Well Wishes

Chapter 7
Longer Holiday

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Chapter Description: Shane looks forward to spending a long holiday weekend as a boy but soon comes to have some second thoughts about the situation.

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Shane made it halfway through the work week before the pressures got to him. In his work, he had always looked forward to the weekend. But, knowing that he could have the time of his life for no more cost than a dime, he wasn’t willing to wait until Friday evening.

He felt a little strange sending an email to a nine-year-old boy, but he didn’t want to risk calling Robbie’s house. What if Steve picked up the phone?

He sent the email before he left work and found a reply waiting in his in-box by the time he got home. Robbie agreed wholeheartedly to move up their plans to meet in the park.

He had spent most of his lunch break at the local mall shopping in the junior department. He chose shirts, jeans, socks and shoes, all kid-sized attire but more to his personal taste.

When he took the items to a cashier and handed her his credit card, she smiled and provided her own endorsement of his choices. "For your son?"

Shane was taken aback. "Uh...no..."

"Well, with these clothes, there’s still going to be a well-dressed little boy," she said as she rang up the purchase.

"You think so?" Shane asked, almost childish in his eagerness.

"Oh, yes," the woman said. She held up the small denim jeans. "My own grandson would love these jeans. And look! They’re on sale!"

Shane began to wonder if he’d made fashionable choices if this grandmother chose to praise his selections. Gifts of clothing from his own grandparents had always solicited from him no more than a perfunctory "thank you" on birthdays and at Christmas.

She started to scan one of his button-up shirts when Shane noticed the display of vibrant T-shirts emblazoned with action-packed images of super heroes.

"Wait," he said, taking the boy’s dress shirt from her hands.

He walked to the display and chose a Captain America T-shirt. "I think this would be better," he said.

The woman looked slightly disapproving, but kept her own opinion to herself. After all, the customer’s always right.

Now, in the privacy of his bedroom, he spread the boy’s clothing on his bed and looked at them. It still seemed almost like a dream...

He picked up the blue and red T-shirt with the image of a virile, muscular Captain America. "It’s so small!"

He recalled how large everything had looked to him. As he scrolled through his memories of his time as a kid, his thoughts always landed on how he felt in the company of Robbie’s father and his next-door neighbor.

As he flashed back on his shirtless teenaged neighbor, he felt himself stiffen beneath his dress slacks. His condition became even more pronounced when he conjured up the image of a shirtless Steve, damp and fresh from a shower, looking so overwhelming in his masculinity.

His fantasy flashback got interrupted, however, by a knock at the front door. He left his bedroom, making certain to close the door behind him. He walked slowly, trying to mentally force down the erection that had been growing in his pants.

So, he felt a shocking sense of déjà vu when he opened the door and found Jon standing in front of him. The teenager was wearing shorts and a green tank-top.

"Jon!" Shane exclaimed. "This is a surprise."

Jon looked a little nervous. "Hey, Mr. McIntosh. I saw your car in the driveway..."

Suddenly, Shane remembered. "Oh, yes! I owe you for the yard work."

Jon laughed. "Yeah, if that’s all right..."

"Of course," Shane said. "Come in. Let me get my wallet."

Jon stepped inside the house, and Shane closed the door. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Oh, no thanks," Jon said. He looked around, as if expecting someone. "Your nephew gone home?"

"My nephew?" Shane asked as he fetched his wallet from the bowl on the kitchen island that held it and his keys. "Oh, you mean Seamus?"

Jon shuffled awkwardly and grinned. "Yeah," he said. "Said he also liked to go by Jack."

"Well, he’s not here," Shane said as he opened his wallet.

"I didn’t even know you had a nephew," Jon remarked as he watched the adult man count out some bills for his payment.

"Well, I do," Shane said, not quick enough to censor the defensive tone in his response.

Jon nodded. "I liked him and his little friend... uh... Tommy, I think."

"Robbie," Shane said. "Uh, his friend’s name is Robbie."

