Summer Vacation Ch 01

"Your father got the grant he applied for, the one to do the study of Kodiak bears this summer," Tommy Jackson's mother announced at breakfast one morning late in May.

"That's neat, Mom," the young man said as he spooned sugar on his raisin bran.

"It means we're going to Alaska and will be living in the wilderness all summer while your father does his study," his mother said. She frowned when her son put a second spoonful of sugar on his cereal. "You know, Tommy, too much sugar isn't good for you."

"Aw Mom!" Tommy retorted. Like any teenager, he was embarrassed when his mother acted like a mother. Then what she'd said about living in Alaska hit him. "Alaska! Mom! I can't go to Alaska! Jeez! I just got that job at the Inn! And what about my friends...and my karate lessons?"

"Your father and I discussed that," his mother said. "We'd love to have you go to Alaska with us, but we thought you might not want to do that. Your father can't afford to turn down this opportunity. He's been trying to get the Kodiak bear study grant approved for three years."

"You mean it would be OK if I don't go?" Tommy asked, feeling excited. The prospect of being on his own for the whole summer was thrilling. His parents wouldn't be home. If he got lucky and finally scored with a chick, he'd have a place to bring her. That would be far-out! Then he saw the stern look on his mother's face.

"We wanted to be sure you'd be looked after and fed," she said. "So we asked Karen if she'd look after you. She said she'd be happy to have you stay with her for the summer."

"Aunt Karen?" Tommy said. His heart sank. His mother's adopted sister was a nice lady, and he loved her, but she was real religious. Staying at her house wouldn't be any fun. She'd probably be trying to get him to pray all the time and he'd have to go to church every Sunday. She'd probably want him to come in early Saturday nights, too.

On top of that, his cousin Kim, who was only a few years older than he was, would be home from college. He and his cousin got along OK, but ever since she'd started college she'd been acting real snotty and treated him like he was still a kid. On the other hand, Kim was a very good-looking young woman. Even though she was his cousin, Tommy had entertained sexual fantasies about her more than once.

"Maybe it will be good for you to stay with Aunt Karen," his mother continued. "You'll find out things at home aren't as bad as you think they are."

"Hell," Tommy thought, discouraged, "compared to living with Aunt Karen, nothing's that bad." "I don't think living at home is that bad," he replied. "How long will you guys be gone?"

"We're leaving at the end of this month," his mother said. "And we won't be back until the end of August, just in time for school."

Tommy wasn't thrilled about living with his Aunt Karen for the summer, but it sure was better than spending three months in the wilds of Alaska where the only females in miles would be large and small four-legged furry creatures.

"Your father and I thought you might decide not to go along," his mother said, "so I've already started packing some of your things."

"How come I can't just stay here?" Tommy asked.

"We've arranged a house swap," his mother explained. "A professor from Alaska happened to be teaching some summer courses at the university. He and his wife will be living here while we're gone. It's one way of cutting down on our expenses."

"Oh," Tommy said. His fantasy of having a place to bring girls was dashed. He wasn't going to have the chance to sneak into the empty house while his parents were gone. He finished his breakfast, kissed his mother, then he headed for school.

The young man was about to start his senior year in high school. After graduation he would be off to college.

Tommy's fondest wish was to lose his virginity this summer. He had gotten a part-time job as a bus-boy at a local restaurant. Though he'd had other job offers, he picked the restaurant job because it left his days free to hang around, and the restaurant closed at nine, so he'd have most of his evenings free, too. Meanwhile, there were still a few weeks until summer vacation began and he had finals and the festivities that accompanied the end of the school year to get through.

Tommy liked school and was a good student. That pleased his teachers and his parents, but didn't do much to make him very popular. Although he was good at his studies, he didn't have a lot of interest in sports, with the exception of the martial arts. He was extremely proficient in karate, tae kwon do, and several of the other martial arts, mainly because of his ability to concentrate and willingness to submit to the necessary discipline. All of his training had taken place in a small dojo in a neighboring town, so none of his friends had any idea he knew anything about martial arts.

Tommy made it a point to not let anyone know of his martial arts ability and even had to absorb harassment from school bullies on more than one occasion. His mother, a bit of a pacifist, constantly implored him not to fight. He loved his mother and was faithful to her wishes, although at times his self-control was sorely tested when some of the bigger guys in school hassled him.

