The six travelers arrived at SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas around 10:15 AM. Of course, they had to get through the parking kiosks where Mr. Dan paid $20.00 to park the SUV. After parking, Mr. Dan left his service weapon in the special lock-box his friend had installed in the SUV for just that purpose.
The six then walked to the ticket booth were Mr. Dan had special coupons for police and firefighter use only. Using them, Mr. Dan saved more than 50% on every ticket he bought. After doing all that, it was close to 11AM when the six adventure goers finally entered through the turnstiles into the park.
Their first stop was going to be the water park, Aquatica. The old water park had been greatly expanded and improved, but it was Mr. Dan who chose to go on their first attraction as he wanted to be in the water during the hotter period of the day. He'd already done his homework on the park and knew, once they got their fill of the many water slides, including the wave pool and other water amusements, they'd have the many shows and rides to fill up the rest of the day.
Mr. Dan suggested they start at the back of the water park and work their way around the back and then forward. That agreed upon, their first water ride was going to be Walhalla Wave. As they walked up the many stairs to the starting point, they decided to break up into two groups of three. To ensure the weight distribution was equal Mr. Dan, Charles and David went first leaving Todd, Robert and Cooper to ride the next raft.
They watched the previous riders go down the enclosed waterslide tube and figured it would be a tame ride. Oh how wrong they were. The intrepid riders loaded onto their raft and when they were ready, the lifeguard pushed them to the edge and away they went. Initially, the ride was tame but once it got to the 360 degree tight turn they picked up speed and found themselves being almost thrown down the tube and into a wide open area that was where they rode up an incline. The raft then slid back down into the remaining part of the enclosed tube where they were dumped into a trough of water and the end of the ride. That's when they got out of the raft. They all talked about their experience as they walked to their next ride, Tassie's Twister & HooRoo Run.
Tassie's Twister & HooRoo Run was actually four different slides. On the Tassie's Twister side of the ride, guests ride using double or single tubes and select one of two different slides, both of which send riders spinning inside of a large bowl before continuing on their twisting, turning descent. On The HooRoo Side of the slides, guests again select double or single tubes for their descent down the slide which features open and closed portions, water curtains, and lots of twists, turns, and drops.
The group all decided to ride separately so they each had a different ride experience and they did all four slides so they each had unusual perspective to the slides. As they exited the slide area at the end of all four independent rides, they learned that in New Zealand, "hooroo" meant "goodbye". They all laughed at realizing that they no sooner entered the ride than they were finished. Their next stop was the Big Surf Shores wave pool. They didn't intend to stay for any length of time; they just wanted to compare it to the Lakeside Water Park's wave pool.
For their next stop, Dan wanted them to ride Stingray Falls. The boys looked at the ride and told the man they didn't want to do it since it looked very similar to Walhalla Wave and there were lots more rides to do there. Dan Fischer persisted in his resolve to ride that particular slide and he led the boys in that direction. It was David who talked to the other lads, as they walked along, and reminded them if it weren't for Mr. Dan they wouldn't be there, so they should do what he'd like to do, too.
The six got into line and it took about 30 minutes to get to the top. Since there were six of them they couldn't all fit into one raft so they split up. This time the first raft held Mr. Dan, Charles and Robert leaving Todd, Cooper and David to follow. The ride was somewhat similar to the other slide but this time it was a slow meandering ride to the bottom trough of water but there is where the ride changed. The raft was pushed into a tunnel where the riders got to view lots and lots of stingrays through the glass enclosure. When they all regrouped after the ride, the lads all apologized to their host for not wanting to ride what turned out to be an awesome experience.
Dan smiled at the boy's new found enthusiasm and then took a look at his map. He could see there were a few more things for them to do and all they had to do was decide where to go next. The man told the boys there was still Kiwi Curl and Woohoo Falls which were four more slides they could ride and/or Loggerhead Lane, a meandering, lazy river type water through.
The lad's host looked at the time and he realized they'd never get to do all the amusement rides, i.e. rollercoasters, and shows if they stayed in the water park any longer. He found himself having a difficult time gathering up 'his kids' but when he explained his plan to them they agreed to dry off and start walking through the rest of the park.