"Oh, that’s right!"

Shane handed Jon two twenty-dollar bills. "Good work," he said. "I’m sorry I am so late with my payment..."

"No problem," Jon said. He folded the bills into his own wallet. "Seamus, I mean Jack, well, your nephew, he told me you have been very busy at work."

"Uh... just so you know," Shane said. "I think my nephew’s going to visit this weekend. I am sure he would like to see you. He told me how you let him help with the yard work."

Jon laughed. "I hope that’s OK. He seemed to want to help."

"Oh, perfectly OK," Shane said.

Jon flashed his perfect smile. "Great," the teenager said. "Tell him to say hello."

"Oh, I will make sure he does," Shane replied.

The next day, the hours at the office dragged so slowly. Every few minutes, Shane could not help but peek under his desk at the gym bag he had packed with his new boy-sized wardrobe. He could not concentrate on his work and ended up staring at the clock for most of the afternoon. Finally, the clock reached 4:30 and he grabbed the bag and was starting to leave the office when his manager approached him.

"Oh, hitting the gym today, McIntosh?" The portly 50-year-old manager inquired upon seeing the bag in his employee’s hand.

Shane bit back the obvious retort that Mr. Ferris would do well to visit the gym himself. "Yeah, was sort of hoping to leave a little early..."

"Yes, no problem with that, if you could just make these changes to the report I have to hand in to the brass tomorrow," Mr. Ferris said as he held out a blue binder.

"Awww, Mr. Ferris, I really want to leave early," Shane whined, shocking himself and his boss with the immaturity of his response.

"Just make the changes," his manager said in a curt, business-like tone.

Shane didn’t dare object again. "Sure," he said. He walked back to his desk and groaned when he opened the report and saw all of the revisions Mr. Ferris wanted added.

A half hour later, he ducked into his manager’s office. "Shirley," Shane whispered to the woman who worked as his manager’s secretary. "Here’s that report for Mr. Ferris."

She took the report. "Oh, I understand you’re taking a long weekend," she said. "Doing anything special?"

"Just spending some time with a friend," he answered. "Have a good weekend, Shirley. And just let me get clear of the building before you give that report to Ferris."

"Sure thing," she said and winked at him.

In his haste to get out of the building before Mr. Ferris could delay him again, Shane collided with a man in a blue uniform.

When he looked into the man’s face, he was so surprised he could not help himself. "Oh, Steve! Sorry about that."

"Do I know you?" Robbie’s father asked.

Shane almost blurted out that he was Robbie’s friend. The words were on the tip of his tongue. When he got control, he held out his hand. "I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Shane McIntosh in accounts receivable."

Steve shook Shane’s hand. "Well, good to meet you," he said. He removed his hat and scratched his head. "You play on the company softball team, right?"

"Yes, I do," Shane said.

Steve, mystery solved, smiled. "Yeah. You’re pretty good."

"Well, I’ll see you later," Shane said. "I mean, well, I will see you Monday. I’m taking a long weekend..."

"Oh, got big plans for the Fourth?" Steve asked.

Shane groaned inwardly. He knew Robbie would be waiting for him.

"I hope so," he said.

"Good for you," Steve said. "My youngest boy has informed me that he’s invited his little friend to spend the Fourth with us. Kids! What are you going to do?"

Shane laughed uneasily. "I don’t know..."

"Well, have a great Fourth," Steve said and walked down the corridor toward the security station.

As Shane hurried to his car, he could not help but think how odd it had been to see Mr. Williams on a level playing field. Then, getting into his car, he put his bag of boy’s clothing in the passenger seat and laughed. "Well, I’ll be seeing him from a different perspective soon enough," Shane said aloud.

Arriving at the park, he grabbed the bag of clothes, locked the car and headed directly to the wishing well.

He saw Robbie waiting on the bench near the well. He felt the supply of dimes jingle in his pocket as he tried to make a stealthy approach in order to surprise Robbie.

