Secrets 2: Looking Through Different Eyes

When we got to Barry’s apartment on Saturday, he was there with the same friends that were with him at the bonfire/pep rally and the last home football game.  We were familiar with them, although we didn’t know them nearly as well as we knew Barry, but we said ‘hi’ to each of them as we entered.  We then asked Barry how much we owed him for our share of the snacks and the beer, and as soon as he told us we handed him the money.

“Thanks.  I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about you two, so enjoy yourselves during the game.”

We all gathered around the TV and waited for the game to start, and each of us had a beer in hand – Coors of course.  What else would you expect us to drink?  Coors was founded in Colorado and it’s the main sponsor of the Colorado Rockies baseball team.  It’s also brewed in Golden Colorado, which is only 72 miles (116 km) from Fort Collins.   

We were both amazed and fortunate that Barry had a TV with a 60-inch (152 cm) screen.  “Did you steal this?” I joked. 

“No, it’s another gift from my wealthy grandfather.  He wanted to make sure I didn’t have any trouble watching the games and seeing all of the action, no matter if it was the CSU football or basketball team playing, or even a pro game.” 

“Tell him we all appreciate his generosity,” I added as we eagerly awaited the opening kickoff. 

It turned out to be another close game and the teams were very evenly matched.  It appeared that maybe CSU wasn’t as bad as we feared after the last game.  Maybe the team that had beaten us so badly was just far better than the rest of the league. On the other hand, possibly our current opponent was as bad as our team, but it seemed as if the CSU was getting better with each game they played. 

It quickly became apparent that both defenses were better than the other team’s offense, so we waited to see which team was going to pull it together first.  The score was tied 6-6 at the end of the first half, with each team kicking two field goals in the earlier action, and when the teams went to the locker room the rest of us began chowing down. 

Barry had ordered two different kinds of pizzas.  One type had sausage and pepperoni on it, while the other type had mushrooms and bell peppers.  I thought this was a little strange for a group of college students; at least until I discovered Barry was a vegetarian.  That probably explains why I hardly ever saw him at the dining hall.

He also had crunchy Cheetos and potato chips, along with a French onion dip, and there was a vegetable tray with two different types of dips: a garlic and herb dip and a creamy ranch dip.  The pizza was very tasty and we all pigged out until it was nearly time for the second half kickoff.  Then, we filled our plates again and grabbed another beer before heading back to the living room to watch the rest of the game. 

Both teams’ offenses looked a lot better in the second half and they actually began scoring touchdowns, but the winner wasn’t determined until the final minute of the game.  Our team was leading 21-20 at the time, thanks to the fact that they’d scored a two-point conversion after the last TD, but our opponents now had the ball and a chance to win the game.  We were all staring breathlessly at the screen as the other team lined up for a 44-yard (40 m) field goal attempt.  Before the ball was snapped, however, our coach called a timeout hoping to ice the kicker. 

I believe all of us, including the CSU fans in the stands, were holding our breath when play resumed.  This time the center snapped the ball and the holder placed it down perfectly as the kicker approached.  He struck the ball solidly with his foot and it rose into the air as it headed toward the goal post.  Our eyes were all glued to the screen as we watched the football sail just outside of the right upright and the other team failed to score.  When that happened, we all jumped out of our seats and began screaming with joy, because the CSU Rams had just won the game. 

“I thought we’d lost for sure,” one of Barry’s friends said as we began to calm down. 

“Yeah, I think we all did,” Barry agreed, “and I wouldn’t want to be the other team’s place kicker right now.  He’s probably the loneliest guy in the locker room.”

“I’m not so sure they should blame him, though,” I stated.  “As the announcers mentioned multiple times during the game, there’d been a fairly steady breeze blowing nearly the entire time, so I believe the kicker factored it in when he lined up for the kick.  However, just as the ball was snapped, the breeze suddenly died down and all of the flags in the stadium fell limp at the same time.  It was as if the sky was holding its breath too.”

“I don’t care how it happened,” Devin said with a huge grin, “I’m just glad we won.”

“I think we all are,” Barry confirmed.

