And The Children Shall Lead

by Michael J. Bowler

  Then Ana’s eyes found him and locked on a moment before she continued. “Before we do that I have an apology to make. Lance and Ricky, can you please come up here?”

  The boys exchanged a startled look, and even glanced toward Kai and Dakota. Both shrugged with uncertainty, and Lance looked apprehensively at Ricky, wondering what new humiliation awaited them. Those on the dance floor opened up a path and the two boys walked across it to ascend the five stairs to where Ana stood. Silence filled the room and Lance felt every eye on his back as they crossed. When he turned around on the landing, he saw all their faces gazing up at them. Some looked annoyed, some were smiling, but many just looked confused.

  Ana stepped to them and stood beside Lance before once again addressing the seniors milling about on the dance floor. “I’m the one who invited Lance and Ricky to the prom tonight, and their friends Kai and Dakota too,” she began, her voice strong and loud. But then she lowered her eyes and her voice lowered with them. “I mean, Lance is for sure the most famous kid ever to go to MTS and I think these guys are, like, an incredibly cute couple, but I also thought it would make us look good, the kids of Hawthorne, to show how we support gay rights by having two same-sex couples here tonight. And I was hoping they might even win prom king and king.”

  She stopped as Lance whipped his head around to gape at her in astonished shock. His crack about the pig’s blood was supposed to have been a joke!

  Ana shifted uncomfortably. “I think some of you have been rude to them tonight cuz you thought they wanted to run for those titles and they don’t even go to this school. But they had no idea. I put their names in and campaigned for them. It was me trying to be all progressive and stuff and….” She trailed off to look at the two openmouthed, and obviously embarrassed boys. “I’m sorry, Lance, and Ricky, for being such an idiot, and I told the teachers who counted the votes not to count any for you guys. I’m so sorry.”

  She almost looked like she was going to cry and stuck the microphone into Lance’s hand before he could even respond. Then she lowered her head and stared at the carpet sheepishly.

  Lance and Ricky looked long and hard at each other, and then Lance gazed out at the crowd of kids below. He knew he should be mad at Ana, but he wasn’t. She was just copying the president with his buffalo meat and so many other so-called progressive adults who pandered to kids and “causes” to show how “with-it” they were and to make themselves feel good. Sadly, all they usually accomplished, like Ana, was to embarrass themselves and hurt the people they supposedly wanted to help. He sighed and raised the mic to his lips.

  “Thanks, Ana for clearing that up, cuz all you out there been giving us such weird looks I figured maybe you were thinking there might be another attack on us like in Washington.” He smiled and many of them laughed or tittered nervously. “Well don’t worry, I got The Rock with me this time,” he added, pointing to the hulking Brooks loitering just at the edge of the crowd. That drew an even bigger laugh. “We’re here tonight cuz home schooled kids like us don’t get a prom, so when Ana invited us we jumped at it.” But then his smile turned to a frown. “But we sure as hell never wanted to be prom king and whatever.”

  Lance looked out at them soberly. “I know Ana meant well, but so do most of the people screwing up this country, especially for us kids. They think if they mean well that gives them permission to do whatever they want or use whoever they want however they want, but it doesn’t. And I know some of you out there hate boys like me and Ricky and Kai and Dakota. Somebody called us homos earlier.”

  He paused as some who hadn’t overheard the earlier slur reacted with “Oohs” or head shakes.

  Lance reached out to Ricky, and Ricky placed his hand where it belonged. They stood facing the crowd, Lance having no clue how many were hostile to boys like them. “I love this boy and he loves me, maybe more than some of you guys love your girls. If you saw what happened in Washington, you know we’d die for each other. How many of you guys would die for your lady, or you ladies for your man?”

  He paused again to glance over at Ricky. The look was there, in the other’s eyes and in the slight smile revealing his dimples to the world. Lance returned his gaze to the students below.

  “Ricky and me’ve been in love for, like, three years now, and together for almost two,” Lance went on, his voice becoming breathy with emotion. “But tonight is our first date.”