He actually felt strangely giddy about the chance to spend three days kid-size again. And, based on what Robbie’s dad has already let slip, it seemed that Robbie had arranged for him to spend the weekend at the Williams home.

Because of the holiday, Mr. Williams was going to be present night and day. He would get to see plenty of the big, handsome man.

Those thoughts reminded him how funny it was seeing him at work. There had been a second when Shane thought that Steve recognized him, but he brushed it off.

The other man was probably just taken aback by how friendly Shane had been.

It had certainly been sorta funny, seeing him from this perspective again — eye to eye, man to man.

He remembered the firm handshake they had exchanged not twenty minutes ago. Steve’s a very outgoing guy, as Shane had already learned.

"I wish we didn’t work opposite hours, would like to invite the guy for a beer sometime," Shane thought to himself.

With all these thoughts whirling about, he surprised the boy when he walked up and took a seat on the bench next to him.

He placed the gym bag on the bench between them. The first thing he noticed was that Robbie has had a haircut, which makes his ears look bigger.

"Hey, Robbie!" Shane exclaimed. "Whoa! Look who got their ears lowered!"

"Huh?" Robbie asked.

"Your haircut, dude," Shane said.

"Oh yeah..." Robbie said. "I should have waited.  We could have gotten haircuts together."

Shane could not help but laugh. "That would have been kinda cool."

Shane wanted to act casual, but he felt kind of antsy. "Hey, you wanna do this?" He asked.

Robbie opened his hand and showed two slightly sweaty dimes. "Yes!"

Shane smiled down at the boy, who was beaming from pride at having brought his own dimes. Without mentioning the dimes in his own pocket, Shane accepted one of Robbie’s coins.

They raced over to the well. By now, it has become almost a routine. Shane grinned and looked down at Robbie, who was such a short, little kid.

Though, he knew this height advantage wouldn’t last long. He made his wish and tossed his dime into the depths of the well. As if from far away, he heard Robbie do the same.

For some reason, the tingling started quickly and felt really intense. He had dropped down almost a foot in height before he even make it to the restrooms, his gym bag clutched in his right hand.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed as he stumbled to the bathrooms in clothes that had become way too big for him.

His loafers had tumbled off his feet in the grass in his wake. "I’ll get your shoes." Robbie offered.

He didn’t have time to even respond. He felt the gym bag grow bigger in his hand as he hurried into the restrooms.

He felt his pants and boxer briefs rubbing against his now teenaged junk. He managed to get into one of the stalls, grateful that it’s clean due to the newly-refurbished park

He lurched against the wall of the stall, still a little shocked at how fast his body changed. He open the gym bag and took out some of the things he bought at the store.

"Man, I guess we’ll have to figure out a better way to do this in the future," he said as he let his boxers briefs slide to the floor, pooling around his much smaller feet. He pulled his oversized dress shirt over his head without even bothering to unbutton it.

For the moment, he was left wearing nothing but the house key he had tied on a makeshift necklace.

"Shane, it’s just me," Robbie said from the other side of the stall door.

"Uh, a moment, Robbie," he said. "I’m changing into my clothes. That really happened fast!"

Robbie listened impatiently at the squeaky voice coming from the restroom stall.

"Wow! You already changed?"

"Yeah, way faster than before," he answered, laughing a little at the sound of his boyish voice. "I barely got in here in time."

"Good thing you brought clothes!"

"No kidding," Shane said as he pulled on the pair of tighty-whities. The boy briefs fit perfectly on his now much reduced frame.

Robbie, unwilling to wait, pushed the door open. "Come on out!"

"Hey!" Shane exclaimed. He blushed red and tried to shield the front of the tight briefs with his hands. "Can’t a guy get dressed in private?"

Robbie giggled and watched as his friend pulled on a pair of shorts and the cool Captain America T-shirt, all of it much better than that old stuff he had found in the attic.

