This is a short piece that is a take off from the story “Home”.  You do not need to read Home in order to follow this, but here is slight reference to the story.  There are no warnings, nothing explicit about it.

I do not own the characters, and there is no profit made off of them or this piece. 

Many thanks to my beta Lacy, Midland Storm!

JOHNNY'S TALK ABOUT THE BIRDS AND BEES - Ronnie

Murdoch cleared his throat, nervous about what he was going to say to his youngest son..  He was extremely uncomfortable, but knew that the moment had come to talk to Johnny about the ‘birds and bees’.  Murdoch didn’t know where the time had gone, but his little boy was now thirteen, and he needed to be educated about girls, and other things. 

Murdoch loved being a father, but as he sat looking into the innocent, deep blue eyes of his son, this was one subject he would gladly have skipped.  However, it was his duty and regardless of how difficult, he would make sure his son was properly informed about sex. 

Just thinking about the word made Murdoch blush.  This large man had, through determination and endurance, built up a formidable ranch of 100,000 acres, thousands of cattle, hundreds of horses, vineyards, orchards, pastures, but now he was scared to death.  How was he going to tell Johnny about girls and babies and where babies came from and how to control his urges?  Murdoch closed his eyes and grimaced as the word ‘urges’ went through his mind.  His little boy was going to have ‘urges’, if he didn’t have them already.  ‘My God’, he thought, ‘I can’t do this’.  But taking the bull by the horns, as he had done all of his life, he proceeded.

“Johnny, son,” again clearing his throat, “you remember when we were on our fishing trip a few days ago the subject of girls came up?”

Now Johnny was nervous.  He had wondered what his father wanted to talk about when Murdoch had stopped Scott and Johnny on their way to the barn.  At first Johnny tried to think if he had done something wrong since they’d gotten home from their fishing trip, but he couldn’t think of anything.   

His father had told him weeks ago to stay away from Georgia Kearns; Murdoch thought she was too forward when she had asked Johnny to kiss her.  However, it had come up on their fishing trip that Johnny had been studying with her.  Johnny thought he was now going to get a lecture from his father for disobeying him. What made it worse was that Johnny had tried to stay away from Georgia, but for some reason he was drawn to her. It puzzled and scared Johnny a bit.  He had always thought that girls were more trouble than they were worth, until they grew up to be ladies anyway.  Ladies could cook and make chocolate cake; they could even make the hurt of skinned knees go away, and he sure liked Maria’s touch when he wasn’t feeling good. 

But what could girls do? They ran funny, they screamed at bugs and frogs, and they couldn’t shoot a sling shot for nothing. They were always teasing you, or making fun of you. What was worse, when you teased them back, they’d start crying and get you in trouble with the teacher and parents. Until a few weeks ago Johnny thought that girls were just a part of life that God made to test boys, and he tried to stay away from them. 

Then things had started to change, and Johnny found himself looking at girls in a different way. He started noticing the color of their hair, how soft it seemed, how it could glitter with different colors when the sun shined on it. He studied how they walked different from boys, not so rough and hard. Their feet were smaller, in fact everything about them was smaller and somehow he liked that. Their smallness made him feel bigger, stronger and even important in some way he couldn’t explain.

When Kevin Smith, one of Johnny’s classmates, had pushed Molly Davis down at school and bloodied her nose, Johnny was immediately outraged. He raced up to Kevin and hit him in the jaw, splitting his lip. Johnny didn’t like Kevin anyway, he was a bully, but when Johnny saw him push Molly around, something snapped and Johnny reacted. No one was more surprised by it than Johnny. The teacher came out to the playground and demanded to know what had happened. No one said anything; it was an unspoken law that you didn’t tattle regardless of what happened.  The whole playground was silent, even Molly. It didn’t take long, however, for the teacher to note that Molly was dirty and crying, that Kevin had a split lip and Johnny’s knuckle was torn. She made sure Molly was okay, told Johnny to wash his hand and took Kevin into the school house. Johnny thought for sure he’d gotten into trouble with that one, but nothing had happened. Later that day Kevin was the one who had apologized to Molly, to the class and to Johnny.