  There were gasps of surprise, especially from the girls.

  “That’s why tonight is so cool,” Lance continued softly, fighting his thumping heart and uncertain breathing. “Our first real romantic night out, and I’m so thankful you let us share it with you. It’s been amazing. So thank you, Ana, and thanks to all of you for letting us be part of your senior prom.”

  He flashed his smile and handed the microphone back to Ana, who stood speechless. The crowd below remained silent, and then a male voice called up to them, “Hey Lance, c’mon, man, this is your first date, so kiss your boo!”

  That ignited a rousing cheer of approval, and Lance burned with embarrassment. He turned to Ricky, who looked equally caught off guard, but smiled shyly nonetheless.

  “Do you want me to kiss you?” Lance asked timidly.

  Ricky grinned. “Fool, that is the dumbest question you ever asked me.”

  That generated a huge laugh and more applause.

  Then Ricky was there, in Lance’s arms, their lips one with each other, and the world fell away as always. Vaguely, Lance was aware of cheering and hooting and clapping, but none of it registered as his whole body melted into the kiss and he trembled with love and desire.

  Flushed and breathless, he pulled back, his eyes locked on those of his soul mate, and smiled. “I love you so much, Ricky,” he exclaimed in a quiet voice.

  Ricky’s smile nearly made Lance weak in the knees. “And I love you, Lance, even more than so much.”

  Lance grinned, and suddenly became aware of the thunderous hooting and clapping and cheering from the kids below. The boys stepped away from each other, embarrassed at getting so carried away in front of their peers.

  Ana grinned broadly and lifted the mic to her lips. “Now that’s what I call a prom kiss,” she said happily, and the applauding crowd vociferously agreed.

  Lance and Ricky bowed theatrically and descended the steps to the floor, making their way to where Kai and Dakota stood with Brooks. They got slaps on the back and “Way to go” and other salutations of support from kids as they did. Kai and Dakota grinned as they approached, and even Brooks nodded his approval.

  The prom court was then introduced and each candidate for king and queen descended the stairs to cheers and applause. The winners were announced, but Lance didn’t know any of them and just clapped along with everyone else. The newly crowned king and queen shared the first dance, a slow number, and gradually the others kids folded into it. This was the part of prom Lance and Ricky had been waiting for––the slow dances.

  They watched Dakota slip into Kai’s arms and lean in to the other, and grinned. Then they stepped closer. Just as they did, Lance felt a finger tap his shoulder. He turned and instantly scowled. It was beefy Latino boy, the one who’d called them homos. Over beefy’s shoulder, Lance spotted Brooks starting their way, but he shook his head slightly to wave him off. He locked eyes on those of the boy who stared at him with a noncommittal expression. The guy’s date hung by his side looking uneasy.

  Lance sighed. “Look man, you wanna try ’an kick my ass, fine. But this isn’t the place or the time.”

  Beefy didn’t break eye contact, but shook his head slowly. “No ass kicking. You’re firmé, Lance,” he said and raised a fist.

  Surprised, Lance raised his and they bumped. Then the guy led his girl out amongst the dancers.

  Lance and Ricky gaped at each other a moment, and then burst out laughing. There was no figuring people, so why bother trying?

  From that moment until the night ended, for every slow dance they held each other close,
pressed in tightly, their eyes brimming with love. Sometimes Lance laid his head on Ricky’s shoulder, and sometimes Ricky did the same for Lance. Sometimes they danced with arms around each other’s necks, foreheads gently resting against the other’s. It was perfect. No politics and no attempt on their lives. Just the two of them basking beneath a halo of love, and Lance wished the night would never end. Sadly, however, it did.

  At midnight the announcement came that prom had concluded and it was time for everyone to head out. Ana found Lance and Ricky with Kai and Dakota, and all four boys gushingly thanked her for inviting them.

  “Sorry for almost screwing it all up,” she apologized again with a shy smile. Then her face lit up excitedly. “You guys wanna come to an after party?”