He slipped on socks and shoes, and then tried to stuff his grownup clothes into the bag. They’re a little cumbersome for him to handle, but he managed.

Before he zipped the bag closed, however, Robbie handed him the pair of leather loafers that had slipped free of his feet as he dashed toward the restrooms.

"Thanks," Shane said, adding the large shoes to the bag.

"How do I look?" Shane asked, feeling better able to face Robbie now that he was fully clothed.

"Oh wow! Welcome back!" Robbie said.

Shane broke into a big grin, glad to see his best friend again

"Dude, you got so big!" Shane said in amazement.

"Really?"

"Well, seems like it, I mean," he said, a little confused. Why should Robbie look bigger? He would hate to think that something went wrong and made him smaller and younger than Robbie. But, no, that’s just some leftover adult paranoia. He chuckled at the thought of that.

"What’s funny?"

"I was just thinkin’ of something dumb," he said.

"What?"

"For a second, I thought that you were bigger than me."

He saw how Robbie’s eyes lit up. "Hey, maybe we could wish that some time."

"No," he cried, sounding more panicked than he meant to sound. "I’m little enough already!"

"Might be fun."

Shane gasped. He knew he ought to nip this in the bud. "Well, maybe next time, but not now," he said. "Look at me... I’m already pretty small, Robbie."

He felt his brow scrunch as he concentrated. "When I was nine before, I was a lot bigger than this," he said.

"Really?" Robbie asked in disbelief.

Shane knew that he had mentioned this fact to the other boy, but he must have forgotten.

"Well, I told Dad we’d be home soon," Robbie said. "He worked the day shift today, so he will have dinner ready. It’s hot dogs tonight!"

"Awesome!" Shane exclaimed in boyish excitement. He got even more excited, thinking of seeing Robbie’s dad. "Let’s go!"

When they reached Robbie’s home, however, they found an out-of-sorts Steve waiting.

"Robbie, where have you been?" Steve demanded. "I told you to be home by six."

"I’m sorry," Robbie said.

Shane stepped forward. "It’s my fault, Mr. Williams," he said. "I was late..."

"It’s almost seven!" Steve fumed, choosing not to let his son off the hook so easily. "Your brother’s already eaten and gone."

"You heard him," Robbie said. "It’s all Shane’s fault."

Steve frowned down at Shane, who suddenly felt very small in the huge man’s presence. His mouth gaped open, but no words came out.

Steve turned back toward his son. "Get upstairs, young man," he said. "Wash your hands and come back down for dinner."

"Yes, sir," Shane said.

"Not you," Steve said. "I meant Robbie."

"I should wash my hands, too," Shane said.

Steve kept a serious expression. "I think you better go back home, son," he said. "Maybe Robbie can visit with you tomorrow..."

"Dad!" Robbie objected. "Can’t he stay and eat?"

Steve looked down at the little boy. At least he was wearing some better clothes.

"I guess he can stay and eat with us."

"But... can’t I stay over, too?" Shane asked, sensing that his plans were unraveling all because stupid Mr. Ferris had insisted he stay late and revise that stupid report.

"Not tonight," Steve said, although he smiled down at him. "It’s nothing you did..."

"You want me to go home by myself?" Shane blurted out without thinking.

On the stairs, Robbie froze.

Steve issued a gruffly spoken order for Robbie to stay put. "Your uncle’s home, right?"

"His uncle’s out of town on business," Robbie said, thinking to be helpful.

"Out of town!" Steve said in a loud voice. "You mean you’re staying there alone?"

"It’s OK," Shane said. "I can take care of myself."

"You’re nine years old," Steve said. "I can’t say that I think much of your uncle leaving a nine-year-old boy home alone."

"So, can he stay here?" Robbie asked.

"Of course, he’s staying here," Steve said. "No way I am letting a nine-year-old kid stay alone."

"What?" Shane said. "I can’t stay here the entire weekend. I have to get back to my house... I mean my uncle’s house."

