang it from the center of that end of the Pavilion and it too would sound out over all of the estate. Mr. Ken said they needed a ladder and an electric drill and asked if anyone brought up the rope. Robert said he’d go and get the drill, drill bits and the rope.

In the meantime, Billy took one of the shovels and began digging the hole. The rest of the boys followed around the Pavilion and took the other shovel, as they wanted to help dig the hole. But Billy hadn’t dug more than eight inches when he hit something. He called Mr. Ken to come and look to see if he knew what it was.

Mr. Ken saw what it was and laughed. He told the teen that the form for the footer for the Pavilion only goes down so far, for esthetics, and then they let the concrete fill up the rest of the irregular footer hole they dug. The man told the teen that he’ll have to come away from the side of the wall about four, or maybe six, inches to clear that excess concrete and get a good stable hole for the post.

Billy did just that and he began to dig, again. But as he dug, the other boys wanted to dig too, so they told him to let them dig. Mr. Ken told them they needed to dig a hole at least eighteen inches around and twenty or maybe to thirty inches down because of the height of the post and the weight of the bell.

When Robert came back, he had a six-foot ladder, a battery powered 3/8-inch drill and a large drill bit set. The teen went to what he considered was the middle of the front side of the Pavilion, facing the house, and set down the ladder.

He asked Phillip if it would be OK there, or did he want it on the corner of the Pavilion over where the bell would be. Phillip saw that if he put it in either place it would still resonate out onto the estate, but that maybe centered in the middle at the end of the Pavilion would be good for now.

Robert thanked his little ‘brother’ for the input and took the ladder over to the middle of the end of the Pavilion, drilled a hole for the steel eye-hook and then screwed it into the wood stringer. After he did that, he saw that the triangle would be too high for most of the boys to be able ring the triangle. The teenage knew he needed a piece of rope, in order to hang the triangle, so it would be low enough, but he didn’t think to bring a knife, so he had to go back to the garage to get one.

The hole was getting deep, and Phillip asked for the tape measure to see how deep it actually was. It looked deep, but it was only about eighteen inches. All the boys laughed. So, they all got to digging harder, but the deeper they got the more difficult it became to get the dirt out of the hole, since it was not even 2-feet wide.

“Boys,” called out Mr. Ken, “what say we wait until tomorrow to finish this hole. I know you want to get this done, but it is getting late and there is no rush to have the bell installed tonight. Phillip … why don’t you come up here and help Robert install the triangle. You can at least get that one installed today.”

When Robert returned with the knife, he had Phillip stand where he could reach the triangle and clang the steel bar against all three sides. That way he knew how much rope he needed to use. Once the two agreed on a good height, Robert cut the rope and made some simple knots to attach the triangle to the eye-hook. He then he had Phillip ring it.

The other boys were done swimming and were coming back to the Pavilion, and they told Phillip that they heard the clanging on the other side of the house. That made Phillip smile. Of course, the boys who had just come back to the Pavilion had to ask what the hole was for. Phillip’s friends all began talking at once trying to explain how they were going to install the other dinner bell to see which bell was the better one.

Mr. Ken told the boys they were going to stop for the night and after they all left the estate; they were going out to dinner themselves. The owner of The Cove told his ‘boys’ to get cleaned up, and when they were all ready, they’d go down to the Four Corners Diner for something to eat.

Phillip told Westin and Jeffrey he was sorry they didn’t get the chance to play any music together today, but they were all busy cleaning the storage rooms, and then trying to install the dinner bells. The Cover’s friends said they understood and asked if they could leave their instruments there for the night. Mr. Ken asked where the instruments were and learning they were there under the Pavilion, he told them to store them in the new storage garage.

When the three boys went over to the new storage garage, they couldn’t get in because Phillip didn’t know the door code. The young Cover went over to his foster dad and asked him if he knew it. Mr. Ken laughed and said that he didn’t, so he pulled out his cell phone and quickly called Wayne.

Phillip listened to the one-sided conversation and after about 30 seconds, Mr. Ken whispered the number to the boy, and told him not to tell anyone else. Phillip smiled and went back to the storage garage and, using the four-digit number, opened the entrance door for Westin and Jeffrey who placed their instruments inside. Phillip closed the door and made sure it was locked before the three walked away.