  Lance and Ricky exchanged a look, and Dakota’s eyes went wide. “After party” usually meant alcohol. Lance gave his nervous breathy laugh and shook his head. “You probably already know we don’t party so good, Ana.”

  Ricky guffawed. “That’s another way of saying we get drunk and act stupid.”

  Lance laughed. “Yup. So thanks anyway, but we’re just gonna head home. Thanks again for an amazing night.”

  She grinned. “Thanks for coming, you guys.” Then she kissed each of them––on the cheek this time––and stood back to observe the four boys. “You guys are two of the cutest couples I’ve ever seen. Good luck with your bill of rights. MTS kids are participating next week.” She winked then, and Lance realized she meant the underclassmen were participating in the August surprise to Washington.

  “Cool,” he said, and then Brooks and the three other agents stood with them in line for the mass exodus to the parking lot.

  The ride home was made in relative silence. Ricky rested his head against Lance’s shoulder, while Kai’s head rested against Dakota’s. For all of them it had been a night that lived up to its theme: Once Upon A Time.

  †††

  As had been the case throughout April, Lance continued to receive messages from his “representatives” in every public school in America during the month of May that Operation August Surprise was going off without a hitch, and without the teachers or administrators even suspecting anything amiss. He received over a hundred thousand of these messages during those two months, covering all levels of public education except post-secondary. Combined with the Once Upon a Time in America Tour, if this didn’t get the focused attention of those people in Washington, nothing would.

  The final event that month was the first formal high school graduation of the Round Table Educational Center - the official name given the school portion of New Camelot. Some of the older kids, like Esteban, Justin, Darnell, Techie and others had already earned their diplomas the previous couple of years, but this was the first actual ceremony to confer diplomas on one hundred thirty-six graduating seniors, all kids who’d been deemed “at-risk” of dropping out by their home schools.

  The state had printed up the diplomas and mailed them to Jenny at New Camelot, and Mayor Soto had volunteered to hand them out. The ceremony had been set for the last Saturday in May in the expansive gardens where Arthur and Jenny had gotten married, and they expected a huge gathering of parents and supporters of the graduates. Helen was invited, of course, given her new national status as a network correspondent and embedded journalist. As with all things Round Table, virtually every major media outlet confirmed their attendance. Only MSNBC hedged on the time because they were due to cover the first ever test of a windmill-powered car that they believed would “Put an end to the tyrannical grip oil companies have on America.” As always, when Lance read their response to his invitation, he shook his head in bewilderment.

  To his utter astonishment, Lance had earned the highest overall GPA of the graduates and been selected valedictorian. He knew his grades had been good, but as a rule he was so focused on the crusade for children’s rights he hadn’t realized he’d gotten an “A” in every class, including those he’d had to make up from freshman year, and had a 4.0 grade point average. There were no AP or honors classes at the home school level, but he felt Jenny had challenged them heavily with her curriculum, and achieving those “As” hadn’t been a cakewalk.

  Graduation day dawned bright and sunny, and Reyna had made sure to order festive balloons and colorful streamers to adorn the gardens and outdoor stage. At Lance’s urging, the caps and gowns were royal purple to represent King Arthur and the Round Table’s allegiance to liege lord and chivalry. Ricky thought some of the guys might object, but when Lance explained it to the graduates in the weeks prior, they all agreed that royal purple was appropriate.

  The gardens filled up with family, friends and media a full hour before the ceremony was to begin. As Master of Ceremonies, Mayor Soto had taken a cue from Lance and wore a shimmering grey suit with a royal purple tie. Beside him sat Arthur and Jenny, both resplendent in formal royal attire, with Jenny now sporting a large, golden, jeweled tiara befitting her status as the wife of a king. Chris, looking leaner and more athletic than ever, sat beside them decked out in a formal tunic with a golden headband encircling his flowing blond hair.

  Seated to one side of the stage were Kai, Dakota, Reyna, Esteban, Justin, Darnell, and Techie. Bridget and Ariel were seated in the row behind them and the rest of the crowd fanned out in all directions around the stage. There was a center aisle laid out with a red carpet that the graduates would walk on as they entered.

