The Academy - 10

Chapter X - Easter and Commencement

Easter was a big deal at the academy.  There was no Spring Vacation, but cadets who lived within a day's travel from the campus could opt to go home for the holiday.  Otherwise, there was a chapel on Maundy Thursday evening, no classes Good Friday but mandatory attendance at the three hour service beginning at noon, a huge festive service on Easter Day, and a school holiday on the Monday in Easter Week.

Hardcastle opted to stay at the academy.  He didn't let his father know that he might come home.  He was coming to appreciate the formality and comfortable predictability of the worship at the academy.

His father had really given no thought to the religious aspects of attending the academy.  It was nearby.  That's what counted.  It was non-denominational, allegedly.  And Elbert had accepted his Lord and Savior during the "invitation" on the previous Easter.  Jerimiah's little church didn't have a baptistery, so Elbert and his fellows had been immersed in the little river that flowed near the church, just like the Lord had been baptized at the hand of John the Baptist in a river.  There was no chance that Elbert would stray.  He had been saved.

Hardcastle was aware that there was a branch of the Baptist denomination called "Primitive Baptists." They believed in foot washing.  The Southern Baptists, with whom his father's church was affiliated, thought that was not the sort of thing that the saved needed to be involved in.  Yet on Thursday night, Hardcastle heard the chaplain say that although the Lord's Supper was instituted, the "maundy" or "command" that gave the day its name was about washing feet.  He invited cadets, who wished to, to come forward and have their feet washed by him.

Not many did.  Showing that you were religious was not hip at the academy. But Hardcastle was intrigued.  He did come forward.

Of course, his piety did not inhibit his cohabitation with Lindstrom after chapel and before lights out, an example of a travail that has afflicted the religious from time immemorial.

Likewise, the endless turmoil on Friday of having to stay in chapel for three whole hours had an effect on Hardcastle.  While most of the cadets spent from noon 'til three fantasizing about everything from sex to sports, Hardcastle listened.  He came away with a realization of what it must be like to suffer that he'd never had before.

After chapel, he had a session with Bascom.  Hardcastle was no longer a punk.  It felt good that he could stand up to anybody on the wrestling team.

After their workout and while they were showering, he thanked Bascom for everything he'd done.  Bascom responded that there was another way he'd like to be thanked and they were alone after all.  He moved under the same shower head with Elbert.  Elbert knew what to do.  He got on his knees and took Bascom's dick in his hand.

"Yeah," Bascom whispered.  "That's the way to say `thanks.' Taste that motherfucker.  You've got to be getting it on with Bare-backed."

Elbert took the sixth former into his mouth as the water cascaded onto both their bodies.  He sucked eagerly.  He was a totally different person from the naïve loner that had come to the academy seven months before.  As he gave Rory head, he wasn't embarrassed, didn't feel sinful or ashamed.  He was just saying "thanks" and in the process just giving and receiving pleasure.  And he gratefully drank Rory’s offered up cum that spouted from the older cadet's fuck tube.

"That was good" Bascom said.  "We gotta do that again." They did.  On Monday.

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Unlike Hardcastle, MacMillan had gone through the Holy Week rituals for as long as he could remember.  When he was twelve, he had been confirmed by the Bishop of Georgia, making him a full member of the Church.

This year, however, his hostility to his parents caused him to resent having to do his Holy Week duties.  He certainly didn't participate in the washing of feet, and even gave thought to not taking Communion.  And he spent the whole chapel on Friday scratching his balls and thinking about Jack and Mark Murphy and how he could get with them without his parents knowing.

The problem was resolved the next day.  He got a letter from his mother saying that although his father was adamant about his friends, she wouldn't tell on him, if he chose to associate with them when he came home. And that was the end of that problem.  He was glad that he’d voiced his displeasure with his parents.

Easter Day was glorious.  The weather was chilly but there was not a cloud in the sky.  The chapel was crammed with visitors.  The service included brass fanfares and all the familiar Easter Hymns.  And a much happier MacMillan participated fully in the liturgy.

Easter Dinner included Roast Leg of Lamb, a fancy rice dish with mushrooms, and artichokes.  It was the first time Hardcastle had ever eaten lamb.  Back home they always had ham on Easter.  First time for artichokes too. An older cadet had to show him how to eat them.