Johnny looked at his father with a bit of worry in his eyes, which did nothing to alleviate Murdoch’s own trepidation about talking to his son about girls. He didn’t want Johnny to feel any embarrassment, and was trying to hide his own. Saying another silent prayer, Murdoch proceeded.

“Son, you’re getting older now, and I just thought it was time that we sit down and talk about girls and boys. Well, you’re getting older and, well, girls and boys aren’t the same.”

Johnny didn’t know exactly what his father was getting at, but it appeared he wasn’t going to get a lecture about Georgia. Relieved at that, he was now puzzled as he could see that his father was fidgeting a bit. He didn’t say anything, just let his father continue. 

“John, you’re getting older.” Murdoch paused.

“Yes, sir.” That was the third time his father had told him he was getting older, but Johnny didn’t think it a good thing to point out given the mood his father seemed to be in. 

‘Just get on with it,’ Murdoch thought to himself, frustrated that he was having such a difficult time. Perhaps he should have Sam Jenkins talk to Johnny. He was a doctor and could explain it so much better. ‘Coward’ came to mind and he quickly dismissed Sam.

“Well, son, as you get older, (Damn, he thought. Fourth time I’ve said older) you begin to notice girls. I mean, I’m sure you noticed them before, but then you notice them different when you get older. (That word again!)” Murdoch looked at Johnny, and his face showed thorough confusion. Taking a deep breath, Murdoch tried again.

“Girls and boys, women and men, are made different, Johnny. They were made different so they could complement one another. Do you understand that son?”

“No sir, not exactly. I mean, I know girls are different than we are, but don’t know what you mean by com, comple, well, don’t know what you mean by that word you said.”

“Complement, Johnny. That means enhance, um, to harmonize, to balance the other. Understand?”

“No sir.”

Murdoch ran his hand over his face, trying to find the right word. “What one doesn’t have, the other does, so they make life easier.”

Johnny bowed his head and thought about that statement for a minute. 

“Do you understand, son?”

“I think so, Pa. You mean like they can cook and men can chop wood?”

“Not entirely, son, because men can cook if they have to and women can chop wood if they have to.  Most men don’t cook as well as women though, and usually it takes women longer to chop wood than it would take a man.  Let me see if I can explain this a little better.”

Murdoch got up from the chair he had been sitting in and looked out the window.  He seemed to be in deep thought, then he turned back to look at his son. “Johnny, men for the most part, are stronger than women. Right.”

“Sure, Pa, I guess, although Suzy Thomas is awful strong. She can beat every boy in the class arm wrestling. She can even climb a tree faster ….”

“Okay, son,” Murdoch said, interrupting Johnny’s story, “but for the most part, men are stronger than women, physically. Would you agree? That’s why I told you to never, ever hit a girl.”

Johnny again took a minute to think about his father’s statement. “Okay, Pa.”

“So, when things need doing that takes strength, a man can do it.”

“But, Pa. Luella Pritchard says her Ma does all the work while her Pa watches. She says he’s got something called the bottle flu. I think she means he drinks too much, cuz no one else in the family gets sick. She says her Ma could throw her Pa across the room if she was of a mind to. I wonder if that’s why he drinks?” Johnny looked up at his father like he’d just discovered a valuable truth. 

“Johnny, Mr. Pritchard is not a man to be admired. And he isn’t like most men. Men need to provide for their families, that is one of the jobs they have.”

“But Mrs. Pritchard provides for the family. Does that make her wrong?”

“No, son. That makes Mr. Pritchard shiftless and Mrs. Pritchard strong.”

“So if Mrs. Pritchard is strong like a man, what is Mr. Pritchard?”

