Chapter 32

"You're lonely."

Shrugging his shoulders, William answered, "My girlfriend is hundreds of miles away."

"I don't mean that way," Joe said.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have any friends. There may be a lot of people around you, but you don't really have any friends." Joe cut a piece out of the steak and put it in his mouth while watching William to judge his reaction. He knew that William was going to be leaving in a week and wondered what was going to happen to his friend afterwards.

"That's not exactly true. One of my friends was a classmate at the Native American College. Another is an instructor there. Of course, there is Happy Harry. I don't get a chance to see them often, but I value their friendship. For day to day support, I have a large family and a very nice girlfriend."

Joe swallowed his meat and said, "It still seems to me that you are lonely."

William shoveled a forkful of beans into his mouth and chewed while thinking about what Joe said. Shrugging, William said, "My father had very few friends although he was an important person in a lot of lives. John Carter personally helped thousands of people with overwhelming problems. He set up mechanisms to help millions of others. Many called him friend, but there were few that he called friend. He did have a few friends and he valued them tremendously."

Joe recognized that the relationship between William and him was of a similar nature as that which existed between John Carter and most people. He valued William much more than William valued him. He understood that William cared for him, but it wasn't the deep feelings that he had for William. While cutting another bite off his piece of steak, he said, "You need a side-kick. You know, like the Lone Ranger and Tonto."

The comment caused William to laugh. He said, "It was the Lone Ranger who had the Indian side-kick, not vice versa."

Joe blushed at the realization that he had forgotten that William was Native American and waved his knife through the air. He said, "You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do."

Joe stabbed a piece of meat, but held off on eating it. He looked over at William and asked, "Were you hoping that I'd be your side-kick?"

"Would you like that?"

"Not really," Joe answered. He was intimidated by William and knew that he'd never get over it. He was afraid that William's comments at the Dinosaur Valley State Park were an invitation to become a supporting character to William. He didn't think he could love another man in the manner that William had suggested.

"Don't worry. Your future is not tied to mine," William said. He reached over and took a sip of his iced tea. The sudden lowering of Joe's shoulders hinted at the relief he felt. Setting the glass down, William said, "You know that you are going to have a nice future. My fathers were always happy that they were married to strong women."

The idea of being married to a strong woman was rather intimidating. He asked, "What does that mean in terms of being a man?"

"When you are married to a strong woman you actually get to see a softer side of women that a weak woman will never present to you. A simple massage when she has a bad day can lead her to open herself to you in ways that most men never get to experience. She'll let you see all of her vulnerabilities confident that you won't betray her.

"She's strong and confident for the most part, but she values the gentleness and kindness that a strong man can provide. Most men are arrogant and demanding. A strong woman won't tolerate that. She's looking for a true partner."

Joe stabbed the piece of meat and said, "Sounds to me like I'm supposed to be some kind of closet wimp."

"Only a physically strong man with a strong moral sense and the self-confidence to be vulnerable can handle a strong woman," William countered.

"What's in it for the man?"

"The rewards are far greater than you can possibly imagine. My fathers have never regretted marrying strong women. John Carter could have surrounded himself with a harem of weak women who would have done any sexual act that he could imagine. Think about that for a minute."

Joe worked over the meal thinking about what William had said. He hadn't thought about how many women would have thrown themselves at John Carter because of his fame, but he knew a lot of them probably had done exactly that. Why would John Carter refuse such offers? What was it about strong women that attracted him? He looked over at William and said, "I wouldn't mind a harem of weak women willing to do anything for me."

Laughing at the mental image that formed in his mind, William replied, "You might as well fuck your steak. That's about the same level of excitement you'd get from bedding a weak woman who rolls over and lets you do anything to her that you want."

"What do you mean?"

William rolled his eyes and assumed the voice of an airhead woman. "Oh Joe. You're so good. Oh my, you really fill me. Oh, you haven't put it in me yet? That's okay, I know I'll really be filled when you stick it to me. You want my ass? You can have it. You want to fuck my tits? Ooh, I'm sure I'll come if you do that. Oh, you're so big. Oh Joe, take me and do all kinds of sick perverted things to my body. I'll love you for it. You want me to just lie here like some sort of plastic fuck toy. The idea of that really turns me on. Oh, I think I just had an orgasm. Oh Joe!"

By the time William had finished his little act, Joe was laughing so hard that tears were coming from his eyes. Shaking his head, he said, "I get your point."

