by Ian Dawson
“No, I mean, it looks different than mine.”
Daniel leaned forward, noticed that their penises were different. “I’m not circumcised,” Daniel said matter-of-factly.
“Circumcised?”
“Yeah. It’s when you’re a baby and the doctor cuts off some of your penis. That’s what it means.”
“It does not!”
“It’s true. My dad told me. I asked him because there are guys, like you, who run around the locker room naked all the time. I’ve never seen anyone with one like mine.”
“But yours is the way it’s supposed to be?”
“Yep.”
“Well, does it grow back like a fingernail or hair does?”
“I don’t think so. I can ask my dad next time I talk to him.” Daniel suddenly felt embarrassed by the conversation. It was one thing to talk about it in the field, but to get parents involved with something like this seemed really weird.
“That’s okay,” Kyle said as Daniel turned and continued walking toward the center of the pond.
It never got any deeper than their knees, and they decided once they had trekked out to the center that it was time to head back to shore.
“You can draw this on the map,” Daniel told Kyle as they dressed upon returning to dry land. “You did have the most personal encounter with it after all,” he said with a grin.
“It’s probably time for dinner,” Kyle said, changing the subject. “Let’s head back and grab some food.”
They hopped on their bikes and rode back up their newfound pathway, past their lair of trees, and back across the creek bed.
As they hit the street of their block, Daniel and Kyle put their helmets back on. “I better go change before I head over,” Daniel said. “I don’t want to get your carpets dirty.”
“Do I look worried about that?” Kyle asked as they made their way up the street. “Relax.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Look at you two!” Kyle’s mother exclaimed as she shooed them back out onto the front lawn. “Get back outside! Go!” She covered her nose. “What in the world were you guys doing out there?”
“We found a pond and went swimming,” Kyle said. He and Daniel stood on the hardwood floor by the entryway. The mud and brown water were already dry, and dirt was sprinkling onto the floor with each movement.
Kyle’s mom looked at them, processing what she had just heard and what she was seeing. She was a slender woman who carried herself in a very formal and dignified manner. Her blonde hair was up in a bun, and she always wore nice clothes and jewelry. “I hope you didn’t catch anything.”
“No, I think Daniel’s safe to be around.”
Daniel gave him a playful punch on the arm.
“Go out back and hose yourselves off. Daniel? Has your mother seen you like this?”
“No.”
“Maybe you should go home and clean yourself up.”
As Daniel and Kyle stepped back outside, Kyle turned back. “Mom, can Daniel stay the night?”
“Only if you two don’t smell like a swamp!” Kyle’s mom said as she closed the front door.
The two boys walked over to the side of Kyle’s house near the tall wooden fence that surrounded the Hanson backyard. “I better go home and take a shower or something,” Daniel said. He ran his fingers through his short hair and watched as small chunks of dirt came loose and fell to the ground. Even while dry, the dirt had an odd odor to it.
“Okay.” Kyle pulled the string that opened the latch on their side fence and went in the backyard. Daniel crossed the street to his home and entered through the garage.
“Ew! Danny stinks, mom!” April grabbed a bottle of Febreze from the laundry room and pointed it toward Daniel. “Don’t make me spray you.”
Daniel watched as his mom came out of the kitchen, stopped, sniffed the air, then looked at the standoff taking place between her he and April. Daniel’s arms were raised in surrender.
“April? What are you doing?” she asked as he walked over to them and took the Febreze bottle from her daughter’s hand. “And Daniel, what’s that smell? What’s in your hair?”
“Kyle and I sort’ve went swimming,” he began. “In a pond we found. In the field.”
“In a pond you found? How did you know it was safe to swim in?”
“Well, the frogs seemed to be okay.”
“Go take a shower and get that muck off of you.” She looked at April. “Wait until he goes in the bathroom and fire away,” she told April as she handed the Febreze back to her.
