After dinner, I sat at the computer and checked the browser cache, it was clean as a whistle. I smiled to myself knowing that Dad had learned something from me for a change.
I looked at the card Ian had handed me and decided to try the website. Dr. Ian Webb was listed on the faculty roster, it turns out he has two doctorates. The first is anthropology and the second is philosophy and religious studies. I filed that away for next time I saw him. The website painted a pretty picture of the school, good athletic training with team sports like Baseball and Soccer and individual sports like Fencing and Archery. There were also courses in martial arts, I was getting interested.
On the scholastic side, they had a very science heavy curriculum with a great language department as well. You can't very well write about your discoveries if you haven't mastered language. I looked at the Music and Art courses and then the schedule for the students. They accomplished everything by rotating which day the student attended any given class. Since you had to be academically superior to attend there were no remedial classes to consume resources. It all intrigued me and I tried to see what it would cost but the website gave the same response as Ian had. The fees were on a par with religious based schools but nothing more regarding tuition rates.
Dad walked through and asked what I was up to, so I explained about meeting Ian in the park and how Peter had tripped over his own tongue. It amused Dad for a moment and he looked in over my shoulder.
"Are you interested in attending a private school, Jules?"
"Well sort of, I like my school but I get awfully bored there and if they kick me up another grade to fix that I'll be with even older kids."
"I checked out a few of the private schools in the area but they were all Christian or Catholic and I wasn't going to subject you to that. You had a better chance of coming out of the public school system with your soul intact than at any of those places."
"You really don't like religion do you, Dad?
"That's not the case, Son, I don't like the control that religious entities exert over their adherents. People need to do their own thinking; vast numbers of human beings have given over their power to decide what's best for them to a group of power hungry greedy men. They exclude women from the sacrament and yet they worship a mother of a supposedly holy being. If you want to develop your own relationship with God as you see it, that's fine but don't blindly adhere to a doctrine that has killed and maimed billions with their arrogance.
"So it's organized religion that you oppose?"
"Yes, I resent their power over society and the political process and the way they cover up wrongdoing by their clergy.'
"You mean molesters, right?"
"Yes Son, I've always walked a tightrope trying to keep you safe without frightening you away from meeting and talking to people."
"It's hard to be a dad isn't it?"
"It can be, but let's get back to Crane Academy, if you like I can set up an interview and a tour and see what their tuition is like. We would have paid for a good school if we could have found one but it had to be in town, your mother would not allow you to board. She probably would still object at least until you're in your teens. I actually don't know if Crane boards children or not, let's have a look."
I scrolled through the menu and there was no mention of boarding or dorms except a short statement that indicated that due to the availability of rail and other public transport the school did not board students at this time.
"I guess that answers your question, Dad."
"Um, Dad... where's Mom?"
"Upstairs cropping photos, why do you ask?"
"I have a question and you don't have to answer... but that Disney based site that I saw... um why do you like that?"
"Well, that's kind of hard to put in terms that you might understand. Trust me, I know you've seen other things but to me it's salacious and funny. The juxtaposition of supposed children's beloved characters performing bizarre sex acts is humorous to me."
"So something that most people think of as innocent cartoons becomes something else when real life is imposed on the scene?"
"Wow Son, you got it in one shot. Does that stuff appeal to you?"
"Not really Dad, I'm still finding out about the real thing and well, it keeps me pretty busy."
"I understand Son, really I do."
"Thanks Dad, and thanks for not dumbing it down, juxtaposition is a cool word."
"I figured you'd ask if I used a word you didn't understand, but for the record, I'm impressed."
Dad kissed my cheek and went on about his own activities. I continued reading and then compared some of the features with another school I knew about, but it was a Catholic run school although it claimed that all were welcome. None of their programs measured up and they were expensive according to a site that rates schools. Crane Academy had a few reviews online so I read further. They had chartered only five years earlier but in that time, they had surpassed every school in the area except an exclusive academy for rich kids. The site indicated that they were priced lower than schools that performed worse by statistics. I picked up my phone and texted Peter and asked if he had checked out Crane's website.
My phone rang and it was Peter, "Guess what?" Peter barked excitedly. "Dad unlocked my phone and gave me a password to the parental controls on the computer. He said our meeting proved to him that I was beyond that point. He also said that if I want to check out Crane he'll make an appointment."
"Cool, my dad said the same thing. I should have my dad call yours, maybe we could do it at the same time."
"I think they're way ahead of you Jules, my dad is talking to yours right now."
"Cool, I read some reviews of Crane and it has positive standing over all but one school, it sounds great!"
"Are you worried about it, Jules? There's something in your voice... I don't know, but something."
