Chapter1
The guys, Billy Burton, Matt Hingle, and Paul Tyler, were singing the Beach Boys’ “Fun, Fun, Fun” in the shower after their last gym class for the year. It was Wednesday, June 3, and the next morning, the school year 1963–1964 would end, and they would officially beseniors.
When they finished with the Beach Boys, they went right into “Help” by The Beatles. They even sang parts, with minorsuccess.
Paul was the leader of the group. He was 6’2” and 180 pounds with light brown hair and an athletic body. He was on the tennis team in the fall and on the baseball team in the spring. He believed he had a real shot at a Division 1 college baseball scholarship when he graduated from high school. Matt was six feet tall, 175 pounds with carrot-colored hair. Billy was the runt. He was 5’8”, 150 pounds with sandy hair. Both Matt and Billy were fairly athletic, but not enough so to make any of the Lake City High Schoolteams.
Out of the shower now, they quickly got dressed. It was seventh period, the last period of the day—of the year to be precise. The next morning, they would meet in home room, clean out their lockers, and go to the auditorium for a final assembly before being let out at 11:30. Then the summer of 1964 wastheirs.
“I can’t wait for this summer. It’s going to be great,” said Paul. “What are you guys going to do thissummer?”
“I’m going to swim at the lake and get as much pussy as I can this summer,” repliedMatt.
“Yeah, me too,” saidBilly.
“Do you guys think you’ll get twice as much pussy this summer as you got last summer?” Paulasked.
“At least,” Billyanswered.
“Well, let me do some figuring here, two times zero is still zero,” Paullaughed.
“That’s really funny, you turkey. How much do you think you’re going to get this summer since you broke up with Cindy?” Mattasked.
Paul answered, “Hey, I’m going to go wild this summer. I’m going to let my hair grow long like the Beatles, and let the sun turn it blond. I’m going to hang out at the lake and turn my body bronze, and I’m going to fall in love with beaucoup girls this summer. This is going to be the best summer of my life. I’m glad Cindy and I aren’t going steadyanymore.”
“Thisis going to be one hell of a summer,” Mattsaid.
“Come on, guys, we better get back out to the gym before the bell rings or Mr. Foster will be pissed,” Billysaid.
“So what? The grades have already been turned in. Hell, let’s just sneak out the door. He can’t do anything