Daniel entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He removed his clothes and looked at his muddy appearance in the mirror. He looked down. “No frogs,” he said with relief. He then turned on the shower and hopped inside. The warm spray from the showerhead felt much better than the chilly, slimy pond water from earlier.
When he got out, there were still remnants of pond mud on the tub floor and around the sides. I hope I didn’t stain the shower. He quickly dried off and realized that he had brought no clean clothes into the bathroom.
He couldn’t go out there in his old clothes; he’d be forced to take another shower. He didn’t feel comfortable with others seeing him without his shirt, Kyle being the one exception, but he had no choice but to risk it.
Daniel wrapped the damp navy blue towel around his waist, opened the bathroom door to see if the coast was clear, and made a beeline for his room at the opposite end of the hallway.
He made it without being seen. He could hear his mom and sister in the kitchen; he could smell the scent of Febreze still lingering in the air. He grabbed a fresh pair of boxers – Batman, of course – from his top dresser drawer, a different Batman shirt from the closet, and a fresh pair of tan cargo shorts.
“All clean!” he declared as the left his room.
“Your dad’s calling on Skype in a few minutes. Want to be first?”
“Yes!” Daniel hurried to the bathroom, grabbed his bottle of gel, and spiked his hair. He had recently had it cut, so it looked good when it was spiky. When it got too long, it looked like he had a broom growing out of his head. He washed his hands, got a drink of water from the kitchen, then headed to the computer to await a chat with his dad.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Daniel sat in the large black leather swivel chair in front of the computer desk in his parents’ bedroom. It was nearing 5pm, California time, and Daniel was in front of the computer, on Skype, and ready to chat. Iraq was ten hours ahead of California, which meant it was almost 3am the next day in Baghdad.
He looked at the clock at the top of the Mac’s computer screen, 4:55pm. Five minutes before his dad would call.
As Daniel waited, he flipped through a worn-out atlas that sat on his dad’s bedside table. There were circles on several pages around cities his mom and dad had visited when they were younger, and places his dad had been stationed while serving in the military as part of the United States Army.
Daniel turned to the map of Iraq; his dad’s handwriting in every section of the country along with dates he was stationed in those areas. He knew his dad was in Baghdad once again and Daniel would be glad to see him home adding new dates to the map.
He couldn’t wait to shoot BB guns, go fishing, and play basketball in the driveway with his dad once again. It had been too long this time. Way too long.
“Has he called yet?” April’s voice tore into the silence interrupting his thoughts.
“No. Close the door,” Daniel said without looking behind him. He heard the door close.
“Now what?”
Daniel spun around and saw April smiling at him from near the door. “Out!” he ordered, pointing at the closed door.
“Why? You and daddy gonna talk about boy stuff?”
“I’ll come get you when it’s your turn, okay?”
“He’
s my dad, too.”
“Mom!” Daniel called out. The bedroom door opened.
“April, out,” Shelly said. April grunted in frustration, then left the room. “I’ll keep her out of your hair,” Daniel’s mom said. She closed the door.
Daniel spun back around and faced the computer. The Skype call window popped up, a digital ring came from the speakers. He clicked video chat button and his father’s image appeared on the screen.
Daniel felt a lump in his throat, could feel tears in his eyes as he smiled and waved at his dad over the webcam. “Hi, dad!”
His dad wore his desert Army Combat Uniform as he sat in front of the webcam. Daniel could see the U.S. Army label on the left side of his dad’s uniform, and his last name, ‘Robinson,’ on the right. A dim light illuminated his dad’s face. To Daniel it was like looking into a mirror at an older version of himself complete with buzz cut and green eyes.
Daniel told his dad about the rest of school year, about his straight A’s, and about Kyle. He only had about ten minutes before April would be back – his dad only was given thirty minutes for the call – so he had to talk fast.
“You shaving yet?” his dad asked. “I’m sure you’re getting pretty close to it.”