The conversation was not going the way Murdoch had hoped it would. He needed to bring it back on course, and at the same time make Johnny understand that men like Mr. Pritchard were not the way men should be. 

“Son, Mr. Pritchard is not doing what he should be doing as a man, as a husband and as a father, and Mrs. Pritchard is doing what she needs to do to keep her family fed. She cannot depend on her husband to do it, which is sad, but it sometimes happens. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. Sometimes Luella feels real bad about her Pa. She says that most of the time he’s too sick to do anything. And that her Ma is always tired.”

“I’m sorry to hear that son. But, let’s see if we can get back to talking about men and women. Okay?”

“Okay, Pa.” Johnny sat back in the chair and looked up at his father, all attention focused on him. Once again, Murdoch cleared his throat.

“So, son, men are usually stronger than women when it comes to heavy chores.  And men and women don’t look at things in the same way. Men tend to be more direct, more rough, they don’t always think about other people’s feelings like women do. Women are more careful about what they say, they aren’t as rough as men, and they’re gentler.”

“They’re softer too, Pa.”

Murdoch looked sharply at his son. “How do you know they’re softer, Johnny?”

“Well, you bump into one and they’re not as hard as when you bump into a boy.”

Murdoch decided to settle for that explanation without going further. But, he now realized they should have had this talk before this. Just how many girls was his son ‘bumping’ into?And was he ‘bumping’ into them on purpose or by accident. Johnny had that peculiar little smile on his face that he’d had when they had previously discussed Georgia, and her wanting to kiss him. 

“Johnny, a man and a woman, although different, were meant to be together. What one lacks, the other has. Men are strong, women are gentle, men want to provide for their family, women want to take care of children, but both men and women want children.” Now Murdoch felt he was heading in the right direction when he mentioned children. Now he could explain it to Johnny.

“When a man and a woman fall in love and they start their life together, they also want to have children together.”

“Like you and Ma, Pa?”

“Yes, son, like your mother and me. We fell in love, we got married, and then we wanted to have children. When two people love one another, they want to spend their entire lives together, so they don’t want to be with other people. You see, son?”

Johnny’s mind worked on that statement before he ventured, “But, Pa, Cip and his wife are around other people.”

“I know son, but that’s not exactly the same. I mean when a man loves a woman, he doesn’t want to be with another woman, and when a woman loves a man, she doesn’t want to be with another man. That’s the way it should be.”

“You mean when Mr. Bailey took up with Mrs. Taylor, and everyone was mad at them, don’t you Pa?”

“Yes, son. They did something that wasn’t right and it not only hurt Mrs. Bailey and Mr. Taylor, but their children as well.”

“Is that why they moved away, because people were mad at them?”

“Yes, Johnny. It was hard on their families, so sometimes men and women are attracted to or like one another and they shouldn’t be.”

“Okay, Pa. I understand. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about, because if we’re done, me and Scott were going to check out Miranda’s new foal..”

“No, son, I’m not completely finished. But, let’s talk about Miranda’s new foal. Do you remember when we brought that stallion down for Miranda so she could have a new foal, that she got that new foal when the stallion was with her?” Murdoch could feel his face turning red. He had bred thousands of cattle and horses before, had even talked about breeding which stallion or bull to which cow or mare in front of Johnny without embarrassment. But this was different; it was his son’s sexual maturity they were talking about, not which animal would produce the best offspring.

“Yes, sir, I remember. The stallion sure got worked up. Almost broke Hanson’s arm.”

“Well, when the stallion got with the mare, they had the baby foal.”

“Yes, sir.” Johnny wasn’t sure what his father was getting at.

“Well, that happens with men and ladies too, when they want children, after they fall in love and get married, that is. Then, they come together and have a baby.”

Johnny was horrified and it showed on his face.  “You mean, Pa, that men act that way to ladies?” In his mind, Johnny saw the stallion screaming and mounting the mare, and almost started crying to think his father had done that to his mother.