Monday being a holiday, predictable activities (sex) took place in most of the rooms.  After his workout with Bascom, Hardcastle also got together with his special friend in one of their hiding places along the lake.  The temperature had moderated nicely.  It was interesting that although the sex was as great as ever, their emotional attachment was becoming much less intense, as they both became more promiscuous.

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As Spring moved toward summer, the term began to wind down.  The big emphasis was on the military drills that would provide the highlight of Commencement Day.  The ceremonies were held at the football field, where the bleachers were large enough to seat all the spectators.  Each company would pass in review, and there would be demonstrations of various kinds.

Awards would be given for success in various military pursuits and the appointments of next year's cadet officers would be made.  Following the military ceremony, the graduation exercises would take place within the context of an outdoor chapel service.

There was a great deal of practice for all of the commencement events along with study for final exams.  Less time for fun and frolic, but whatever did go on was much more enthusiastic and passionate, not just a fast game of tag, so as to speak.

The great day arrived.  Every shoe was polished.  Every button was shined. Every uniform was pressed.

The review was taken by Rear Adm.  Wilson Brown, Superintendent at Annapolis. He was a good friend of Col.  Southerland.  The academy tried to get a high ranking active duty military officer to participate in commencement each year.  The cadets made all the parents proud as they marched and turned "eyes right" at the reviewing stand.  The demonstrations were also spectacular.

Hardcastle's parents had been brought "kicking and screaming" to the ceremony, but both they and their son were shocked and pleased when he was honored for making the greatest progress in military and sports performance.

After the cadets had marched off and taken seats in the "Visitors bleachers," the graduates were formed up, and the chaplain began the service.  The diplomas were awarded.  The forms were promoted.  And there was a lusty rendition of "Master of the Eager Youth," accompanied by the drum and bugle detachment.  The year ended as it had begun.

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EPILOGUE: That summer was the last "normal" one for any of the cadets at The Robert E.  Lee Academy.  Shortly after their return from vacation on September 1, 1939, the War in Europe began.

Elbert Hardcastle found that military school had served its purpose.  For the first time in his life he was accepted by other boys back home.  On the other hand, his father discovered that becoming a regular guy had a downside.  Not long after coming home Elbert dropped something on his toe and his family heard a stream of obscenities that in current parlance "would make a sailor blush."

Fortunately, The Reverend didn't find out the other things his son had learned to do, and in view of the honor bestowed on him at commencement, Elbert was allowed to return to the academy and remain until he graduated.  He and Herbert Lindstrom remained best of friends.

Creighton MacMillan spent a pleasant summer with his friends without his father's knowledge, and returned to graduate in 1941 at the top of his class.

For Richard Gunnerston, military school did not serve its purpose.  So he remained gay, active, and happy.

Wallace Spencer became a proud member of the Corps of Cadets at West Point.  John Witherspoon a plebe at Annapolis.  Both graduated in three and a half years, due to the United States' entry into World War II.  Spencer remained in the army and retired as a Brigadier General. Witherspoon was a Commander serving on the USS Missouri at the end of the war and participated in the Japanese Surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay.  He left the service but was recalled during the Korean Conflict, and served on the staff of the Commander, Sea Coordination Center in Pusan.

The nation's first peacetime draft started in September of 1940 but affected only men twenty-one and over.  With the attack on Pearl Harbor, Carol Barefield, now a college sophomore, joined the navy.  The following winter, his destroyer, escorting an Atlantic convoy, was torpedoed by a Nazi U Boat.  All on board were lost.

Rory Bascom was drafted, rapidly promoted to sergeant, participated in the North Africa campaign, and received a field promotion to lieutenant.  Wasn't all that non-military after all.

Baumgartner did receive an appointment to West Point.  Didn't see action until the Korean Conflict.  After that, was assigned to diplomatic duty in London, and married an English girl.

Calhoon was drafted.  After Basic was sent to D.C. and became an intelligence analyst.  After the war, he returned to Kentucky, attended college under the G.I.  Bill, and ultimately became the U.S.  Congressman from the Second District.  He married a young lady from his home town.

Of the Robert E.  Lee Class of '44, Gunnerston was determined to be unfit for service.  Hardcastle and Lindstrom were both drafted.  Lindstrom remained stateside.  Hardcastle fought in the Battle of Okinawa and was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor.  Neither he nor Lindstrom ever married, but never got together again.

THE END