"Not until your uncle’s back from his trip."

"But..."

"I probably should call him, too. What’s his number?"

Shane’s mind raced. He could not believe how Robbie had landed him in such a predicament.

"His number?"

"Yes, you do have his phone number?"

"Oh, yeah, sure I do." Shane remembered his brother’s message about being in North Dakota.

"Sure," he said, and he recited the number as Steve punched each digit into his cellphone.

As Shane had gambled, Steve only got voicemail.

He grunted in disapproval, but then proceeded to leave a message.

"This is Steve Williams, the father of one of your nephew’s friends. I have your nephew here at my house, and I intend to keep him here until you’re back in town. Call me."

Shane listened in dismay as Steve recited his phone number for the message. But, even if his brother got the message, he knew that he would assume it was some crazy mix-up. After all, he didn’t have any nephew.

It might make things more complicated later, but it bought him some time. He was lost in thought when Steve swatted the seat of his new jeans.

"Now, you guys scoot upstairs and get washed up," he said. "I’ve kept the hot dogs warm on the grill."

Shane found himself enjoying immensely the novel experience of seeing everything so big again. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he ran up the stairs, with Robbie following close on his heels.

"This is so cool, Robbie!" Shane said as they both stepped into the bathroom. Shane looked in the mirror, once again surprised but enchanted by his own boyish reflection.

He stretched out, turned on the water, grabbed the soap and lathered his hands. He quickly rinsed them under the water and made a cursory show of drying them on the towel on the rack.

"See you downstairs, slow-poke," he jabbed at Robbie.

In no time, he was back downstairs and dashed onto the patio.

"There’s our guest of honor," Steve surprised him as he grabbed him into a big hug.

Shane felt smothered in the crushing hug. He smelled Steve’s strong cologne and something else.

The hug continued, as Steve didn’t let go right away.

"Hey, Mr. Williams," he cried in excitement. "You’re crushing me!’

"Oh, am I?" Steve twirled the boy in his arms and laughed his hearty laugh as he scooped the much-smaller Shane off his feet.

"I thought that Robbie was a little thing until he brought you home," Steve said. "You’re light as a feather, son."

Steve’s rumbling voice passed right through Shane as he screamed in delight whenever the muscular man tossed him about in his arms.

Far too soon, Robbie showed up and looked disapproving. "Dad!" He complained peevishly. "Put him down."

Steve, laughing, relented and placed Shane back on the floor, although for good measure he ruffled the boy’s hair.

"You kids hungry?"

"Yes!" Shane screamed.

The boys seated themselves at the picnic table while Steve prepared their hotdogs. "Everything on it?" He asked Shane.

"Just chili and mustard, please," Shane said.

Finicky Robbie wanted just mustard. Both boys quickly disposed of the hotdogs as well as a mound of potato chips. Steve provided seconds, although two hotdogs proved Shane’s limit.

Steve, who finally joined them at the table with three hotdogs of his own, teased his guest. "One more, Shane?"

"Oh no!’ Shane gasped. "I feel like I’m gonna bust. My stomach’s so full."

Steve laughed. "What about you, son?"

"No, I’m full," answered Robbie, who had only managed to finish his one hotdog.

Shane sat very still and watched, in awe, as Steve demolished the huge plate of food. He popped the tab on a beer, as well, and chugged half the can.

Shane looked down at his can of soda and found he wished he had his own beer.

"You know, Mr. Williams, my uncle sometimes lets me have a sip of his beer."

Steve grunted. "Your uncle sounds like a very lenient guy," he remarked, not bothering to conceal the disapproval in his tone. "Leaving you home alone and letting you drink beer."

"Just a sip." Shane said, trying to backtrack now that his ploy had backfired.

"I wonder how much your father knows about your uncle’s leniency?" Steve said.

"It’s OK," Shane lied meekly. "I don’t really like it."