As they were walking to the Steel Eel, a 150 foot tall steel roller coaster, the lads mentioned they were getting hungry, so as they passed by Harbor Market, they stopped. Mr. Dan warned the lads not to eat greasy foods or overeat so they wouldn't get sick riding the rides. The lads took the man's cautionary words to heart so they ordered salads, hero sandwiches and hot dogs and then they shared them. That impressed Dan Fischer.
They knew they needed to let their food settle so while they walked slowly towards their next stop they passed Sea Lion Stadium and saw a show was about to begin. Mr. Dan suggested they take in the show and that way they could let their stomachs settle down and they wouldn't have to come back to that section later. The boys all agreed. The six walked in and took their seats on the left side of the stadium. The show they were about to watch was called Sea Lion High.
The show started out slow so the actors could set the stage that Clyde and Seymour needed a few more credits to graduate from high school. From that point on, the sea lions and an ornery otter went through their paces to cause mayhem and laughs for the people. The animals did a number of different tricks that tied into the script and the lads laughed and were having a good time following along the storyline.
The sea lions did a number of dives into the water in front of the stage and as the show wound down one of the sea lions dove down from at least a twelve foot high tower made to look like a water storage tower. It was from that tower that, as the sea lion dove out, water sprayed out over the crowd who had taken seats on the left side. The boys got wet, real wet, but they laughed it off as it was hot that day and their wet t-shirts and swim trunks felt good.
With the show over, the group walked to their next stop, the Steel Eel. As they made their way they talked about the show and how much fun it was to watch something so different than what they expected. They'd seen the high green steel coaster from afar as they rode up to the amusement park earlier that day. It had filled the skyline and could be seen from just about anywhere in the huge park so they couldn't wait to ride it.
They quickly got into line and continued to talk about what they enjoyed about the water park and the sea lion show. When it was their turn to ride the green painted rollercoaster, it had already been decided that Mr. Dan and Todd would ride together, with Cooper and Robert making a pair, followed up by Charles and David.
They chose to ride as close to the front as they could, and were able to get in the second car, first and second seats and the first seat of the third car. These seats would ensure they had a real smooth ride. As the coaster was released from the station, David told Charles he'd never been on a rollercoaster before and he had no idea what to expect. Charles swallowed hard knowing the coaster they were on was at least 150 feet high and he didn't know what to tell Dave other than to hold on and enjoy the ride.
The coaster started up the 150 foot first hill and Robert and Cooper in front of Charles and Dave were whooping and hollering about what they were going to experience. Dave had no idea what they were talking about but he was sure enjoying the sights. He could practically see of all of SeaWorld from that high up.
When the coaster reached its peak, it began to crest over the top and begin its downward run. Dave saw what was before him and he began to scream at the top of his lungs. Robert and Cooper were laughing and enjoying the thrill of the steep ride down and they could hear Dave's scream and laughed even more at hearing it.
Dave was scared shitless. His butt hole was so puckered up from the scare that had a doctor checked him out, just then, he would have said he was constipated. But that didn't change the fact Dave was on the coaster and it wasn't going to stop until it got to the end. Charles tried to get Dave to enjoy the ups and downs of the Steel Eel but Dave was having no part of it, right then.
After two more high hills and valleys, the coaster finally got to the backside of its track and made a big looping turn to head back to the station. Dave saw the loop and since the ride had slowed some he began to settle down and finally enjoy the ride. The coaster then started back to the station and that was where there were a number of back-to-back camel hills. As David and Charles went over them they rose out of their seats and then were pushed right back down only to repeat the same thing three more times. Dave finally laughed as they rode the last of the track and was disappointed when the ride came to a stop.
"Guys, I need to find the restroom and fast," loudly said David, as he ran out the Exit. There he saw an employee and asked where the nearest restroom was and the last time the five saw Dave he was running away. They quickly followed.
"David," called out Mr. Dan, as he walked into the Men's Restroom looking for the lad.
"I'm over here Mr. Dan. I'll be finished in a few minutes," answered David.
When David came out of the Men's Restroom, he looked very relieved. Then, he saw the other lads smiling at him and he just flicked them the middle finger. Then, he apologized to Mr. Dan because the man saw it, but a smiling Dan told the other boys to deal with it. The lads smiled even bigger and then David did too. Before long the six were all laughing.
