Chapter 53: Initiation

February 1, 1997, Chicago, Illinois

“Don’t look now, but you have an admirer in the observation area,” Kara said while we were working with Will and Marcia on black belt techniques.

A few seconds later, I moved so I could see and recognized Amelia. I didn’t acknowledge her, I just continued with our training program. Once I was satisfied with what Marcia was doing, I went to work with Dyani, who was nearly ready for her purple belt. By the time we’d finished, Amelia had disappeared.

“What happened to her?” Kara asked as we left the dojo with my girls.

“No idea,” I replied. “But I’m trying to figure out how she knew I was here. I didn’t say anything about practicing karate.”

“Maybe she saw us walking here?” Kara suggested. “Or perhaps she was walking by and saw you through the giant plate-glass window at the front.”

“Maybe,” I replied.

“You think she might be stalking you?” Kara teased.

I chuckled, “I have no idea, but it is a bit strange.”

“I’d say you intrigued her,” Kara said. “You do have that effect on people. And I bet you anything if her mom looks anything like her, you had your ‘vibe’ turned up to 11 when they were at the door!”

“‘These go to 11‘!” Birgit giggled.

“Did you let her watch This Is Spinal Tap?” Kara asked, suppressing a fit of laughter.

“No,” I replied. “I think most of it would go right over her head. But Jennifer made an ‘11’ comment similar to yours a couple of weeks ago.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about it going over her head,” Kara laughed.

“She hasn’t got the whole innuendo thing down just yet,” I replied. “And that movie has all sorts of references that she doesn’t have the experience to understand. Yet.”

“Because of sex?” Birgit asked.

I shook my head, “Mostly, no. Mostly it’s jokes about being in a band.”

“Oh. Boring.”

Kara and I both laughed. Birgit had eclectic tastes - romantic movies and action movies, which meant I could always count on her to watch James Bond movies, though they weren’t exactly ‘romantic’, per se. When we arrived home, we all went to our rooms to shower and change. We did so, then joined Jessica and Albert for lunch.

“Steve has a new admirer,” Kara said as we sat down.

“Or a stalker,” I replied.

“Who?” Jessica asked.

“The JW girl who was going door-to-door with her mom a couple of weeks ago. She was at the dojo for a time today watching, but I didn’t tell her or her mom I was into karate. It’s possible she just happened to walk by and see me, but I’m not so sure after the encounter last weekend.”

“Mom said Dad had his vibe turned up to ‘11’,” Birgit declared.

“Just eat your lunch, Pumpkin,” I said.

She stuck her tongue out at me but started eating.

“Did you get your papers graded, Jess?” I asked.

“Yes. And I’ve caught up on my medical journals, too. Now I just need to get back to work!”

“When is your first shift?”

“Tuesday; it’s a standard eight-hour shift. I teach on Monday.”

“What are you teaching this semester, Doctor Jessica?” Maria Cristina asked.

“Introduction to Anatomy. It SHOULD be a refresher from High School and college, but NO, these students are dumber than a box of rocks!”

I chuckled, “I can’t WAIT until Maria Cristina is in your class.”

“Because you think I won’t call her out for not knowing things she should know?”

“You would,” I grinned. “But she’ll know them!”

“Knowing YOUR anatomy, Tiger, isn’t going to help!”

I chuckled, “It’s a start! She’ll know all about the reproductive systems!”

“More like secondary sex characteristics,” Jessica replied.

“Don’t let her get your goat, Maria Cristina,” I said. “She’s in grumpy teacher mode right now.”

“I’ll show YOU ‘grumpy teacher mode’!” Jessica threatened.

“Here? Now? In front of the kids!”

“Dad!” Ashley exclaimed. “You’re teasing Mom like Jesse teases Birgit! That’s not right!”

“I’m sorry, Cinderella. You’re right.”

“There’s a new sheriff in town,” Winter said quietly.

