4CONTEMPORARY TV FICTION

crash and while life insurance paid off their home mortgage, the rest of their assets were wiped out in the recent stock market crash, I mean "ADJUSTMENT.

All this took a terrible toll on Wayne. Once a care free, "try anything once" guy, suddenly just earning enough money to survive became his main aim in life.

The turning point in Wayne's life came in late March of our senior year. Spring Break just started. With kids out of school, he couldn't wait to work at his counter job at the soda shop.

"The tips will be GREAT!" he cheered as we walked home from school. "I can almost hear my college fund GROWING!" He was never jealous of my "free" ride just because I was BIG. He was happy for me unlike some of my "friends".

Arriving at his house, we had an afternoon snack. As we munched on milk and cookies, his Mom came into the kitchen. "WAYNE! Thank goodness you're home!" she sighed. "There's something VERY important we must discuss.'

Sensing trouble, I began to leave. "Stay, Ron," Georgia Carr smiled. "You may want to go, too." Baffled, I plunked back down on the chair.

"Wayne," she said, "Rachel has modeling try outs tomorrow and I'm working all day."

"So I have to take her?" he angrily squawked in his natural whiny voice. "But, MOM, I got to work TOO! I can't..."

"You WILL! Family comes first, young man. Your sister's been practicing for this event for weeks!"

Rachel was Wayne's younger sister by a year. They stood the same height and as kids were the spitting image of each other. But at adolescence things changed.

Rachel, mirroring her paternal, "Anglo" side, kept her adorably petite button nose. Thanks to braces, her smile flashed perfectly straight teeth. But by sixteen, she had rounded out in all the RIGHT places and her figure was truly voluptuous!

Taking after his Mom's Greek heritage, Wayne's teeth gaped and his big shnoz was slightly hooked. But did it really matter?

"FINE!" he grumbled, "I'll call in late and take her."

He hadn't asked, nor did I volunteer to tag along. Ogling bevies of teenage girls intrigued me, yet I worried about what the other guys would say.

"Rachel OWES me!" Wayne fumed, glaring into his empty milk glass. "I EXPECT compensation. A day's pay. . .plus TIPS!"

BOSOM BUDDY -5

Needless to say, I didn't go with Wayne. Instead, I helped my Dad with heavy chores. But Wayne and I had plans for later that evening.

But by seven o'clock I still hadn't heard from him. Concerned, I phoned his house.

"Wayne can't talk right now." his mom curtly answered. "Unfortunately, we're having a family discussion." I heard a quarrel!

An hour went by and I decided to walk over and see what was up. I figured any fight ought to be over by then. "I HATE YOU!" I heard Rachel loudly weeping as I approached the front door. "That rightfully belonged to ME!" "I didn't DO anything! I swear!" Wayne barked back. "I just sat there...She picked ME. This is CRAZY!"

I never heard such an outpouring of rage come out of the Carrs' home. Whatever was going on had to be BIG!" I left without knocking on the door.

The next morning I called Wayne again, but got no answer. I tried and tried all day, but no one seemed to be home.

On Monday, while coming home from football conditioning, I saw Wayne and his Mom drive into their garage. "HEY. ..WAYNE!" I shouted, but he apparently didn't hear me.

Hurrying home, I showered, grabbed a bite and rushed across the street. Still buttoning my shirt, I knocked on the door. "RON!" Rachel smiled, letting me in. "We're just starting lunch...You're welcome to stay.

"Thanks, but I ate. Is Wayne around?"

Ginning impishly, she called with a patronizing tone, "WAYNE! RONNIE'S here!"

"Set the table, Rachel!" Mrs. Carr scolded. Then smiling at me, she said, "Make yourself at home, Ron, he'll be right down.

Just then, I heard feet bounding down the stairs. "R. .Ron?" Wayne stammered, stopping midway along the rail. "Wh...why are you here?"

"To see you, buddy. Believe it or not, I missed your sorry face all weekend. Where the heck have you been?"

"Well.. .I. . .ah.. .You see," he faltered, turning red with embarrassment. "It's just..."