Meet Michael and Teddy

	Jo A. Fulkerson
	HELLO, Friend. Thanks So Much For Looking In.

FOR LOVE OF TEDDY TO BE RELEASED!
This is the story of a high school senior who takes on drug dealers ... and WINS!
My goal is to reach at risk kids and teens who, unfortunately, have NO ONE else to turn to.
It's a story that I'm especially proud of because it is an inspiration to young people today. It shows that young people CAN make better lives for themselves. It also shows young people that they can use their own wits to overcome the problems that today's society throws at them.
Starting a revolution against drugs ONE PERSON AT A TIME.
I am joining in a fundraising promotion on this book and I invite everyone who wants to help young people in today's world. You can help this cause with purchases made on the following website -
http://www.promofundraising.com/promo5748
You'll find an amazing array of things almost everyone can use ... AND ... you will be helping to sponsor these books and sponsor hope for kids and young people
OR . . .
If you would like to just make a donation to help sponsor these books for our youth, you can do that, too.
Whether it's a dollar or two or more, YOU can help get this novel out there and YOU can help today's young people make more of their lives than they might otherwise accomplish. I feel very strongly in using books of this nature as a tool to reach young people and help turn their lives around, and I hope you might join with me in this endeavor.
This is the first of such novels to be written and published. Others to come will involve the problems which come out of broken homes, child abuse, and many other categories which challenge our youth.
Check out the following blogsite to see how YOU can help make a difference -
http://DesertMelody.blogspot.com and bless you for helping MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Sneak Preview

                                       CHAPTER ONE
     From the large, fenced pen set back from one of the goal posts, two Pinto mascots eyed the crowd gathering for Dos Pintos High School's bid to win New Mexico's AAAA championship. Keeping his focus on the teenagers meandering near him, one Pinto gnawed at a string which held a banner: "Mustangs Rock". Until now, Dos Pintos' only claim to fame had been the old Indian legend from which the town got its name. The story went that two children of a family of early settlers came down with an illness from which they did not recover. From a herd of mustangs which remained wild and never allowed any kind of contact with humans, two younger members of the herd came down and remained near the family's meager farm. The Mescalero Apache Indians believed that the sppirits of the children had gone to rest in the two paint horses who deserted their herd to remain close to the vamily. Visiting Spanish soldiers dugged the small ranch "Dos Pintos" and as the town grew, the name remained.
     The bleachers on both sides of the football field were rapidly filling with excited local parents, faculty, and townspeople. Wrapped up for the crisp, clear autumn night and hyped because their team was finally a powerhouse, the adults began to think that maybe the small high school could win two championships once the basketball team took its place in the spotlight.
     Being a huge basketball supporter, George Eagle of Apoache Fishing & Hiking Supplies, readily joined in. "Now there's a real basketball star, Michael Kirkpatrick. See him? Next to his brother, the short guy that looks like football's in his future? How can you miss Michael? He's taller than all the kids. Look. Right next to the snack stand."
     At 6'5", Michael did tower over everyone, including his 5'10" brother, Teddy, who bested Michael's weight by about 15 pounds. Finishing off hotdogs and sodas as they walked to the sidelines, Michael tried to spot the arrival of his long-time friend and now girlfriend of two years, Kelly Lambert.
     Teddy checked out the band forming up on the far end of the field, ignoring the cheerleaders loudly trying to get chants out of the clueless adults in the stands, and hoped to see the team emerge any second from the locker rooms nearby. A muffled neigh floated down from the mountain beyond. Teddy jerked his head around, trying to find the horse that called.
     "Did Dad like football, Michael?"
     Michael had heard the distant neighing, too, and, knowing his younger brother as he did, he could read the off-the-wall thought going through Teddy's mind. "Teddy. that was not Dad you heard."
     "I know that, Michael." But Teddy did not sound truly convinced of that. "But did Dad like football? Will he watch my games from heaven when I play?"
     Michael just shook his head. How in the world should he answer? Teddy loved the legend of Dos Pintos. To a boy of limited mental capabilities with concentration problems that made even special education classes a chore, imagining his father watching over him made life a bit easier for Teddy. Losing their father to a heart attack when they were young had been devastating for both boys and their mother. Michael imagined that Teddy kept his father near by extendiung the Dos Pintos legend to include a great stallion housing his father's spirit.
     "Did you hear me, Michael?" Teddy's words broke into Michael's thoughts. "There's Kelly over there."
     Kelly grinned at seeing Teddy waving eagerly. Her honey blond hair bounced in its usual ponytail as she weaved through ther milling crowd of teenagers.
     "I didn't want to miss any of this. The whole town must be here."
     "Come on, let's get you something from the snack stand." They began walking toward the stand. When Michael looked back, he saw that Teddy wasn't following. "You, too, Bud."
     "I wanna see the team come out."
     "Hey, Teddy," called Ramond Garcia as he ran up. Teddy gave an answering grin to the only friend he had outside his special classes.
     For once Michael relaxed his vigilance. "Hiya, Raymond. Okay, Teddy, we'll be right back. You stay right here, okay? Just wait right here for us."
     Teddy nodded in agreement.
     Raymond drew Teddy's attention with, "I came here with my brother and sister like you did." He realized what he had said and added, "I mean with your brother. You don't have a sister."
    When Teddy realized his friend's mistake, he gave Raymond a jab to the arm and laughed, too.
     After a few minutes, during which Teddy saw Michael waving to him from the stand, Raymond announced suddenly, "I have to go find my brother and sister now." And with that, Raymond ran off, leaving Teddy alone.

Teddy once again turned to watch the gym's doors. Nothing. As high school kids filled the sidelines near him, the noise level seemed to get higher. Teddy didn't know any of the people near him. He couldn't see Michael. "I have to find Michael," Teddy thought, and he quickly started toward the snack stand.

