The day came for each of them. They all knew it would come, but still it was always a shock. The mother was usually the happy one sending her boy off to become the kind of man she always intuitively knew he would be. The fathers less happy. Their dreams of sons emerging as manly men disappeared in that long trek to Smith's Prep School.
It was no more or no less true for Stephen Talbot. The day came and it was time to embrace his true self. Everyone he knew told him so. The life of a heterosexual was not for him. Girls of all sizes and shapes tempted him, his mother prearranged dozens of dates but at 19, one year into the legal age for mating, he was still a virgin.
Stephen's father took him to a professional one night, but it was a waste of money. The poor girl wasn't even able to get Stephen's penis to wink. It was a long, sad ride back home for his father, and Stephen felt sorry more for his dad than himself. So his father made the decision. He pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine.
"Son," he said and looked at Stephen, "I think it's time you went to the Prep School. You aren't getting any younger, and soon you'll have to start a life of your own. You've got no particular skills. We may not be able to afford the university, but we cam spring for the Prep School. That way," he said placing his hand lovingly on his son's arm. "You can find a good man with a good job to take care of you. They'll teach you, at the Prep School, how to please a man like that and become his life partner."
That night, his mother knocked on his bedroom door, and without waiting opened it and stuck her head in.
"Hi, baby. Mind if I pop in?"
"No, come in, Mama." She sat down on the bed next to him. He was propped up against the head board reading a book of poetry. She didn't speak right off, but gazed into his eyes, smiled and brushed his bangs away from his forehead.
"Guess we won't see each other for quite a while," he said and closed his eyes. He loved it when she brushed her hands through his hair.
"No," she whispered, "but you'll come back to me as soon as possible, right?"
"Of course, Mama." He turned his face and kissed her hand.
"How do you feel?" She asked. "About the Prep School?"
"I suppose it makes sense," he said with a sigh. "I don't feel anything...you know what I mean...for girls. I never have. I'm not sure I feel anything for men either. Maybe I was meant for the priesthood." He laughed at the image.
"Oh, my baby," she said and took his face in her hands. "It'll all work out. You have a good heart." She patted him on the chest. "Good things come to those with good hearts." She leaned in and kissed his forehead.
By noon the next day, he was packed and in the back seat of the car headed for union station. By one-thirty, he was pulling out of the station on a train bound for Lawrence, Kansas. And by late afternoon the next day, he was greeted by an SUV at the Lawrence Depot.
"Mister Talbot," said the handsome middle aged chauffer with a slight British accent, "if you'll make yourself comfortable, I'll load your luggage and we'll be off." Stephen climbed into the passenger side of the large vehicle feeling apprehension for the first time about attending Smith Prep School. He wasn't expecting a chauffer who addressed him as Mister Talbot. Weird.
The ride was longer than Stephen expected, and the country side was heavily wooded and remote looking. The chauffer spoke very little except to point out various geographical points of interest. After a couple of hours, they pulled up to a stone archway and an iron gate just before sunset. The driver pushed an opener button, and the iron gate slowly swung inward. When the SUV pulled into the compound, the gate automatically closed, and they followed a long serpentine driveway through dense trees to a huge old Victorian mansion. Weird. That word kept popping up in Stephen's head.
The chauffer removed the luggage and started up the stone steps to the entry porch. Stephen followed. When they reached the door, the chauffer turned to him and raised his arms indicating his hands were full.
"Would you mind giving the knocker a rap, sir?" Stephen looked at the brass door knocker. It was a large life size and very life like penis and testicles. It hinged from the glans and the round balls knocked against a brass plate. Stephen grinned and shook his head as he took the balls in his hand, raised them up and knocked three times. He couldn't help it; it made him laugh, and he sheepishly looked over at the chauffer. The chauffer half smiled.
The large leaded glass door opened, and an old man stepped aside allowing them to enter.
"Thank you, Sedgwick," the old man said and pointed to the foot of the stairs. "Place the luggage there, if you will. And have a good evening."
"Thank you, sir," Sedgwick said and bowed slightly. "Good night to you, Mister Talbot."
"Good night, Sedgwick. Thanks for the ride." The chauffer returned to his car.
"Mister Talbot, please come into the drawing room." The old man's voice was like gravel. He was short and hunched over, bald and walked with a cane. "Please have a seat." They sat facing each other. The old man had sparkling green eyes, and when he smiled it had a surprising effect on Stephen. His smile was warm, gentle and friendly.
"So my dear Stephen," he said, "my name is Charles Smith. The young men around here, such as you, call me Chuck. I have a unique gift, if you will, an ability that is to find the switch and turn on the light. Excuse my clumsy metaphor. It's all about energy, really." Chuck stood and moved away from the chairs. He held his arms out to his sides; the cane dangled in his hand.
"Dear Stephen, we have an energy body that extends out from our physicality about as far as our arms can reach." He turned from side to side. "It's all around us life a cocoon. It's an electromagnetic force field. Up the center of our body is a cylindrical shaped rod of energy that spins at the speed of light. As the energy radiates outward, it manifests as different bodies. Physical, emotional, causal, etc. It's all the same energy vibrating at different rates. Now!" He threw his arms up and smiled catching his breath.
"When a man becomes sexually aroused, the central cylindrical energy rod bends out and extends into his erect penis." Chuck slapped one hand into the pit of his elbow and made the gesture of an instant erection. His eyes sparkled. It made Stephen smile. He liked the old guy.