"So, Dave," began Coop, "what made you run into there?" finished David's friend, as he pointed to the Men's Restroom.
"Guys … I … I've never … I've never ridden a rollercoaster before," admitted Dave. "Honestly … that was my first rollercoaster, ever, and I was afraid … well, I was afraid you'd laugh at me if I said so, so I rode it anyway. From down here it didn't look all that high to me, but when we started down that first hill I was scared out of my wits.
"It wasn't until we made that big turn that I began to enjoy the ride, but by then my stomach had already decided it didn't want anything else to do with that Eel and it began to cramp. If I hadn't found that restroom when I had, I'd be asking Mr. Dan to buy me some new drawers."
David watched his friend's faces for some sort of reaction. His friends were watching to see how Dave was handling their not reacting. It was Dave who first smiled and then laughed. That laugh got the four other lads laughing and of course Mr. Dan joined in. People who passed them and saw them all laughing gave them a wide berth so as not to 'catch' what they might have.
"Okay, David, now that we are laughing at what happened to you … are you ready to try another coaster?" asked Mr. Dan.
"Well … now that my stomach and intestines are completely cleaned out … yeah, why not," laughed Dave.
That said, the six headed down the walkway towards The Great White. They could see part of the coaster ride above the trees as they walked in its direction and the lads asked Dave if he intended to ride it. Dave told his friends he'd make that decision once he was there and could see the entire ride.
Once in line, the group got to watch the coaster go through its paces, a number of times, before it was their turn. They watched it rise to the top of the ride and then fall down the track into a loop, then a twist and then another loop. After that the coaster made other twists and turns until it entered the station to begin the circuit all over again.
Coop began teasing Dave and as soon as he did Todd thumped him. "Cool it dude! Let Charles' friend decide if he wants to ride! He just told us he'd never ridden a rollercoaster before and you're being a jerk to him over him riding this one. And you two go to school together, some friend you are."
Mr. Dan watched the exchange and was afraid he was going to have a problem on his hands. It was Charles who spoke up and told everyone they were there to have fun and then told Coop to apologize to Dave, shake hands and for them to move on. Mr. Dan smiled after Coop did what Charles told him to do and after that Cooper and David were like best buds.
Dave did ride The Great White in the same row with Charles, Cooper and Robert. Mr. Dan and Todd had to ride a different row as there were only four seats to a row. The younger lads talked about what they'd probably experience as they rode up the launch hill. It was Charles who said they'd soon find out as the crest of the hill was upon them.
For being his second rollercoaster, ever, Dave screamed down the first hill and up and through the first loop, then the twist and into the second loop but after that he laughed until they got back to the station. As they walked to their next amusement, Dave said he was glad he rode it and he was beginning to understand why people loved rollercoasters.
Their next stop was going to be Atlantis, but the lads said they were a bit hungry again, so they stopped at Shamu's Smokehouse. The group ordered chicken nuggets and corn dogs and cokes and again they shared. They passed the Rio Loco River Rapids ride where up to twelve people rode in a huge inner tube and rode the river and usually got wet. Mr. Dan said they didn't have time for it right then but they could consider coming back to it later. That said, they continued to Atlantis but, along the way, they had to pass by Shamu Stadium. Their luck held and as they approached the stadium they were lucky enough to notice that the next show was going to begin in about five minutes.
Mr. Dan corralled the boys into the stadium to watch the wild whale show. Mr. Dan sat next to Todd, while Charles sat between Cooper and David leaving Robert to sit on either side of Coop or Dave. From the time they walked into the covered stadium and waited for the show to begin and then walk out of the stadium was almost an hour. The lads were impressed with the show and were equally impressed with what the whales did. They all agreed the show was fun to watch especially when the whales purposely splashed the people in the lower seats.
There was another stadium along their way to ride Atlantis. The lads checked the show schedule for Azul that showcased pacific white sided dolphins and Beluga white whales. They saw the show would be at least another hour before it would start so they continued on their way to their next stop, Atlantis.
Atlantis was a water ride that the riders could get wet on as their boat crashed into the water at the end of the ride. The lads couldn't wait to get in line and they ran to the queue to get their place. Mr. Dan joined them about three minutes later after he had to excuse himself through the people who arrived after the lads.