After all of the Cover’s friends had departed the estate, ‘dad’ Ken reminded the boys to get cleaned up and when they were all ready, they’d head over to Four Corners to eat.

At the Diner, while the Covers ate, they talked about the task back at the estate. ‘Dad’ Ken said they needed a post-hole digger in order not to make the hole so big that they needed more Quikrete than they had. He added that they also needed some wood support straps to hold the post upright and level while the Quikrete cures. Mr. Ken then added that while they were there, they should get some bolts to attach the bell to the post.

The boys asked if they could drive the Go-Karts before they went to the hardware store. ‘Dad’ Ken looked at the time and said that they would be cutting it close, and he wanted to get those items tonight before the store closed, so they would just have to drive the karts later.

Of course, the boys were disappointed, but Phillip was most disappointed of all, as he’d not driven them but once or twice, and he was hoping he could do it again tonight.

It was past 7:30 when the Covers left the Diner and just after eight when they arrived at the hardware store. The group walked in and Phillip felt as if he had gone into a totally different world. He’d never been inside a hardware store, as he’d lived in an apartment his entire life, as his mom never had a need to go in one as the apartment complex did all the maintenance.

Phillip couldn’t believe all of the items that could be found in that one store. He knew that’s what the store was for, but he never knew they also sold washers, dryers, refrigerators and air conditioners and with Memorial Day only a few weeks away they were selling American Flags and Red, White and Blue wreaths and other Memorial Day decorations people could use to showcase their homes, or properties, for the special weekend.

The boys looked around the store as they walked to the area that had the garden equipment, but in particular the shovels. The Coves found the post-hole diggers, and Matthew asked how they used it. Mr. Ken explained how it was used and then they walked over to the department where the washers, screws and bolts were kept.

Mr. Ken said he didn’t remember if they needed 3/8 -inch or 1/2-inch size bolts or screws, so he chose some of each knowing whatever he didn’t use he would put in his parts cabinets. He also made sure that he bought nuts and locking washers for the bolts, if they decided to use those.

Phillip asked if he could walk around some more before they left. He told his foster dad that he’d never been inside that type of store before, and he wanted to see what else they sold. Mr. Ken said they could do a full once-around, so he got the idea of what could be found there.

The Covers started at the fasteners and worked their way through electrical and lighting, cabinets, door, windows and pre-cut table tops, special lumber, lumber and building materials, roofing, plumbing, paint and painting supplies, tools, home décor, and the garden center.

When Phillip told his foster dad that he couldn’t believe they had everything he could find in a Walmart store, but a whole lot more, all of his ‘brothers’ laughed. ‘Dad’ Ken told the boys to ‘hush’ and to head out to the van.

By the time the Covers left the hardware store it was close to nine o’clock. Mr. Ken then gave the boys a choice. He asked them if they wanted ice cream, or if they wanted to drive the Go-Karts. The boys picked the Go-Karts.

When they arrived at the Go-Kart Track, the boys noticed that there was a lot of construction going on between the Go-Kart Track and the Miniature Golf Course. They asked their ‘dad’ about it and he told them that the Planning and Zoning Commission had approved their application to install rides between the two areas. Mr. Ken then explained that eventually there would be a train that went around both venues and some family and children’s rides along with some game booths, concessions and restrooms.

The boys asked him which rides he bought, but ‘dad’ Ken told them that Mr. Ben was in charge of that, and they would have to ask him the next time they saw him. Robert then asked him what kind of train he was putting in. The teen’s dad smiled and told his son that Ms. Jackie was responsible for finding the right manufacturer and installer, and he would have to ask her at the Memorial Day Picnic. All the boys said that he was ‘no fun’, and they all hurried to get in line to drive the karts.

Phillip was looking forward to driving the go-karts again. He had fun driving them and he felt he was getting better each time he drove them. But he knew his older ‘brothers’ had been driving them a long time, and knew how to drive them much better than he ever will. But he told himself that he will still try to beat them one day.

While they were in line, Billy told Phillip not to over drive the kart. The older teen reminded his younger ‘brother’ that you brake going into the curve, and that you speed up going out of it. The teen also told the young Cover to try to stay close to the inside because when he goes outside, he will not only lose time, but the forces will try to throw him off the course, or make him spin out, if he is going too fast.