We all stuck around and watched the game highlights as those analyzing the game discussed the various plays over and over again.  Devin and I were getting along really well with Barry’s friends and we enjoyed being with them, but we all eventually grew tired of rehashing the events of the game.  That’s when Barry changed the channel so we could watch another game instead. 

Before long, some of Barry’s other friends began offering reasons for why they had to leave, but they all thanked Barry for the great time before they walked out the door.  Devin and I remained behind after the last one left so we could help Barry straighten up, because there were beer cans and dirty plates lying all around the apartment. 

“Hey, thanks for staying and helping me clean up this mess,” Barry stated as we began carrying the various items out to the kitchen.  “They’re really nice guys, but they’re not very considerate at times.”

“Yeah, we understand and we thought it was the least we could do, since you were kind enough to invite us to join you.”

“And as far as I’m concerned, you’re welcome to join me for the remaining away games, because I know you’re not going to bail and leave me to do all the work.”

“Our moms would never let us get away with it, so we won’t do it to you either.”

“I’ve always liked you guys, and now I appreciate you even more.”

Once everything had been taken care of, we chatted with Barry for a while longer as we watched the other game.  When halftime rolled around, we thanked Barry for a great time and got ready to leave. 

“Wait, I’ve got a few things you can take with you.  I noticed that you two were the only ones besides me who were eating the vegetables, so I put half of what was left into a baggie for you to take with you.  Which dip would you like to go with them?”

“We liked all of the dips, so we’ll let you choose.”

“No, I like all of them too, so it’s your choice.”

“Ok, then we’ll take the ranch dip.”

“Super, and there’s a little French onion dip left too, so would you like that as well?”

“Sure, if you don’t want it.”

“Nah, you take it, and I’ll give you half of the second veggie pizza as well.  I’ll just move half of it into the first box and keep that for myself, since no one but us ate any of that one, but the rest of my friends devoured the other two pizzas.” 

“Yeah, we took a slice of each one at first, but when we noticed no one else was eating the pizza with mushrooms and peppers, we ate more of that one later.  We thought they were both very good, though.”

“Well, consider this your reward for helping me.”

We took everything he gave us and carried it out to the SUV, and then Devin drove us home.  When we got to the house, Devin asked a question. 

“Do you want to walk to the dining hall for supper?”

“Nah, I’m still pretty full, so I’ll just eat some more of this stuff if I get hungry later.” 

“That’s a good idea, and I’m definitely going to have to get out for a run tomorrow, because I’m feeling kind of bloated.”

“Yeah, me too, and I think it’s because of the beer.”

Devin and I sat around and chatted for over an hour, and then we got up to grab some of the leftovers from earlier.   When we were done eating, we talked about what we were going to do the following day, and then we decided to get ready for bed early, but not until after we’d made love. 

Once again, Devin merely transitioned into the taller version of himself when we did this, and I was happy that he hadn’t asked if I wanted him to transition into someone else instead.  As soon as we were done making love, we took a shower, brushed our teeth, and used the toilet, and then we cuddled together as we fell asleep. 

The next morning we got up and made a quick trip to the dining hall, and then we got ready to go out to the hunting camp again.  Devin said he needed a good run this time, so we spent nearly twice as long there as we usually did.  We saw the same two coyotes watching us during this time, but they didn’t do anything more than that.  And since there was just the two of them again, we began to question if that’s all there was in their family group.  Possibly hunters had shot the others, but that wouldn’t be very likely if they’d been staying at the hunting camp, since it’s posted.  It might also explain why they stayed there now, since they figured out they were safe as long as they remained at this location.  Anyway, as long as they didn’t attack us, we didn’t bother them either. 

After we finished running around, we went back to the cabin so we could transition and get dressed.  When we were done, we returned to the house and took a quick shower before heading to the dining hall for lunch.  After that, we hit the books and worked on the week’s assignments that we hadn’t completed yet. 

