April, 1979

After Chandler's parents divorce, things began spiraling faster for the nine year old. After Thanksgiving, the parties increased and Chandler was surrounded by alcohol that flowed like water and drugs that were as readidly available as candy and while the house were full of adults, no one was there to really watch Chandler. There was no one there to truly discipline him, although some of his mother's boyfriends tried. There was one who kept spanking him, Rick. Every time Chandler did something wrong and it was often, Rick would pull Chandler across his knee and proceed to spank him.

"He needs to learn discipline," Rick said as Chandler lay on his lap.

"Maybe he should have a drink first before you spank him," came his mother's reply.

"No, it needs to hurt."

Chandler let out a snort, "well, why don't you argue about it and I can leave."

"See, your son is smart ass," Rick said as he smacked Chandler, hard on his bottom. Chandler winced a little.

It was his birthday weekend. He was turning ten and had found himself again, getting suspended from school. His birthday was on a Sunday this year. He was going to have a party on a Saturday or at least he thought he was but the problem with having a mother like his, parents didn't want their kids going to a party at his house. So they didn't and the rejections came, no one was coming to his tenth birthday and it was because of his mom. So he reacted in the only way he knew how. This time he had saran wrapped every toilet in the school and was in the process of gluing everything to the teacher's desk when he was caught and dragged to the principal's office.

"Chandler," Principal Allens had said, shaking his head.

"How long will I be suspended this time?" Chandler asked.

"I know parents getting divorced is rough, but there is a time and place for pranks and for being silly-"

"How long am I suspended this time?" Chandler asked. He did not want to talk about his feelings. Ever since the divorce, Chandler had been dragged to therapists who asked him questions about his emotions. He would always end up spending the hour making them laugh. He had an audience. He did not want to discuss what was going on. He knew what was going on at home and knew that his life was different from the other kids and not in a good way.

"Two weeks. Maybe we can offer your mom the name of a therapist."

"I don't want a therapist."

It wasn't a therapist that he needed. He wasn't sure what it was that he needed, but he was pretty sure it wasn't a therapist. He sat there once again, waiting for his mom to pick him up which of course, she did not. The secretary, Gladys once again dropped him off.

"You know, Chandler," Gladys said as she stared at him from the drivers seat.

"Stop. Ms. Gallion wasn't gonna celebrate my birthday in class today because I didn't earn a party and my mom forgot to bring stuff anyway. No one is coming to my birthday tomorrow because of my mother. I haven't spoken to my dad in six months. Stop."

With that Chandler, jumped out of the car and walked into his house. He immediately walked towards the theater, his own private sanctuary and began watching Blazing Saddles, followed by some Laurel and Hardy. He was in the middle of watching, Duck Soup when suddenly his Rick walked in and violently grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the theater where he pulled Chandler on to his lap and proceeded to spank him. His mother, Nora, stood nearby.

"But honey, I really think he needs a few drinks before you do that," Nora said.

"He needs to learn some lessons," Rick said.

"Chandler, sweetie...what did you do? Why did you get suspended again?" Nora said as she crouched down in front of Chandler and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Because he's a bad kid," Rick said.

"You heard the man," Chandler said which resulted in another whack on his bottom.

"Maybe you do need to be spanked more," Nora said.

"Well, at least you found a guy will to do it. Ouch," Chandler said as he got another whack. He let out a sigh as Rick continued. He shut his eyes and tried to think of other things. He would soon be allowed to go back and watch Duck Soup. As images of the movie flashed in his head, he felt something against his stomach. It was a familiar hard feeling. Rick was turned on. Chandler knew that but he was pretty sure his mom did not. He never said anything, but he could feel it.

When the Rick was done, Chandler got up and Rick grabbed Nora's hand and they practically skipped off. Chandler rubbed his bottom as he turned and walked towards the theater again and continued to watch the movie. He couldn't cry anymore. He did for awhile. When his parents first divorced, he cried everyday but his mom seemed to move on quickly. Every few weeks there would be a new boyfriend. Rick was just the latest. He and Nora had been dating for three weeks and he immediately took it upon himself to be the one to discipline Chandler and it was that first time when Chandler had felt the hardness on his stomach, but he knew soon enough his mother would dump him and move on to a new guy.