This was the latest time the Covers were ever at the Go-Kart Track. They were in line, but there weren’t but a few people behind them and the track closed at 10 p.m. When it was their turn, Phillip got a middle kart, but it still meant he was behind his ‘brothers’.

Mr. Ken told the track’s operator not to give the boys any additional laps this time around, as he usually had him do. He told him he wanted them to get back in line, and then for him to close the line, so they were the last ones to drive. The man understood what the Go-Kart Track’s owner was wanting to do, so he smiled and said he’d take care of it.

When the Green light was lit the boys pressed their gas pedals and sped out of the starting gate and went as fast as they could down the sight hill and into the first turn. Phillip was right there with them, and he was on the inside as Billy told him to do.

The young Cover remembered to brake going into the curve and he floored the gas pedal coming out of it. He felt the excitement of doing things right, the speed and of course his staying with the pack. Phillip was having fun and learning at the same time. He stayed with the group most of the first three laps, but he started making small, but noticeable, mistakes that the people behind him took advantage of. Then, before he knew it, the young Cover found himself in eighth-place.

The ten-lap race was over before he knew it and Phillip hadn’t advanced any further than eighth. He told Billy he tried to do what he told him, but he just kept making mistakes and before he knew it, he kept losing positions.

The boys started heading to the van, but ‘dad’ Ken told them to go ahead and get back in line. The boys stopped dead in their tracks, looked at one another and then ran to get back in line. Then as soon as the boys entered the queue and walked to the entrance, the track operator closed down the entrance. That was something the boys didn’t see.

When the race was over, and the boys were allowed to enter and jump into a kart, it was then the boys noticed there was no more people behind them. Robert and Charles understood the significance of that, and they wondered if Matthew and Billy did as well. Phillip was only happy he was getting to drive the kart a second time that night.

When the Green light lit, the boys raced out of the starting area and down the track and into the first curve. Phillip remembered what Billy told him to do and he also remembered those little things he did earlier and he tried hard not to repeat them. And even though he was in the fifth position, he was keeping pace with his ‘brothers’.

Matthew then made a mistake and Phillip was able to pass him, and it was then he realized that they were the only ones on the track. That made him feel good, but he still had Billy, Charles and Robert to pass in order to win, and he knew none of them were going to just let him pass them.

Phillip drove his kart hard and as he did, he watched how Billy was racing hard against Charles and trying to get him to make a mistake. And finally, Charles did make a mistake as Billy faked an outside pass, but actually passed the young teen on the inside on a turn.

Phillip thought he’d try that on Charles now too, as he needed to pass him if he wanted to gain a position. Phillip would swing outside and then inside and Charles could sense his younger ‘brother’ there. Phillip would then swing outside, outside and then inside to change up his attack. His attempt worked because when he did an inside, inside and then an outside with a quick inside, Charles reacted to the last inside and spun out because he was going to fast at a curve.

Phillip smiled at his tactic and how he’d worked his way to third. He was learning, but he wondered if he’d ever be able to pass Billy and then Robert. He now held off Charles who was mad that he let his younger ‘brother get the best of him, and now he was pressuring him.

Billy was pressuring Robert and was trying his best to cause Robert to make a mistake. But Robert had been driving the karts a very long time, and he had honed his own driving technique, and he wasn’t about to let his older ‘brother’ get the best of him.

Phillip watched the two older teenagers swing back and forth on the straightaways and looking back at one another. He wondered that, if he could get close enough, if he could possibly pass them on the inside, without them realizing what he did.

The Cover boys were out on the track all by themselves and none of them realized that they had done well over ten laps already, and were still going strong. Mr. Ken watched his five ‘boys’ as they raced around the track, and he was surprised how Phillip snookered Charles and passed him. He was also watching the two front runners, and that Phillip was also watching them.

Mr. Ken apologized to the Go-Kart Track manager for keeping him so long after quitting time, but the man said he was enjoying watching the five boys racing one another. Mr. Ken told him he was watching to see if the youngest boy, presently in third, was going to be able to make his move on the two front runners.

Mr. Ken said that if Phillip does pass them, he was to hit the yellow light to end the race. The manager looked at his boss and then said, “You are a sly man, boss,” and then laughed.