The farther we progressed into the semester, the harder things were getting.  Our professors weren’t showing us any mercy and didn’t ease up on their demands, so we were spending even more time studying and completing our assignments.  We were still making a daily trip to the dog park, though, because Devin said the worse things got academically, the more he needed to run.  We were also making trips out to the hunting camp on the weekend, but we weren’t staying for as long now, and we were even cutting back on how often we made love.  Most nights we were just too tired to do anything, so we’ll have to make up for it later, when we have a break. 

It had been a long and draining week and we were thrilled that we’d finally reached the weekend.  As we were walking back to the house, we saw Gramps’ SUV parked in the driveway and knew he and Pops were waiting for us inside. 

“It’s a good thing we remembered to get tickets for them to attend the game with us tomorrow,” I whispered to Devin as we walked up to the front door. 

“Yeah, I’m glad we didn’t forget to do that.”

As soon as we shut the door behind us, we heard Gramps speak.  “Damn, you both look as if you’ve just run a marathon.”

“If only it was that easy,” Devin replied, and then we greeted them.

“I take it the school year is more difficult than you were expecting?”

“Yes, the professors seem to be expecting more from us this year,” Devin replied. 

“Aren’t there some freshmen (1^st year) in your classes as well?”

“I’m not sure, but if there are they just have to be ready for the heavier workload than they might experience in their other classes.”

“I see, so maybe we can make things a little better for you, at least temporarily.  We’ll help you relax and enjoy the weekend, and we’ll start by taking you out for supper.”

“Thanks, and we’re looking forward to going to the football game with you tomorrow,” I responded.  “Just make sure that Devin and I don’t forget the tickets when we’re ready to leave, because our brains are more than a little fried.” 

“Ok, we can do that.  So, do you want to go to the steakhouse or Dominick’s to eat?”

“We had steaks earlier this week, so let’s go to Dominick’s.”

“Are you talking real steak or sirloin steak?”

“They were real steaks, and a pretty good cut at that.”

“Damn, you must be on the super deluxe plan at the dining hall to get real steaks,” Pops teased. 

“Oh, we didn’t get them at the dining hall.  A guy we met at the dog park gave them to us.”

“Oh, and I’m sure there must be a story behind why this guy gave you two steaks.”

“Yes, and we’ll tell you all about it after we order.”

We freshened up first, and then we all got in Gramps SUV.  After we ordered our meals, we gave them the abridged version about Bailey taking off and how Bear helped Preston find her.  Gramps and Pops laughed at Devin’s name as a dog, so I explained to them how he got that name. 

“We agree it’s a good fit in that case,” Gramps responded, “it’s just that we remember when he was calling his black Lab Duke.”   I think he said it that way just in case someone happened to be listening in to our conversation.

Devin then had an idea and told us about it.  “I was thinking that maybe you guys might want to go to the dog park with us in the morning.”

“We’ll talk about that later, when we get back to the house.”

We assumed they didn’t want to discuss it here and risk someone else listening in on our discussion.  I guess we should have realized this might happen, because even though the other customers were talking amongst themselves, a few might still be able to hear what we were saying.  Not only that, but the servers and bussers could probably overhear our conversation as well. 

Instead, we talked about the previous week’s football game and what the team’s chances were for tomorrow’s game, followed by the reasons why Devin and I were so frazzled.  When we finished our meals, we returned to the house and resumed our conversation about the dog park. 

“So, have you decided if you want to go with us tomorrow?” I asked.

“That depends.  Do you mean as ourselves or as dogs?”

“That’s up to you,” Devin replied.  “We’ve already figured out a way that Mac can take all of us there, if you want to transition first.”

“But we’ll have to go somewhere else where you can transition, if you’d prefer to go as dogs,” I added.  “We can’t do it here, because we don’t want to take the chance that the old witch will see a bunch of dogs coming out of the house.”

“Then let’s go to the hunting camp tomorrow, since we’ll be short on time because of the football game, and then we’ll go to the dog park on Sunday.  We’ll just have to make a quick run out to the hunting camp first so we can transition, and then we’ll go back there after we visit the dog park so we can transition back again.” 

“Ok, that sounds doable.”

We then decided to go to bed early so we could get a good night’s sleep and an early start in the morning, and Devin and I fell asleep quickly, since we were totally exhausted. 