"Thanks guys for waiting for me. All that hurrying only got you, what, in front of ten people, all of whom I had to excuse myself to as I asked if I could catch up to you," louder than normal spoke up Dan Fischer, so the other people could hear him and as to chastise the lads so they knew they messed up.
"We're sorry, Mr. Dan … we forgot we were in a group," spoke up Charles, speaking for the other lads. Charles then went over to hug the man.
It was Todd who also spoke up and said, "Mr. Dan … this is the second amusement park you've taken me too and I should have known better than to hurry away from you. I really do appreciate your bringing me today and I am really sorry for not waiting for you. I hope you won't hold this against me."
The other four younger lads all knew that Todd meant what he'd just said. It was not only the way in which he said it but they could hear a few sniffles and they saw him wipe his eyes before going over to the man and giving him a big hug. The three other lads, who had yet to apologize to Mr. Dan, individually went over to apologize to Mr. Dan.
The talk between the six after that was a bit subdued but they did exchange their thoughts about everything they'd already experienced, as they waited for their turn on the ride. The lads also made it a point to include Mr. Dan in their discussions to make sure he got the chance to tell them the way he saw the day. It took a good forty minutes before they alighted onto the ride. Again, Mr. Dan and Todd sat together but they also got to sit in the first row. The other four got to sit in the second row.
Atlantis was a unique ride in that it had a number of different elements to it. The passengers rode their boat up the first hill where the boat made a 90 degree turn and then traveled backwards down and up a big dip to the next element. There the boat turned another 90 degrees to face forward for when it traveled down the hill where it ran into a trough of water which subsequently splashed the majority of the riders. The lads all loved that ride and asked Mr. Dan if they could ride it again but the man reminded them the dolphin show would begin shortly.
They backtracked to the Beluga Stadium in order to watch the show, Azul. The group watched the dolphins and divers combine to put on a wonderful water show. This time the lads enjoyed the show as the divers were synchronized with the dolphin jumps and there was a lot more going on to keep their interest. As they walked out of the show stadium, the lads tried to compare the whale and dolphin shows against one another. After much discussion, they all said they liked the dolphins better but it was very close to decide which was better, the dolphins or the whales.
There was much more to see and do there at SeaWorld, San Antonio but time was getting away from them and they had to decide what they wanted to do next. The lads asked to ride Steel Eel again as they wanted to see what it was like to ride it with the park lights all on. That time David knew what to expect, so he had a much better experience that time around. After their ride, they stopped to eat and this time they all ate heartily at Rosita's Café which offered pizza, a pasta bar, salads and fresh fruit and, of course, sodas.
It was past midnight when Mr. Dan, Charles and Robert returned to Three Finger Cove. Chief was right there waiting for them as they entered through the Foyer Door. The resident dog didn't know which person to go to first but then decided on Charles, since he was her current care taker. Robert put his hands on his hips to show his displeasure at not being chosen first and when Chief did finally go to him he relented and scratched behind her ears as he knew she would love that.
"Well, our missing residents are finally back. Was it worth going?" asked Mr. Ken.
The boys began to tell their 'dad' how they liked their trip but Mr. Ken told the lads he was talking to Mr. Dan. The boys stopped in mid-sentence but when they saw the smile on their 'dad's' face they knew he was teasing them so they continued to tell him about what they'd done.
When the boys ran out of steam, 'dad' Ken told his lads they were going to go school clothes shopping tomorrow and their friends were told they would not be back until late so to call to find out if they could come over.
'Dad' Ken then told his boys they also had something scheduled for Wednesday morning and their friends would have to call after 1 PM to learn if they could come over, as well. Charles and Robert tried to find out what they had to do on Wednesday and Mr. Ken explained they might be going to watch the workers put the last piece of steel onto his new hotel and he wanted the three of them to be there when it happened. 'Dad' Ken also told them they'd have to be up, showered and dressed by 9 AM. The lads didn't like hearing that but both agreed they'd be ready.
The lads then hugged their 'dad and then told the man "Good Night" and then headed up the stairs to their bedrooms. Tired as they were they still talked to each other about their day. Before long they both peed, shed their clothes and then jumped into bed. They were fast asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows.