“I wish. I keep hoping to see something on my face, but so far it’s showing up everywhere else.”
“Don’t worry. It took a while for me, too. I’m sure you’ll catch up with Kyle and the other boys. And when I get back, I’ll teach you how to shave.”
Daniel smiled. That was one rite of passage he definitely didn’t want his mom to help him with. “Could you tell mom that I can stay up later now? I’m sick of going to bed by 8:30.”
“What time do you want to go to bed?”
“Um. Ten?”
“I can probably get you nine.”
“How about 9:30?”
“I’ll see what I can do. You and Kyle been out to the field yet?”
“Yeah! We went out there today. Found a pond. Got all muddy. Mom wasn’t happy. But it was fun. We’re gonna go back out tomorrow.” Daniel paused. He knew they had gotten to that point in the conversation where things got hard to say, but he knew he needed to know. “When do you think you’ll be home?”
His father took a deep breath, then exhaled as he rubbed his eyes. “I’m hoping it’s soon, son. It’s getting better over here, and I’m hoping I can come home with the next set of troops in a few months. It’s hard to say exactly when.”
“I don’t get why they need you. They have lots of other soldiers over there. They can send you back.”
“I’m over here to serve our country. That’s what I enlisted to do. When they tell me I can go home, I will. And I’m not the only dad over here, Daniel. There are other moms and dads here with me who miss their families, too.”
“But can’t you leave the Army when you get back so they don’t send you away again?”
His dad stared straight into the webcam. Daniel felt as if his father was looking him square in the eye. “When I get back, I will do what I can to stay home. I know the three of you need me, and I need you guys.”
Daniel was quiet for a moment. “I miss you, dad.” “I miss you, too. I love you, Daniel,” his dad said. As he said it, April and Daniel’s mom entered the bedroom. Daniel shook off the emotional feelings he was having at that moment. A part of him was embarrassed to say he loved his dad out loud. Another part of him knew that if he said it, he would probably start to cry more than he already felt he was about to.
“Yeah, okay,” Daniel said. He stood quickly as April hopped in front of the computer.
“Daddy! Come home!” April said forcefully.
“I think someone had a little too much sugar today,” their dad said back.
Daniel left his parents’ bedroom and headed down the hall to his room. He felt the emptiness inside of him that was growing with each day his dad was gone. He wanted his dad to come back safe, and alive.
He entered his room and started to load his backpack for his stay at Kyle’s. He felt as if he were packing in slow motion; his mind racing a mile a minute, but his body moving as if it were submerged in water.
“You okay?” Shelly asked from his doorway.
“Fine,” he said, trying to shake the feelings he was having. “I’m going over to Kyle’s for dinner.”
His mom walked into the room a few steps. “Daniel, it’s okay to be sad that your dad’s not here,” she said. “We all miss him.”
“I know.” Daniel stopped, sat down on his bed. “Can I be alone for a while?” Shelly nodded and closed his door.
Daniel sat motionless looking at the carpet. He could hear his sister’s muffled voice through his door talking to his dad in the back bedroom.
He lay down on his bed. He could feel his face get hot as his eyes started to burn from the threat of tears.
He closed his eyes and said softly into the room: “I love you too, dad.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Thirty minutes later, Daniel opened his bedroom door and emerged. “I’m going to Kyle’s for dinner,” Daniel called out. He grabbed a pair of black and white checkered Vans from the entryway floor and opened the door.
“Hold on,” his mom called back. She came out of the kitchen drying her hands on a dishtowel. “Are you going just for dinner or to spend the night?”
“Both,” he said. “Is that okay?” He put on his shoes.
“Have fun,” she said with a smile. He opened the front door. “And Daniel? Try not to swim in any smelly ponds the rest of the night, okay?”
“I think I can do that,” he said. “I’m pretty sure we’re done with the field for the night.”
“Pretty sure?” his mom asked.
“I mean, we’re not going out there until tomorrow.”
