Charlie Jr. has worked in his Grandfather's Charlie Sr. and his Dad's Charlie II surf shop since he was thirteen. Now at the age of twenty-eight. His grandfather just passed a week ago. A legend for Ocean Beach. He won a Surfing Championship in Hawaii in the Seventies. He used the winnings to open Charlie Johnson and Son's Surf Shop. Charlie Sr pushed his son Charlie II to enter a few tournaments himself. Charlie II chose to focus on surfboard design and sales. With six of his friends, they started making surfboards. Owning a Johnson surfboard became a thing in the nineties. Then ten years ago he sold his design and name to a company that still produces them today, at over twice the price. They sell them in their shop, and it is still his dad's design.
It was the morning of the funeral. He was in his late seventies and had been very sick. Charlie's II, his dad told him on the way to the funeral he was now the son. In Charlie Johnson and Son's Surf Shop. The church was not that big and there was a line out the door. It truly was a celebration of his life. As they lowered his casket into the ground hundreds of people lit up joints. Mom had the windows down for three minutes before we stopped smelling it. Josy's Bar was next door to the surf shop and that is where everyone was told to go.
The had set up a buffet of hot dogs and a salad bar of hot and cold toppings to put on a hot dog. Grandpa drank Bud light, and that was on special two dollars a bottle or one dollar draft. My mom, dad and I were to sit at a certain table. One we got to the table dad made a take a seat and the other people eat first. Then Charlie II starts to freak out. It is like he has seen a ghost. Then dad asks me. Is that David Rebel form your high school?
Charlie turns to looks and that was when they made eye contact. Charlie stood in disbelief. As David crosses the room toward him. He had joined the Navy right out of high school. It was an idea my grandfather put in his head at the age of fourteen.
A flashback
Charlie and David were in middle school and starting ninth grade. Best friends and surfing every day possible. They would just paddle out and watch the older guys turn. We float, watch, give a score, and talk about family and guy stuff. We had sleepovers and due to wet suits, we saw each other naked a lot. It just was not a big deal. We were like brothers. Then grandpa caught us checking each other out. He gave us the gay talk. Then he admitted in the Navy he did gay stuff. Before he married Grandma. Then he talked about our parents finding.
By the time grandpa had finished David was ready to come out and Charlie was closing the door to a closet. The boys continued to explore. Just as predicted, the parents found out Charlie II overreacted, as did David's parents. As much as humanly possible the boys were totally cut off from seeing each other. David had stopped by to say goodbye before leaving for boot camp ten years ago. The two grabbed each other so hard to squeeze themselves into one person. That could never be separated again.
They did finally pull apart both wiping their eyes. David reaches into a satchel, handing Charlie something. It was a stack of letters. Grandpa had stayed connected with David the whole time. Updating him as to everything that was going on with Charlie, the surf shop. One letter was out of the envelope. Charlie opened it was a thirty second read. This is just of the letter...
I am dead if you are reading this, but I still love you. I wanted your dad to be a champion surfer like me. Your father chooses to design surf boards. This is me telling you to make your choice. Choose what makes you happy. I am pretty sure that is David, but I have been wrong before. I am sorry I did not advocate more for you two boys. This is permission to skip my funeral and do gay stuff with David. Hand this to your father and take it off.
The two young men go to David's apartment to pick up from where the left off fifteen years ago. Charlie II has a secret too. The change in his son after what had happened was devastating. Charlie's grades fell for a while, college was not going be an option. He worked at the surf shop and that was it. He had even stopped surfing long after high school.
Charlie II did not know how to fix what he did. He did not want to say it was okay to be gay. So, he said nothing. He too had lost someone, his son. Charlie's dad sold the design to set up a trust fund for his son to guarantee him a future since college was not an option. He seems to think if his son cannot have what he wants then why should I, my company? The idea was this would allow him time to fix things with Charlie. The two of them did start surfing again. They worked everyday today at the surf shop.
No one understood Charlie was not interested in anyone else. He went fifteen years without sex with another person. He was in fact a twenty-eight-year-old virgin. Well until last night. The two young lovers spent the next thirty hours naked, and about twenty-five of that in bed. 9 am on Monday morning the shop opens at ten. Charlie's Dad calls to ask how many there will be for breakfast and coffee. The answer was three.
David had just months left on his enlistment and off for thirty day. His plans were to move back home and make a life with Charlie. Which was what Charlie wanted too. The conversation was simple. Charlie's parents are planning to travel. The surf shop was his, They would like the boys to move into the main house and take care of it in their absence. Along the Surf Shop the own the building Josy's Bar is currently leasing for two more years. There is a trust fund for emergencies. Do whatever makes you happy son.
Charlie One Two & 3 - Story Time Blog
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