When we woke up in the morning, I ran to the garage to grab an item first, and then we all got in Gramps SUV so we could make a quick trip to a fast food place to grab something for breakfast.  Although we wouldn’t usually do this, the timing was going to be tight and this was one way to save a few minutes.  Gramps said they’d take us to eat at a café they often frequented to have lunch after we left the hunting camp and before we went to the game. 

Once we finished eating our breakfast, Gramps drove us out to the hunting camp and we all got out of the SUV.  I retrieved the key from my pocket and unlocked the door so we could go inside and undress. 

“Is that what you went to get in Devin’s SUV before we left?” Pops asked. 

“Yes, because I didn’t want to get here and realize we couldn’t get in the cabin.”

“Wise move.”

Once we were all naked, I went outside first to look around and make certain that no one else was in the area, and then the others came outside to join me.  While they were transitioning, I locked up the cabin and hid the key, and then I transitioned and joined them. 

Devin led us out to the clearing so we could get in a good run before we left, and we immediately saw the two coyotes on the opposite side of the field, just along the tree line.  This time, however, there were two other coyotes with them.  I believe they must have figured out our schedule and were planning to attack us today, but there were now more of us as well, so they just stood there and stared at us as we started to run around.  When we got close to them, they quickly headed into the woods, possibly thinking we were going to attack them instead. 

After we got in a decent run, we went back to the cabin to transition and get dressed, and then I locked the cabin and we got in the SUV and left. 

“Have you seen those coyotes there before?” Pops asked.

“Yes, a couple of times, but there were only two of them the other times.”

“I believe they were planning to attack you today but they got scared off when they saw how many of us there were.”

“Yes, I’m sure that’s what happened, but we’ve been prepared to transition into bears since the first time we saw them,” Devin stated. 

“Good, but just be wary of them.  We may even come back here to kill a couple of them before we leave.”

“Is that legal?”

“Yes, as long as we have a small game license, and we’re allowed to hunt them any time of the year.”

“Ok, that’s good to know, and if they’re not there later, then maybe you can do it tomorrow after we get back from the dog park.”

“Yes, we’ll check to see if they’re still hanging around, and if they are Jacob and I should be able to eliminate at least two of them.”

We then made a quick trip back to the house to shower and put on our CSU gear first, and then they took us to the café to eat.  Pops made sure to notify the server that we were in a big hurry, and then we all went with sandwiches and a salad or soup, or even both. 

The meal was quite tasty and would hold us until after the game, and as soon as we finished eating, Gramps drove us back to the house and we left the SUV there.  We then walked to Canvas Stadium so we wouldn’t have to deal with the traffic before and after the game.  Once we reached the appropriate gate, we headed directly to the student section.  We even had a few minutes left to catch our breath before the game started. 

It was another good game and our team’s offense looked good right from the start, while the other team’s offense sputtered for a while.  That was probably due to how well our defense was playing, since the defensive squad looked really good. 

Just before halftime, Gramps asked if we wanted a drink, and then he and Pops went to get them.  He figured it was safe to leave before the half ended so he could beat the crowd to the concession stand, because our team was leading 14-0 at the time and they also had the ball again.  We offered to go with them, but they told us to stay there and make sure no one tried to move into our seats.

They returned well before half time was over and we were all chatting and enjoying our drinks when Barry suddenly appeared. 

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you guys because I wanted to invite you to sit with us.  Who are the older dudes you’re with?”

“This is my grandfather and great uncle,” Devin replied.  “They’ve been CSU fans for years.”  He then introduced them to each other. 

“I didn’t mean to sound rude by the way I said that,” Barry apologized to Gramps and Pops afterward.  “It’s just that I didn’t expect to see Devin and Mac with someone your age.”

“That’s ok, and we understand,” Pops replied.

“Gramps owns the house where Mac and I have been staying this year, so we get them tickets for a couple of games so they can join us when they’re in town.”

“That’s cool,” Barry stated, “but I’d better get back with the others I’m with before the second half begins.” 

“Are you sitting with the same guys that were at your apartment for the away game?” Devin inquired. 