Chandler spent the night in the theater, watching movie after movie, leaving only to get food and go to the bathroom. He was safe in that theater. No one could harm him. The world could pass outside, but nothing bad could happen in there. It was his spot.

"Sweetie?"

It was now Saturday. He was sure of that, but he wasn't sure the time. His mom was dressed in a skin tight red sequined dress which was also very low cut. Chandler looked up at her and let out a sigh.

"It's Saturday night. We're having a party for you downstairs," Nora said

"None of the kids in my class could come."

"So? I invited my friends. I'm not going to let my son's tenth go without celebration. I bought you a gift," Nora said.

"Really?" Chandler asked, his eyes brightening a little as his mom handed him a box. He tore off the paper and opened the box. In it was a square package. Chandler picked it up and looked at his mom.

"It's a condom. Now, that you're ten you need to start using protection."

"From what?"

"Oh, honey...you need to be prepared."

"Yeah...well, thanks mom. This is much better than the Richard Pryor comedy album I asked for two weeks ago," Chandler muttered.

"Oh, Richard Pryor has too much bad language. I don't want you listening to that. Come on, let's play."

Chandler looked up at his mom and stuffed the condom in his pocket. He knew his mother wouldn't leave until he joined her. So he turned off the movie and followed her down the stairs to the club where the party was already in full effect. The room was filled with hot, sweaty and partially naked people, grinding up against each other in tune to some loud song that Chandler couldn't quite recognize. The strobe lights cast colors upon the foam was now filling the room. Sometimes for special occasions, they would fill that club with foam. Chandler usually thought the bubbles were cool though as he would run through them and try to get as wet as he could but he wasn't feeling up to it.

"Have a seat birthday boy," Nora said as she walked Chandler towards an empty booth and sat him down. Nora jetted off towards the bar. Chandler watched the party. He understood why his classmates parents didn't want them at a party like this. He got it immediately. He wondered if he would ever have a normal kids birthday. He had always wanted to go to Chuck-E-Cheese or spend his birthday at the ice rink where he could play ice hockey. He had wanted birthdays at arcades or anything that could be considered appropriate. He never got those birthdays. He got birthdays like this, a foam party and condoms as a present.

"Here you go," Nora said, handing him a drinking in a small glass. Chandler knew what it was.

"Tequila shot?"

"Happy birthday, son."

"Yeah, who needs mini-golf or a birthday at the batting cages when I can do this instead," Chandler said.

"Oh, those are boring parties."

"But mom...they're things I like to do and if you did those things, maybe some of the kids in my class would have come."

"I refuse to throw my son boring parties because I am not a boring parent. Have your birthday shot."

Chandler downed his shot and let out a groan. The liquid burned his throat. He coughed a little.

"Thanks, mom," Chandler said.

"I also have another gift. See, that woman over there? She's a stripper. I paid her five hundred bucks to give you a lap dance," Nora grinned. "I want you to learn how to be free with your sexuality."

"Mom, look where I've spent the last ten years. I think I'm open about my sexuality."

"Hold on."

Chandler rolled his eyes as his mom got up and ran off. What would it take for someone to listen to him? To hear him, no one seemed to be doing that. His mom soon came back with a woman who did look a little bit like Bo Derrick in the darkness of the club.

"Am I the best mother or what?" Nora asked.

"Or what?"

The woman whose name was Maxi Johnson smiled as she leaned down and gave Chandler a kiss on the head and then proceeded to dance around him, touching him which he did enjoy. His mom kept bringing him shots so Chandler kept getting drunk.

After the lap dance, Maxi left to go dance with someone else and Nora was dragged off by Rick so Chandler was left alone. He wanted to get out of there, see a movie. Chandler stumbled towards the bar and walked behind it, stealing a giant bottle of Jose Cuervo. He stumbled out of the club and up the stairs to the theater where he opened the door. He turned on Animal House and began watching.

He wasn't sure when he had passed out, but for the rest of his life, he would remember when he woke up. He felt Rick's hand on his stomach and woke up to find him unbuttoning his jeans.

"What are you doing? Stop," Chandler groaned as he tried to push away but Rick's grip was too strong. Rick grabbed pulled up and put Chandler over his knee.