"Man you really do know me; I was just thinking of the petition and all that."
"I thought about it too but they would probably only transfer us if it was a new quarter. I think by the time the first quarter is over they will have a decision about the petition."
"That would mean changing schools just before Christmas break, right?"
"Is that a problem?" he asked.
"No it would mean no compulsory stupid nativity play or elf costumes and crap like that."
"Hey, I look pretty good in an elf costume, Mom said so."
"She has to say that, she's your mom, Peter."
"Yeah I know, it's not my favorite time at school, except for all the goodies. But yeah, I could do without all the crap that goes with it."
"I'm going to get a bunch of signs made that read, 'Constantine's the reason for the season'."
"You'll get lynched or they'll find your body in the manger on Pinon Street with twenty candy canes sticking out of you," Peter laughed.
I laughed too and heard my dad opening his door.
"I just heard my dad come out of his study; I better go see what they worked out."
"Okay Jules, I'll do the same. I love you."
"I love you too, Peter, goodnight."
"So what did you two decide, Jules," Dad queried.
"We were discussing the school and also the petition that we kind of got started. And then Peter said that you and his dad were talking and we wondered if it was about checking out Crane.
"Well, it turns out that John had heard of it and was going to set up a visit. He said a friend recommended it on the basis that it really engaged his son. You do know it's an all boy school, right?"
"No, actually I didn't, it's kind of a good idea. A lot of the guys are kind of distracted by the girls in class. It's not the girls fault, they can't help looking nice."
"Well, that's the reasoning behind the policy. John and I agreed to make a joint appointment. We'll have to get your transcripts and you'll need to have an interview with one of their department heads to evaluate your suitability to attend."
"Let's go to the kitchen and see your mom, she's got a nice dessert ready. German chocolate cake."
Four hours later I woke up suddenly, I was so cold I couldn't stop shaking and I was afraid I might poop in my bed. I just barely made it to the bathroom and got my shorts off, I thought I was going to lose everything I'd eaten for a month. In the middle of all that, I became nauseated so I grabbed the waste basket and started pouring from the other end. If it wasn't happening to me at that moment, I would probably have thought it was a funny concept. After a while, things calmed down and I cleaned up the best I could.
I put on my shorts and started to empty the waste can and realized I had been vomiting blood. I looked in the mirror and there was blood around my mouth, I freaked out a bit and started for Mom and Dad's bedroom calling them to help me. They couldn't hear me, and when I opened the door I saw them on the bed and Dad was really going to town on Mom. Mom saw me first and screamed my name, my dad turned and when he saw me he pulled out of Mom and I saw the biggest boner I had ever seen in my life. Just then, my stomach went on the warpath again and I barfed blood all over the sheet and fainted catching my chin on a bedpost.
The next thing I could remember was Mom calling my name gently. I began to become more aware of my surroundings and I noticed I wasn't cold anymore. Then I became aware of a pain in my arm and one in my penis. When my eyes finally opened, I saw three bags of liquid hanging over my bed and the tubes led to one larger one that ran to my arm. My eyes focused and Mom and Dad were right there looking quite bad, Dad needed a shave and Mom's hair was wild. I think I might have smiled just a little when the pain in my penis reminded me of its presence.
"Mom, what's going on, why am I so sick?"
"The doctor thinks you are allergic to something in the cake I made. Since your dad and I are okay, they ruled out food poisoning. After you are feeling better they'll do a sensitivity test and check you for allergies to food."
"Can someone help me get to the bathroom? I really need to pee."
A new voice spoke up. "Sorry honey but that's the catheter you're feeling, we put a tube in to drain your bladder," the nurse explained.
"You cut a hole in my penis?" I shrieked.
"Relax Son, they used the existing hole, I know it's uncomfortable but it will be a couple of days before you can walk," Dad reassured me.
"What if I have to poop?"
"You won't for a while, there's nothing in you to come out, they used enemas to clear you out and remove whatever was causing the problem. That took care of your fever too."
"Okay, but it feels like I've been eating broken glass."
"That's because whatever you're allergic to, irritated the lining of your digestive tract."
"The doctor will explain tomorrow, they're going to give you something to help you sleep through the night and we'll be here when you wake up," Dad explained.
I saw the nurse stick a syringe in a Y shaped tube and a few seconds later, it was morning. I felt someone rolling me to one side and then a sting in my butt as they gave me some sort of shot.
"Good morning sweety, how are you feeling now?" I forced my eyes open and recognized my mom and saw a nurse walking out the door.
"How are you doing, Jules," Dad asked.