“Yes, they’re good guys, even if they’re not as considerate as you two.”

“We understand and we enjoyed their company as well.  Mac and I would be happy to join you guys for any games that are left, except those when my grandfather and great-uncle will be here again.” 

“Super, then I’ll talk more with you about it when I see you on campus.”

We said goodbye to him and then we explained the situation to Gramps and Pops. 

“We watched the away game with him and his friends at his apartment last weekend.”

“He seems like a nice guy and we’re glad you’re making a few friends while you’re here,” Gramps replied. 

“And what did he mean about you two being more considerate than the other guys?” Pops asked.

“Barry had us all chip in for refreshments, but the other guys left their dirty dishes and empty cans in the living room when they left,” I replied.  “Devin and I stayed and helped him clean those things up, so he gave us some of the food that was left over.”

“That sounds like a fair trade,” Pops agreed.

“And like Barry said,” Devin added, “his other friends are all nice guys, just not always considerate.”

“I’m glad you boys were raised with better manners,” Gramps stated.

We then settled in to watch the rest of the game and it was just as entertaining as the first half.  In the end, CSU won the game by a score of 28-7, so we were all in high-spirits as we exited the stadium. 

“The team looked good,” Pops said as we were walking back to the house. 

“Yes, they did.  They appear to be getting better every week.”  

Once we reached the house, we got in Gramps’ SUV and they took us to a Chinese restaurant for supper.  We talked about the game and the team while we ate, and then on the way back to the house, Pops made a comment. 

“We thought we could all get up early in the morning and go out to eat before we make our trip to the dog park.  Afterward, we’ll see if we can kill some of those coyotes before they cause a problem for you boys, and then we’ll head home,”

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” Devin asked. 

“No, we both have to work on Monday and you boys will be getting back to your classes.”

“Yeah, ok. 

“What exactly is your business?” I asked.  “Devin never really explained what you did.”

“We own and operate the McCaskill Environmental and Wildlife Consulting Group, along with Devin’s father,” Gramps replied. 

“Uh, what kind of things do you consult about?” I asked.

“We report on the environmental impacts of logging, mining, and other activities near wilderness areas and we provide headcounts on various animal species to state and federal agencies.”

“And what do they use the headcounts for?” 

“The state uses them to determine how many hunting permits to allow for each species during the next hunting season.  The feds use the information to determine if certain species populations are declining, especially if they’re reaching the level where they’re becoming an endangered species.”  

“You mean you get a lot of business doing those things?”

“Yes, several other states hire us as well, because we get better counts than most of the other agencies, since we’re able to blend in with the wildlife and not scare them away.  We’re also able to determine the impacts that certain environmental changes might elicit, because we can judge how those changes would affect us when we’re in animal form.”

“Ok, that makes sense.” 

However, when we reached the house the conversation paused briefly until we got inside.

“Uh, do your clients know about your unique abilities?”

“No, they just understand that we get better results than everyone else.”

“Ok, but how do you explain why you’re more successful than the other guys?” 

“We just tell them that there are secrets that have been passed down to us from our older family members and we utilize those secrets to our advantage.”

“I guess that way they wouldn’t dare ask you what they are, and thanks, because I’ve always wondered what kind of jobs you guys had.” 

“Actually, we were hoping that Devin would join us after he graduates from CSU, but it seems he wants to be a mechanical and aerospace engineer instead.”

“Yeah, but I can always join you guys later, when I’m in my second or third life cycle.”

“Yes, that’s true, but Jacob and I were hoping you would do it sooner than that so the two of us could take it a little easier.  We may look younger than we are, but we’re getting older, especially me, and we wouldn’t mind sharing more of the workload with you and your father.”

“Oh come on, you’re not even middle-age for a skinwalker, so you’ve still got a long way to go.”

“That’s true, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to take it a little easier.  It’s difficult spending all of that time living like an animal and sleeping on the ground in all kinds of weather, and our wives would like us to spend a little more time with them as well.”

“Just hang in there a little longer, and then Mac and I can both join the company.  Just don’t rush us.”

“Ok, we’ll do it on your time schedule then.”