Down in the Study, Ken talked to Dan about his day. Dan said he enjoyed the day and being with the boys was a wonderful experience. He did say that having five lads was a bit tiring compared to only having three his first time out. The men talked for a few more minutes before Dan said he needed to get to bed as he had some things to do tomorrow. Ken asked Dan to stop by his Study before he left in the morning as he had something he wanted to discuss with him. The two men then went to bed.
The only Cover up at 8:15, the next morning, was Mr. Ken Thomas, the head Cover and owner of The Cove. The man decided to let the boys sleep in after knowing how long a day they had on Monday and this was their last week before school started next week. Mr. Ken asked Momma Maria to hold breakfast until the boys came down. Like clockwork, at 9 AM, Mr. Chris walked into the Kitchen Nook to get his first cup of coffee and talk to his boss about what was happening around the estate.
Dan Fischer, The Cove's current guest, entered the Kitchen Nook about 9:30 that morning after his second trip to an amusement park. He offered Mr. Ken, Mr. Chris, and Momma Maria a 'Good Morning', and then headed for his first cup of coffee. Dan wanted to get to work on submitting his request to use some of his accumulated over-time so he begged off eating breakfast that morning. Hearing that, Ken asked Dan to meet him in the Study before he left.
"Dan, I want you to know Sheriff Barnes called me yesterday. He told me he has an awards ceremony scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, and he asked me to talk to you about being there. The Sheriff said he wants to present awards to the men injured during the Smokey shootout and the recent drug raids," offered Ken Thomas.
When Dan balked about being there, Ken told the Sheriff Deputy that he owed it to his fellow officers to be there to support the men who were injured. Ken then fibbed and told Dan that the Sheriff wasn't going to bring him back on limited duty that week, so he had time to get his request in. Dan thought about it for a moment, then he asked when the ceremony was and learning it was at 10 AM said he'd wait for the boys to come down for breakfast and eat with them. Ken smiled at what he'd done but now knew he needed to call the Sheriff to tell him what he said.
It was after twelve noon when the Covers headed out the Main Gate to get the school clothes shopping done. 'Dad' Ken drove to The Mall and they all headed to JC Penney to look at the clothes there first. Robert and Charles had grown during the summer so they had to try their clothes on to make sure of their sizes. Charles was now getting a full wardrobe, so it took much longer than the lads expected.
Then, Mr. Ken said he wanted to take the boys to the Outlet Mall to look at clothes for his boys to use after school. Charles was happy to hear his 'dad' was taking them there and told him so. He knew how expensive clothes were and he didn't mind wearing last year's fashions.
When they arrived at the Outlet Mall it was packed with other shoppers trying to score some cheaper clothes for their own kids to wear to school. 'Dad' Ken now regretted going there, but he had already parked, so he decided they'd walk around to see how bad it was going to be.
When they passed a Nike shoe store, Charles stopped his 'dad' and said if they wanted to save money on shoes that shopping in there would be good. Charles convinced Mr. Ken that he didn't need the baddest and most unique shoes to wear to school and that all he wanted was a nice pair for school. He then told his 'dad' he'd relegate the ones he was now wearing for after school play. Mr. Ken smiled as he thought back to when he bought Charles his first clothes and how the lad wanted him to save money.
"Charles that was one of the reasons we came here. I knew you appreciated what things cost and I hoped that if I brought you here to buy some of your school clothes you'd appreciate it. Here, I know I can spend the same amount of money but get you more pairs of shoes. I know you'll like that. Let's go in and see what I can get you and your 'brother'.
The three Covers spent almost an hour in the Nike store looking at shoes and trying on the ones they liked. Robert and Charles each came away with two new pairs of sneakers, six pairs of crew socks and six pairs of ankle socks. After Mr. Ken paid the bill, Charles had a great big smile on his face as he carried his new finds to the car.
When they got to the car, Charles thought they were finished. It was then 'dad' Ken said he wanted to walk through some of the clothes stores to see if there were any nice shirts in there for not only the boys but for himself as well. That brought on another big smile to Charles' face.