Then on the longest straightaway as Robert was fighting off Billy, Phillip saw his chance and he took it. Billy saw his younger ‘brother’ first, as he was in second and he tried to spin the young boy out, but in trying to do so he turned his wheel to quickly and spun out himself.

Robert heard the screeching of the kart’s wheels and when he looked to see why, he saw Phillip speed past him. It was then the yellow light was lit and Robert knew they were on their last lap and he had to hurry up to pass his younger ‘brother’.

Phillip had his foot pressed down hard on the pedal and his heart was racing faster than he had ever known it to be. He was scared he’d still lose because he passed his two older brothers’, and they both knew how to better drive their karts.

The tracks curves were daunting to the young Cover and every one of them were making him sweat that he couldn’t keep his kart on the track, and not spin out. He was breathing hard and he could feel his heart was trying to beat out of his chest.

Robert had a fast kart that night, and he was catching up fast to Phillip. He knew all he had to do was make his younger ‘brother’ make a mistake, and he’d win, but he didn’t have much more track with which to do it in.

Charles and Matthew had already pulled over at the Start/Finish Line and they were cheering Phillip on. Even Mr. Ken was silently hoping his newest foster son would win that night.

After the last curve, Phillip was slightly in the lead, but Robert was at his back wheel and it wouldn’t take much for him to bump his ‘brother’ and spin him out. But Robert knew if he did that, he would be labeled a ‘Poor Sport’, and his dad would declare Phillip the winner anyway, so if he won it had to be fair and square.

As the two karts came to the Start/Finish Line they crossed essentially at the same time. Billy pulled up and stopped his kart in the starting queue and got out. He asked “Who won?”, but neither Charles or Matthew could tell him.

When Robert and Phillip came around and parked their karts in the starting queue, they got out and the three boys congratulated Phillip in driving a great race. They told him that even if he didn’t officially win, he won anyway for the way he drove and got around his two older ‘brothers’ and made Robert scramble and almost be beat.

‘Dad’ Ken and the track manager came over to the boys and the track manager showed the two racers the photo finish picture.

“Who won?” asked Matthew.

“I did,” called out Robert. “Can’t you see my wheel is ahead of Phillips.

“No way, I did!” challenged Phillip. “Look again. There are four wheels in that picture and my far front wheel is equal to yours. So, I say I won!”

“Boys, boys,” spoke up the track manager, “this is the closest race I’ve ever seen here. And I’ve been managing this track for Mr. Thomas ever since he opened it. So, as far as I am concerned, you both won! This picture … it will be posted for all the future racers to see. If that is alright with Mr. Thomas, that is.”

Phillip had a great big smile on his face and then he asked, “Mister … can … can I get a copy of that picture, so I … so I can show it to all my friends and … and maybe hang it in my room?”

“Yes, I’ll print out two copies. One for each of you. Wait right here,” answered the manager.

“You drove really well out there tonight, Phil,” spoke up Billy.

“Well, there was only the five of us, so I didn’t have to deal with the other people, as I did during that first race. Then I watched you and Robert … you were each fighting one another off and I … well, I took advantage of that mistake. But believe me … when I passed you both, my heart … it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest it was beating so fast,” explained the youngest Cover.

“Boys, I have your photos,” said ‘dad’ Ken, “what say we all head over to the van? And you all should thank George for staying late and letting you guys have the race track all to yourselves tonight,” then suggested ‘dad’ Ken.

After all the boys told George, “Thank you”, and shook his hand, the Covers loaded into the van and they headed back home. Billy got some more night driving time that night. It was past eleven o’clock, when the Covers entered through the Main Gate.

Once inside the house, Mr. Ken told the boys to head to their rooms and get ready for bed and that he’d be up in a few minutes. Once he was upstairs, ‘dad’ Ken didn’t spend much time in any of the boy’s rooms.

All of the boys thanked him for letting them have that special race tonight and they each gave him a hug. The man told them to sleep well tonight, and that he’d see them sometime in the morning. Charles did ask his dad if he’d take them out for breakfast, but the teen’s dad laughed and told the teen that it wasn’t in the cards. The two hugged and dad Ken headed to his own retreat.

While getting ready for bed, Ken Thomas thought back to what he did with the boys that night. It was something totally out of convention for him and it felt good to have done it. He went to bed feeling really good and he slept very well that night.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

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