Chapter 7: The Loony's son and a Growing Nature

I stepped into Quidicello's with all of our money pooled together in my pocket. Mr. Quidicello was standing at the counter weighing hamburger meat. I grabbed some Coke off of the shelves before stepping up to order some hamburger meat.

Mr. Quidicello looked up at me. "Hey, aren't you Samantha Daylife?" he asked with a bit of amazement in his voice.

I nodded. "Yup."

Mr. Quidicello grinned. "I remember you playing a game of baseball against my son and damn, you can hit!"

I laughed. "Thanks, Mr. Quidicello." Then, out of nowhere, Gordie stepped into the store. "What the hell are you doing in here, Gordie?"

Gordie shrugged. "The guys wanted me to make sure nothing happened to you, especially Chris."

I growled at his laugh and walked over to the magazine rack. As I watched Gordie buy hamburger meat from Mr. Quidicello, I browsed through the magazine covers.

Everywhere, I saw images of pretty girls, people wanted, the boys wanted…I wanted. They had beautiful eyes, blossomed lips, perfectly placed eyes, smooth skin. But they were skinny…skinny, not fat like me.

I looked down and grabbed one off the rack anyway. It was entertainment for the boys…but torture for me.

I heard Mr. Quidicello say something: "I remember when your brother played pro ball. Man, could he throw. Father, God and Sonny Jesus."

Oh no. I knew Gordie hated it whenever someone brought up his brother. I walked over and took him over to the corner. "I've got all the money, Gordo. I'll pay," I whispered to him gently.

Gordie nodded, tears obviously forming in his eyes, and walked over to the door. I paid Mr. Quidicello, and the two of us walked out of the store. We walked through the junkyard, hand in hand… but we couldn't find the boys anywhere.

"HEY! WHAT'RE YOU KIDS DOING IN HERE?" we heard a voice scream. We looked around…Milo Pressman was on the other side.

Gordie and I looked at each other. "Oh, crap," we said at the same time, and sprang into a run. Up ahead, we saw the boys leaning against the fence, screaming for us. Chris, I could see, was especially worried.

And then we heard awful words come from Milo's mouth… "CHOPPER, SIC 'EM! SIC 'EM, BOY!"

Now, I wasn't too worried about Chopper; after all, I had no balls for him to sic. But I kept running like the wind just the same. Gordie was steps ahead of me. Gordie reached the gate, screaming like a banshee. I finally reached the fence, and climbed over. Gordie reached out his hand and helped me up. We jumped over the fence. Chris took my arms in his hands.

"Samantha," he said, paranoid, "Are you alright?" I knew he was worried because he always called me Samantha when he was.

"I'm fine, Chris, I'm fine," I said. He helped me up and we turned to the fence.

When the dust finally cleared, we saw the legendary Chopper in full view. He was a terrifying, vicious… golden retriever?

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. My laughs were followed by those of my friends. "Hey there, Choppy," I whispered as I let him lick the tips of my fingers. He was actually rather cute!

Of course, the boys had to have some fun and they all immediately began taunting Chopper. "Hey, kiss my ass, Choppy! Kiss my ass!" Teddy screamed in delight as he pulled his pants down and shook his butt in Chopper's face.

"HEY, YOU KIDS!" Milo yelled as he ran over to us. "Stop teasing that dog, you hear me?"

"Shut up, you dick," Teddy laughed.

"Don't you talk back to me, you little tin weasel. Duchamp's loony's son!"

We all froze. What did he just say? Teddy went from laughing hysterically, to just becoming a stone mask, letting hurt and anger become his expression.

"What did you call me?" Teddy whispered.

Milo said, with a malicious smirk on his face, "I know who you are. You're Teddy Duchamp; your father's a loony up in the nuthouse at Togus. He held your ear to a stove and burnt it off!"

"My father stormed the beach at Normandy," Teddy whispered, anger creeping in his tone.

"He's crazier than a shithouse rat!" Milo yelled.

"You call my dad a loony one more time, and I'll kill you," Teddy warned, his hands clenching into fists.

Milo leaned in with that same pathetic grin and said in a sing-tone voice, "Loony, loony, loony, loony…"

And that…made Teddy snap. Teddy screamed and leapt onto the fence. "I'M GONNA RIP YOUR HEAD OFF AND SHIT DOWN YOUR NECK!" he began screaming. Chris and Gordie yanked him down.

Milo simply replied, "Bring him back! Let the kid fight his own battles!"

Gordie yelled, "Sure, you'd only outweigh him by 200 pounds, FATASS!"

Milo pointed at Gordie. "I know you: you're LaChance! I know all of you guys!" His eyes then fell on me. "And you… ought to be ashamed of yourself, you young lady."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I yelled at him angrily.

"You sure as hell know what I mean. Playing with boys, staying away from girls," he intoned evilly, "It's obvious why your father abandoned you; he didn't want you to turn out like your mother-obese and huge."

"What the hell are you talking about my mother for, fatso?" I asked Milo, trying my hardest to not pound the crap out of him.

"You heard me. Your growing a stomach yourself. You'll be abandoned by girls and turn to food." He then leaned in closer and I could smell the smoke of cigars and drips of alcohol on his breath. "Soon enough you'll be a fat nuisance, and all the boys will abandon you too."

I then did exactly what Teddy had done. I grabbed a stick and screamed "YOU FUCKING RETARD, I'M GONNA KILL YOU AND YOUR LITTLE DOG, YOU SHITHEAD FATASS!" I screamed as I almost leapt over the fence. I then poked the stick through the wires and plunged it into Milo's face.

Chris yanked me off of the fence. "He's not worth it, Sam" Chris said. He turned to Milo and said "…why don't you fix your cars and sic your little dog, you ASSFACE?"

Milo breathed angrily. "All of your fathers are going to be getting calls from me!" he yelled at us. He then brought his face dangerously close to Teddy's and whispered, "Except for the loony up in Togus."

Once again, Teddy screamed as he pounced on the gate, but Chris dragged him away before anything happened. Teddy was still screaming, "MY FATHER STORMED THE BEACH AT NORMANDY! HE STORMED A BEACH, YOU FUCKING RETARD!"

I didn't pay much attention to his screams. I just paid attention to what Milo had said to me. Was I really gaining a stomach? Was I ending up like my mom? Were Mandy's claims true? I looked down. I immediately felt body dysmorphia, though I didn't know it. My legs were big thighs. Rolls of fat showed as I walked. No wonder I lost for the first time in baseball on Saturday…it was because I was becoming my mother.

"Teddy, shhh, hush. It'll be okay," I heard Chris comfort Teddy. That's what I loved about Chris; he always gave support when you needed it.

Teddy cried, "He ranked my old man… he ranked my old man," over and over again. I felt so sorry for him as I saw him wipe away tears. Still, I wondered how Teddy could care so much about his father who burnt off my ear when I have an undying hate for my Dad who I hadn't seen in three years!

Gordie came over to me and focused on my face, his big eyes watching me in concern. "Sam, are you alright?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine, Gordie, I really am." Gordie apparently didn't believe me, so he wrapped his hand over my shoulder and held me close, the way I love it. "We all still love you, Sam. Don't we?" he screamed, facing all the boys. They yelled "yes" in agreement, even Teddy.

Gordie faced me and said "See. We all love you." He let go and ran back to comforting Teddy.

Loved me? What did he mean? Loved me as a friend or IN love with me! Maybe he really did love me? But what about Chris? Did he feel the same? Then I asked myself the real million dollar question…who did I love…Gordie…or Chris?