"There are probably a half dozen girls in your high school who'd roll over and let you do anything you want to them because you are on the football team. Why haven't you taken advantage of them?" William asked. He had watched the girls at the football games and seen how they reacted to the football players.

"Really? There are girls that would do that?"

"Yes there are."

The revelation shocked Joe. He wondered which girls in school would sleep with him just because he was a football player. The idea didn't exactly thrill him. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "That's news to me."

"There are also some who wouldn't sleep with you because you are a football player," William said.

"Sure, I know that." There were a number of people who discounted him because he was a jock. He knew it and wouldn't admit to others that it hurt.

"Some of each group are worth knowing. You just have to make an effort to get to know them."

"What do you mean?"

"Birdie."

Joe nodded his head and said, "Oh, I see what you mean. I had totally discounted her until I learned more about her."

"Right. There's probably a young woman in one of your classes who is quiet and shy, but makes good grades. She's driven to accomplish something in her life. She maybe looks over at you with desire when you aren't looking, but she'd never expose herself to your rejection. Sure you could pursue her with the intent of getting laid, but you'd screw up her life. Of course, you could get to know her and help her develop into the woman she could be."

Joe hummed as he thought about it. William smiled and said, "Maybe there's another woman who looks at you with contempt. She's very driven, but sees you as shallow and not worth her time. She doesn't see what value you might have in her life. Her comments hurt you, despite the fact that you'd never admit it aloud to anyone. Despite her strength, she's lonely and feels left out of the social life in school. Of course, you could get to know each other. In the process, you'd eliminate some barrier that is preventing her from being all that she can be while discovering some hidden values of your own."

"So what should I do? You're describing two different women."

Smiling, William stabbed a piece of lettuce and answered, "Yes. I am, aren't I?"

A week later, William was in the driveway packing up his possessions for the drive home. Once everything was loaded, he stepped back and went into the house. He picked up the phone and dialed Ling's number. She answered on the first ring. He said, "Hello, mom."

"Hello William."

"I just wanted you to know that I'm getting ready to leave for home now."

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone and then a muffled curse in Chinese. Ling finally said, "You're at the house where your father grew up!"

"You know what, I think you're right. No wonder this place looked so familiar," William answered with a grin knowing that she had finished her reverse lookup of the incoming telephone number.

"I never even considered that as a possibility," Ling admitted with grudging respect. She couldn't believe that he had gone to a family place rather some site in the country.

William laughed and said, "I had considered my dad's first house in Arizona, but the neighbors would never have been able to keep the secret. Maria might have been able to keep the secret, but not Rosa."

"I would have killed you if you had done that," Ling said. She knew he probably had considered it.

"I'll see you when I get home," William said with a smile. He knew that even as they talked she was arranging for a flight to Pennsylvania.

There was a low growl and she said, "How did you know I was going there?"

"I love you, mom. I'll see you when I get home," William said and hung up.

He picked up the phone and called Lucy. When she answered, he said, "Hello, Lucy. I'm heading out."

"I take it you talked to Ling," Lucy said with amusement in her voice.

"Yes. You might want to warn Lisa to get a room ready for her."

Lucy giggled and asked, "So how did she take it when she finally discovered where you've been hiding?"

"There was a muffled curse, but she was pretty nice about it," William answered. He started swinging the telephone cord.

"I'll hear all about it from her before you get here," Lucy said. She'd been visited a half dozen times by Ling. She couldn't believe how persistent his mother was in trying to locate him. She laughed and added, "And you'll get to hear all about it from her when you get here!"

William chuckled at the image of Ling charging into the yard as soon as he drove up. He wondered if she would be carrying a frying pan and threatening to beat him up with it. He said, "I'll call you when I stop for the night. I'm really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night."

"All you want to do is look at me?" Lucy asked doing her best to sound hurt.

"Look, touch, taste, smell, kiss, and ravish," William answered trying to put a leer into his voice. He paused and added, "Not necessarily in that order."

Lucy giggled and said, "I've really missed you."

"I've missed you. I better get on the road. The longer I stay here, the later it will be when I get there," William said.

"I love you, William Redman Carter."

I love you, Lucille Desi Wilkins."

After hanging up with Lucy, William went through the house making sure that everything was turned off. He stepped outside to find Dave, Joe, Mark, and Birdie waiting for him. He went over to Dave and handed him the keys to the house. He said, "Thanks a lot for all you've done."