His studiousness and unwillingness to fight resulted in his being regarded as a "nerd" or "geek" in school. It also had a negative impact on the number of girls willing to go out with him. The result was that while his sexual feelings waxed, his opportunities waned. Maybe, with his folks out of town he could change that! He adamantly wished to begin his senior year in high school no longer a virgin.

After school, Tommy went to the restaurant where he worked. When he walked into the dining room, his breath caught in his throat. The woman standing there, wearing a white blouse, snug black slacks, and frilly apron the inn's waitresses wore was, he thought, one of the loveliest women he'd ever seen! She had reddish blonde hair, a trim figure, and looked a little like Reba McEntire, the country singer. Only he thought she was lots prettier than Reba McEntire.

Mr. Dreisbach, the owner of the Four Corners Inn, smiled at Tommy and gestured to him. "Tommy, come over, meet our new waitress. Tina, this is Tommy, he's going to be your busboy tonight. Tommy, this is Tina. She's going to be working here. Amanda had to leave. Her mother's ill."

"Hi, Tommy," the woman said and smiled at him. She offered him a small, nicely formed hand.

Tommy took her hand and they shook. She had a wonderful voice! Actually, she didn't look much older than him. Maybe only a couple of years. "Ah...hi," he said, noticing that his voice cracked a little and his face felt hot.

"Tommy's done very well so far," Mr. Dreisbach teased. "He's been working here two weeks, now, and he's only broken a few dishes."

"Aw, Mr. Dreisbach," Tommy said. He knew his employer liked him and he liked the hotel owner. He adored Mrs. Dreisbach, the owner's wife, who did most of the cooking. She made genuine German dishes, things Tommy had never eaten before, but loved once he tasted them.

Some customers came in, and Mr. Dreisbach and Tina went over to seat them and take their orders. As Tina walked away from him, Tommy observed that she had an incredible ass. As his sexuality blossomed, he realized he was an ass man, and Tina's was the best he'd ever seen.

The night wasn't terribly busy, but enough so it went quickly. Soon it was time to close up. Tommy set up all the tables for the next day, and Tina helped him. They chatted amiably. Tina seemed to be a nice person.

"You live near here?" she asked as they filled salt and pepper shakers.

"Ah...about a block or two over toward Main Street," he replied, spilling a little salt on the tablecloth.

"I just moved to town a couple of weeks ago," she said. "My son and I have an apartment over on sixteenth."

Her son! She couldn't be old enough to have children! Tommy was flabbergasted. Maybe she was older than he thought. "You...you're married?" he said.

"Divorced," Tina replied. "Billy, that's my little boy, he's five."

"You don't look old enough to have a five-year-old son," Tommy said.

Tina flashed him a smile that almost made his heart stop. "You're sweet," she said.

Then they were finished. They walked out together. Tommy wanted desperately to offer to walk Tina home, but didn't have the nerve. Her house was in the opposite direction of his, anyhow. "Well, ah, I'll see you tomorrow," he said as they stood on the porch of the Inn.

"Sure will," Tina said. "I think I'm going to like working here. This seems like a really nice place."

"It is," Tommy said. "The Dreisbachs are great people."

"Well," Tina started down the steps. "See you tomorrow."

"Ah...yeah." Tommy went, too, and headed toward his house. Every so often, he stopped and turned, watching Tina as she walked away from him. When she turned the corner and was out of sight, he felt a little lonely.

"I wonder how old she is?" he mused as he continued his walk home. "If she got married when she was sixteen, and had her son right away, that means she might only be twenty-one." Tommy was eighteen, so their three-year age difference didn't seem all that bad. The fact that he couldn't get a date with girls his age didn't cross his mind.

"How was work?" his mother asked when he walked into the house.

"Not bad," he replied, getting a soda out of the refrigerator. "They got a new waitress. She's real nice. She's divorced and has a five-year old son."

"That's nice," his mother said. "You should start getting your things together tonight. We have to make sure the house is ready for the people who are coming before we leave, you know."

"Yeah, OK, Mom," Tommy said as he headed for his bedroom.