"Hey, there, kid." An older boy blocked Teddy's way. "How ya doin'?"

"I'm okay. What's your name?"

"I've got something for you." The boy placed a small, plastic bag in Teddy's hand and closed Teddy's fingers around it. "You wanna buy it?"

"I don't have any money," Teddy responded, while

trying to give the packet back. "Michael told me not to take anything from strangers."

"Michael? Right. You're Michael Kirkpatrick's brother, aren't you? Tell him Leo says 'hello'."

"I don't want this." Teddy shoved the bag into Leo's hand and moved away quickly.

Halfway to Michael, suddenly a hand caught Teddy's arm and pulled him from the field, away from the snack stand. Realizing it was an adult, Teddy didn't struggle until his internal alarm bell rose to panic.

"What's the matter? Where are you taking me? You're a stranger."

Assistant Principal Martinez kept walking. "Just come with me."

"Michael!" Teddy yelled.

Michael glimpsed Teddy disappearing behind the bleachers. He ran as fast as possible through the crowd and stopped short upon seeing Teddy held by Mr. Martinez.

"What are you doing to my brother?" Michael yelled as he pulled Teddy to him. Holding Teddy tightly, Michael glared at the vice principal.

"This is your brother?"

Because of Michael's prominence at the top of the

senior class academically and his stature as a basketball

star, Mr. Martinez had heard about Michael's mentally-challenged brother. "I'm sorry, Michael, but I just saw him hand off a plastic bag to an older boy. I was about to ask about it. That's all. I'm sorry, if I scared you, son."

Mr. Martinez's apology seemed sincere to Michael, but still, it sounded like Teddy was in trouble. "What are you accusing Teddy of?" Michael asked through tight lips.

"You know we have to check out suspicious actions like this."

Michael turned to Teddy. "What about it, Bud? Did you give something suspicious to someone? Wait a minute..." Michael turned back to the man. "Where is this other person? Who was it?"

"It was Leo," Teddy broke in. "He said he knew you, Michael. He told me to tell you 'hi'."

"I don't know a Leo, but I've heard about one. If it's that guy, Teddy, you are never to have anything to do with him. Understand?"

"Yes, Michael. Are you mad at me?"

"No. Just tell Mr. Martinez what happened."

After Teddy finished relating the events, Michael was more than satisfied that Teddy had been cleared of any kind of wrongdoing.

Looking pained, Mr. Martinez said, "Turn your pockets inside out, Teddy."

Of course, Teddy didn't have drugs, but Mr. Martinez explained that no matter how innocent and inadvertent Teddy's actions may have been, he had handled the plastic bag and the school had no choice but to place Teddy on suspension for two weeks.

"What?! That's not fair. You don't even know what was in the bag. This Leo guy doesn't get in trouble, and Teddy is on OCS for two weeks?! He can't even wait in the bleachers during basketball practices? The convenience store won't let Mom take off from work. Teddy can't stay home alone. I'm not going to tell Coach I'll miss practice and the first two games. You do it!"

Mr. Martinez almost dropped his mouth open, when Michael led Teddy away. The school wasn't going to like this. The basketball coach wasn't going to like it. The fans! But rules are rules, aren't they?

Since Teddy's suspension meant he couldn’t take part in any extracurricular activities on campus, Michael, Teddy, and Kelly left before the football game even started. Dos Pintos became AAA champions, but among the three sad teens heading home only Teddy cared.

* * *

Michael didn't know whether to be glad or sad, when they found their mother already asleep. She looked peaceful, sleeping with her graying hair curled about her face, one arm draped across her forehead, a light blanket covering her slight, though anything but frail, form.

It seemed so unfair to add to her worries, but, oh, how Michael wished someone else could fix things for Teddy. He didn't want to miss basketball. No way would he allow Teddy to be home alone after school for two weeks. "Oh, well," Michael thought, "Tomorrow will be soon enough to give her the bad news."

Teddy was relieved to see his mother asleep, and he felt a lot better once Michael broke the silence with, "Get some sleep, Bud. We'll work this out."

Sleep was much tougher for Michael as he warred within himself, wishing he could have a normal life, resentful that he might never have one, versus his love for Teddy and guilt about that terrible night when they were little.

* * *

Michael and Teddy, ages 5 and 2, were momentarily left to drive each other crazy while taking the mandatory nightly bath in their small home in the older section of town. Their mother had left them alone only briefly to get Teddy’s pajamas. Teddy had forgotten them, as usual.

Outside the tub, Michael found drying off difficult due to his brother's continual splashing.

"Cut that out!" Michael yelled. "Get out of the tub, or I'm telling Mom."

Teddy stood up and reached for the floating washcloth. He slipped, falling face down into the water.

"Come on, Teddy. Don't kid around. Get out of there."

Michael reached into the water and pulled Teddy's arm. Teddy didn't respond. Michael began to panic, trying to pull his brother out and yelling in fear.

"MOM, HELP! TEDDY'S IN TROUBLE! MOM!"

Eleanor Kirkpatrick raced into the bathroom and yanked Teddy out of the tub. Her face white, she laid Teddy on the bathmat. "Michael, call 911 on the telephone, just like I showed you."

Michael raced away, bumping into the doorjamb as he left, and catching sight of his mother trying to do CPR the way she'd seen it done on TV.

Although only a minute or two had elapsed before Teddy had been rescued, the damage had been done. Teddy’s mental capabilities, while not severely impaired, would never be as keen as others his age.

And from this beginning Michael soon finds himself plunged into the world of drugs among teenagers and finds he must either find some way to stop them or risk seeing Teddy unwittingly drawn into that world.

* * *