We finished our lunches in peace, though Ashley several times eyed me carefully as if to tell me to behave. When we finished lunch Winter asked Ashley to help her clean up.

“Wow,” Kara said quietly to me and Jessica. “Where did that come from?”

“I think our Cinderella is very empathetic,” I replied. “What was the first thing she thought of when we told the kids about Al being their grandpa?”

“About Troy not having any grandkids,” Jessica replied.

I nodded, “Yes, and I think she’s worried about how you feel, too, because from her perspective, your dad is no longer your dad.”

“Oh my!” Jessica gasped. “I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I need to sit down with her and explain.”

I nodded, “Probably to Stephie, also. She and Ashley are much more emotional than the other kids, at least in that regard.”

“What?” Kara asked with a silly smile, “Losing control because Jesse walks into the room is a different kind of emotion?”

“I’d say,” I agreed. “Or Albert throwing a temper tantrum a few years back. The two little girls are very sensitive, and I think we need to be cognizant of that.”

We were interrupted when I heard the phone in my study ring. I excused myself and went to answer it.

“Hey, Boss, it’s Eve.”

“Hi. What’s up?”

“I’m just calling to let you know the movers are done. We’re going to start hooking up the workstations and phones.”

“Cool. Make sure everyone gets lunch and have a nice dinner on me.”

“I’d already planned that, Boss. And if it’s on you, hot fudge and whipped cream?”

“We missed that game,” I chuckled. “Let me know if there are any issues.”

“Will do!”

I hung up and went back to join the family for a quiet afternoon and evening at home.

February 2, 1997, Chicago, Illinois

“Are you joining us for the Rap Session, Jess?” I asked as we relaxed in the ‘Indian’ room on Sunday morning after breakfast.

“I think so. It’ll be about the only time I get to before shifts are revised in June.”

“Are you going to change your shift schedule?” Kara asked.

“Unless either of you thinks it’s a problem, I’ll keep the same shifts for the reason I took them in the first place - I get to sleep with you two every night. It also works well with my teaching schedule. I get to spend time with the kids after school a couple of days a week, too.”

“I think it’s been working well,” I replied. “Kara?”

“I think so, too. I guess the only issue I’d raise is that we don’t have time together on the weekends, but in the end, I think it’s the right trade-off.”

“Then I’ll keep the same shifts. I already have the weekend at Katy’s and our trip to Iron Mountain covered. Do we have any other plans later in the year?”

I shook my head, “No. I think you should just schedule your days off for when you feel you need them.”

“Jess, how did you leave things with your mom yesterday?”

“I don’t believe we’re speaking to each other at this point,” Jessica replied. “And honestly, no great loss. She’s livid that we revealed her secret and thinks we should have asked her permission, which, of course, she wouldn’t have given. She blames us for ruining her marriage.”

“Because having an affair and getting pregnant by your lover is conducive to a healthy, happy marriage?” I asked, shaking my head. “I’m still trying to figure out how she can basically forgive Troy and blame you and Al. It makes no sense.”

“To me, either,” she replied. “I pointed out, for medical history reasons, that we eventually had to tell Ashley and Albert. Not to mention the fact that the implication that Doctor Barton was Albert’s father was an issue we absolutely had to get out in front of. She blames us for that, too, because of our inappropriate relationship.”

“Oh for Pete’s sake,” I groaned. “Can everyone just fucking drop that insanity? I swear, too damned many people are too damned worried about what other people are doing. Jennifer and Josie are happy; Larry and Drew are happy; Katy and Amy are happy. The three of us are happy. Nobody is hurting anyone!”

“Unfortunately,” Kara said, “I don’t think it’s going to change anytime soon. We’re doing our best to educate people, but as you’ve said, it seems to be a losing battle. Everyone we know who’s involved with kids is seeing the same stupid thing - infantilizing teenagers and ‘protecting’ kids from ‘emotional stress’ by coddling them.”

“And it’s wrecking society,” I sighed. “But we could go on and on about this.”