“No son, no.”  Murdoch ran his fingers through his hair and started pacing. That was obviously not the right illustration to use. “Men and women do not act that way. I was just trying to use an example of how babies are made.  But men and women love one another and are kind to one another. I just want you to understand that men and women shouldn’t want, or they shouldn’t make a baby before they are married.”

Johnny seemed to finally understand what his father was talking about. He looked reassured, and smiled at his father. “You trying to tell me how babies are made, Pa?”

“Yes, son, that’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

“Well that’s okay, Pa. Scott already told me.” 

“He what!” Murdoch didn’t think he heard correctly.

“Yes, sir. Scott told me about that stuff already. He was sure helpful, Pa. I was feeling kind of funny about girls and I asked Scott and he told me.  Are you upset?”  Johnny didn’t know why his father would be upset, but he obviously was. Johnny was afraid that somehow he had gotten his brother in trouble.  “He was real nice about it Pa. He told me about the differences, you know, how girls’ bodies and boys’ bodies aren’t the same. I didn’t understand at first, but he drew me some pictures.”

“He drew pictures!” 

“Yes, sir.” Johnny thought he should maybe stop telling his father how helpful Scott had been. His father was getting redder and redder all of the time. Johnny was just trying to help Scott, but felt he was getting him into real trouble.

“Did I do something wrong, Pa, with asking Scott? I don’t want to get him in trouble and he was real nice about it. I mean, we didn’t laugh or anything. Scott sure knows a lot about girls, Pa.” Johnny smiled, trying to make his father feel proud of Scott.

Murdoch was speechless. Johnny was being so sincere, and Murdoch knew him well enough to know that he didn’t think they had done anything wrong. He calmed down, for Johnny’s sake. 

“Johnny, did Scott tell you about marriage and children and not to do anything with a girl until you were married?”

“Not exactly, Pa. He told me he wanted to marry that gal he talked about on our fishing trip. He said she was real pretty and kind of did things with him he liked. He did say he wanted to marry her though.”

“Son, you know Scott was only 13 or 14 years old. You’ll find out that sometimes things are hard to control, but you do need to try to control them. You’ll understand soon what I’m talking about.  I don’t want you ever to force a girl to do anything, or talk her into something she shouldn’t do. You wait until you’re married, okay?”

“Yes, sir. I will.” 

“Well, son, I’m glad you talked to your brother. I think I’ll talk to him also, just to make sure he understands too, okay.”

“Sure, Pa. That will be great. If you have any questions I’ll bet Scott could answer them for you.”

Murdoch choked. “Thank you son, but I don’t think I’ll have any questions.” He took a deep breath and managed to smile at Johnny. “I tell you what Johnny, you and Scott can go see Miranda’s foal. I’d appreciate it though, if you didn’t mention our conversation to your brother. I want to talk to him a little later, but don’t want him to worry about it, okay.”

“Sure, Pa. But I didn’t get him into trouble or anything, did I?”

“No son. You did not get him into trouble. Go on now, go see Miranda’s foal. We’ll be having dinner soon, so don’t go any farther.”

“Okay, Pa. I’ll see you later.”

Murdoch watched his son go out the front door and immediately went to the liquor cabinet. He poured himself a healthy glass of Scotch, and sighed heavily after taking that first large gulp. So, Scott told Johnny about the facts of life. And just how much did his 15 year old son know, and what kind of experience did he have?  Murdoch couldn’t imagine Harlan talking to Scott about sex. Probably hired someone to do it, Murdoch thought. Scott was drawing Johnny pictures! The more he thought about it, the more worried Murdoch became. Obviously Scott had delved into the opposite sex more than Murdoch would have liked. He needed to find out how far Scott had ventured, and to make sure that there was absolutely no chance of little mistakes running around in the future. He took another long drink of Scotch.

One son down, and another one to go.   

Comments may be directed to sairy@sio.midco.net