"Better I think, I hurt less and I'm warm. I'm really sorry I busted in on you and barfed on your bed. I made a big mess didn't I?"
"Hey, relax you didn't do anything wrong. I hope you weren't too shocked."
"No it's alright, I hear you sometimes, I just never expected to see you doing it."
"Well we were kind of surprised too, but if you're okay that's all that matters to us."
"Why does my chin hurt so bad?"
"You hit it on the corner post of our bed when you fainted."
"Is it broken?"
"No sweety, there's a small cut and a bruise."
"Okay, but why am I so tired, it's morning already?"
"That's the sedative they gave you, it's almost eleven. Do we look better than when you saw us last night?"
"Yeah Mom, you and Dad both."
We were interrupted by the doctor walking in.
"Good morning, I'm Doctor Frank Marquez, are you feeling any better, Jules?"
"Yes Sir, my insides don't hurt anymore but the tube in my arm hurts and the, what did you call it Mom?"
"Oh, the catheter, is that still hurting you," Mom asked.
"Yes it is, is it supposed to hurt?"
"No it shouldn't," the doctor said. Let me have the RN take a look and we'll see if there's a problem."
"Do you know what made me sick?"
"Yes, I believe we do; you seem to be allergic to coconut. It's a rare food allergy and might have been intensified by the nuts in the cake you ate, sometimes something like walnuts can make the effects of another food allergy worse. You're probably not allergic to nuts they just made things worse with their enzymes. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Tomorrow we will do a series of skin tests and check you for other allergies. Do you have any allergies you know of?"
"No Sir, I don't think so. I've never been this sick before."
Another nurse walked in and introduced herself as Vicky and she was an RN.
"Hi there Jules, I'm told you still have pain from your catheter so I'll need to have a look."
"Go ahead, I think half the town has already been under there."
The nurse chuckled and flipped the sheet down.
"They must have used the wrong size catheter in the ER, I'll go get the right one and you'll forget it's even there in an hour."
"I'm very sorry about that Jules, the ER people are all about stabilizing the patient so they have to work fast. And sometimes kids get an adult size catheter."
"It isn't that bad it just aches, it won't damage anything will it?"
"No, all that stuff stretches really well so there's no need to worry about that."
"Is that orange stuff from my allergy?"
"Nope, that's called Beta-dyne and it's a disinfectant that keeps that area sterile. At least they didn't have to shave you, that itches like crazy. So unless there's a problem I'll see you tomorrow when we run the panel."
"Okay Sir, will I get to go home after that?"
"Possibly, let's see how you respond to the meds in your arm and we'll talk about that tomorrow. And you can call me Frank or Dr. Frank, just not Dr. Frankenstein."
He chuckled and I laughed and my penis hurt worse than my arm when I laughed.
Another nurse returned with a proper size catheter and not long after she started, I didn't have any pain in that area. Unfortunately, that made me aware of the tube in the back of my other hand.
"Um, could one of you call Peter and tell him why I'm not in school, and do you think he could visit me here?"
"I don't know if he can visit but I will definitely tell him what happened, we'll need to call the school too dear. Do you want your homework or should we just save it until you get home?"
"I'm ahead in most stuff but I'll take care of anything they send home, maybe Peter can pick it up."
"That's what I was thinking, I'll talk to John about the visit."
"Thanks, Dad."
"We brought the books from your nightstand for you to read and your phone," Mom informed me."
"Cool, I can text Peter, his dad unlocked his phone too."
"Yes, we discussed that. When I told him I had unlocked yours, he decided to follow suit. He also said he'd give him the adult password so he could get around the parental block, but then he has two little brothers. Ours never had the block because I didn't think you needed it," Dad explained.
"Thanks Dad, I mean for trusting me."
"We both trust you Son; we couldn't ask for a better boy."
I blushed; I could tell because I felt the heat in my face.
"Um, don't you both need to go to work? I don't want you using me as an excuse to goof off," I grinned at them.
"You are going to get such a tickle when they pull those tubes out, but yes we're going on to work from here. We'll be back this afternoon when they do your colonoscopy. It's not that bad, I've had one myself," Dad supplied.
"I know what that is, it's the camera up the butt thing isn't it?"
"Bingo! But you'll be completely out of it and won't have any memory of the experience, well except for the Blu-ray video and the eight by tens."
"Funny Dad, maybe you'd like to have them live stream it for my school."
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Dad grinned at me.
I grinned back and waved as they walked out after kissing me goodbye.
The only problem with the colonoscopy was after I woke up. They wouldn't let me get dressed until I passed all the air out, and that wasn't going to happen with my mom in the room. I ran the nurse off, too but she only retreated a few steps and Dad stayed with me.