"Good," Steve said. "You’re way too young for beer."

Shane felt personally stung, unhappy at how bluntly Steve now pointed out that he was too young. Earlier, the big man had also noted how little Shane was, even compared to Robbie.

He might have nursed his resentment, but Robbie suggested they go play video-games. Shane relented and joined Robbie in the den as Steve cleared the patio.

They had gotten quite competitive, and Shane felt thrilled that his own dexterity with the games had improved. So, a sudden unwelcome intrusion only added to the way his much anticipated evening had gone downhill.

"Hey, shrimpo," Keith said, barging into the den. The 13-year-old was big for his age while his brother was slightly small for his own age.

Keith wore a pair of cargo shorts and a black T-shirt. He wore sneakers but no socks.

"You and your shrimpy little friend need to beat it," Keith proclaimed, throwing himself into a plush recliner. "I want the television."

Shane felt an uneasy knot of fear in his stomach. The memories of his humiliation in front of this big kid rekindled in his mind.

"We were here first," Robbie said glumly.

"So?" Keith got out of his chair and walked toward them. He grabbed the game controller from his younger brother’s hands.

"Give that back!"

"Not gonna happen," Keith said. As he sneered down at them, recognition showed in his eyes.

"I remember you," he said.

Shane felt a blush spread on his cheeks. He wanted to aid Robbie in defense of their right to remain in the den, but he found himself too intimidated by the boy’s much bigger brother.

"At least you found some pants," Keith said with a smirk.

"Don’t bother him, Keith," Robbie said.

Keith responded by grabbing Shane by wrapping a hand around his elbow. Just like on the night he had first been changed by the wish, Shane found himself helpless to withstand the bully.

Keith twisted his grip around Shane’s elbow, grinning when he forced a cry of pain from the boy.

Shane felt very relieved to hear Steve’s masculine voice as the adult man demanded an explanation.

"Keith’s being his usual rude self," Robbie said with spirit.

"Keith, let him go," Steve commanded.

Keith didn’t hesitate. Shane rubbed his sore elbow and looked gratefully toward Steve.

"Robbie, you and your friend should go upstairs," Steve shocked him. "It’s well past bedtime."

"Dad!" Robbie started to protest.

"Now," Steve said firmly.

Robbie led the way, and Shane followed. Outside the den, Robbie complained how his dad always let Keith get away with everything.

"He didn’t hurt you, did he?"

Shane, still rubbing his elbow, found that a watery mist blurred his eyes. "No," he cried. The unexpected tears shocked him, as did Robbie’s response.

"Don’t let him get to you," the other boy advised.

Robbie opened the door to his room, and Shane ducked gratefully inside the room.

"I’m OK," he tried to say bravely, but then burst into tears. His emotions seemed haywire and beyond his control.

Robbie surprised him by giving him a big hug. It wasn’t like the overpowering hug Shane had enjoyed earlier with Steve, but he felt comforted all the same.

"Keith’s just a jerk," Robbie said.

Shane finally rubbed his damp eyes with the back of his hands. "I don’t know, Robbie. It’s tough being a little kid..."

"But tomorrow is the Fourth of July!" Robbie said. "We’re going to have so much fun."

"Maybe we should go back to the park and wish me back to normal," Shane said. "Your dad just thinks I am a stupid little kid."

"So?"

Shane sighed. He didn’t know how to explain to Robbie how humiliated he felt when Steve treated him like a kid or how embarrassing it was for him to feel afraid of a 13-year-old kid like Keith.

"But I’m not a kid," Shane finally whispered in response.

"But it’s the only way we can be friends," Robbie said. "Can’t you just stay a kid this weekend?"

Shane felt fatigued. He yawned. "All right. I’l sleep on it..."

The yawn was contagious. After a big yawn of his own, Robbie added, "Besides, we can’t visit the wishing well in the middle of the night."

Shane realized his friend was right. He settled quickly into the top bunk and soon fell asleep.

 

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