The three Covers walked through a half dozen stores and looked at dress shirts as well as polo shirts for both the boys and Mr. Ken. The lads scored four more named polo shirts for school and 'dad' Ken scored four dress shirts and matching ties. They took their buys to the car but Mr. Ken said he wasn't through. He told the lads they both needed dress shoes. They then headed to the outlet stores which sold them.
Charles argued against getting more shoes but 'dad' Ken insisted he'd not only get them but he was also going to be getting a suit to wear as well. Mr. Ken took Charles into the Florsheim outlet store and had him try on some simple black shoes. Finding something that was plain but stylish the only thing left to do was buy some black socks.
It took most of the afternoon to buy the boys school clothes and the extras, such as, briefs, socks, shoes, aka sneakers, a light jacket, and a hat. Both boys balked at getting a hat but Mr. Ken insisted they have something to cover their head for when it is raining and for when the cold winds blow. Both lads picked up a baseball hat, even though Charles had one from his ball game, and they also got a knit type head cover for when it was cold.
With all the clothes bought, they headed to an office supply store for the much needed school supplies. With Charles going into the 7thgrade, the grade Robert finished last school year, it was easy to decide on his supplies. Robert told his 'dad' what he used and the man bought everything for his younger 'son'. The big question was what Robert would need for the 8th grade. The three Cover's walked the aisles and Mr. Ken would point to something he felt Robert needed and the teenager would either agree or disagree. It was a long and tedious process but when the three arrived at the checkout counter they had two small wheeled baskets almost full.
Mr. Ken felt good that they'd gotten the biggest hurdle of the 'Going Back to School' buying spree over with, and they hadn't run into loads of other people doing the same thing. Robert did see a few of his classmates at the same stores and they talked some but for the most part the afternoon was a complete success.
"Guys, it is almost dinner time. I told Momma Maria to take the afternoon off and so we need to decide where to go for dinner," spoke up 'dad' Ken.
"'Dad', can we go to some place other than Four Corners?" asked Charles.
"Why'd we want to do that, 'son'?" asked 'dad' Ken.
"Well, while you were gone, Mr. Dan took me to IHOP, Denny's and a place called 54th Street where they had lots of different types of foods. They offered sandwiches, soups, burgers, Mexican dishes, and they offered chicken and steaks. But best of all, it was different from always going to Four Corners," explained Charles.
"So, I take it you want to try something different for dinner. What about you Robert? You want to try something completely different for a change?" smiled Mr. Ken, at his teenaged 'son'.
Robert looked at Charles who had a big smile on his face so Robert agreed he'd like to try a different place. The next question was where they would go. They each mentioned a few restaurants' they'd seen as possible places to eat and then they discussed what they wanted to eat.
When Mr. Ken mentioned Sea Island for seafood, Robert asked if that was anything like what he'd seen on the commercials for Red Lobster. Hearing Red Lobster, Charles had to ask what that place was. Mr. Ken described different seafood entrees and since it was only Robert who had ever eaten seafood the lads decided to go to Red Lobster so Charles could find out what it was like.
It took the Cover's over 30 minutes to drive to the nearest Red Lobster Restaurant. Then, since it was already dinner time, there was a line so they had to wait for a table to open for them. Their wait wasn't all that long but for hungry boys any wait time feels like a long time.
"Guys, I want you to read over the menu and if you don't know what something is then ask me and I'll explain. Will that work for you?" asked 'dad' Ken.
Charles looked up at his 'dad' and asked, "Could you read the entire menu for me then. I have no clue what these dinners are."
After 'dad' Ken explained some of the platters for the lads, Charles decided to play it safe so he ordered the Hand Battered Fish and Chips knowing he'd at least enjoy the fries. Robert decided on the Shrimp Your Way platter that came with two selections. The teen chose fried shrimp and popcorn shrimp and he also got coleslaw and a small salad. Mr. Ken chose the Admiral's Feast which would be piled high with shrimp, scallops, clam strips and flounder. The lads got cokes and 'dad' Ken got coffee.
While the trio waited for their meals they talked about the shopping they just accomplished. Charles was ecstatic over all the new clothes he just got and he thanked 'dad' Ken for the fourth time since he selected everything he'd wear to school beginning next week. Robert also thanked his 'dad' for buying him all those new clothes but he wasn't over-the-top in joy.