“That’s better.”
“Oh, yeah,” he unzipped the front pocket of his backpack and took out his mom’s iPhone. “Thanks.”
“See you tomorrow. Love you. And don’t worry, I don’t think Kyle heard me say it this time.” She smiled and winked at him.
“Ha ha,” Daniel said. “I love you, too.” He gave her a quick hug, then opened the front door, closed it behind him, dashed across the lawn, crossed the street and knocked on Kyle’s front door. As he waited, he checked to make sure his bike was still where he left it: at the top of Kyle’s driveway.
Kyle’s mom answered. She looked a little frazzled. “Hi, Daniel. Come on in. Kyle’s being weird again, as always.” She opened the door and Daniel walked inside.
As Kyle’s mom closed the door, Kyle ran out from down the hallway and greeted Daniel wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Kyle, put on some clothes,” Daniel told him, shaking his head and sighing.
“Mom? Remember when I came to dinner like this?”
“Yes, that was quite a Christmas Eve for everyone. Get dressed!”
Kyle bounded down the hallway to his bedroom. Moments later he returned in a short-sleeved button-up shirt, jean shorts, and carrying flip-flops in one hand. His shaggy blonde hair still damp from the shower. “So, what’s on the menu, mom?”
“Well, you can choose. Salmon patties and broccoli, or corn dogs and chili.”
“Gee,” Kyle said as he tapped his chin. “I’d have to go with option number two. Daniel?”
“Same here,” Daniel chimed in.
“I’ll call you in half an hour.”
Kyle opened the sliding glass door and motioned for Daniel to exit first. Kyle’s family had a large backyard with an in-ground swimming pool. His dad loved to barbeque and had had a custom-made cooking range installed outside.
“Want a soda?” Kyle asked as he closed the sliding glass door.
“Sure. Pepsi?”
Kyle opened the mini-fridge built into the range and tossed Daniel an
ice-cold bottle of Pepsi.
“When’s your brother get back from that missionary thing?” Daniel asked as he unscrewed his Pepsi and took a sip. The carbonation tickled his nose.
“Two weeks,” Kyle said as he sat down and opened a bottle of Mountain Dew. “He’s building houses for poor people and telling them about God and junk.”
“You ever gonna do that?” Daniel asked, then took another sip of his Pepsi.
“Nah. Not my thing.” Kyle looked at Daniel. “Hey, we have some time to kill, it’s still daylight out. Let’s head back to the field.”
“I better not,” Daniel said. “I promised my mom.”
“We won’t go out that far.” Kyle thought for a moment, sat up, and looked at Daniel. “I know. We can play hide-and-seek.”
“Hide-and-seek in less than 30 minutes? Really?”
“We’ll play it like this: I’ll hide, and if you can’t find me in 30 minutes we’ll meet back here.”
“How are you gonna know when it’s been half an hour? You don’t have a watch.” Daniel finished the last of his Pepsi. He was thirstier than he thought.
“Can I borrow yours?”
“Then how am I going to know what time it is? Look, we’ll play tomorrow, okay?”
“You don’t think you can find me, do you?”
“Oh, I can find you,” Daniel said with a smile taking a sip of his soda. “It’s not that hard.”
“Sounds like a challenge to me.”
Daniel stood up. “Challenge accepted!” Daniel said as he picked up his Pepsi bottle and tossed it into the nearby blue recycle bin. “Go!”
Kyle froze. “What?”
“Come on. You’re running out of time.” Daniel said with urgency. “Gotta get to that field and hide before it’s too late. Hurry!”
Kyle took off like a sprinter around the side of the house, his flip-flops slapping against the cement walkway. Daniel heard the side gate open.
Daniel checked his watch: 27-minutes until dinner. Would he be able to find Kyle before time ran out? Luckily, he knew all of Kyle’s usual hiding places and figured that all of them would be easy to check before the corn dogs and chili were on the table.