  Those knights who’d provided musical accompaniment during their neighborhood cleanups had gathered with their instruments at the back of the stage. Some were graduates themselves and wore their purple robes. At Reyna’s cue, they raised their instruments and began the traditional march, “Pomp and Circumstance.”

  The graduates, led by a grinning Lance and Ricky, marched out of the hotel and up the center aisle. On every young face was a look of pride and achievement, and many a mother in the crowd had to brush away tears at witnessing this moment they obviously never expected to see.

  Lance and Ricky peeled off to the right when they reached the front row and their line followed, while the other line turned left. Lance caught Arthur’s eye as he stopped at his chair, and the man grinned so broadly Lance laughed and nudged Ricky. Both boys grinned and stood at attention until everyone was in position. At this point, the music ceased and Ricky peeled himself away from the row to step up on stage.

  He crossed to the microphone. “Welcome graduates, family and friends. Will everyone please rise for the flag salute?”

  Sir Charley, the Caucasian knight who’d once believed Arthur would favor his son over any of the others, marched forward carrying the American flag. It flapped lazily in the warm spring breeze, and Sir Charley looked very military in his tunic, chain mail, and metal armbands. He stood straight and tall as he marched along the red carpet and climbed the steps onto the stage. He stopped beside Ricky and tilted the flag forward so it rested at an angle.

  “Place your right hand over your heart,” Ricky told the crowd. “Ready, begin.”

  And so the entire crowd, parents and kids alike, regular working people, former gang members and drug users, the very heart and soul of America, did something most had probably scorned while in regular school: they actually recited the pledge, at least as best they as could remember it. Ricky’s voice sailed out loud and clear so those who stumbled over the words could quickly correct themselves. When the pledge concluded, Sir Charley continued to hold the flag while the band struck up “The Star Spangled Banner.” Ricky remained standing, hand to his heart. Lance and all of the graduates followed suit. When the anthem ended, there was clapping and hooting. Sir Charley raised the flag and placed it into a stand set back behind the podium. Then he and Ricky bowed to one another and retreated from the stage.

  Now Mayor Soto rose and stepped up to the microphone, grinning broadly. “Welcome family and friends to the first graduating class of New Camelot!”

  The crowd went raucous with applause. Many knights were still in high school
or junior high and had showed up to cheer on their graduating brothers and sisters.

  “As you all know, I’ve been working side by side with most of these graduates in their neighborhoods to better our city and make life stronger and safer for children and teens, and I have to say I’ve never met a finer group of young people in my life, hands down!”

  The graduates and crowd went wild again, and the mayor waited for them to settle. “It is my pleasure to have been invited here today to hand out one hundred thirty-six diplomas to these splendid young adults, and it will be my distinct honor to do so.”

  The crowd cheered once more.

  “Before I do, however,” the mayor went on, “I want to pay homage to the man to whom we all owe so much, a man who came to us like a miracle and transformed all of our lives for the better. Let’s give it up for King Arthur!”

  Now the response was thunderous as everyone leapt to his or her feet clapping and cheering and whooping and whistling.

  Soto turned with a grin and waved Arthur forward. The king stood reluctantly, having instructed Soto and Jenny to let this day be about the kids and not about him. But the response of the assembled knights and their families nearly brought him to tears.

  “Arthur! Arthur! Arthur!” they chanted over and over again.

  Helen, standing to the side with the other journalists, found herself just as excited, and not feeling the least bit embarrassed by her display of emotion.

  The king walked to the microphone and shook Soto’s outstretched hand. The shorter man stepped back and allowed Arthur to survey the results of his handiwork. Amid the chanting and cheering, his emotions caught in his throat and he was rendered momentarily speechless. While far from over, he knew, this crusade had produced wildly positive results for the people of this foreign land, for these youngsters standing before him, and for himself as a man and a father. He sent a silent prayer skyward to God for allowing him this opportunity to serve with such overwhelming success.