Their waitress delivered some cheesy biscuits with butter and the lads carefully took one to try it. One bite and they were hooked and they asked for more once the basket was empty. It took about twelve minutes for the ordered meals to arrive but the boys thought it was more like a half-hour and they complained to their 'dad' about the wait.
When their meals finally arrived, the lads looked over at their 'dad's' large, overflowing plate of food and wondered what everything was. But the Cover kids had their own plate of food in front of them, so they each tasted what was in front of them. Charles first took a 'chip' before he tasted his battered fish. The fish was white and hot and the flavor was very mild. 'Dad' Ken told him to dip a piece in the white tartar sauce next to his plate and taste it that way. Charles loved the taste and from then on he was hooked and eagerly ate his meal.
Robert was more adventurous with his meal. He'd tasted shrimp before so he knew what he was getting. He eagerly dug in and chose equally between his two different shrimp selections. He used copious amounts of cocktail sauce and got the red all over his bib. Charles chuckled under his breath when he finally noticed what Robert had done.
Ken Thomas worked his way around his plate. He'd take a taste of one item and then move onto the next until he had tasted each one and then began all over again. Charles watched his 'dad' eat the different items on his plate and wondered what they each tasted like so he asked his 'dad' if he could taste each one. 'Dad' Ken inwardly smiled figuring Charles would be the one who would ask to try a small piece of each item on his plate.
Charles first tasted his 'dad's' shrimp. He took a bite with and without cocktail sauce. He liked it both ways. The lad's next selection was a piece of scallop with some butter. The lad purred after tasting it. Charles then tasted a clam but he wasn't too keen on the rubbery feel in his mouth but didn't discount having some in the future. Flounder was Charles last taste from Mr. Ken's plate. The lad dipped it into the tartar sauce and placed it into his mouth and realized it was similar to what he had for dinner. The end result was Charles liked everything that was on his 'dad's' plate and would probably order one or two of them next time they ate seafood.
After their waitress cleared their table, she asked if they had room for dessert. All three begged off. After Mr. Ken paid the bill and left a generous tip, the three Covers headed out to their car.
"Who has any room for ice cream?" suddenly blurted 'dad' Ken.
Charles, a smile on his face, looked at Robert who looked back with a big smile on his own face and together told Mr. Ken they both did. The man started the car and headed to their favorite ice cream store, Dairy Queen.
When the three Cove residents returned home, Chief greeted them like they'd been gone forever. She kissed all three and when her first master brought from behind his back a large cup of ice cream she turned circles before kissing Mr. Ken, again, and then eagerly lapped up the cold concoction. After she finished, she barked a few thank you's and kissed Mr. Ken one more time.
"See, boys … women still like to kiss me," said the man with a smile. The boys laughed at him and then hugged him for doing everything for them he had that day and then headed up to their rooms to take the tags off all their new clothes and put them into the laundry so they'd be clean for their first day of school on Monday.
Dan Fischer had been standing at the top of the stairs, on the bedroom level, and saw how everything unfolded. He smiled at what he saw and when the boys came up to go to their rooms he smiled at them and patted them on their backs as they passed him. The man then went down to the Study to talk to his host, Ken Thomas.
"From what I saw, it looks like the shopping spree went well and it also ended well as indicated by the way Chief thanked you for her ice cream," surmised Dan Fischer.
"Yes, you can surmise that but the dinner went equally as well," offered Ken.
"Do tell. It sounds like something good happened there," teased Dan.
"Yes, you could say that. What happened was we decided on Red Lobster, but Charles had never eaten seafood so the quandary was, would he like anything on the menu. He ordered the basic fish and chips and enjoyed it. When he was finished, he spied what was on my plate and he asked to taste everything there. I think I created a monster as he liked everything on my plate," now laughed Ken Thomas.
"And, that is a bad thing?" chuckled Dan.
As the two men talked about their day, it was Dan who told Ken he verified that Sheriff Barnes wasn't going to bring him back until after Labor Day. Dan told Ken he was relieved upon hearing that and was now looking forward to the awards ceremony tomorrow knowing he'd be back at The Cove and enjoying his recuperation. The two men laughed at that.