“Tiger, how do you plan to replenish your Rap Session students?”

“Each of the six can nominate someone who’s going to be a Senior next year. That way we’ll slowly grow the group. If it looks as if the numbers are dwindling, we’ll ask for more nominations. I’m convinced we HAVE to get them before the colleges get hold of them after what I saw happening out in San Diego at SDSU.”

“Have you heard anything from the Dean?” Kara asked.

“The last time I spoke to him, he basically said that because of the complaint, we’d have to be off-campus and it couldn’t be an official university-sponsored thing. I talked to Phil, and he and I agreed that we should throw in the towel, so to speak, because the three most promising students were completing their post-graduate work and would likely be leaving the area. That’s why I’m focused on High School Seniors.”

“Speaking of which...”

“I spoke to Claire, who talked to Mattie. I made it clear that it’s OK to discuss her sex life, and if any of the girls ask questions, it’s OK to answer them, but no ‘advertising’ and no encouragement. If the question of my availability arises, she’s to tell them they have to talk to me, because she has no idea if it’s possible. Oh, and she will remind them about safe sex, and let them know that that they need to be tested before they have sex with anyone, and anyone they want to be with has to be tested.”

“Which means?”

“That I have to talk to them. I’m not ruling it out or in.”

“I should set up a stud service with the female medical students, residents, and nursing trainees!” Jessica teased. “‘No time for a relationship? Horny? Need an expert fucking? Call 555-1234 and ask for Tiger!’”

“And the cops will be at our door five minutes after you post the first flier!”

“Then it’ll just have to be word of mouth. How much do you think I should charge?” Jessica asked.

“I hear a good escort is $1000 a night,” I replied.

“Well, in that case, maybe $50?”

“Hey now!” I chuckled. “I’m worth WAY more than that!”

“You don’t charge, Tiger! This is just a finder’s fee! Or a scheduling fee!”

“Given what I know about the social lives of medical students and residents, this could be a full-time job!”

“I think Jessica just needs to adjust the price based on supply and demand,” Kara smirked. “You know, set a number of appointments and if they begin to quickly fill up, raise the price. Like the airlines do!”

“When I was fourteen,” I grinned, “Melanie used to call our time together ‘appointments’ because she didn’t want to call it ‘dating’.”

“Tiger, usually you object to something like this,” Jessica observed.

I nodded, “True, but you were having fun with it, so I decided to have fun with it. Once you brought money into the equation, I knew for sure you were just teasing.”

“And if I’m not?” she asked with an arched eyebrow and an impish smile.

“I’d say you need to get back to work so you have less time for your mind to wander!”

“It has been tough because I’m so used to fifty hours a week in the ER. But it’ll be back to normal starting tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“Maybe I’ll just refer some ‘special needs’ to you!”

“Which violates our rules.”

“Says the man who slept with his corporate attorney!” Jessica smirked.

“There’s a difference, in that I can easily assess the impact on NIKA and on myself. It’s different for someone at the hospital or university. Too many things could go wrong.”

“So it’s like your point about Elena?”

“Yes.”

“Will you see her when you’re in Europe?”

“She’s planning to be in London one of the days I’m there. And I do plan to see Karla in Amsterdam.”

“What about Katy?”

I shrugged, “If she asks, and Amy is agreeable, sure. I haven’t asked Katy and she hasn’t said anything.”

Winter appeared at the door to the ‘Indian’ room.

“Ready?” she asked.

“He’s ALWAYS ready!” Kara smirked. “Just bring him back when you’re done with him!”

“And in the same general condition in which you found him!” Jessica added.

I kissed my wives, got up, and followed Winter to her room.

“So, what can I do for you this morning?” I asked.

“The usual,” she said, quickly stripping off her clothes.

I undressed, we got into bed, and screwed ourselves silly for the next two hours, before showering together, and, as she’d promised, Winter delivered me back to my wives just in time for lunch. We had lunch with the kids and Winter, and then she took the girls to Rachel’s house to play, while Jessica took Albert to play with Dave’s boys. She was back just as the last of the Rap Session group arrived.