"You're a very bad boy," Rick said as he spanked Chandler, harder than he had been spanked before.

"Stop, you're hurting me," Chandler cried.

"If you were good, I wouldn't be hurting you. It's your fault for being so bad and if you tell your mother, I will do this again."

Chandler felt weak, but he still couldn't cry. He was drunk, he knew that much. Suddenly, Rick flipped him over and he could feel Rick's hand go down Chandler's jeans. That's when things when black again. It was as if Chandler's brain knew something was going to happen and did him the favor of shutting.

When he woke up again, he had a blinding headache. He was alone and looked up to see the screen had gone dark. His pants were around his ankles and he felt an intense pain running up and down his entire body. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his knees. It was then that he started crying. He was completely alone. He hated Rick for what he had done. Rick had destroyed the only place Chandler felt safe. He would do what Rick asked though, he would not tell his mother besides, Chandler knew it was only a matter of time before Rick and his mom broke up.

Nora and Rick broke up a few days later. No explanation was given and Chandler never asked. He was glad Rick was gone and soon his mother took in another boyfriend, a guy named, Alex who seemed nice enough. Although, he did seem to be very fond of these little white tablets that he kept taking. Alex kept telling Chandler how awesome and cool they made everything and how they made everything so bright and colorful. Chandler kept wanting to try one, but Alex kept saying no.

Alex would sit with Chandler and watch all those movies. Despite what Rick had done to Chandler in that theater, despite how he had destroyed Chandler's safe spot, he would keep watching those movies and hopefully feel safe again. Alex helped though. Chandler loved watching the movies with him because he would talk about how the colors were so bright, even during black and white movies. Chandler's entire two week suspension was spent in that movie theater. When Rick had first left, Nora kept asking if he was okay and if he wanted to see a therapist. Chandler refused. He would try to forget what happened. His mind blocked it out.

At the end of two weeks, Chandler was shocked when his mom actually dropped him off at school. While at the curb, just before Chandler got out of the car, Nora touched his arm to stop him.

"Honey...I know we never talked about this...the reason Rick and I broke up-"

"Mom, I gotta go."

"Did he touch you?"

"No."

"Chandler, don't lie to me. Please, not about this."

"No, he didn't. I gotta go. I do like Alex though. He's fun."

"Yeah...and if he offers you one of his white tablets, you do not take it."

"I know. I gotta go."

Chandler hopped out of the car and walked into the school. Surprisingly enough, he actually liked school. It seemed strange considering all the trouble he constantly found himself in, but he actually liked it. School seemed normal to him.

"Hey, Chandler...there you are. Can you come into my office for a second," Principal Allens said.

"I just got here. What could I have done?" Chandler asked.

"Come here," Principal Allens said and Chandler could hear him mutter, "smart ass" which made him laugh. Chandler followed the principal into his office and sat in the chair. "Alright, kid...it was your birthday?"

"Yeah. Two weeks ago."

"Here you go, Happy Birthday."

Principal Allens handed Chandler a stack of comedy albums. Chandler's mouth dropped open as he read the names, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Bill Cosby...there at least twenty of them.

"Thank you."

"I know a lot of those probably aren't appropriate for you...so listen with caution. Look, Chandler, you are funny kid. You will probably grow up to be a very funny adult. There's a time and a place. School isn't the place. Do you like it here?"

"Yes."

"I know you don't like home. So getting suspended from a place you like to spend two weeks at a place you don't like. That doesn't make sense."

"I'm funny."

"You are."

"Am I as funny as these guys? Or John Belushi? Am I as funny as John Belushi?"

"You could be. Go to class."

"Thanks," Chandler said as he put the albums in his backpack and practically sprinted out of the office. He walked into his fourth grade class and took a seat. Since everyone was in alphabetical order, he was always towards the front. As he sat, Dave Bingham tapped him on the elbow.

"Did you really saran wrap the toilets?" Dave asked.

"Yes, I did."

"Wow...that's funny."

"Thank you."

Chandler grinned as he shifted in his seat. He liked being funny. It was a way out. It was a way not to think about what was going on at home and he was thrilled for that and when he got home that day, he did what he normally did, watched movies refusing to let Rick destroy the one thing he knew: funny.