Chapter 22: Homecoming

We were wheels up from Warren Field by 12:15 pm.

While the sweet King Air could have done this trip in one hop, the length of the trip across the entire United States would have been hard on Grandpa, so we decided on a layover at Dallas-Fort Worth. Cyrus was with us, and he had an uncle in the area, so he invited us out to dinner with him and we all accepted.

We landed at Dallas-Fort Worth at 5:30 pm. We had a driver and Van waiting, courtesy of Cyrus' uncle. We checked into one of the Marriott hotels near the airport and headed south on Texas Highway 360. With the Six flags Mall visible to our left we turned west on highway 180 headed into Arlington, Texas. We pulled off onto surface streets about four blocks before we would've hit the University of Texas-Arlington and pulled into a huge parking lot about halfway between the highway and the railroad tracks. Nestled in the middle of the huge parking lot was a huge square wooden building. When the van pulled up to a big red set of double doors, we saw a big neon sign that said "Chunk's Chuck Wagon". We were met at the door by Chunk himself, who happened to be the Uncle Cyrus had been talking about. Grandpa McKesson accused Cyrus of attempting a 'barbecue ambush', but he was laughing hard when he said it, and we were all quick to join in. We spent the evening hearing stories about 'little Cyrus' and getting a chance to discuss the finer points of the North Carolina versus Texas barbecue with Cyrus' Uncle Chunk. Turns out everybody in his family is big!

With our big meal complete, and everyone getting a little tired from the long day, we headed back to the airport and our hotel. Someone somewhere was not paying too much attention, and I managed to spend the night with my Blossom. To be honest, we were both a little too tired to do more than a little nibbling and caressing before we both feel asleep in each others arms.

We landed at the Calaveras County Airport just before noon the next day. We were met by Ginny's parents, as well as Grandpa and Grandma Carson and most of the Legion of the Doomed. Mike it turned out was in Seattle at a cousin's wedding and wasn't expected back until the following week. Ginny's parents got huge hugs, and her Mom's hug lingered quite a while with muted whispers exchanged. I didn't know exactly what to expect from her dad, but he shook my hand and nodded at the whispering pair.

"When women conspire to arrange our lives son, there is little we can do except run or smile. I would recommend the second option," I think my "Thanks Dad," in response said everything I needed to about the situation.

While Cyrus and I, along with the rest of the Legion got all the baggage into the back of the large passenger van which had been waiting for us, Captain Bob left to make the arrangements for storing the Air King at the field for a few days and Mrs. Captain Bob and "Just Jeff" Kort got the plane itself prepped for its stay. The entire crew was planning on making the drive over to Yosemite and explore that scenic treasure before heading back east. I'm pretty sure Cyrus said they planned on flying into Vegas for a couple of days too before getting back to Charlotte.

Dad had introduced Grandpa McKesson to Grandpa and Grandma Carson while I had been distracted by the other activities, so by the time we were done piling the luggage into the van, the two were chatting amiably. The Legion took to Cyrus immediately, and Freddie seemed particularly struck by the similarity in size between Chet and Cyrus. He made them stand side by side as he took their picture, which they both submitted to with good humor. Its true that Cyrus and Chet were striking in their dimensions. Between football and the hard work on his Dad's farm, Chet was not quite the Marshmallow man he had been three years ago.

"Damn Chet! You are really starting to look scary lean and mean buddy!" I said laughingly.

"Coach says its not going to be enough that I start next year," Chet said from under a blush. "He says if we're going to go to state, I'm going to have to dominate."

"You clean?" Cyrus surprised us all by asking.

"Yes Sir!" Chet said. "A couple of the seniors, they kind of hinted around about the juice, but I told them I didn't need to get bigger and stronger, I was already plenty big and strong." He blushed again. "What I need is to get tireless and smart."

"Do you run?"

"A couple days a week, just three or four miles. Did you play football?"

The look Cyrus gave him reminded me of the scene in the movie Independence Day when Wil Smith's character is stealing the helicopter to go find his girlfriend, and he tells the big specimen of a soldier who's trying to stop him 'Just tell them I hit you.' The look on the guards face in response is exactly the look that Cyrus had, except Cyrus is bigger even than that soldier in the movie was.

"I run every morning when I'm not working. What time do you get up?"

"I milk the cows every morning at 4:00." Chet said. "Is that too early?"

Cyrus laughed, and promised to see about setting up a run later.

Once we had things organized and the greetings on the tarmac were completed the Legion headed off to their cars with promises to get together Sunday. The rest of us all piled into the van and left the airport and headed south on California Highway 49. Mr. Parkin announced he was dropping the McKesson 'entourage' along with Grandpa and Grandma Carson off at our house, and that we all had dinner reservations tgonight at seven at the International House of Parkin.

It felt strange pulling into that familiar driveway in front of that familiar house. So much had happened since I'd seen it last. There was Grandpa's GTO parked in the driveway, along with an emerald green Chrysler Town and Country Minivan.

"Whose van?" Dad asked.

"Ours," said Grandma McKesson.

"You each have a car now? Cool!" I said.

"Nope, still only a one car family. Beth has never been comfortable driving the GTO, and she's been telling me to act my age for years, So I've sold the GTO and moved up to the retired codger's ride of choice."

"Wow, who bought the Goat?"

"Well, you did, or at least you will, if you pass your driving test. You are sixteen now."