“Today’s topic is a follow-on from last week’s,” I said. “And that is a discussion of ‘truth’ or, perhaps better stated - epistemology; how do we know things and how do we know they’re ‘true’ or correct. And one of the first problems we run into is what words actually mean. I have a quote from Through the Looking Glass, which you might know as ‘Alice in Wonderland’, that I think is a good place to start.

And the point of that is, be sure you know what YOU mean, and if you are unsure what someone else means, ask. You can also think of it this way - there are many meanings to what you say - what you intended to say, what you actually said, what the person heard, and what they thought you meant. Ultimately, as Humpty Dumpty says, the meaning of the word is in your intent - you are the master. The problem is, the hearer is ALSO a master!”

“Did you just say it’s impossible to communicate accurately?” Sean asked.

“No,” I replied. “I said it was difficult. And that means you have to carefully choose your words, and when it’s very important, make sure they’re understood the way you intended them to be understood.”

“So, like, words that can be taken two different ways?” Paul asked.

“That’s part of it,” I replied. “But it’s also the case that I might not understand a word to mean exactly the same thing you do. For example, if I say, ‘speak softly’, that’s going to mean something slightly different to everyone in the room, because that phrase doesn’t have a fixed, measurable meaning. Neither do ‘loud’ or ‘pretty’ or ‘big’ or ‘small’. In some cases, it’s relative, as in, compared to a baby, all of us are big, but compared to, say, King Kong, all of us are small.”

“Ask yourself,” Henry said, “what is something that is absolutely, indisputably true?”

The students were quiet for a bit, then Ally spoke up.

“Math!” she declared. “It has to be math. Two plus two is always four, no matter what. Well, assuming base 10!”

“Good,” Henry said. “Anything else?”

“The laws of physics,” Benji said.

“Are they?” Becka asked. “Think about it for a minute before you reply.”

He was quiet, then said, “Sure. We can prove them.”

“How do Newton’s laws of motion apply at the quantum level?”

Benji was quiet, “Ah, OK. You guys asked ‘absolutely’ true, and no, they aren’t. They’re subject to investigation and revision. Newton didn’t know anything about quantum mechanics, and had no way to even begin to think about them or measure them.”

“Which goes to the point of ‘absolute’ and ‘indisputable’,” I said. “The entire point of science is that anything is disputable. Granted, eventually we get to a point where we’ve moved past our ability to reasonably dispute things, and we take them as ‘true’, until such time as someone comes up with a new way of thinking, or a better test, or a better hypothesis. That’s science. Declaring something to be true, and saying it can’t be challenged or examined, is religion, not science.”

“But aren’t some things so undeniable that they have to be true?” Julie asked.

“Sort of,” Patricia replied. “In the sense that we go about our daily lives assuming they’re true, yes. There’s also the case of something being observationally true, but not known. We all know gravity is in some sense real, and expect it to always function, but we don’t know how it works.”

“What do you mean, ‘in some sense’?” Benji asked.

“Maybe gravity is just an effect,” she replied. “In other words, it’s not a thing in and of itself, but simply an effect of some other property of the universe. But let’s get away from science, for the moment. Is anything else undeniably true?”

“I don’t see how,” Brenna said. “If you can’t prove it, you know, formally, then you can’t know for sure.”

“Do your parents love you?” Kara asked.

“Whoa!” Brenna exclaimed. “Of course! And I know they do, but I can’t prove it to anyone else!”

“And is that the same kind of truth as ‘two plus two’?”

“No. Ah! There are different kinds of truth, too!”

“My head hurts!” Paul complained.

“I understand,” I replied with a knowing smile. “But that sets the basis for figuring out what it is we actually know. My approach to life is healthy skepticism. That means having an open mind, taking only provisional positions, and accepting critical input from other people.”